\0V 
 
 *4 
 
 
 
LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET 
 AND CHARING CROSS. 
 
CHURCH EMBROIDERY 
 
 indent anfo Jlftolrern 
 
 PRACTICALLY ILLUSTRATED 
 
 BY AN AST ASIA DOLBY, 
 
 LATE 
 
 EMBROIDERESS TO THE QUEEN. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY. 
 
 1867. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The want at the present day of a practical treatise on 
 Church Embroidery is so manifest that it would be super- 
 fluous to make any apology to the public for offering, in 
 the following pages, the result of several years' personal 
 experience in the various branches of high-class needle- 
 work. 
 
 A few books on the subject have been written within 
 the last twenty-five years, but they are to be regarded 
 principally as mere histories of Decorative Needlework, 
 for, although highly and generally interesting to readers, 
 yet they prove utterly worthless as guides to uninitiated 
 workers. 
 
 It is for the benefit of the latter that I have devoted 
 myself in this undertaking. 
 
 The beautiful art of Church Embroidery is so mysterious 
 and perplexing to the novice, and so simple and fascinating 
 when understood, that I desire nothing more earnestly 
 than that every reader of these instructions, may become 
 proficient, if only for the lasting delight the knowledge 
 will assuredly confer. 
 
 For the furtherance of my object I have received most 
 
 b 
 
\ 1 
 
 Preface. 
 
 generous assistance from more than one efficient source. 
 First, I have to mention the gracious kindness of Dr. 
 Daniel Rock, to whom, as an archaeological authority, I 
 have made frequent reference. 
 
 Secondly, that of Mr. T. J. Burton (whose taste and talent 
 in Church Decoration are not to be exceeded), for having 
 placed at my disposal many of his beautiful designs for 
 the illustration of my book. 
 
 And, lastly, I have the gratification to own myself in- 
 debted to my husband, but for whose able pencil I might 
 have failed in my efforts to place before the reader and 
 worker my practical ideas on Church Embroidery. 
 
 A. D. 
 
 Highgate, 1 867. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 i. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Introduction . i 
 
 II. 
 
 The Holy Altar, and its Adornment 12 
 
 III. 
 
 Eight Altars illustrated, and described for different kinds of 
 Needlework — Directions for executing Coloured Frontis- 
 piece of Hanging for Feasts of our Lord 20 
 
 IV. 
 
 Super-frontals — Ornamental Crosses for Frontals 56 
 
 V. 
 
 Monograms (various) — Powderings — Pulpit and Desk-Hangings . 70 
 
 VI. 
 
 Sermon-Cases — Band-Cases — Book-Covers — Alms-Bags — Alms 
 
 Dish-Mats — Church Book-Markers 83 
 
 VII. 
 
 Church Linen — Altar and other Cloths — Pouncing and Drawing 
 Patterns on Linen for Ancient Embroidery — How to pre- 
 pare Designs on Cardboard for Modern Church Embroidery 98 
 
Vlll 
 
 Contents, 
 
 VIII. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Applique ; or, Applied Work — Instructions for Preparation of 
 
 Applique in every Material no 
 
 IX. 
 
 Embroidery-Frames — Framing Work generally — How to use the 
 Hands at the Frame — Proper Implements for Church Em- 
 broidery .... 121 
 
 X. 
 
 Remarks on Gold — Gold Bullion Embroidery — Passing — Its Use 
 
 Illustrated from Photographs of 13 Old Stitches . . . . 136 
 
 XI. 
 
 Embroidery Silks — Directions for Long-Stitch Embroidery — 
 
 French Knots, with Practical Illustration 153 
 
 XII. 
 
 Textile Fabrics for Robing the Altar — Correct Church Colours 
 
 and Shades 163 
 
CHURCH EMBROIDERY, 
 
 HAT the women of England were once celebrated 
 
 above all others for their skill in needlework, and 
 for that of the Church especially, few writers on the subject 
 have failed to record. 
 
 In the early history of the Christian Church in England, 
 frequent reference is made to elaborate needlework vest, 
 ments, altar-coverings, and hangings of various kinds, the 
 cost of any one of which would be no mean dowry in our 
 own day ; so richly were they wrought, not only with the 
 "threaded steel" in gold, and silks of many-coloured and 
 marvellous tints, but interwrought with pearls and precious 
 stones. 
 
 In a work professing to be eminently practical it would 
 be out of place to enter at any length into the history of 
 Church Embroidery, particularly as the subject— as we 
 have observed elsewhere — has been so admirably treated by 
 
 i. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 others. 
 
 B 
 
 11 
 
^ Cburcf) aEmfiroinetp, 
 
 Originality is not our aim ; we desire only to inspire our 
 readers to a practical pursuit of the beautiful art we are 
 privileged to teach, and therefore while remarking upon 
 the early needlework of Englishwomen, will content our- 
 selves with quoting here and there from such authorities 
 as we consider best calculated to aid us in our object. One 
 of these, a modern writer eminent in archasological lore,* 
 and one to whom the late Pugin himself was sometimes in- 
 debted for assistance in his researches, says : — " Well may 
 we look back, and point exultingly to those glowing 
 examples of zeal shown by our forefathers in everything 
 belonging to the decency and becoming splendours of 
 God's public worship. 
 
 " Whether the Anglo-Saxons, the Normans, or the Eng- 
 lish ruled, it mattered little ; our island home, the while 
 -Catholicism spread throughout its length and breadth, was 
 quickened by the one same undying wish to make the house 
 of God the church — and the throne of Christ the altar — 
 more glorious than the houses of men, more dazzling with 
 beauty than the thrones of earthly kings. The brightest 
 of our national worthies, those who gave us our lofty birth- 
 right as freemen, the framers of our wisest, soundest laws, 
 our incomparable Alfred, our holy Edward the Confessor, 
 deemed it not beneath them to provide splendid vestments 
 for the Church's ministers ; and our royal Anglo-Saxon 
 dames, our iEolfflaeds, our Emmas, our Margarets, busied 
 their minds, and bethought themselves how they might 
 
 * Dr. Rock. 
 
ancient anti a^oticrn. 3 
 
 procure the most beautiful sacerdotal garments for the 
 service of the altar." For three, six, or even ten years, nay, 
 often a lifetime, to be employed over one piece of work was 
 no rare occurrence in ancient times. Women of rank vied 
 with each other in the expenditure of their money and time 
 for the service of the Church, and no material was thought 
 too good, nor any designs too -elaborate for their under- 
 taking. That the results were worthy of the means ex- 
 pended for their production may be inferred from the fact 
 that the Opus Anglicanum — the English work — was ex- 
 tolled and coveted by all nations. We are told how, " when 
 Robert Abbot of St. Albans visited his countryman Pope 
 Adrian the Fourth, he made him several valuable presents, 
 and amongst other things, three mitres and a pair of sandals 
 of most admirable workmanship. His Holiness refused his 
 other presents, but thankfully accepted of the mitres and 
 sandals, being charmed with their exquisite beauty. These 
 admired pieces of embroidery were the work of Christina, 
 Abbess of Markgate." 
 
 Beautiful indeed must have been the work that gained 
 such favour with the Pope, when we call to mind the 
 gorgeously decorated garments with which, from the very 
 earliest Christian times the respective heads of the church 
 at Rome were familiar. Pope Eutychianus who ordained 
 that a dalmatic robe or a purple colobio, should enshroud 
 each faithful martyr, had doubtless costly sacerdotal vest- 
 ments of his own. The snow-white Phrygian robe of Pope 
 Silvester with our Lord's Resurrection worked thereon, was 
 
4 Cfmrcfr GEmfcroitierp, 
 
 so valued that it was specially ordained to be worn by suc- 
 ceeding pontiffs on state occasions. In the eighth century 
 we find Anastasius making mention of a cohering for the 
 high altar of the great Apostle Peter, which was given by 
 Pope Leo the Third, and was one blaze of golden thread 
 and sparkling gems, illustrating by needlecraft our Saviour's 
 grant to the blessed Apostle of the power to bind and loose, 
 and representing also the suffering of Peter, the Prince of 
 the Apostles, and Paul. This covering was of enormous 
 size and exhibited on St. Peter's and St. Paul's days. 
 
 Pope Paschal, in the ninth century, was another great 
 benefactor of needlework to the Church. For him robes and 
 altar-cloths, magnificent and innumerable, were wrought, 
 which he lavishly bestowed on various churches. To one 
 of these he presented an altar-cloth of Tyrian purple, with 
 golden emblems thereon, bearing the resemblance of our 
 Lord's countenance, and of the blessed martyrs Cosman 
 and Damian, with three other brothers. Upon this also 
 was the cross in gold, encircled by a border of olive-leaves 
 exquisitely rendered by the needle. To another church an 
 altar-cloth was given by this pontiff, which is specially men- 
 tioned for its beauty and costliness — as having golden 
 emblems, with our Lord surrounded by archangels and 
 apostles. The entire work being greatly enriched by 
 pearls. 
 
 We are tempted, ere resuming our little sketch of the 
 work Englishwomen have done, to quote from Anastasius, 
 one or two other of the many gorgeous vestments he 
 
ancient ana afjonern. 5 
 
 describes as having belonged to Pope Paschal. The robe 
 worked with gold and gems, having the history of the 
 virgins with lighted torches marvellously represented there- 
 on ; and that of Byzantine scarlet worked with a border 
 of olive-leaves.^ 
 
 But there was yet another in the sacred wardrobe of the 
 Holy Father, perhaps more singular and attractive than 
 either of the former, a vestment of a rich amber-coloured 
 ground, embroidered with peacocks, in all the brilliant and 
 mysterious shades of their plumage.^* 
 
 Says the living writer whom we have already quoted, and 
 from whom we are still proud to borrow largely: — "Our 
 Anglo-Saxon ladies became famous abroad for their ability 
 in needlework ; and so highly was embroidery esteemed 
 among themselves, that lands even were bestowed as a 
 reward for teaching this womanly accomplishment. (Under 
 Achelei, in Buckinghamshire, it is stated that Godric, the 
 sheriff, granted to Aluid half a hide of land so long as he 
 should be sheriff, on condition that she should teach his 
 daughter the art of embroidery. — Descriptions of the Ptiblic 
 Records ; p. 10.) 
 
 " Italy herself could show nothing to be compared to 
 some of our vestments ; and a cope which iEogeinuth, 
 the Anglo-Saxon primate, had given together with many 
 other presents to an archbishop of Benevento (who once 
 
 * This sweet emblem of peace was constantly used in the sacred embroideries of 
 this period. 
 
 t In what way these birds became associated with religious symbols has never yet 
 been clearly defined. They were equally popular in romance and chivalry. 
 
6 Cfmrcb (JEmfcrottierfi, 
 
 came here to beg alms at Cnut's court for Apulia), 
 long remained without an equal in that country, where 
 Eadmer, years afterwards, found it still unmatched and 
 by far the most beautiful among all those like vestments 
 worn by the bishops at a council presided over by the 
 Roman pontiff at Benevento, whither this Englishman 
 had gone, along with another archbishop of Canterbury, 
 St. Anselm. 
 
 " In going through the life of that pearl amid women, 
 Edmund Ironsides' granddaughter, and little niece to 
 Edward the Confessor — our own Anglo-Saxon Margaret — 
 we meet with many a touching scene. On becoming Mal- 
 colm king of Scotland's wife, this Anglo-Saxon princess 
 wedded, as it were, that country to herself, and toiled so 
 long and well to civilize its then rude people. If we stop 
 awhile to behold the royal but unlettered husband, who 
 doated, as well he might, upon her, taking up with reverence 
 Margaret's prayer-book, and as he gazed upon its beautifully 
 illuminated leaves, and golden letters, which he knew not 
 how to spell, kiss it for his queen's sake (for it was almost 
 hourly in her hands), still more shall we wish to linger in 
 thought within that chamber of hers, where she watched 
 the labours of her waiting-maidens and worked along with 
 them ; and where copes, and chasubles, and stoles, and altar- 
 frontals might always be seen, some in the workers' hands, 
 others already done, and most beautifully wrought by the 
 needles of those high-born dames and worthful females whom 
 Margaret the queen had drawn about her to spend their 
 
ancient anti a^oDetn. 
 
 7 
 
 talents in embroidery upon the adornment of God's altar, 
 and the sacrificial garments of its ministers : — 
 
 " Though not outstripped, the Anglo-Saxons were equalled 
 by the Anglo-Normans and the English in a becoming 
 zeal for the beauty of God's house and its servants minis- 
 tering array. Still, however, the higher merit belongs to 
 the first, for Anglo-Saxon feelings suggested, and Anglo- 
 Saxon fingers wrought those tasteful designs on the sacred 
 garments that however rich they might be in their mate- 
 rials were thought richer still from their beauty, and, as 
 works of art, have earned for themselves the historian's 
 notice ; at the same time a sight of them always called 
 forth the admiration and awakened the wishes of foreigners 
 to possess them." 
 
