GUIPURE D'ART.
While netting has rather fallen out of favor of late years, the beautiful Guipure d'Art which consists of netted squares worked with various ornamental stitches is as much admired as ever. Although looks extremely difficult, it is really very easy of execution, and fully repays one for the trouble of working. The popular word "effective" so much in vogue now is very applicable to Guipure netting, drawn work, and Macramé lace, all of which are really very easy of execution, in spite of the elegant and complicated appearance of the work.
For this work a frame is necessary on which to stretch the netted foundation. This should be made of strong wire soldered together, and can be made by a tinsmith. It should be large enough to stretch the netting tightly. For insertion or edging, an oblong frame is used. The netting is generally done with linen thread, which must be of a size regulated by the foundation. A common darning or tapestry needle may be used for the lace stitches. Great accuracy is essential in this work, as a wrongly placed stitch would spoil the whole effect. It would be a good plan to practice the different stitches given on a square which can be kept for a sampler.
The square is netted as follows. Begin with two stitches, and net backwards and forwards, always increasing every row by making two stitches in the last stitch of the row, until you have one more stitch than the number of holes on one side of the finished square. Thus, if one side of the square has five holes, you must net six stitches on the mesh; then net one row plain, and then decrease at the end of every row, by netting the two last stitches together in one knot, until you have only two stitches left. Join these together with one knot in the middle, not making a stitch, but carrying the thread tight across to the joining knots.
Sometimes the pattern calls for a foundation in holes of two sizes. This is formed by putting the thread round the mesh twice for the large hole and once for the small.
In working the different stitches given, the thread must be carried alternately over and under the netted threads; the work must be uninterrupted, and the thread fastened with a firm knot; and when it is impossible to pass immediately from a filled up part to the next hole of the netted ground, the thread must be wound round the threads between that and the next hole to be worked as carefully as possible, so as to be almost imperceptible. The square to be worked must be tightly stretched in frame. This should be covered with ribbon or muslin to which the netting is laced, the lacing thread passing through the double edge formed by the increasing and decreasing stitches. It is well to fasten the corners first, as that makes it easier to draw the threads perfectly straight and true. POINT DE REPRISE.
Fig. 47.
This stitch is employed in almost every pattern; it is a simple darning stitch. The illustration shows the manner of working it. The holes are entirely filled up, threads passing alternately over and under the working thread.
POINT DE TOILE, OR TRELLIS WORK.
Fig. 48.
In working this stitch great care must be taken to make the threads cross each other evenly. The number of threads in a hole must be regulated by the size of the hole; but there must be the same number of long and cross threads and the numbers must be even—two, four, six, etc.; an odd number of threads would spoil the work. The cut shows how it can be worked both continuously, and when holes are missed.
POINT D'ESPRIT, FESTOON STITCH.
This stitch needs no explanation, the illustrations
Fig. 49.
showing the mode of working it. It admits of many variations which can easily be copied from the design. Sometimes the whole ground work is filled in with this stitch.
Fig. 50.
Fig. 50, gives a combination of point d'esprit and point de toile.
POINT CROISI, CROSS STITCH.
Fig. 51.
Fig. 51 shows the mode of working a crossed thread with a tied knot, which fastens all the threads at the crossing point. It is a button-hole stitch, only the stitch is put in over instead of next to the starting thread. For the double thread cross (Fig. 52) stretch the first loose thread for two bars of the cross lying near
Fig. 52
each other, then return as far as the middle only. Twist the thread round the latter, from here going always forwards and backwards to form the third and fourth bars; then unite all the four bars by one stitch, and then twist the thread a few times round the first bar with a single thread and finish. After uniting the cross-bars, it will be easy to make a little round pattern in the middle by drawing the thread round the cross.
Fig. 53 shows how to work a half cross stitch in rows.
Fig. 53.
SPINNING STITCH AND WHEELS,
These patterns are generally worked over four holes of the netted square at the crossing point of the cross-bars stretched across, and either unite the eight radii or meet over these in the centre of a netted hole with the thread wound round. This winding round is so contrived that the wound bars lie underneath the threads of the foundation, and the stitch is on this account called a web.
