THE WORK-TABLE FRIEND.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR TAPESTRY-WORK

AND EMBROIDERY.

THE materials for tapestry-work and embroidery. These may be classed under the names of wool, silk, chenille, braid: beads, straw, and a variety of other fancy materials, are also brought into use; and a knowledge of the proper mode of using them, and the varieties of each which are made, is one of the most useful things it is possible for the amateur needlewoman to know. We will, therefore, take them seriatim.

WOOL. German wool (or Berlin wool, as it is commonly called) is the most beautiful material manufactured for canvas - work. The vast variety of shades, the exquisite tints produced, the softness and evenness of the fabric, are beyond all praise. We speak of Berlin wool as it ought to be; for no article is more frequently of inferior quality. From damp, or bad packing, or many other causes, it is frequently crushed and injured, and in that state is not fit to be used for good work. Berlin wool is supposed to be all dyed, as well as made, abroad; at present a large proportion is entirely produced in our own country, which is little, if at all, inferior to the foreign. Berlin wool is made only in two sizes, namely 4-thread, and 8-thread; unless the latter is specified in receipts, the other is always implied. Berlin wools are either dyed in one colour, or in shades of the same colour, or (very rarely) in shades of several colours. Technically, a silk or wool, dyed in shades of the same colour, going gradually from light to dark, and from dark to light again, is termed an ombré or shaded wool or silk, whereas chiné is the term employed when there are several colours used. There are, also, what are called short and long shades; that is, in the former the entire shades, from the lightest to the lightest again, will occur within a short space, a yard or so; whereas, in long shades, the gradation is much more gra-dually made. We notice these apparently trifling differences, in our "instructions," that our readers may comprehend the importance of obtaining precisely the proper materials for each ig If we pre

scribe a certain article, it is because it and no other will give the effect. For instance, in a gentleman's purse, recently given, we advised clear glass beads, threaded on cerise silk,-and the reason was the peculiarly rich effect produced by the coloured silk shining through transparent glass. Yet a correspondent wrote to ask whether it would not be quite as well with all steel beads;-of course the silk could not be seen through them. Thus, a change of material, which might appear of no consequence whatever, would completely spoil the effect of the design.

Last year a new material was introduced, termed Crystal wool. It looks very brilliant and pretty, but is not well adapted for long wear.

FLEECY WOOL is the sort of wool used for polkas and other large articles. No material has been more improved of late, both in texture and dye. Some of the tints are quite as brilliant as those we so much admire in Berlin wool. It is made in 4, 6, 8, and 12-threads, and is much cheaper than German wool. It does very well for grounding large pieces of tapestry.

SHETLAND WOOL is very fine and soft, but it is not much used.

SILKS. Netting silk is so generally known it requires no description. It is, however, made in various sizes, and, of course, the selection of a wrong size often spoils the dimensions of a piece of works Three sizes are in general use, but there are extra fine and coarse.

FILOSELLE is a silk much used for crochet-work, and for grounding canvas. Its make has been greatly improved of late years, indeed, some kinds work with almost the richness of floss, at one quarter the expense; it is not suited for fine work. It is dyed in some very rich tints, but not any great variety.

FLOSS SILK is a very beautiful and expensive material; if largely used, care should be taken to economise it as much as possible. Generally speaking, if floss is used in cross-stitch, half the stitch is done with wool, and it is then finished with silk. It is chiefly employed in embroidery.

CHENILLE is of two kinds. Chenille à broder (the finest sort), and chenille ordinaire, which is stiff, and about the thick

ness of a quill. The extreme richness of the appearance of chenille, makes it suitable for any work requiring great briliancy; as, the plumage of birds, some lowers, and arabesques. Silk canvas is nuch embroidered with chenille; but it is extremely expensive, and very soon inured by dust. It should only be emloyed for articles intended to be glazed, such as pole-screens, the tops of workDoxes, and screen's.