 Much of the beautiful work of the middle ages was 
 produced in the nunneries, where girls of noble birth were 
 sent for their education ; and where they were not only 
 taught the principles of their religion, but as much book- 
 knowledge as the resources of the age could supply, and 
 fine needlework and embroidery for the employment of 
 their hours of relaxation from study. 
 
 Seated at her embroidery-frame, we can imagine some 
 good nun surrounded by a bevy of joyous girls, passing 
 flattering encomiums on her skill, and playfully disputing 
 with each other the privilege of being taught by her, to 
 paint with the needle as she is doing. We fancy we hear 
 the gentle sister rebuking the chattering idlers, and happily 
 bringing them one after the other into useful requisition ; 
 
8 Cburcf) GEmbrottierp, 
 
 till, by degrees, she has separated the group, and each has 
 gone, in the spirit of true obedience, with a pleased and 
 important air, to the avocation assigned her. Perhaps two 
 are to sort and wind the silks ; one, is to retouch the design, 
 where it is becoming obliterated ; another, is to watch the 
 able fingers of the worker, and thread the needles with the 
 requisite shades ; others, whose judgment is more advanced, 
 may assist at the embroidery, while from amongst them all, 
 one willing to read aloud must be chosen, that not a single 
 corner of the busy mind may be left unoccupied. 
 
 This is no exaggerated picture, of the devoted and as- 
 siduous spirit, in which our countrywomen wrought many of 
 those wonderful examples with the needle, that enriched the 
 Church, before the Eighth Henry impoverished it. 
 
 Old, and reliable chroniclers, tell us how the art of Church 
 embroidery continued to advance in splendour and delicacy, 
 until the period immediately preceding the Reformation, 
 when, although the execution continued as good as ever, 
 yet there was sometimes to be seen a want of simplicity 
 and elegance in the design, which had distinguished the 
 work formerly. But to imagine the wealth of beauty that 
 must have been contained in the cathedrals and churches 
 at the close of the fifteenth and the beginning of the 
 sixteenth centuries would be impossible. 
 
 For upwards of six centuries these gorgeous works had 
 been accumulating, subject to loss only by natural decay. 
 During this period it has been justly said, that "the adorn- 
 ment of a cathedral in the middle ages, with pictures, 
 
ancient anD apDern. 
 
 9 
 
 shrines, books, ecclesiastical habiliments, all more or less 
 blazing with gold, silver, and precious stones, was a work 
 scarcely less necessary to the prevalent ideas than the 
 erection of the edifice itself." The writer is referring to 
 the Church of Old St. Paul's, in London, where doubtless 
 many treasures of decorative needlework once existed. 
 Indeed we read, that at the cathedral of Aix, in France, a 
 portion of English tapestry which belonged to Old St. 
 Paul's is still preserved. It is said to have been sold with 
 others at the period of the Reformation, when, failing the 
 opportunity of sale, the aid of fire was usually called in to 
 destroy such works. From the date at which this tapestry 
 is supposed to have been accomplished (15 11), and from 
 its exhibiting the arms of Henry the Eighth, it was pro- 
 bably among the last that was produced for the Church. 
 
 Beyond this time it is melancholy to pursue the subject 
 as a matter of art. With the period of the Reformation 
 we have nothing to do, except in our province of needle- 
 work, but we may deplore the indiscriminate pillage, and 
 destruction of all kinds of decorations that followed 
 Henry's policy. Plunder was the order of the day, and 
 what could not be turned at once into money, to satisfy 
 the rapacity of the court and its minions, was given to 
 wanton demolition. 
 
 It was thus, with much that was bad, vast stores of good 
 and beautiful things passed away, and valuable pieces of 
 work that had occupied in their execution the best days of 
 many a pious heart and hand, were cruelly obliterated. 
 
 c 
 
IO 
 
 Cfjurcl) OBm&rottierp, 
 
 But we have now to be thankful that we live in better 
 times, when we can discriminate between a superstitious 
 awe of, and belief in mythical traditions, and a becoming 
 reverence for the ordinances of the Founder of our Com- 
 mon Faith ; and we may confidently hope, that in these 
 days " a brutal crusade against the consecrated houses of 
 God, destroying and defiling " — would not be endured. 
 
 It is possible that we may have said enough to convince 
 our countrywomen who have hitherto felt diffident, and 
 inclined to yield the palm for embroidery to their con- 
 tinental sisters, that if there be anything in right of 
 inheritance, Englishwomen can conscientiously lay claim to 
 that of ability and excellence in church needlework. But 
 in emulating our ancestors in working for the church, we 
 must never forget that what they did best was always for 
 the " honour and glory of God," and not merely for human 
 praise, and the amusement of idle half hours. Those who 
 labour in the right spirit, need scarcely to have been 
 reminded, of the pious, and undeniable, precedents we have 
 quoted for their occupation. 
 
 To any who may question the utility or propriety of 
 such works, we can only say, that in the first place we did 
 not write this book for them, and secondly, we are more 
 given to needlework than controversy. 
 
 We can point, and most reverentially, to that one great 
 evidence of the Divine approbation of the works of men 
 dedicated to the service of God ; and it is one, such as 
 surely none will dare to dispute. The Holy Scriptures tell 
 
ancient ana a^otiejm. 
 
 us that Solomon, after raising up under the Divine com- 
 mand the most magnificent temple the world ever saw, 
 decorated in a manner of which our meagre minds can 
 form no conception, received a direct sign of approval 
 from the Most High. 
 
 That " all this will be restored as it was," we are as much 
 bound to believe as any other portion of the Sacred Word ; 
 therefore are we justified in upholding that not only 
 should the Art of Church Embroidery be pursued with 
 love, but held in respect. 
 
i2 Cfmrcf) OEmbrotHerp, 
 
 ii. 
 
 THE HOLT ALTAR, AND ITS ADORNMENT. 
 
 Jp*ROM various testimonies, we are led to believe, that 
 for three hundred years after the first observation of 
 Christian rites, the Holy Table, upon which the Eucharistic 
 sacrifice was offered, was, with few exceptions, made of 
 wood. 
 
 St. Athanasius mentions, amongst other acts of sacrilege, 
 how the Arians burned the sacred table, which was of 
 wood ; and other saintly writers, including St. Augustine, 
 remark upon the destruction of the wooden altars, perpe- 
 trated by the enemies of the faith. It was the early 
 Christians who, whilst hiding in the catacombs from their 
 persecutors, were wont to celebrate the office of the Holy 
 Communion on the tombs of the apostles and martyrs ; 
 making the slab of marble, which covered the sepulchre, 
 serve as the altar-table. 
 
 By a decree made in solemn council early in the sixth 
 century, consecration was denied to any but stone altars ; 
 or rather, the celebration of the mass was forbidden to all 
 priests unless performed upon a stone, however small, that 
 had been duly blessed, and anointed by the bishop. 
 
ancient ana a^otierm 13 
 
 Super-altars were thus blessed ; and altar-stones, for the 
 use of chaplains in private houses. The last-named, when 
 conveyed about by the travelling priests for the observance 
 of their sacred functions in places where tables had not yet 
 been consecrated for the sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist, 
 were called travelling-altars; but a special grant was 
 necessary, for the privilege of using them. 
 
 Super-altars might be placed upon an already conse- 
 crated table for the offering of the mass, when a bishop 
 officiated ; or in the Anglo-Saxon churches, where the 
 altars were neither of stone, which was rare, nor had conse- 
 crated stones inserted in them, super-altars were placed 
 upon the wooden tables for the lawful celebration of the 
 mass. They were invariably of costly make; jasper, as 
 figurative of faith, being the favourite stone. Dr. Rock, in 
 his valuable collection of treasures of the " Church of our 
 Fathers," has a super-altar of great beauty of design and 
 workmanship. It is described as of marble mottled, dull 
 purple and green, called, by Italian antiquaries, Oriental 
 jasper. The stone is nine inches long by four and a half 
 inches broad, and is let into a solid piece of oak ; both are 
 cased in silver, having three, out of the four original, very 
 low silver feet "attached to the under-sheathing. The 
 entire size of this super-altar can scarcely exceed twelve 
 inches by eight. Its height, two and a half inches. 
 
 But the super-altar of the past must not be confounded 
 with that of the present. The former was, . as we have 
 shown, solemnly blessed as the most sacred table upon 
 
H Cfjurcfr OEm&roiDetp, 
 
 which the mass was to be celebrated ; the latter, which did 
 not obtain till towards the close of the fifteenth century, is 
 simply the predella or shelf, an elevation at the back of the 
 altar for the support of the candlesticks, and the reredos, if 
 there be one ; and no other claim to sacred use has the 
 so-called super-altar of modern times. In Churchwarden's 
 account of St. Mary Hill, London, a.d. i486, mention is 
 made of " a frontell for the schelffe standying on the altar, 
 of blue sarsenet, with brydds of golde." 
 
 The earliest stone altars were not always a solid mass of 
 stone ; they were frequently hollow underneath, and sup- 
 ported by one or more pillars, as in altar No. 1 of our illus- 
 trations. Nor were they always oblong in shape ; they 
 were as often square, and, as our authority writes — 
 " Whether of stone or wood, the material itself with which 
 those altars were raised was always worked quite plain ; and 
 they received their decoration not from the ornaments and 
 figures carved upon them, but more fittingly from movable 
 adornments, such as splendid frontals and magnificent palls. 
 Often were those frontals made of thick plates of gold or 
 silver, exhibiting the figures of Christ and the saints, stand- 
 ing out in bold relief from a ground sparkling with gems of 
 no mean price. The palls, if not always, were often of the 
 richest purple die, woven of fine silk, and edged with golden 
 borders. At the more solemn festivals, the high altar in the 
 richer churches was sheathed in a gold or silver frontal 
 studded with precious stones, while in the less wealthy ones 
 it was gracefully shrouded in the folds of a costly silken 
 
ancient anu a^oDern. 15 
 
 pall; on lower festivals less splendid, but always seemly, 
 coverings arrayed the altar in both one and the other." 
 
 The Norman-English perpetuated the Anglo-Saxon use 
 of movable altar frontals, a practice which was continued up 
 to the time of the Reformation, at which epoch, "every 
 parochial church was furnished with complete sets of 
 frontals, and hangings for the altars." 
 
 With the destruction of the stone altars at the change of 
 religion, and their entire abolition for "the decent table 
 provided at the cost of the parish, standing on a frame," as 
 commanded by Elizabeth in 1565, most of their beautiful 
 needlework apparels disappeared from the Church, to be 
 cut up as coverings for the chairs and beds of the professors 
 of the new faith, who held it neither sin nor shame thus to 
 appropriate what had been expressly wrought, and used 
 hitherto, only for the service of God. 
 
 Such as by chance have been spared in their original 
 form afford, almost without exception, the best examples of 
 ecclesiastical needlework we, at the present day, can follow. 
 
 The ancient embroideries at Southgate House, Derby- 
 shire ; those at Chipping Camden ; that at Stoke Canon ; 
 and that truly remarkable altar-cloth at Steeple Aston, 
 portraying the crucifixion of our Lord, and the martyrdom 
 of many of the apostles and saints, are a glory to contem- 
 plate. These cannot possibly be accessible to all who are 
 interested in the reproduction of needlework worthy of the 
 Church; but happily the South Kensington Museum is 
 open to the researches of everybody, and we would recom- 
 
1 6 Cfmrdb (ZBmfcroiuerp, 
 
 mend our readers, to a study of some of the fine old needle- 
 work now exhibiting there. 
 
 There, still almost intact, is, that wonder of all time, the 
 Sion Cope, nearly six centuries and a quarter old. In the 
 same case, is the orphrey of a chasuble of German work, 
 executed for one of the dukes of Cleves — 1460 — one of the 
 most finished pieces of needlecraft in the whole collection. 
 The draperies of the little figures are elaborately couched in 
 fine gold thread, still brightly and mysteriously glistening 
 with the true metal ; the faces are like miniature paintings, 
 and the hair most exquisitely represented by minute French 
 knots. Although not English work, yet this is well worthy 
 of any nation, and many valuable hints may be gathered 
 from it by the modern Church needlewoman. The more 
 we go into the subject, the more we find, that it is with 
 Church embroidery as with architecture — we may design, 
 and we may work, and in the end accomplish meritorious 
 things, but our greatest achievements, can never exceed in 
 pious sentiment, and patient execution, the results produced, 
 by the zealous workers of the middle ages. 
 
