Evening star., 1925-04-17
Hat and Dress Trimmings
Other Needlework Suggestions for the
Home Worker.

~ NE OF the simplest and most
effective forms of trimming
is the appliqued motif, cut in
any shape desired. from ma
terial in forms either round.
square or in any shape OF leaves,
flowers, fruit and other designs, which
are Sewed to a dress with embroidery
silk or cotton. Appliqued motifs of
organdy are used on linen and similar
material, while taffeta and crepe de
chine motifs are used on light wool
materials, and very often a material
of the same kind as the dress, but in
a contrasting color, is used.
A very effective design consists of
little clusters of apples and leaves,
of d muslin dress. They may be
secured TO the dress by small but
tonhole stitches. This stitch, how
ever, could be varied by using chain
stitch. ordinary over-and-oyer stitch,
or any stitch you like. Material in
two colors may be used for the apple
decoration. Two circles should be cut
out and placed on the dress to repre-
sent a cluster of apples. Four oval
shapes should form the leaves.
If several appliqued motifs of the
same kind are used, it is a good plan
to cut out a paper pattern of the
design required, and to use it as
guide when cutting out the motifs,
in this way making them uniform i'll
shape and size. Four-leaf Clovers,
little conventional roses consisting of
three crescent shapes, set round
small circle, or wild rose shapes re-
sembling a four-leaf clover are other
designs which are quite simple to
carry out.
Stitches as Trimming.
Buttonhole stitches may be divided
into two types, namely, one in which
the edge of the stitch is next to the
worker, sometimes called blanket
stitch, and one in which the edge OF
the stitch is away from the worker,
sometimes referred to as tailor'S but
tonhole stitch. Nearly all the but
tonhole stitches used as trimming
and in embroidery work belong TO the
first type, the blanket stitch. in which
The edge is next to the worker. This
type is very simple in its construction.
Its beauty lies in the placement and
the perfection Of the grouped stitches.
To make the plain buttonhole or
blanket stitch, work from left to right
with the edge toward you. With run
ming stitches first follow the outline,
whether it is straight or curved. In
sert the needle at the left and bring it
thread below the design and under the
left thumb. Insert the needle from
above and bring it out below the line
of the pattern. but above the held
working thread. Tighten the loop
thus formed, but be careful not TO
draw the material. For beauty of
work. the stitches must be close to-
gether and perfectly even.
A pointed buttonhole stitch Is only
a slight variation of the plain button
hole stitch. The only difference is
that the stitches are graduated to
point An open buttonhole stitch Is
made like plain buttonholing, but with
spacing between the stitches. But
tonholed cord or braid is simply open
buttonholing, made over cord or braid
held in position under the left thumb
during the working of the stitch. The
double buttonhole stitch, used for
filing spaces as a decoration, is
worked through the material, but not
on the edge, as usual To use this as
a decoration, first make two button
hole stitches in close succession; that
is. close to each other, leave a space,
make two more stitches, leave another
space, and so on. These butronhole
pairs should alternate in the rows, in
stead of one pair being placed under
the other.
To make buttonhole scallops. there
are two ways of placing the stitches.
In the first way the stitches radiate
from the center of a circle of which
the edge of the scallop is an arc. The
scallop itself usually varies in width
at different points, being narrower at
the beginning and at the end. In the
second form the stitches lie in abso-
Iutely vertical alignment. and the
scallop is usually of uniform width
throughout. Careful outlining and
padding add to the beauty of a but
tonholed scallop. For padding use a
slack twisted thread, such as darning
cotton; for outlining, a hard-twisted
thread. Never start with a knot. Use
n. few running stitches that the work
itself will cover later. Use the simple
running stitch for outlining the seal
Iop at the top and at the bottom Pad
the center with running stitches
placed rather far apart near the edges
of the design, but more closely at the
center.
A decorative button OF fair size
suitable for giving a touch of trim
ming to a dress, wrap, girdle, hat or