No. 441. POINT DE VALENCIENNES (Valenciennes Stitch).--This stitch appears complicated, but is really easy to work. Begin at the left hand and work six point de Bruxelles stitches at unequal distance, every alternate stitch being larger. 2nd row: Upon the first large or long stitch work 9 close button-hole stitches, then 1 short point de Bruxelles stitch under the one above, then 9 close stitches, and so on to the end of row (right to left).
[Illustration: 441.--Point de Valenciennes (Valenciennes Stitch).]
3rd row: 5 close button-hole in the 9 of previous row, 1 short point de Bruxelles, 2 close in the Bruxelles stitch, 1 short point de Bruxelles, 5 close, 1 short point de Bruxelles, 2 close, l short, 5 close, 1 short, and repeat. 4th row: 5 close, 1 short point de Bruxelles, 2 close, 1 short, 5 close, 1 short, 2 close, l short, and repeat. Continue the rows until sufficient of the pattern is worked.
[Illustration: 442.--Point d'Alencon, with Twisted Stitch.]
No. 442. POINT D'ALENcON.--This stitch is used to fill up narrow spaces where great lightness is required. Point d'Alencon is worked under and over in alternate stitches, like hem stitch. Nos. 442 and 443 show point d'Alencon. In No. 442 a twisted stitch is worked over the plain point d'Alencon, which is clearly shown in No. 443; this twist is made by passing the thread three times round each plain bar, and working the knot shown in illustration No. 442 over _both_ strands of the bar.
[Illustration: 443.--Point d'Alencon, with Button-hole Stitch.]
The POINT D'ALENcON No. 443 is a festoon of close button-hole stitch worked over the plain bars.
[Illustration: 444.--Point d'Angleterre (Open English Lace).]
No. 444.--POINT D'ANGLETERRE (Open English Lace).--Open English Lace is thus worked:--Cover the space to be filled in with lines of thread about one-eighth of an inch apart, then form cross lines, intersecting those already made and passing alternately under and over them; work a rosette on every spot where two lines cross, by working over and under the two lines about 16 times round, then twist the thread twice round the groundwork thread, and begin to form another rosette at the crossing threads. No. 445 shows this stitch much enlarged.
[Illustration: 445.--Point d'Angleterre (Enlarged).]
No. 446,--POINT TURQUE (Turkish Stitch).--This easy and effective stitch looks well for filling either large or small spaces; the thread employed should be varied in thickness according to the size of the space to be filled. 1st row: Work a loop, bringing the thread from right to left, passing the needle through the twist and through the loop, draw up tight and repeat. 2nd row: 1 straight thread from right to left. 3rd row: Work the same as first using the straight thread in place of the braid, and passing the needle through the loop of previous row, as shown in illustration No. 446.
[Illustration: 446.--Point Turque.]
No. 447.--CORDOVA STITCH is useful for varying other stitches. It resembles the point de reprise of guipure d'art, and is worked in a similar manner over and under the side of squares formed by straight and parallel lines. (See No. 448.)
[Illustration: 447.--Point de Cordova (Cordova Stitch).]
No. 448.--POINT DE REPRISE.--This stitch is worked by darning over and under two threads, forming a triangle. The space is filled by parallel and cross-way bars, placed at equal distances, and on the triangles thus produced point de reprise is worked.
[Illustration: 448.--Point de Reprise.]
No. 449.--POINT BRABANcON (Brabancon Lace) is worked as follows:--Left to right. 1st row: 1 long loose, 1 short loose, point de Bruxelles alternately to end of row. 2nd row: 7 tight point de Bruxelles in the 1 long loose stitch, 2 short loose point de Bruxelles in the short loose stitch of previous row, repeat. 3rd row: Same as first.
[Illustration: 449.--Point Brabancon (Brabancon Lace).]
[Illustration: 450.--Point de Fillet (Net Groundwork Stitch).]
[Illustration: 451.--Point de Fillet and Point de Reprise.]
No. 450 is used for groundwork where Brussels net is not imitated, and is very effective. It is begun in the corner or crosswise of the space to be filled. A loose point de Bruxelles stitch is first taken and fastened to the braid, then passed twice through the braid as shown in illustration, and worked in rows backwards and forwards as follows:--1 point de Bruxelles stitch; before proceeding to the next stitch pass the needle _under_ the knot, _over_ the thread, and again _under_ it, as shown in illustration No. 450. This stitch is very quickly worked. No.
451 shows point de fillet applied in filling a space, with a few stitches of point de reprise worked upon this pretty groundwork.