 Nevertheless, although bound to admit this excellence in 
 the work of our ancestors, yet we are fain to believe that 
 the privilege of making " perfection perfect " may be reserved 
 to us ; for while we are imitating the essential beauty of 
 their designs, and emulating their marvellous stitchery, it 
 behoves us to avoid those errors of drawing, mostly with 
 reference to the human figure, so palpable in much of the 
 good old needlework. 
 
ancient anD a^otiern, 17 
 
 The principles, for drawing geometrical figures, have been 
 the same from the beginning ; we can do little more, in this 
 particular, than has been already done. The representation 
 of flowers and scrolls, no matter how irregular or how 
 formal, may always be excused, and accepted, as conventional 
 and Church-like. The former were never intended to be 
 exact copies from nature, being such as are used symboli- 
 cally in Holy Writ, and therefore "representations of 
 abstract truths, applicable to all climates, times, and cir- 
 cumstarfces." 
 
 But the same cannot be said of the human figure, " the 
 likeness of God made man ;" and we would enjoin those who 
 have confidence enough to attempt a delineation of it with 
 the needle, to work only with a correct drawing of the sub- 
 ject before them ; never forgetting, that as fifty stitches in 
 a face, or a hand, are scarcely equivalent to one touch of 
 the brush, the slightest deviation from a mark, or a curve, 
 in any one of those fifty stitches, may make sentiment 
 burlesque, or symmetry deformity. 
 
 In some of the ancient work, even, where, as Mr. Pugin 
 wrote, " the countenances of the images are executed with 
 perfect expression, like miniatures in illuminated manu- 
 scripts," the hands and feet are utter distortions, and give to 
 what might be otherwise a sublime, a grotesque effect. To 
 our minds this alone proves the error of copying, to the 
 minutest detail, all the early examples that come before us. 
 It is certain, that our predecessors had but one object ever 
 before them, as they pursued their pious work ; and that 
 
 D 
 
1 8 Cfmrcfr (ZBm&rotoerp, 
 
 was, to do the very best they could, according to the ad- 
 vance of the age ; and it is equally certain, that if the taste, 
 and necessity, for Church adornment had continued uninter- 
 ruptedly from the beginning of the Christian era, till now, 
 the present generation would have found little left to learn 
 in sacred needlework. 
 
 Our exhibitions of ancient and modern art ; our schools 
 of design ; our opportunities of travel, whereby we may 
 seek and learn for ourselves ; are all in our favour for the 
 accomplishment of works of real artistic skill. And if we 
 use our gifts well, we may enable those who come after us 
 not only to laud our industry, but to acknowledge con- 
 scientiously, that the Church needlework of the latter half 
 of the nineteenth century, could not be improved upon. 
 
 The altar of the present day takes many forms of orna- 
 ment. First, according to the views of the ministry of the 
 particular church ; secondly, with reference to the available 
 funds for decoration ; and thirdly, to harmonize with the 
 style of architecture. Our desire is to meet all these by 
 designs applicable in each case, commencing with the most 
 simple, and ending with the richest examples likely to be 
 required for any church. 
 
 Each design will be described in detail, and different ways 
 recommended for its execution; while the directions for 
 accomplishing the various kinds of work named, will be 
 found duly headed, with illustrated examples, at the end of 
 the book. 
 
 In churches where ample funds exist for decorations, the 
 
ancient anD a^otiern. 19 
 
 colour of the altar apparel is varied according to the eccle- 
 siastical season. Green is used on ordinary Sundays and 
 service days ; white on the festivals of our Lord, such as 
 Christmas and Easter ; red on the feasts of apostles and 
 martyrs ; and violet for the penitential times of Advent and 
 Lent. Where the church belongs to a poor district, and 
 the means are small in consequence, and the observation of 
 the festivals is held essential by the minister, the ante- 
 pendium upon which the most should be bestowed, is 
 obviously the white. After this, the green should be con- 
 sidered, and should be chosen of a design, that will admit of 
 a crimson super frontal, however simple, being hung upon 
 it, to mark the feasts of apostles and martyrs. 
 
 The violet frontal for penitential seasons may be the 
 least elaborate of all. A simple monogram or cross, in 
 white or gold colour cloth applique, being very effective, 
 practicable, and inexpensive. 
 
 Designs suitable for such a Lenten cloth, and especially 
 adapted for applique, will be found, Plate 8. 
 
CJjurcf) Cmbtot&erp, 
 
 in. 
 
 EIGHT ALTARS ILLUSTRATED, AND DESCRIBED FOR DIFFERENT 
 KINDS OF NEEDLEWORK— DIRECTIONS FOR EXECUTING 
 COLOURED FRONTISPIECE OF HANGING FOR FEASTS OF 
 OUR LORD. 
 
 LTAR No. i is adapted for a plain church of the 
 
 Grecian character. 
 The Monogram is a combination of the X, or ch, and 
 the P, or ro, commencing the name of Christ in Greek. 
 It is one of the oldest forms of abbreviation of the sacred 
 name, and numberless instances of its use are to be found 
 in the Museum of the Vatican, among the treasured relics 
 of the early Christians. 
 
 In this precise form, the name of the Saviour was inscribed 
 on the Labarum, — the imperial banner of Constantine the 
 Great — encircled with a golden crown, dazzling with pre- 
 cious stones. This is also said to have been the symbol of 
 the Cross, which appeared, above the sun at noon, to the 
 Christian Emperor and his whole army, when encamped 
 outside Rome, on the day before the battle with Maxentius. 
 The holy sign in the heavens, being surrounded in shining 
 letters, with the words — "By this conquer." We are 
 
ALTARS 
 
 PLATE I 
 
ancient ann a^otiern, 21 
 
 informed by Eusebius that Constantine himself related this 
 to him. 
 
 Accompanied by the palm-branch, this Monogram was a 
 favourite inscription on the tombs of the Christian martyrs ; 
 and was used exultingly to the mystification of the Pagans, 
 who held every symbol of the Crucifixion in the greatest 
 possible abhorrence. 
 
 We will describe this altar as apparelled in green for 
 ordinary days. 
 
 Material : — Velvet, Silk Reps, or Cloth. 
 
 The centre compartment, upon which the needlework is 
 shewn, to be quite plain, suspended on a rod by rings. 
 Not strained, as on a panel. The side curtains to be hung 
 in full rich folds. 
 
 To Embroider the Design. 
 
 Frame a piece of foundation linen, and upon it — as 
 directed page 102, pounce and draw all the pattern, excepting 
 the Monogram. 
 
 Now cut out a piece of crimson velvet, to an exact circle, 
 the size of the outer line of the band, encompassing the 
 Monogram. Precisely in the centre of this, draw the 
 Monogram. Then lay the velvet down in its place on the 
 design, pin it with small pins round the circle, and finally 
 secure it by stitches a quarter of an inch apart, taken 
 through and through, all round the edge : it is thus, a 
 crimson velvet ground is secured for the Monogram. 
 
22 Cfmrcfc Cmfcrofoerp, 
 
 Raise the Monogram by a layer of yellow threads ; and 
 work the X in dead, and the P in bright, bullion ; and edge 
 both letters, with one row of black crochet silk sewn over 
 with gold. 
 
 The circle should be worked in " basket-stitch" over four 
 rows of fine string, in gold sewn down with orange. Trefoil 
 finials " plain couching " in gold, sewn with crimson. Orna- 
 ments between trefoils, " long stitch " in white dacca silk, 
 shaded on the under side with pink. 
 
 Edge the whole of the design with one row of dark 
 crimson crochet silk sewn over with gold, and the work 
 is ready to be transferred to the Green Frontal, according 
 to directions, page 105. 
 
 After the transfer is made, the sprays, diverging from 
 ornaments between the trefoils, are to be added. They are 
 to be worked in gold, and terminated by spangles. 
 
 The frontal for predella to be worked as follows : — 
 
 Undulating lines connecting fleur-de-lis, " plain couching " 
 in gold, sewn down with green. Fleur-de-lis, " diamond 
 couching" in gold, sewn down with crimson. Quatrefoils 
 between fleur-de-lis, — white, " plain couching " sewn down 
 with gold. Centres of quatrefoils — spangles. 
 
 This frontal for predella may be divided, and worked in 
 two, three, or four portions on the linen, the design to be 
 united on the cloth in transferring; but in such case, 
 great precision must be observed in the working, to keep 
 the parts of the pattern uniform. 
 
 Every facility for change of colour to suit the eccle- 
 
ancient ana ^ouern. 23 
 
 siastical season is afforded by this style of altar. Supposing 
 the apparel in the first instance to be green, and a festival 
 of our Lord is at hand ; the green side curtains might very 
 consistently be left, and the centre only removed, that a 
 design commemorative of, the occasion, as on Altar No. 4, 
 might be substituted on a white ground. 
 
 The same plan might be adopted on Saints days with a 
 crimson centre curtain, with design No. 2, Plate 8, worked 
 thereon. Monogram in " basket stitch," white, sewn down 
 with gold. Palm-leaves, " plain couching," gold sewn down 
 with green. 
 
 Working Dimensions of Design on Altar No. i. 
 
 Its entire size embraces a circle of 22 inches. 
 Monogram 9 inches high. 
 
 Depth of needlework on frontal of predella 6 inches. 
 Fringe. — Green, gold, and crimson, with a few strands 
 of black. . 
 
 Altar No. 2 
 
 May be worked for any church, where the architecture is 
 not very florid. 
 
 The design in the centre will be found, Plate 9, drawn 
 on a scale that will give a better idea of its detail, than can 
 be formed, from the necessarily minute sketch before us. 
 The Alpha and Omega, and the figures enclosing them, 
 are so plain, that their character may be seen, without en- 
 larging. 
 
24 
 
 Cfmrcb (ZEmforotDetp, 
 
 The colouring of this design well fit it, for either a 
 crimson, or a white altar-covering. Owing to its bold 
 outline, it is an excellent pattern for applique ; we will 
 therefore describe it for that work. As follows : — 
 
 Sacred Monogram. — White cloth, edged with gold, on a 
 crimson velvet ground. 
 
 Cross and circles. — In gold-coloured cloth edged with 
 black. 
 
 Trefoil leaves between circles. — Gold-coloured cloth, 
 edged with black, on a blue velvet ground. 
 
 Four large leaves terminating cross. — Bright green cloth 
 edged with black. 
 
 Flowers upon leaves. — White cloth edged with crimson. 
 
 Alpha and Omega. — White cloth, edged with crimson, 
 on blue velvet ground. 
 
 Triangular figures encompassing the Alpha and Omega. 
 — Gold-coloured cloth edged with black. 
 
 Fringe. — Gold, crimson, and blue. 
 
 The circular piece of crimson velvet to be laid down 
 under sacred Monogram, as directed for insertion of the 
 same kind on altar No. i. The like plan to be adopted for 
 the blue velvet grounds under the Alpha and Omega. 
 
 The blue ground made to appear under trefoil leaves in 
 the centre, to be pounced, and cut out in 8 pieces, to fit to 
 the cross and trefoils, with truthful precision. If these 
 pieces are cut out correctly, and sewn down neatly, the 
 cord edging of the surrounding, work will quite conceal the 
 divisions. 
 
ALTAR COVERINGS 
 
ancient ana a^oDern. *5 
 
 Working Dimensions of Altar No. 2. 
 
 Cross in centre embraces a circle of 24 inches. 
 Inner circle, — 5 inches diameter to inside line. 
 Sacred Monogram, — 4 inches high. 
 Bands of circles, — \ an inch wide. 
 Outer circle, — 8^ inches diameter to inside line. 
 Alpha and Omega, — 7 inches high. 
 Triangular figures, encompassing Alpha and Omega, em- 
 brace a circle of 1 5 inches. 
 
 Bands of triangular figures, — \ an inch wide. 
 
 Altar No. 3. 
 
 Altar No. 3 is one of the simplest of our designs, and 
 suited to a church, of plain, and unpretending, decorations. 
 
 The colouring we will propose for this altar may do for a 
 crimson or a green antependium. The needlework may be 
 either Modern Embroidery or Applique. We will give our 
 directions for the former. 
 
 A piece of stout holland is to be framed, and upon it the 
 quatrefoil, encompassing the Monogram, is to be pounced 
 and drawn. A piece of bright, dark-blue velvet, is now to 
 be cut out to the exact shape of the quatrefoil, but an 
 eighth of an inch less, than the outside line of the band. 
 This is to be laid on the holland, and secured there, as 
 directed in Altar No. 1, for ground of Monogram. 
 