BRAIDS are of various kinds. Russian silk braids are generally employed for dresses, slippers, &c.; but, for many of hese, the new ALBERT braid recently manuictured in England for ourselves, is much icher and more effective. Russian silk raid is generally narrow, and the plait is that kind which we term Grecian,-all e strands going from the edge to the ntre. In French braid, on the contrary, u can distinguish the plait of every two rands over each other. French braid, silk, is very little used in this country. ippers, and other small articles, worked braid, have the effect greatly improved laying a gold thread on one or both les of the braid. VICTORIA, ADELAIDE, CORONATION braid (for the same ticle has been called by all these various mes), is a cotton braid, which, when id on net or muslin, looks something te satin stitch. It is composed of ick and thin parts, alternately, and is ade in only two sizes. ALBERT BRAID is a sort of silk cord, ade in many beautiful colours. It is tended for either application, in braidand being raised, looks extremely ll, with very small outlay of time or oney. Gold and silver braids are often used in osaic-work, and for slippers, blottingses, &c. The MOSAIC braid, which is mparatively cheap, is generally used. A new material has just been manufacred for crochet, called Crystal Twine. is made in gold, silver, and various cours, and is very brilliant.

We have already described the perrated patterns, used in marking embroiry designs. Canvas-work is always done the thread; and, in selecting the canis and pattern, the scale we have already iven (in No. 17), for the sizes of the rmer, will be found extremely useful.

Placing the canvas in a frame, technically termed dressing the frame, is an operation which requires considerable care. The frame itself, especially for a large piece of work, should be substantially made; otherwise the stress upon it will be apt to warp it, and drag the canvas. If this occurs to any extent, the injury can never be repaired.

After herringboning the raw edges of the canvas, sew them, by the thread, to the webbing of the frame,—that is, to the top and bottom. Then stretch the ends till the canvas is extended to its utmost length, put in the pegs, and brace the sides with fine twine. If the canvas is too long for the frame, and any part has to be rolled over the end, let the wood be first covered with a few thicknesses of silver paper.

Sometimes, to save the trouble of grounding, a design is worked on cloth, over which canvas is laid. Whenever this is the case, the cloth must be carefully damped, to remove the gloss, before being put into the frame. Then, as cloth will always stretch much more than canvas, it must be cut a little smaller both ways. The raw edges of the cloth should be turned in, and tacked to the canvas before they are framed. Some people withdraw the threads of canvas after the work is done; but it has a much richer effect, if the threads of canvas are cut close to the outer stitches; and if there are any smali spaces in the pattern, where the ground should be seen, they may be worked in wool of the colour of the ground.

Should a piece of work be a little drawn, when taken out of the frame, damp the back well with a clean sponge, and stretch it again in the frame in the opposite direction. Whenever Berlinwork is done on any solid thick material, as cloth, velvet, &c., a needle should be used with an eye sufficiently large to form a passage for this wool. This prevents the latter from being crushed and impoverished as it passes througn.

It only remains for us to describe the different stitches used in tapestry-work. There are only five kinds,-CROSSSTITCH, TENT-STITCH, TAPESTRY-STITCH, GERMAN-STITCH, and IRISH-STITCH.

CROSS-STITCH is generally known. The

needle is brought up in one pole of the canvas, and down on another, two threads higher and more to the right. The slanting thread is then crossed in the opposite direction. Some workers do a line of half stitches, and then cross them; but this plan is apt to spoil the smooth even surface which the work should present. A cross-stich covers two threads in each direction.

TENT-STITCH Occupies one-fourth the space of cross-stitch. It is taken from one hole to the next above, and on the right hand side of it.

TAPESTRY-STITCH crosses two threads of the canvas in the length, and one in the width. It is sometimes called Gobelinstitch, because the Gobelin tapestry is worked in it. It is not suited for coarse canvas; and, in working from a Berlin pattern, two stitches must be counted as one square.

GERMAN-STITCH is worked diagonally, and consists of the first part of a crossstitch, and a tent stitch alternately worked.

IRISH-STITCH is worked parallel with the selvages of the canvas. None of the

stitches cross the threads in the width. In the first row, take the thread alternately over four and two threads; in all future rows take the stitches over four threads,which, as they rise, first from the long and then from the short stitch, will produce the same appearance in others.

With regard to wools, they should never be wound, as the least handling crushes the pile and spoils them. Chenille needs still more careful handling.

To stiffen large pieces of work, wet the wrong side thoroughly with a sponge and dry it rapidly before a fire (the wet side nearest the fire), before removing it from the frame.

We have said but little of the introduction of beads in canvas-work. They have the double merit of being at once brilliant and durable. The Germans are, however, so tenacious of the monopoly, it is quite a favour to obtain from them the varieties of shades and colours. They are, however, scarcely less numerous than those of wool. We ourselves, as a great favour, have obtained all the colours made in seed-beads, a number considerably exceeding 300.