The San Francisco call., 1910-12-18
Dlamt forms in
Gmhroinerp
nNHAT sounds a bit out of season

HyHAT sounds bit out Of season
now. when December winds are
- blowing and December snow is
falling: but even under the snow" there
are ever so many odd and pretty plant
forms, and, indeed. other nature forms,
that We never think Of taking as mo-
tifs for our fancy work.
Yet why not2 remember once writ
ing an article on the less usual flowers
as employed in embroidery; and 1 re-
member, too, how many women told me
that my list was revelation to them.
Look out Of your window even now;
or. If you are a city dwelier and not a
suburbanite, take a walk to the nearest
park or square.
There is the plantain, which fiourishes
all winter: its broad, squat leaves and
circular shape seem to bring doilies and
centerpieces Immediately TO the mind on
embroidery bent! The dandelion plant is
even more effective, with its spike leaves
and its row Of brave blossoms, which
spring up every little while even in the
midst OF winter.
Our evergreens are among the lowell
est bits OF vegetation we have. The
japanese understand this, when across
q picture they paint a pine bough and
behind it the "pale-faced moon moth
ing more. Can't you just see lovely
bit Of embroidery done on that same
principle: a clump of fir or hemlock,
with a bit Of snow on the end OF the
branches and a brown cone further
down2
Later on, in the early spring, you will
look for Indian pipes and bracken fern;
now you viii turn with new interest to
the Christmasy holly and mistletoe,
seeing new possibilities in them for all
The year round. The laurel and bay
leaves that may be had at this time of
year offer all sorts of suggestions also.
And the very withered leaves that lie,
brown and crumpled, at our feet become
beautiful when the needle fixes them
permanently upon the purple and fine
linen"
This is work that raises embroidery to
the level OF the old tapestries and
makes of it again an art instead OF a
handicraft. What color combinations
are not possiblel And yet how lovely
the work is in white and on white. with
just the faintest touch of color, perhaps,
to bring out shadow or deepen de-
preston!
Moreover, there is the greatest choice
in the variety of stitch used and the
method Of treatment. Heavy allover
work. delicate outline. long-and-short,
seedstitch-au have their place here.
and you may take your pick Of one or
more. Even dress decoration may look
20 the plant forms for new ideas: a
skirt hem Of the delicate bracken fern,
for instance, or a thread-lace yoke in
mistletoe.
Your model is the important thing;
like an artist, you must work from life,
or at least from photograph of life
OF course, if you really are an artist,
IN the narrower sense, and can draw
your design from the plant itself that
is q different matter; but most Of US
will be content TO photograph the plant
and then work from the photograph.
The other important thing is accurate
measurement. Do not feel, however,
that repeated designs must be exactly
alike. A little symmetrical irregularity
is the prerogative Of nature.
The best way to photograph the
b-oAts, by bAS way u 10 put NhSAl
against a background Of black velvet.
which reflects no light and shows plainly
every point, every shadow and relief
and delicate curve or curl. Green takes
light in a photograph and seems almost
white.
If you viii once try this form of en-
broidery, it will become almost an OBJ
session with you-I know. for I have
had the fever. 1t will certainly, as [
said before Of the wild flowers, make
you more Of a botanist and lover Of
the open, and it will most assuredly
make you more of an artist in the form
your needlework will take.