 Now the entire design is to be pounced, drawn, and cut 
 
 E 
 
^6 Cfjurcl) GBm&roitierp, 
 
 out in Bristol-board — as page 108, leaving stays between, 
 where necessary, to keep the design together. This is to be 
 laid on the blue velvet, sewn down, stays cut away, and 
 worked as follows : — 
 
 Up the centre of each letter, and round the quatrefoil, 
 lay one row of string, -§ of an inch in circumference. With 
 gold-coloured silk, work the letters, directing the stitches as 
 shown in the drawing, and edge with gold cord. Edge the 
 inside of the quatrefoil also with gold, the outside with 
 black. Small quatrefoils, each side of Monogram, to be 
 white twist silk, edged with crimson. They are not to be 
 raised. Transfer as page 105. 
 
 The letters of text may be cut out separately in Bristol- 
 board, and arranged, and sewn, on well-framed grey holland, 
 at the convenience or discretion of the worker. They will 
 be very effective if worked flat ; if raised, one row of fine 
 string will be sufficient to make them prominent. 
 
 All the letters should be embroidered with gold twist silk 
 and edged with black, excepting the words " MY, " the 
 crosses, quatrefoil, and final ornament, which should be in 
 white edged with black. They are to be cut out, and 
 transferred to super frontal and antependium as page 106. 
 The frame upon which this transfer is made, should be long 
 enough to take in the width of the altar, so that the letters 
 may be easily arranged, to cover the space equally. 
 
 No other cord but black, need be sewn round the letters 
 of the text. They should be cut out neatly, leaving the 
 1 6th of an inch of grey holland, beyond the black cord ; 
 
ancient anu apoern. 27 
 
 through which, by fine stitches of waxed silk, the letters 
 may be firmly attached to the altar-cloth. 
 
 Fringe. — For a crimson cloth — crimson, gold, and black. 
 For a green cloth — crimson, gold, and green. 
 
 Working Dimensions of Design. Altar No. 3. 
 
 Quatrefoil encompassing Monogram — on a circle 18 
 inches. 
 
 Height of lowercase letters of text, — 3 inches. 
 Height of capitals, — \\ inches. 
 
 Altar No. 4. 
 
 Altar No. 4, is so good in detail, that we give a larger 
 illustration of it, Plate 9. 
 
 Embroidery, and Applique, may be advantageously com- 
 bined, in the execution of this design, which is especially 
 appropriate, for the white antependium for high festivals, in 
 a strictly Gothic church. 
 
 The Monogram to be raised with yellow thread, and 
 worked in gold bullion, edged with pearl-purl, on a bright 
 crimson velvet ground. The circular band to be raised 
 with thread, and worked in gold, or gold twist silk, edged 
 with pearl-purl inside, and dark crimson cord outside. 
 
 Large roses, bright crimson velvet edged with gold. 
 Stitches on petals, gold. Small inner roses, bright pink 
 edged with white. Centres of roses, a chequer work of 
 green, stitched down with gold. Leaves, bright green velvet 
 edged with gold, Stems and centre veins of leaves, green 
 
28 Cfmrcf) (EmfctoiDetp, 
 
 twist silk, two shades lighter than the leaves, to be worked 
 in "plain couching," sewn down with gold. Spots about 
 the roses, large spangles. The Monogram and. circle 
 should be worked separate from the rest of the design, as 
 follows : — 
 
 Cut a piece of bright crimson velvet to a circle of 9^ 
 inches, and tack it evenly down on a piece of well-framed 
 linen. Upon this, with great accuracy, place the Monogram 
 and circular band, cut out in Bristol-board with stays, &c, 
 as page 108. Work it according to instructions, page 109. 
 
 On another piece of framed linen, 2,5 inches square, the 
 centre breadth of the antependium is to be so arranged as 
 to allow the design to fall in the right position when upon 
 the altar. The silk must be smoothed over the linen, and 
 tacked without a wrinkle ; then the entire design is to be 
 pounced upon it, and drawn, with the exception of the 
 circle and the Monogram. Now the Monogram prepared, 
 and cut out of the frame, according to our directions — 
 page 106 — for transferring, is to be laid in its place on the 
 white silk, and secured to it by waxed silk stitches taken 
 through the edge of the circle. Tack a piece of soft paper 
 or linen over it to preserve it, if of gold, from the air, and 
 if of silk, from dust. The rest of the design, may now be 
 wrought in Applique, and Embroidery, as we have already 
 described. 
 
 Fringe. — Crimson, and white, and green, and gold. 
 Arranged in spaces, the colours to folloiu each other as we 
 have written them. 
 
ALTAR COVERINGS 
 For Lezit . 
 
 PLATE 3 
 
ancient ano ^onern. 
 
 29 
 
 Working Dimensions of Design. Altar No. 4. 
 
 Entire design embraces a circle of 24 inches. 
 Circle, encompassing Monogram, 9 inches diameter to 
 inside line. 
 
 Altar No. 5. 
 
 We now come to the first of four designs, more florid 
 than any of those we have already described for altars. 
 
 They may appear elaborate, but they are not compli- 
 cated ; and no worker, with ordinary skill and patience, 
 need hesitate to undertake their execution. We have too 
 keen a remembrance of the difficulties we often encountered 
 in our early experience, in working from designs made by 
 persons ignorant of the capabilities of the needle, to draw a 
 line, or indicate a mark, that cannot be represented in some 
 kind of needlework. 
 
 These four altars are designed for the antependia of a 
 church of the florid Gothic, or Perpendicular styles. 
 
 Altar No. 5 is for the white frontal. 
 
 The Monogram, and each of the four bands forming the 
 cross, are to be worked on separate pieces of linen. The 
 circular, as well as the pointed quatrefoil surrounding the 
 Monogram, to be worked with the Monogram. 
 
 The ground of bands forming the cross to be rich white 
 silk ; pattern upon them to be pounced and drawn, before 
 placing them on framed linen. Stems running through 
 centre of pattern, light green " plain couching," sewn down 
 
3° C&urcfr (Emtaiitierp, 
 
 with gold. Trefoils, two shades of green, " plain couching," 
 sewn with gold. Roses " long stitch " embroidery, in floss 
 silk, bright crimson, shaded with pink round the edges. 
 Stitches diverging from roses, gold. Dots, and centres of 
 roses, gold spangles. Outline border of bands, to be in 
 dark shade of gold, " basket-stitch," over four rows of string, 
 caught down with green, same shade as used for circular 
 quatrefoil. In transferring these bands to the frontal, the 
 white silk is to be turned in, close to the " basket-stitch " 
 edge, and when properly fixed, the bands forming the cross 
 are to be secured by fine stitches of waxed silk along this 
 edge. Over these stitches a crimson silk cord is to be sewn, 
 and beyond that, a white cord. 
 
 The Monogram. — Gold bullion on bright crimson velvet 
 ground, edged with thick black silk, sewn over with gold 
 " passing." Circle enclosing Monogram, light green " plain 
 couching," sewn down with gold silk. Leaves, two shades 
 of green "plain couching," sewn down with gold silk, on 
 cloth of gold ground. Pointed quatrefoil, gold bullion 
 edged with green inside, and gold outside. Circular quatre- 
 foil, dark shade of gold silk " basket-stitch," over four rows 
 of string, sewn down with darkest shade of green used in the 
 leaves ; to be edged with crimson. Trefoil ornament enclosed 
 by circular quatrefoil. — White, "plain couching," sewn 
 down with bright pink, on a bright-blue ground. 
 
 The Monogram is not to be attached to the centre of the 
 frontal, till the transfer of the bands of cross is quite com- 
 plete. It is then to be sewn on by the edges of the quatre- 
 
ancient ann s^otiern. 3 1 
 
 foils, and afterwards, like the bands, to be finished by a 
 white cord. 
 
 The Monogram, with the quatrefoils &c. belonging to it, 
 should be cut out in one piece of Bristol-board, with stays, 
 and the coloured grounds introduced as directed, page 65. 
 Or the crimson and blue grounds, may be worked in floss 
 silks in "long-stitch" embroidery. The cloth of gold may 
 be simulated with great advantage, in "plain couching," 
 with " passing," sewn down with crimson. 
 
 Fringe. — Crimson, green, and real gold if possible. 
 Otherwise, gold silk. 
 
 Working Dimensions of Design. — Altar No. 5. 
 
 Monogram and quatrefoils — embrace a circle of 15 
 inches. 
 
 Circle, encompassing Monogram, — 5 inches. 
 Height of letter " H," — inches. 
 Width of needlework bands forming cross, — 6 inches. 
 Width of outline " basket-stitch " border, — \ an inch. 
 
 Altar No. 6. — For a Violet Antependium. 
 
 Designs for a simple Lenten cloth are given, Plate 8. 
 We here illustrate one of a richer kind, fitted to glorify the 
 Passion of our Lord, in penitential seasons. 
 
 Should a society of ladies agree to assist in the execution 
 of the work of this altar, it is advisable that the centre be 
 intrusted to the best skilled hands, for only in fine "long- 
 
3 2 
 
 stitch" embroidery, can the beautiful figure of the Agnus 
 Dei, be worthily represented. 
 
 The ground of this antependium, should be either of rich 
 violet velvet, or silk. 
 
 The Lamb and its insignia, with the surrounding 
 quatrefoil, are to be carefully pounced and drawn, on a 
 piece of fine stout already framed linen, and worked, — the 
 Lamb in white, and two soft shades of grey, — English 
 Berlin silks. 
 
 Nimbus, — bright red cross in English Berlin, on ground 
 of " passing," couched with gold silk. 
 
 Circle of Nimbus, — to be marked by two lines of "pass- 
 ing," sewn down with crimson. 
 
 Cross held by the Lamb, — to be slightly raised by yellow 
 thread, and worked over with gold bullion. 
 
 Pendant to Cross, — white English Berlin silk, "long 
 stitch," with bright red cross upon it, in same silk and 
 stitch. 
 
 Ground beneath feet of Lamb ; — " long stitch," two 
 shades of sunny brown ; to be worked upon, and about, 
 with two shades of green, as figurative of the hill of Sion. 
 Stitches of gold " passing " to be streaked, here and there, 
 among the blades of grass. 
 
 Background of Lamb; — "long-stitch" English Berlin 
 silk, of a bright azure or cerulean blue ; to be studded with 
 gold stars, which are to be couched in " passing," on a sepa- 
 rate piece of framed linen, and transferred to the blue 
 ground, by a fine black silk outline. 
 
ancient anD s^oDern, 33 
 
 After the azure ground is worked, the Lamb and its 
 insignia, are to be edged with a fine line of black twist silk, 
 that the figure may stand out, sharp and clear. 
 
 Quatrefoil surrounding Agnus Dei, — to be either of 
 gold "passing" or gold silk, in "basket-stitch" over four 
 rows of fine string, caught down with crimson. It is then 
 to be edged, inside and out, with a row of black crochet 
 silk, sewn over with gold ; and through this edge transferred 
 to the frontal. Now the rays are to be worked on the 
 violet ground, as follows ; — three . straight rays " plain 
 couching," sewn over with gold silk. Two undulated rays 
 "wavy couching," sewn over with orange. 
 
 Passion-flowers. — " Long stitch." Large petals in white 
 floss, shaded with soft grey towards the centre. Smaller 
 petals, appearing between, pale shade of sea-green, tipped 
 with white. Circle in centre of flower, rich violet streaked 
 with " passing." Straight stitches on petals " passing," 
 held down by orange stitches. Tripartite stamen — " pas- 
 sing " raised by a few yellow threads, and filled in to the 
 circle, with orange French knots, on a dark-green ground. 
 
 Main stem of Passion-flower branch. — Light-green 
 twist silk " plain couching," sewn down with a darker 
 shade. 
 
 Calyces of buds. — Pale sea-green, sewn down with a 
 darker shade. Tips of buds, " long stitch," in white floss, 
 shaded near calyces, with grey and rich violet, streaked by 
 "passing." Leaves, — "couched" in bright green, coarse 
 twist silk, sewn down, one row at a time, by stitches 
 
 F 
 
 !— — — 
 
34 Cfmrcf) (ZEmferottierp, 
 
 of a darker shade. Veins, — " passing," sewn over with 
 gold silk. 
 
 Scrolls about stems, — to be worked on the frontal, 
 after the branch is tranferred, in " twist stitch " orange 
 floss ; against which, on the outer curve, a line of " pass- 
 ing " is to be carried, sewn over with green. Dots about 
 scrolls, — large spangles. Crown of Passion-flowers ; — 
 " basket stitch " in " passing," sewn down with gold silk. 
 
 Quatrefoils ; — " plain couching," gold crochet silk, 
 sewn down with white. Centres, — spangles. Stitches 
 radiating from quatrefoils, "passing," held down by 
 orange silk. Dots, — spangles. 
 
 Super-frontal. 
 
 Crown over Monogram in centre to be treated as crowns 
 over Passion-flowers. Quatrefoils ; — treated as those pow- 
 dering frontal. Crosses ; — to be " couched " in " passing," 
 sewn down with crimson. 
 