No. 452.--POINT DE TULLE.--This stitch is used as a groundwork for very fine work, and is worked in rows backwards and forwards in the same stitch as open point d'Espagne, page 457. When this is completed the work is gone over a second time, by inserting the needle under one twisted bar, bringing it out and inserting it at +, and bringing it out again at the dot. This produces a close double twist which is very effective.
[Illustration: 452.--Point de Tulle.]
No. 453.--MECHLIN LACE (Mechlin Wheels).--This is one of the prettiest stitches in point lace, but also one of the most difficult to work correctly. It is thus worked:--Work a number of diagonal bars in button-hole stitch on a single thread in one direction, then begin in the opposite side the same way, and work 5 or 6 stitches past the spot where the two lines cross, pass the thread round the cross twice under and over the thread to form a circle. Work in button-hole stitch half one quarter, make a dot by putting a fine pin in the loop instead of drawing the thread tight, and work 3 button-hole stitches in the loop held open by the pin, then take it out, and continue as before.
Beginners will do well to omit the dot, leaving the loop only on the wheel. Mechlin wheels are also worked in rows upon horizontal and parallel lines of thread.
[Illustration: 453.--Mechlin Lace Wheels.]
No. 454.--ESCALIER LACE.--This useful lace may be varied in pattern to any extent by placing the open stitches in any desired order; it then takes the name of diamond or Antwerp lace, according to the design. True escalier lace is made by working nine button-hole stitches close together; then miss 3--that is, work none in the space that 3 stitches would occupy--work 9, miss 3 as before to the end of row, begin the 2nd row 3 stitches from the end, to cause the open spaces to fall in diagonal lines--a succession of steps or stairs (_escalier_), which gives name to this stitch.
[Illustration: 454.--Escalier Lace Worked in Diamonds.]
No. 455.--SPANISH POINT LACE is adorned with highly-raised scrolls, flowers, &c. This is effected by working over an underlay of coarse white thread or over fine white linen cords. The wheels are worked by winding soft coarse linen thread round pencils or smooth knitting-pins of various sizes, and working over the circle thus obtained a succession of close button-hole stitches. These wheels are sewn on to the lace when completed. The groundwork of Spanish lace is usually worked in what are called Raleigh Bars (see page 477), but this lace has sometimes for groundwork point de Venise. An easy mode of working this handsome lace is to trace the design upon very fine good linen; raise the thick parts as above directed, and embroider the whole in fine thick scalloped button-hole stitch; fill the ground with Raleigh bars, or, as shown in illustration No. 455, in treble point de Venise, and cut away the linen from beneath the groundwork.
[Illustration: 455.--Spanish Point Lace (Worked a l'Anglaise).]
WHEELS AND ROSETTES.
Wheels or rosettes are used to fill up circles, or in combination to form lace. The simplest is--
THE SORRENTO WHEEL.--Nos. 456 and 457.--This is worked by fastening the thread in the pattern to be filled up by means of the letters. Fasten it first at the place _a_, then at the place _b_, carrying it back to the middle of the first formed bar by winding it round, fasten the cotton at the place _c_, carrying it back again to the centre by winding it round the bar, and so on; then work over and under the bars thus formed as in English lace. See page 462, and illustrations Nos. 456 and 457.
[Illustration: 456 and 457.--Sorrento Wheels.]
No. 458.--ENGLISH WHEEL.--This is worked in the same manner as the Sorrento wheel, but instead of _winding_ the thread over and under the bars, the needle is inserted under each bar and brought out again between the thread and the last stitch; this gives a kind of button-hole stitch, and gives the square, firm appearance possessed by this wheel.
[Illustration: 458.--English Wheel.]
No. 459.--ROSETTE IN POINT D'ANGLETERRE.--This rosette is worked in a somewhat similar manner to the wheel above described, the difference being that after each stitch passed round and under the bars, the thread is passed loosely round in the reverse direction, as shown in illustration No. 459, before proceeding to make the next stitch.
[Illustration: 459.--Rosette in Raised Point d'Angleterre.]
No. 460 is a rosette or star which is used to fill circles of braid, and forms the centre of many modern point lace patterns. It is worked upon a pattern traced and pricked in small holes at equal distances. Two threads are employed, one coarse tracing thread, the other of finer thread. The coarse thread is laid on thus:--Pass the needle containing the fine thread, No. 12, through one of the pricked holes, over the tracing thread and back through the same hole; repeat, following the traced outline until the whole of the coarse thread is laid over the outline, then work over in tight button-hole stitch with picots or purls, as on the Raleigh bars (see page 477). This mode of laying on tracing or outlining thread is also applied to fine braid and to point lace cord, as in the alphabet No. 400 (see page 500).
[Illustration: 460.--Rosette for centre of Point Lace Circles.]
BARS.