Fig. 54 gives the manner of making a web, which
Fig. 54.
is shown finished and surrounded by picots in Fig.
Fig. 65.
55. The manner of making these picots is shown in Fig. 56.
Fig. 56.
PYRAMID STITCH.
Fig. 57 gives the manner of working this stitch with two divisions: Tie the thread on with a knot, carry it as far as the middle of the outer netting thread of the pattern, fasten it for a triangle again
Fig. 57.
to the middle hole returning. Winding the last thread backward, the point of the triangle is reached, and the bars must now be closely worked in point de reprisé. The stretched thread can be carried along the netted thread forming the base of the triangle as far as the middle, and is then carried up to the point. This makes the finished work show three divisions.
MUSHROOM STITCH.
Fig. 58.
Fig. 59 gives a square containing double point
Fig. 59.
d'esprit between the different arrangements of mushroom stitch.
TUFTED BUTTONHOLE STITCH.
Fig. 60.
This stitch will be easily worked from the design. It is a pretty stitch for the border of a square as in Fig. 61.
Fig. 61.
LETTER "S" STITCH.
Fig. 62.
This is a combination of mushroom stitch and is used in the square illustrated in Fig. 63.
Fig. 63.
In this square, the thick part can be easily copied by any one who has studied the preceding stitches. The two squares illustrated can be used alternately to make an insertion, heading for guipure lace, or four joined together will make a pincushion cover. In this case it may be edged with a netted border, for which patterns have been already given.
Fig. 64 is an easy pattern for an insertion, or it can be used for a border by buttonholing the edge. Very handsome counterpanes pillow and shams
Fig. 64.
are made of squares of guipure, lined with silk or satin.
DOUBLE CROSS.
Fig. 65.
GUIPURE IN RELIEF.
Very effective patterns may be upon a ground of point de toile, or even upon plain netting. They consist of loose threads stretched over the foundation, and worked in like the point reprisé—for small patterns, over two threads, with one division,—for broad patterns, leaves, etc., with two or three divisions over three or more threads. Leaves should be graduated. Stalks on leaves, or sometimes raised veins, are formed according to the thickness required of threads stretched across, wound once or several times round, and closely corded in returning. The large patterns require a thread of the foundation to be worked in here and there lightly, to keep the guipure better in place.
Fig. 66 shows the way of working these relief stems.
Fig. 66.
BUTTON-HOLE STITCH.
This forms a pretty scallop border, and is particularly useful for edgings. Stretch the thread firmly round the netted thread and tie it always with a cross-stitch. Returning it must be closely twisted again, and then fastened with button-hole stitch. Picots may be worked in this edge by simply making another separate button-hole stitch, which lies free underneath, and is fastened to the next in continuing the row. This edge must be
Fig. 67.
worked very carefully, so that when the threads of the netting are cut away the stitches will remain in their place.
STAR ON RADII.
Fig. 68.
This can be worked from the illustration. Stretch bars as for a wheel the ends of which must again have cross-bars for rounding the star. The wheel is worked on the cross-bars and then the radii arranged round, crossing them at the back of the wheel where they are fastened with one or two button-hole stitches.
OBLONG NETTING.
For edgings, the foundation must be netted, so as to form an oblong strip. To do this, begin with two stitches as in the square, and increase on every row, until there are two more stitches than are required in the width. Then go on increasing on one side, but decrease on the other, so as to keep the number of stitches always the same. When you have the required length decrease to two stitches, as for the square. The increasing must always be on the same side of the netting, and it is well to tie a bit of colored silk on one side so as to mark where the increase is to be made.
The different stitches given above will enable one to copy any pattern without further directions, as they are merely various combinations of these.
The work is elegant and durable, not trying to the eyes, and possesses the advantage of demanding so few materials, that it is easily carried about, and makes but light demands on the purse.