 Sacred Monogram and Circle ; — to be raised by yellow 
 thread, and worked in gold bullion. Ground of Mono- 
 gram ; — bright crimson ; either an insertion of velvet, or 
 worked in Berlin silk, " long stitch." 
 
 Every portion of the embroidery for this altar, excepting 
 the Lamb and its insignia, is to be edged, before transfer- 
 ring, with "gold twist," or gold silk union cord; and finally 
 edged, after it has been attached to the frontal, with a row 
 of dark violet twist-silk, sewn over with gold. 
 
ancient anu e^ooern. 
 
 35 
 
 Working Dimensions of Altar No. 6. 
 
 Ghiatrefoil enclosing Agnus Dei, on a circle of 15 inches. 
 Lamb; — 5 inches high, exclusive of Nimbus, and 
 Cross. 
 
 Passion-flower branch, including lower scrolls, 14 inches 
 high. 
 
 Crowns of Passion-flowers, 4 inches deep. 
 Quatrefoils, exclusive of diverging stitches, on a circle 
 of 3 inches. 
 
 Crosses on Super-frontal, on a circle of $\ inches. 
 
 Circle of Monogram, 5 inches in diameter. 
 
 Crown of Monogram, 1 inches deep. 
 
 Super-frontal, 9 inches deep. Fringe to ditto, 3 inches. 
 
 Fringe. — Violet, green, and gold. 
 
 For perfect details of the conventional flowers, &c, on 
 this frontal, we must refer the worker to super-frontal 
 No. 6. The minute size of the entire altar design, ren- 
 dering greater clearness of delineation impossible. 
 
 Altar No. 7. 
 
 This altar is designed for the Crimson Frontal, to be 
 used on the festivals of saints and martyrs. 
 
 The Monogram should be worked in gold "basket 
 stitch," caught down with orange sewings. Stem of centre 
 lily branch, interlacing Monogram, " plain couching " of 
 bright-green floss, sewn down, one thread at a time, with 
 silk of the same shade. 
 
3 6 Cfmtcf) <£m&rottierp, 
 
 (To avoid tedious repetitions in the directions for this 
 altar, it may be as well to say, that all the stems, leaves, 
 and calyces of lilies are to be "plainly couched" in floss 
 silk rather coarse, sewn down, one thread at a time, with 
 sewing silk, of the same shade as the floss, by stitches the 
 sixth of an inch apart.) 
 
 Lower leaves on centre stem of lily branch. — Green, — a 
 shade darker than the stem. Upper leaves, green, — two 
 shades lighter than the stem. A vein of gold " passing " 
 to be laid up the centre of each leaf. Calyces of lily buds, 
 large and small, pale sea-green floss. 
 
 Lily-buds. — " Long stitch," white floss, shaded with grey, 
 towards the calyces. 
 
 Petals of flowers. — " Long stitch," white floss, shaded 
 with grey on the under sides. 
 
 Stamens. — Bright orange ; " twist stitch," with spangles. 
 
 Small lily sprigs, — to be worked on the same principle, 
 and in the same shades, as directed for centre branch. 
 
 Scrolls about stems of lilies. — Some to be worked in 
 bright orange ; " twist stitch," and edged on one side with 
 gold "passing." Others to be bright green, edged with 
 "passing." Quatrefoils ; — gold "plain couching," sewn 
 down with orange. Stitches, diverging from quatrefoils — 
 " passing." Dots and centres, — spangles. 
 
 Super-frontal. 
 
 Fleur-de-lis.—^ Gold. To be laid in perpendicular lines 
 in " diamond couching," with orange sewings. Band 
 
ancient anti a^onern. 37 
 
 across fleur-de-lis, — white twist silk, to be laid in horizon- 
 tal lines in " plain couching," stitched with green sewings 
 of the middle shade of three, used for lily-leaves. Dots, 
 between fleur-de-lis— spangles. Every part of the pattern, 
 on frontal as well as super- frontal, is to be edged either with 
 gold twist, or gold silk union cord, before it is transferred 
 to the crimson velvet or silk. The whole to be edged 
 afterwards, by a line of crimson floss, sewn over with silk of 
 the same colour. 
 
 Fringe. — Crimson, white, green, and gold, in spaces ; 
 the colours to follow as we have written them. 
 
 Working Dimensions of Design for Altar No. 7. 
 
 Centre lily-branch of Altar Frontal, including scrolls, 
 10 inches high. 
 
 Monogram, 7 inches deep. 
 
 Small lily sprigs, not including scrolls, 5^ inches 
 high. 
 
 Quatrefoils, on a circle of 2 inches, without diverging rays. 
 Fringe to frontal, 4 inches deep. 
 Super-frontal, 6 inches deep, without fringe. 
 Fringe to super-frontal, 3 inches deep. 
 Fleur-de-lis, 5 inches high. 
 
 For festivals of our Lord, on a rich white silk, the 
 pattern of this altar might be applied with great propriety. 
 The colouring to be altered as follows : — 
 
 Lilies, — gold, instead of white. 
 
3» 
 
 Cfmrcfc OEm&rofoerp, 
 
 Quatrefoils. — Sewn with bright crimson, instead of 
 orange. 
 
 Colouring of leaves, calyces, and stems. — To be the same 
 as for Crimson Altar. 
 
 A ground of crimson, shown between the interlacings 
 of the Monogram, would be also desirable for a white 
 frontal. 
 
 It should be " long stitch," in rich crimson floss. 
 
 Fleur-de-lis on Super-frontaL — To be all gold, and sewn 
 with crimson, instead of orange. 
 
 The lily design for Super-frontal, No. 2, may be adopted 
 with this frontal, if preferred to the Gothic fleur-de-lis. 
 
 Style of work, and shading, of course to be altered, to 
 harmonize with this Altar. 
 
 Altar No. 8. Green. 
 
 This Altar is designed, to bring together all the opportu- 
 nities for variety of needlework, and rich effects of colour, 
 likely to occur in a highly-decorated church. 
 
 Neither the frontal, the super-frontal — as it is now termed 
 — nor the predella, require any explanation or apology for 
 being ornamented. 
 
 The Reredos, at the back of the Altar, was in ancient 
 times, an important feature, in the adornment of the sanc- 
 tuary. It was often elaborately embroidered, and always in 
 accordance with the frontal and altar curtains. In some of 
 the principal churches, we read of the Reredos, presenting 
 
B ALD AC CK I N AL T A R 
 
w 
 
ancient ana e^ouern. 39 
 
 at every festival, a sacred subject in beautiful needlework, 
 commemorative of the day. The Reredos here designed, is 
 of the simplest kind ; we have made it so purposely, that no 
 one need hesitate to work it. Church-work volunteers are 
 not yet so numerous, that we dare expect to see an elabo- 
 rate piece of embroidery, on so large a scale as the Reredos 
 demands, executed for every chief festival, as formerly. 
 
 Supposing this to be wrought for the Green Altar ; a 
 powdered pattern might be used for the crimson feasts. 
 Nos. 4 and 10, Plate 12, alternated, would make a good 
 powdering for the purpose ; while the design of Altar No. 5, 
 with the Cross reversed, the Monogram turned round, and 
 the whole worked as directed for frontal, would be perfect, 
 for feasts of our Lord. 
 
 The Canopy. 
 
 The use of the canopy, or " baldacchino," as it is called 
 in Rome, dates very early in the history of the Christian 
 Church. It was the custom to enclose the Blessed Eucha- 
 rist, reserved for the dying, in a hanging vessel of gold or 
 silver, made generally in the form of a dove, and suspended 
 from the interior of the canopy, immediately over the altar, 
 by a chain or cord ; and around it in most, if not in all, 
 churches, there shone a ring of ever-burning lights fastened 
 upon a hoop of silver or bright metal, hanging like the pix, 
 by a chain from the inner roof of the ciborium. 
 
 " The Sacred Altar-table that, whenever it was practicable, 
 was made to overhang the subterranean tomb of an apostle 
 
4o Cftutcb OBmtJroiDerp, 
 
 or some glorious martyr in the catacombs below, was in its 
 turn overshadowed by a canopy fashioned like a cupola, 
 surmounted by a Cross, and richly adorned with sculptured 
 ornaments, but always resting on four columns, in general 
 of porphyry or some precious marble, and even sometimes 
 of silver, overlaid with gold, and planted at the four corners 
 of the Holy Altar. This dome-like canopy was more usually 
 denominated c ciborium,' from its supposed resemblance to 
 the bowl of a reversed cup, so designated by the Greeks. 
 
 " In Italy, however, what we understand by tabernacle is 
 termed £ ciborio,' and the canopy (and one is usually sus- 
 pended over the High Altar, and in general hangs from the 
 roof of the church, though sometimes, as at Rome, it rests, 
 as anciently, upon four columns) is called ' baldacchino.' " 
 
 The custom of keeping the Blessed Eucharist suspended 
 above the Altar, continued in England till just prior to 
 the Reformation, after which the use of the canopy was 
 abolished, wkh each, and every other, fitting apparel of the 
 Altar. 
 
 Some members of the English Church, however, still 
 maintain, that the Holy Table of the. Sanctuary, is at least 
 entitled to the same mark of dignity as that bestowed on 
 the chairs of state, and thrones, belonging to dignitaries, 
 and earthly kings. 
 
 We have, in consequence, heard frequent inquiries re- 
 specting the construction and ornamentation of a " baldac- 
 chino." Our design is one which has been approved by 
 good ecclesiastical authorities. 
 
ancient anD a^onern* 41 
 
 The Altar Curtains, or Veils. 
 
 The origin of veils about the Sanctuary may be con- 
 sidered coeval with that of the canopy which overshadowed 
 the Eucharist ; for we read of gold-embroidered veils being 
 suspended between the pillars of the ciborium, and that they 
 were drawn round the Altar till after the Communion. 
 
 Although this custom has long ceased, yet curtains at the 
 sides of the altar are by no means uncommon at the present 
 day, in well-appointed churches ; and they afford great 
 scope for needlework, which is not required to be of so 
 elaborate a kind, as that to be executed for the actual Altar. 
 
 Appliqui is especially adapted, for draperies of this de- 
 scription. 
 
 The Work of the Frontal. 
 
 The design for this frontal is of a very early style of 
 needlework, called powdering. Some of the - specimens — 
 which we have before us at this moment, for reference — are 
 upwards of five centuries old. The fabrics upon which 
 they have been mounted, — such as rich velvet and brocade, 
 — from the ravages of time alone, are like mere threads of 
 spun glass, and may be blown, almost like cobwebs, from 
 the surface of the linen foundation between the sprigs. 
 But the beautiful work of the needle, still holds together 
 firmly, and notwithstanding the faded hues of its once-gor- 
 geous colouring, leaves us nothing to guess at, in our study 
 of its execution. 
 
 G 
 
4^ CJmrcb OEmtircutietp, 
 
 We can see that these greens, next the blue flower, were 
 of a warm, yellow shade, and that those nearest the crimson, 
 were of a rich, blue tint. Even lilac, that most treacherous 
 and evanescent of dyes, may be detected here, shaded off to 
 white, in this bold flower, with the trumpet-mouthed fox- 
 glove petals. 
 
 Nor need we be at a loss to tell whom this crowned figure 
 was intended to represent. We know by the open book in 
 her hand, and her studious gaze, and the serpent at her feet, 
 that it is St. Catherine, the patron saint of learning. Never 
 was embroidery more perfectly wrought than in the golden 
 drapery of this queenly figure, and the graceful, natural 
 waves, of the sunny hair streaming about her shoulders. 
 
 These seraphs, too ; how the blues and the lilacs, and the 
 crimsons, mix together in their wings, with a radiance still 
 unlike anything belonging to commonplace or earthly 
 things ; and the gold thread so lavishly worked about them, 
 glistens, and glorifies in the light, as if enriched by the shade 
 of centuries! 
 
 Had we sufficient of these ancient figures, to transfer to a 
 new altar-cloth, we might hope yet to preserve them, as a 
 link in history, for another hundred years. 
 
 In the following directions for working this frontal, we 
 purpose introducing most of the stitches employed in the 
 fine old examples, we have just been contemplating. 
 
 The centre-piece, with the correct stitching illustrated 
 upon one half of it, will be found, Plate 18. 
 
 Heart of pine in centre of frontal. — To be worked in 
 
ancient anti e§QMxn. 
 
 43 
 
 gold " passing," couched with gold sewings, over string, laid 
 on curved lines as shown, Plate 18. 
 
 Lines enclosing heart of pine. — Bright crimson floss, sewn 
 over with gold. 
 
 Outer division of pine. — " Passing " couched with orange, 
 over curved bits of string. 
 
 Leaf crest of pine. — "Long stitch" shaded — bright 
 crimson at base, pink next, and white at top. 
 
 Stem of pine. — Gold " passing " couched with orange. 
 
 Large lower leaves. — " Long stitch," crimson near centre 
 vein ; pink towards the edges. Veins — " passing," couched 
 with orange. 
 
 Next upper leaf. — Two distinct shades of rich lilac. 
 Scroll through centre of leaf — "passing," couched with 
 orange. 
 
 Topmost leaf. — Full pink ; towards edge shaded with soft 
 grey ; extreme edge, pure white. 
 
 Small scrolls from leaf. — " Passing " sewn with orange. 
 
 Pine edging. — Black floss sewn over with gold. 
 
 All the leaves, to be edged with white twist silk, sewn 
 over with gold. 
 
 All the scrolls of "passing," and stem of pine, to be 
 edged with black twist, sewn over with orange. 
 
 Scrolls to be worked on the altar-cloth, about the lower 
 stem of pine, in amber floss " twist stitch," enriched by 
 " passing," and spangles. 
 
 Sprig nearest centre pine. — Under sides of two lower 
 leaves, gold twist silk, couched with orange sewings. Upper 
 
44 CfmrcJ) (ZEmfcrofoerp, 
 
 sides, — "long stitch," dark-blue floss towards the centre, 
 very light-blue at the edges. 
 
 Centre leaf of sprig. — Gold twist silk couched perpendi- 
 cularly with rich crimson. Veins to all the leaves, dark 
 green, enriched by a line of " passing." Leaves to be edged 
 with gold-colour twist. Stems, gold silk couched with 
 orange. 
 
 Baud confining stems. — Crimson couched with gold. 
 
 Sprays. — White, enriched by " passing " and spangles. 
 
 Sprig nearest to side op altar. — Lower leaves, two 
 shades of rich-blue violet, worked "long stitch," dark 
 towards the centre, light at the edges. 
 
 Veins. — " Passing " sewn over with green. 
 
 Centre leaf. — " Long stitch," crimson towards the vein, 
 bright pink at the edges. 
 
 Vein. — Amber floss, sewn over with violet. 
 
 Bulb, supporting leaves. — Light-green floss chequered 
 with gold; each square to be caught down by bright 
 crimson. 
 
 Stems, scrolls, and sprays. — Amber floss, enriched by 
 " passing " and spangles. 
 
 Small pine sprig towards bottom of frontal. — Pine, 
 "basket stitch" in gold twist silk, caught down with 
 crimson. Calyx, light-green twist silk, couched, one thread 
 at a time, with a darker shade of green. 
 
 Side leaves. — Under curved sides, bright lilac couched 
 with gold. Crenellated sides of leaves, — " long stitch " rich 
 crimson shaded with soft grey — the edges tipped with white. 
 
ancient and element. 
 
 45 
 
 Pine to be edged with black, sewn over with dark orange. 
 Leaves to be edged with white. Veins, " passing." 
 Crest of pine. — Crimson and gold. 
 
 Scrolls about base of pine. — Light-yellow green, enriched 
 by "passing." 
 
 Altar No. 8. 
 
 Super - frontal. — Quatrefoils, gold - coloured twist 
 " couched " with crimson, veined with " passing," and edged 
 with white, sewn over with crimson. Centres, — spangles. 
 Spots, embroidery — white twist silk, edged with gold. 
 
 Or the quatrefoils may be in Applique of gold-coloured 
 velvet, edged with crimson, and sewn over with white. 
 Veins. — Crimson enriched with a line of " passing." 
 
 Centres. — Spangles. Spots. — White twist edged with gold. 
 
 Predella. — Curved lines leading to leaves, — three rows of 
 coarse gold twist silk, " couched," one thread at a time, with 
 crimson ; to be edged on each side with white. Leaves, 
 gold twist silk "couched" with white, and edged with 
 crimson. Ornament between leaves, — in " passing," 
 " couched " with gold silk, and edged with black floss, sewn 
 over with "passing." Spots, white twist silk edged with 
 gold. 
 
 Reredos, — Cross, rich green velvet, a shade darker than 
 the cloth, or silk ground, of altar apparel. 
 
 Border of Cross. — To be worked in separate strips of four 
 short lengths and four long lengths — to correspond with the 
 exact outline of the cross — on green silk, the same as the 
 
46 Cfmrcb (ZBm&rottierg, 
 
 frontal. The pattern to be, "line and cross diaper," 
 page 144. Gold lines ; bright crimson crosses ; dots in centre 
 of squares, gold beads. Each strip to be edged, while in the 
 frame, by a gold cord. A solution of gum tragacanth is 
 then to be passed over the back, and they are to be trans- 
 ferred to the edges of the green velvet forming the Cross. 
 Finally, each edge of the border is to have a green cord, 
 sewn inside and out. 
 
 Monogram. — White twist silk, " couched " with gold, on 
 a crimson velvet ground ; to be edged also with gold. 
 
 Crown. — " Passing," " basket stitch," couched with gold 
 silk. 
 
 Band of vesica. — Gold twist silk, couched with orange, 
 and edged with white. 
 
 Straight rays from angles of Cross. — " Plain couching " 
 in " passing," sewn with gold silk. 
 
 Undulated rays. — "Passing," in "wavy couching." (The 
 same rule is to be observed for the transfer of this Mono- 
 gram and Cross to Reredos, as that already given for 
 Altar No. 5.) 
 
 Four small Crosses on Reredos. — Couched in gold twist 
 silk, sewn down with crimson and edged with white. 
 
 Spots. — White twist silk edged with gold. 
 
 Stitches diverging from trefoil finial. — "Passing." 
 
 Centre of Cross, and dots about diverging stitches. — 
 Spangles. 
 
 Or, these Crosses may be in Applique of gold-coloured 
 velvet, edged with white twist silk, sewn over with crimson. 
 
ancient ant) a^otiern, 47 
 
 Canopy of Altar No. 8. 
 To be coloured as follows : — 
 
 Ground of " Sanclus." — Bright crimson silk edged with 
 gold. Letters white, edged with black. Under side of label. 
 — A shade of crimson, — much darker than upper side ; to 
 be edged with black. Trefoils and stem. — Gold, edged 
 with white. Scrolls. — Orange floss enriched by " passing." 
 Veins on trefoils. — Crimson enriched by " passing." 
 
 Dots. — White, edged with gold. 
 
 The whole of the ornamentation on this canopy, except- 
 ing the lettering, may be of Applique ; for its execution in 
 this work we give our directions. 
 
 Pounce and draw the upper side of label, with the word 
 " Sanctus " upon it, in its diagonal position, on a piece of 
 bright crimson silk of good quality, already pasted on fine 
 well-framed linen. Form the letters upon this, in rows of 
 coarse white twist silk, "couched," one thread at a time, 
 with gold silk. Edge the letters neatly with black twist, 
 sewn with black. And the label, top and bottom, with 
 gold twist or cord. 
 
 On another piece of linen have the piece of dark crimson 
 silk pasted, and upon this pounce and draw the outline of 
 under side of label. On this outline, sew two rows of coarse 
 black twist with gold silk. 
 
 Then, on the green cloth, or silk, of canopy, already laid 
 down on well-framed holland, pounce and draw the trefoils 
 and stem, round which the label is twined. Cut the por- 
 
4 8 
 
 Cfmrcf) OBmbrottierp, 
 
 tions of label out, carefully leaving an eighth of an inch of 
 silk beyond the edge ; place them in their exact position to 
 perfect the design, and sew them neatly down, through the 
 twist silk edge. 
 
 Now, cut the stem and trefoils out in prepared gold- 
 coloured cloth or velvet, fit them to the label according to 
 the pattern, edge them with white, and vein with crimson 
 silk, enriched by " passing." 
 
 For the curtains of this Altar, nothing can be better suited 
 than Applique. 
 
 Indeed, the advantages of this work cannot be over-esti- 
 mated, for all decorations on a large scale ; particularly where 
 funds are low, and gratuitous and efficient help scarce, for 
 the execution of more elaborate needlework. 
 
 The two sprigs designed for the powdering of these 
 particular curtains are Nos. 1 1 and 12 of Plate 12,. 
 
 The trefoil sprig to be gold-coloured cloth, edged with 
 dark claret, and veined with crimson. 
 
 Quatrefoils ; gold-coloured cloth edged with dark claret. 
 Inner line, crimson. Veins white. Small rose in centre, 
 white cloth, edged and veined with crimson. The circle in 
 centre to be cut out, to show the green ground of curtain, 
 and edged with gold. 
 
 The readiest way of working these sprigs is to pounce 
 and draw as many of them as possible on the face of the 
 gold-coloured cloth, while it is in the frame in a prepared 
 state. The cord may then be sewn on, and the sprigs cut 
 out, leaving the usual eighth of an inch beyond the edge, 
 
ancient anti a^odem. 49 
 
 and they will be ready for transferring to the curtain ; the 
 material of which should be stretched in as long a frame ar> 
 convenient to receive the work. 
 
 The small white roses should be laid upon, not let into, 
 the quatrefoil ; that is to say, the cloth of quatrefoil is 
 not to be cut away from beneath the rose, as a raised 
 effect is necessary. 
 
 If the transfer of the sprigs be made by small stitches of 
 green silk, the same shade as the ground, taken under the 
 cord, the necessity for lining the curtain afterwards will be 
 obviated. This is often an important consideration. 
 
 The sprig of trefoils should be 4 inches high. 
 
 The quatrefoil should be drawn on a circle of 5^ inches. 
 
 Dimensions for Altar, — No. 8. 
 
 Centre sprig on Frontal, — 19 inches high, without 
 scrollage. 
 
 Side sprigs to be designed in proportion. 
 Super-frontal,' — 7 inches, without fringe. 
 Quatrefoils on ditto, — embrace a circle of 5^ inches. 
 Predella, — 5^ inches deep. 
 Pattern upon ditto, in proportion. 
 
 Crosses on Reredos, — on a circle of 12 inches, without 
 radiating stitches. 
 
 Vesica, — 24 inches deep. 
 
 "H," in sacred Monogram, — 14 inches high. 
 
 Crown, — 5 inches deep, in centre. 
 
 H 
 
5° Cburcf) (ZEmbrcritietp, 
 
 Hanging of Canopy, — 18 inches, without fringe. 
 Depth of design upon ditto, — 1 5 inches. 
 Width of Label, — inches. 
 Letters upon ditto, — 3 J inches high. 
 Fringes. — Frontal, green gold, and crimson, — 4 inches deep. 
 
 Super-frontal, 3 inches deep. 
 
 Canopy, 6 inches. 
 
 Description of Coloured Frontispiece of 
 Medieval Altar. 
 
 This beautiful design, by Mr. T. J. Burton, is given as an 
 example of an altar-covering for the festivals of our Lord. 
 
 All, or any of, our directions for executing the eight 
 preceding altars, may be called in requisition here. 
 
 With the exception of the figures of the Angels, and 
 those of the Apostles, the whole might be accomplished, in 
 applique of silks, velvets, and cloth of gold : the latter 
 rich material being well suited for giving a bold delineation 
 to the pomegranate branches and crowns ; equally so, 
 for the background to the Apostles, the gold about their 
 canopies, or wherever gold is represented in broad masses. 
 
 But, to elaborate this altar entirely in ancient embroidery, 
 according to our instructions for Altars 6, 7, and 8, would 
 be infinitely more worthy of its dignified purpose, and would 
 also render the work, a truly magnificent achievement. 
 
 As in all churches where decoration is approved, the altar 
 is most richly apparelled on the festivals of the Saviour, we 
 
ancient ana a^ouern, s i 
 
 have here given full scope for the use, not only of gold, but 
 of real jewels, if the worker so choose to employ her means. 
 Some of our readers may not feel equal to the undertaking, 
 of the side panels with the Apostles ; these, it will be seen, 
 may be dispensed with at will, without detriment to the 
 uniformity of the design, either as regards frontal, or super- 
 frontal. 
 
 Excepting, as always, the scrolls and spangles, every 
 portion of the embroidery should be worked on linen, and 
 transferred afterwards to the altar-cloth. The quatrefoil 
 medallions, and rays diverging therefrom, should be made 
 perfect, before the Seraphs, — which should be worked on fine 
 linen in Dacca silks,— are transferred. In like manner the 
 figures of the Apostles, and the Angels above them, should 
 be treated, and the whole of their background, and sur- 
 roundings, be completed, before they are transferred to 
 the panel. 
 
 So, with the labels of Seraphim, not a stitch must be 
 wanting to their development, when they are considered 
 ready to be stiffened at the back, cut out, and fixed in their 
 right position on the altar-cloth ; — according to instructions, 
 page 1 06. 
 
 The best way to proceed in working the panels, will be, 
 to pounce and draw the entire design of the panel, from the 
 stars at top, to the labels at bottom, in Indian ink, on stout 
 linen (12 quarter Barnsley), defining the figures of the 
 Apostles and Angels only in correct outline, the rest of the 
 design must be fully detailed. 
 
5 ^ Cfwrcf) aEmfctoirierp, 
 
 On this stout linen, well framed, all the pattern, whether 
 in applique or embroidery, should be wrought up to the 
 spaces which the figures are to cover, and when the latter 
 have been neatly transferred to their right position, the 
 panel being perfected, should be stiffened, cut out, and 
 attached to the altar-cloth. The straight gold borders 
 round these panels could be represented with suitable rich- 
 ness, by basket-stitch m passing, over four rows of string. 
 
 The colouring in the wings of the Seraphim should be 
 radiant, yet mysterious. Green, lilac, blue, red, and gold 
 Dacca silks, should be delicately mingled about them. 
 
 The darker shades being used for the remiges or quill- 
 feathers, and the soft light tints worked upwards, till they 
 blend with, or melt into, the gold, straw colour, and white. 
 When all the silk has been worked in, passing must be 
 streaked over it, to enrich the high lights ; and the strong 
 lines which mark the pinions, should be indicated by gold 
 twist, edged with a fine black line. 
 
 In embroidering the faces of the figures, only the finest 
 split Dacca silks should be employed. More than four 
 delicate tints will not be required for the flesh ; but, added 
 to these, a salmon pink, and a blood red, will be necessary 
 for the cheeks and lips. 
 
 Great discretion and refinement must be exercised in 
 the use of these flesh-colours, or spirituality of expression 
 may be unwittingly sacrificed to ruddiness of complexion ; 
 whilst a countenance of too pale a hue, may render the 
 figures unmeaning, and altogether ineffective. 
 
ancient ant) e^oDern. 
 
 53 
 
 Three shades will be found sufficient for the hair ; 
 whether it be of gold, brown, or grey. Small French 
 knots would represent the hair of the Seraphim admirably. 
 The beard and hair of the Apostles, can only be properly 
 delineated in long-stitch embroidery. 
 
 The halo around the heads of the Seraphim should be 
 worked in perpendicular stitches of golden orange floss, 
 and then held down by circular rows of passing. Figure 
 10, page 145, explains this mode of laying the gold thread 
 over the floss. 
 
 The radiating bands of halo, should be rows of silver 
 twist, accompanied by fine lines of black. The Nimbi of 
 the Apostles should be entirely of close circular rows of 
 passing couched with orange. Those of the Angels above 
 the canopies, the same as described for Seraphim. 
 
 The crimson and blue grounds of Seraphim, and the 
 crimson and blue insertions in the canopies of the 
 Apostles, may be effected either in long-stitch embroidery, 
 or by applique of velvet, or rich silk. The violet panels 
 on either side of the Apostles, should be shown by floss silk, 
 laid down in perpendicular lines, and crossed by a chequer 
 work of gold twist ; the lines to be fixed at their intersec- 
 tions, by a horizontal stitch of green silk. 
 
 We should be repeating ourselves unnecessarily by 
 entering further into the detail of this frontal, for we are 
 convinced, that by this time the treatment of the minor 
 parts of the design, will be quite within the comprehension 
 of our patient readers. The work on the super-frontal 
 
54 Cfmrcf) (Emfcrofoerp, 
 
 likewise comprises nothing which may not be accom 
 plished from the directions already given. 
 
 As the Holy Table for such a covering as this, would 
 probably be full 3 feet 3 inches high, the following scale 
 will be found a guide, for drawing out the important parts 
 of the design, to suit such an altar : — 
 
 Super-frontal 9 inches deep. 
 
 Fringe to ditto i\ „ „ 
 
 Figure in panel, including nimbus . .11 inches high. 
 Canopy from nimbus to super-frontal 10 „ „ 
 
 Labels i\ inches deep. 
 
 Lower fringe to altar-cloth .... 4 „ „ 
 
 In all . . 139 inches, or 
 ( 3 ft. 3 in. 
 
 The Angels in canopies of -Apostles should measure 
 8 inches, from hem of robe, to topmost point of wings. 
 
 Pomegranate sprigs, including crowns, should be 10 
 inches high. 
 
 Quatrefoil medallion of Seraphim, — on a square of 
 1 1 inches, without diverging rays. 
 
 Branch of white, crimson-edged flowers, above Seraphim, 
 — 5 inches high. 
 
 Sanctus labels, — 1\ inches deep. 
 
 Gold stem beneath labels, — 4 inches deep. 
 
 In the practical illustration of these nine altars we have 
 comprehended nearly every kind of stitchery in Ancient 
 
ancient an& a^otiern. 55 
 
 and Modern Embroidery which may be executed for the 
 Church. 
 
 The dimensions in each instance, excepting the last, are 
 for an altar of 3 feet high. The needlework designs may 
 be easily enlarged, or diminished, to suit tables of different 
 heights. 
 
 The designs that follow, will be described in colour, 
 and style of work suggested, — more than this, will be unne- 
 cessary. 
 
 We desire that our book may not be a costly one, 
 and must accordingly dispense with every superfluous line. 
 
56 Cfmrcb Cmfcrottietp, 
 
 IV. 
 
 SUPER-FRONT ALS — ORNAMENT AL CROSSES FOR FRONTALS. 
 
 T N many of the Gothic churches which have been raised 
 within the last twenty-five years, richly-carved stone 
 altars have been fitted. For such altars a super-frontal 
 only of needlework is required ; we have therefore designed 
 six in different styles, to be worked on any ground. 
 
 The fleur-de-lis, No. i, is a simple and effective pattern, 
 and wrought only in white and gold, would be in good 
 taste on either green or crimson. 
 
 We have indicated " couching " on one of the fleur-de- 
 lis, which, with the curved stems, may be executed in gold 
 twist silk, sewn down with orange. Bands of fleur-de-lis, 
 and trefoils between, white twist silk, sewn down with gold 
 colour. The white to be edged with white cord ; the gold 
 colour with gold cord. 
 
 Fringe ; — gold colour, and the colour of the ground. 
 
 This pattern may be well accomplished in applique, of 
 gold colour and white cloths, edged as directed for 
 " couching ;" but veined, as indicated on end fleur-de-lis, 
 with white cord on the gold-colour cloth, and gold-colour 
 cord on the white trefoil. 
 
SUPER FRONTALS 
 
 -RLATJE . 6 
 
SUPER -FRONTALS 
 
ancient ann e^otiejcn. 
 
 57 
 
 The Lily, No. 2, may be also in white and gold, as 
 follows : — all the leaves, stems, and calyces, in gold Berlin 
 silk ; the flowers, white Berlin silk, shaded lightly with 
 grey. Filaments in pale green. Anthers in orange. 
 
 Modern embroidery over string, is suited to give good 
 effect here. One row of string along the stems, and up 
 the centre of each leaf ; the same along the separate 
 divisions of the buds, the calyces, and the petals of flowers. 
 The stitches to be worked over the string, as indicated in 
 the illustration. 
 
 Fringe. — Gold and white ; and same colour as ground. 
 
 Worked in the same stitches and colours as those 
 directed for frontal of Altar No. 7, this super-frontal 
 might be used with great propriety on that altar, if pre- 
 ferred to the Gothic fleur-de-lis. 
 
 No. 3. — A design to be worked in ancient embroidery, 
 similar to frontal of Altar No. 8. Applique of coloured 
 velvets, mixed with the embroidery, may be employed 
 very successfully here, and great richness be obtained, by 
 gold " passing " and spangles, used freely in the scrolls and 
 sprays. 
 
 Nos. 4, 5, and 6, are not only suitable for super-frontals ; 
 they may be adapted for any decorative border of sacred 
 needlework, on any scale. 
 
 The Rose, No. 4, may be represented entirely in modern 
 embroidery worked flat, {i. e.) without string, in stitches 
 directed as in illustration. 
 
 Colouring for a white super-frontal, bright crimson 
 
 1 
 
58 
 
 Cfmrcf) OEmbrcutierp, 
 
 roses, with pink turn-over edges ; leaves between petals, 
 rich green. Centres of roses, gold colour, chequered with 
 green. The inner as well as the outer rose to be outlined 
 with very dark green Berlin silk, " twist stitch." 
 
 Leaves between flowers, two distinct shades of green. 
 Veins, and stems from roses to leaves, gold colour. Stem, 
 intertwining with rose and leaf stem, gold colour, — at least 
 three shades darker than veins of leaves. 
 
 The stems and leaves of this pattern should be em- 
 broidered on the actual super-frontal if possible. The 
 roses would be better worked on fine stout linen, and 
 transferred. 
 
 Fringe. — Crimson, gold, green, and white. 
 
 Executed in Applique and embroidery, as directed for 
 Altar No. 4, with roses altered to correspond ; this super- 
 frontal being then uniform with that design, might be 
 used with it, if desirable. 
 
 Fringe. — Crimson. 
 
 The crowned pomegranate, No. 5, is a bold design, ap- 
 propriate for a green super-frontal. 
 
 Here is great scope for taste in Applique. The worker 
 will not fail to see how easily the leaves and scrolls may be 
 rendered ; the former in two shades of rich crimson velvet, 
 edged with white, and enriched by gold veins ; the latter in 
 dark gold, edged with black. 
 
 Pomegranate centre to be worked in " passing " over 
 string, as centre pine of Altar No. 8. 
 
 Space between centre and outer divisions of pomegranate? 
 
ancient ant) Quotient. 59 
 
 white twist silk, sewn down, one row at a time, with 
 orange. 
 
 Outer division, crimson, enriched by spangles. 
 
 Crowns. — Cloth of gold Applique, edged with black 
 floss ; or, they may be " couched " in " passing," with 
 crimson silk. 
 
 Fringe. — Crimson, green, and gold. 
 
 Passion-flower No. 6. — Directions for executing the 
 main portions of this design, in ancient embroidery, have 
 already been given for Altar No. 5. We will therefore 
 describe Applique for this super-frontal. It should be on a 
 violet ground. 
 
 Two distinct shades of rich green velvet or cloth for 
 leaves, which are to be edged and veined with gold. 
 Stems, and calyces of buds, a delicate, yet bright shade of 
 green, much lighter than either of those used for the 
 leaves ; and to be edged with a darker shade of green floss. 
 
 Buds, white cloth, edged with crimson ; and shaded by 
 stitches of crimson and violet, streaked with " passing." 
 
 Large leaves of Passion-flower ; white cloth, veined with 
 crimson and enriched by " passing." Small, outer leaves 
 of flower, pale green, same as calyces, edged with white. 
 Circle in centre of flower, crimson, and violet Berlin silks, 
 streaked with " passing." 
 
 Tripartite stamen, " passing " raised by string, to be filled 
 in to the circle, with dark-green French knots. 
 
 Fringe. — Violet, green, and white. 
 
6o Cburcb OBmtircutierp, 
 
 Monograms and Ornamental Crosses for 
 Frontals. 
 
 The two designs on Plate 8, are appropriate for the 
 violet frontal used in Lent. 
 
 No. 1 may be very successfully executed in Applique, 
 coloured as follows : — 
 
 Monogram. — White cloth, edged with black crochet 
 twist, sewn over with gold, on a crimson-velvet ground. 
 
 Circle surrounding Monogram, gold colour. 
 
 Wreath of thorns, — two distinct shades of green cloth, or 
 velvet ; one shade to intersect the other. 
 
 Crowns. — Gold colour cloth edged with black. 
 
 Outline border. — Gold colour cloth, edged with black. 
 
 Ground, beneath wreath of thorns and crowns, — white silk. 
 
 Only the main stems of the thorn wreath should be of 
 Applique. The prickly thorns will be better, and more 
 easily represented, in a rich brown twist silk. Each thorn 
 being formed by three stitches, as shown in miniature, 
 against lower point of design. 
 
 All the Applique materials above named are to be pre- 
 pared^ drawn, and cut out, as directed under their separate 
 heads, Chap. 8. They are to be laid down in the follow- 
 ing order : — 
 
 First, the Monogram and circle are to be worked in a 
 small frame, made complete, secured at the back, and cut 
 out neatly round the outside of the circle. 
 
 Secondly, a square of good white silk, of the size fixed 
 
FRONTALS 
 
 PLATE. 6 
 
ancient anti a^onern. 61 
 
 upon for the design, is to be smoothly tacked on a piece of 
 framed linen. Upon this the whole pattern is to be 
 pounced. Then the Monogram is to be laid down, and 
 attached by small firm stitches taken through the inner 
 and outer lines of the circle. The letters should not be 
 caught down. Now the other parts of the design may be 
 tacked in their places with due precision, and finally edged. 
 
 The main stems of the thorn-wreath are to be edged ; — 
 the light shade with a dark-green crochet twist, sewn over 
 with gold colour. The dark shade with black, sewn over 
 with orange. All the work being completed, the back 
 must be well smeared over with gum tragacanth, and thin 
 paper laid over it ; when dry, and removed from the frame, 
 the design may be cut out with a pair of sharp scissors, to 
 within the 16th of an inch of the outside cord, as clear and 
 firm, as though it were made of metal. 
 
 It should be transferred to the frontal, only through the 
 outline border, and edged finally with violet cord, the 
 shade of the altar-cloth. 
 
 No. 2, for Lenten frontal, presents the X and P of the 
 sacred Monogram, in a different form to that exhibited on 
 Altar No. i. 
 
 Here, we have a clear instance of the adaptation of elusive 
 characters, embodying the title of the Redeemer, by the 
 primitive Christians, in their desire to mystify their Pagan 
 enemies. This particularly beautiful example is taken 
 from a lamp found in the Catacombs at Rome. We 
 
62 Cfjurc!) (ZEmfcroiDerp, 
 
 acknowledge ourselves indebted for it, to a work published 
 twenty-two years ago, by Miss Lambert, one of the most 
 accomplished and reliable of modern authorities on needle- 
 work. 
 
 The addition of the wreath of palm-leaves, and the three 
 nails of the Passion, complete the design for a Lenten cloth. 
 
 The ground encircled by the wreath may be a rich 
 emerald green ; the Monogram upon it, white cloth edged 
 with black cord, the inner line upon the Monogram to be 
 black twist. The jewels enriching the Monogram are to 
 be crimson, rich violet, and green ; alternated with taste, 
 and worked upon the Monogram before it is transferred. 
 They are to be edged with gold bullion. The squares en- 
 closing each jewel to be described by black silk. The dots 
 between the jewels — spangles. 
 
 The palm-wreath to be either in gold-colour cloth or 
 cloth of gold, edged with black. 
 
 The three nails to be raised with one row of string along 
 the centres, and embroidered with white twist silk, and 
 edged with black. They should be worked upon the green 
 silk ground. The Monogram to be worked separately and 
 transferred. The wreath to be placed on a square piece of 
 green silk and framed linen, as directed for No. i ; and to 
 be cut out, and when attached to the violet frontal, edged 
 on the outside with a violet cord. 
 
 Should the worker choose to embroider the palm-wreath 
 in gold-colour Berlin silk, she will find the lines indicated 
 on the engraving, a great assistance in directing her stitches. 
 
FRONTAL S 
 
ancient ant) a^oDem. 63 
 
 Only one good full shade of gold-colour silk should be used. 
 A row of string laid up the centre of each leaf will be suffi- 
 cient, to give a very satisfactory effect of light and shade, to 
 the work. 
 
 These designs, as well as those that follow, may be in- 
 creased to any proportion. 
 
 Nos. 3 and 4 having been already described for Applique 
 on Altars 2 and 4, we now give instructions for embroidering 
 them. 
 
 For No. 3. — Monogram in "passing" couched with 
 gold silk, on a crimson-velvet ground. To be edged with 
 black cord. Circle and stems to roses forming Cross, and 
 stems and veins to leaves, gold-twist silk, couched, two rows 
 at a time, with green. 
 
 The circle to be edged inside with black ; and outside, as 
 well as the stems forming Cross, with dark green. Twining 
 stem, terminating in veins to leaves, to be edged with gold 
 twist. 
 
 Leaves. — Two distinct shades of rich French green ; 
 darkest shade to be worked nearest to veins. 
 
 Large roses. — Bright crimson, couched and edged with 
 gold. 
 
 Straight stitches on petals, gold. 
 
 Small inner roses. — Bright pink edged with white crochet 
 silk sewn over with gold. 
 
 Centres of roses, a chequer-work of green, caught down 
 with gold. 
 
64 C&urcl) aEmfcroiDeti), 
 
 Dots about roses. — Large spangles. 
 
 For direction of stitches, see engraving. 
 
 To avoid the danger of creasing or soiling the frontal by 
 working this entire design upon it, a piece of silk the same 
 as the frontal, and a little larger than the circle described 
 by the points of the upper leaves, may be laid down upon 
 the framed linen, and all the work, excepting the four roses, 
 executed upon it. It will be seen, by reference to the illus- 
 tration, that the branches of leaves, close in so completely, 
 that no raw edge, denoting a transfer, need be manifest, after 
 the silk is cut away beyond the leaves. The roses and 
 spangles may be drawn and worked without any difficulty, 
 while the process of transferring the rest of the design to 
 the frontal is going on. 
 
 No. 4, — Monogram, — " Modern embroidery," white 
 twist silk, raised over one thick row of string, and edged 
 with pearl-purl, on a crimson-velvet ground. 
 
 Cross and inner circle, — gold-colour twist couched with 
 orange. 
 
 Outer circle. — " Modern embroidery," in a dark shade of 
 gold-colour, over one thick row of string. To be edged 
 with black crochet twist. 
 
 Trefoils between circles. — Gold-colour, same shade as 
 Cross, veined with real gold twist and edged with black, 
 on a Mexican blue silk ground. 
 
 Two spots attached to Cross, against outer circle, white 
 twist silk, edged with gold. 
 
 Four large leaves — finials to Cross, two distinct shades of 
 
FRONTALS 
 
 PLATE. JO 
 
 5 
 
ancient ana a^otiern, 65 
 
 rich green, English Berlin silk. Darkest shade to be worked 
 towards the veins. To be edged with black. 
 
 Flowers upon leaves, white couched with crimson, and 
 edged with pearl-purl. 
 
 Dots, and centres of flowers. — Spangles. 
 
 Curved sprays from top petal of flower, " passing." 
 
 The whole to be drawn and worked on stout linen, and 
 transferred afterwards to frontal. 
 
 Velvet under Monogram, and blue silk under trefoils, to 
 be inserted as directed in former instances. 
 
 For direction of stitches, see engraving. 
 
 Frontal No. 5. 
 
 From a plain engraving it is quite impossible to imagine 
 the brilliancy of this design when executed as we have 
 seen it. 
 
 Three distinct grounds may be introduced : — 
 Ground of Monogram, marked " a," blue. 
 Ground marked " b," bright crimson. 
 Ground marked " c," white. 
 
 Monogram, white twist silk " modern embroidery " over 
 one row of thick string, edged with gold, and a thin line of 
 black twist beyond. 
 
 Circle about Monogram. — Gold, " modern embroidery," 
 raised over one row of string, edged with gold silk crochet, 
 sewn with black, inside and out. 
 
 Crowns. — Gold, " couched " with light violet. 
 
 Rays. — Gold, "couched" with orange. 
 
 K 
 
66 Cfwrcf) (ZBmftroitierp, 
 
 Cinque foils ornamenting crowns, — white edged with 
 gold. Spangled centres. 
 
 Flowers over crowns. — Within trefoil finials — white, 
 shaded with bright lilac stitches, to centres. Centres, — 
 spangles. 
 
 Stems to flowers, bright, light-green twist silk, couched, 
 one thread at a time, with a darker shade of green. 
 
 Flowers on white ground. — Bright crimson " modern 
 embroidery," worked crosswise. 
 
 Stitches on petals. — Gold. Centres, — spangles. 
 
 Leaves. — One shade of rich green " modern embroidery ;" 
 — gold veins. 
 
 Outside band enclosing white ground. — A shade of gold 
 twist, two shades darker than rest of gold-colour, — " modern 
 embroidery" over one row of string. 
 
 A thin line of black twist, sewn with black, should edge 
 the rays, and the crowns. The green stems to flowers in 
 trefoil finials should be edged with gold. Black cord must 
 edge the whole of the outside of the pattern ; beyond which 
 a line of the colour of the ground of the frontal is to be sewn, 
 after the work is transferred. As the insertion of three dif- 
 ferent grounds may somewhat puzzle a novice, we must 
 endeavour to explain the best mode of proceeding : — 
 
 First. — The Monogram and circle should be cut out in 
 cardboard, and worked separately on blue velvet. 
 
 Secondly. — The pattern, including the crowns and rays, 
 should be drawn on either a piece of rich crimson silk, or 
 velvet, and worked. — The gold band encompassing the 
 
ancient anD apnern. 
 
 6 7 
 
 crimson ground to be prepared in cardboard. This band, 
 when worked, to be edged with a crimson line. 
 
 Thirdly. — To the centre of this, the Monogram to be 
 attached by the circle. The whole is then to be gummed 
 and removed from the frame, as though it were a complete 
 piece of work. 
 
 Now, fourthly, — The above is to be transferred to a 
 frame in which a square of linen has been stretched to 
 the full size of the design, and within its compass a piece of 
 white silk smoothly tacked down, to form the ground for 
 the pattern between the trefoil flnials. The outline band 
 of this pattern to be in cardboard. 
 
 When this band is accurately sewn down in its place, 
 the pattern of flowers and leaves may be drawn on the 
 white silk, and the design completed. 
 
 Great precision is necessary in the preparation of such a 
 piece of work as the above. For its beauty consists in 
 uniformity of pattern, which, being duly observed, regulates 
 the colour. 
 
 With the colouring we have described, this design may 
 be placed on either a green, or a crimson, or even a white, 
 altar-cloth. 
 
 No. 6. — Altar Frontals. 
 
 This beautiful Cross of lilies in a conventional form, we 
 have, more than once, had the gratification of executing in 
 various styles of needlework. 
 
 Although it is one of the most successful of patterns in 
 
68 Cfmrcf) OBmftrottierp, 
 
 Applique, yet we will not describe it for that work ; as the 
 worker will ere this have understood how to apply the 
 different velvets or cloths, for the delineation of such a 
 design ; which is, on the other hand, so well adapted for the 
 exercise of taste in mediaeval embroidery, that we are 
 impelled to illustrate it accordingly. 
 
 We would advise that all the pattern, excepting the 
 stems and spots diverging from lilies and buds, be drawn 
 on a piece of rich crimson silk, previously strained over 
 framed linen ; then worked as follows : — 
 
 The circle in centre. — Gold "couched" with orange, 
 Cross in centre, and continuation of same to bulb of lilies, 
 light-green floss, couched, one thread at a time, with a 
 darker shade of green. 
 
 Leaves. — Two shades of green Dacca "long stitch," 
 darkest shade to centre vein. 
 
 Veins. — Gold, sewn over with orange. 
 
 Bulb of lilies. — Gold, couched with light green. 
 
 Petals of lilies. — Dacca silk, "long stitch," white towards 
 the edges, grey next, and full pink to the centre. 
 
 Bulbs to buds. — Same as those to flowers. 
 
 Petals of buds. — Same colouring and treatment as for the 
 open flowers. Ground shown in centre of circle, between 
 the Cross, rich blue Dacca, " long stitch. " 
 
 Diamond centre of Cross. — Bright crimson Dacca, with a 
 cluster of four spangles in the centre. 
 
 Spots diverging from flowers and buds. — Gold " long 
 stitch," edged with gold. 
 
ancient ana ^crnern. 69 
 
 Stems to spots. — Gold twist. 
 
 All the petals of flowers and buds are to be edged with 
 a grey cord. 
 
 The Cross, as far as the bulbs of lilies, to be edged with 
 gold twist. 
 
 Bulbs of lilies, and buds, to be edged with white, sewn 
 over with gold. 
 
 Leaves to be edged with dark-green, sewn with gold. 
 
 Before the stitches and spots, diverging from lilies and 
 buds, are worked, the Cross is to be gummed at the back. 
 Then, it is to be carefully cut out with sharp scissors, 
 round the outer edges of the petals of flowers and buds, 
 and the outer top curve of each leaf. (For the crimson 
 silk must be left clear, between the leaves and bulbs.) The 
 Cross in this state is to be transferred to the frontal, and 
 after it has been neatly edged, around the outskirts of the 
 pattern by a crimson cord, — which should wholly conceal 
 all ragged edges, — the stitches and spots may be added. 
 
 Without any deviation from the colouring we have 
 suggested, this Cross would be as effective on a green as on 
 a crimson frontal. Still, as the lily is the favoured emblem 
 for saints and martyrs, we recommend a crimson ground, 
 as concordant with the design. 
 
 We have given in the engraving, two examples of 
 stitchery for the bulbs of lilies. The top flower illustrates 
 " plain couching," the lower, " shell diaper " couching. See 
 stitches, pages 140, and 144. 
 
7° Cfjurcf) CmfcroiDerp, 
 
 v. 
 
 MONOGRAMS {FAMOUS)— POWDERING S— PULPIT AND 
 DESK-HANGINGS. 
 
 J^OUR examples of Monograms are given on Plate n, 
 which, although especially adapted for Applique, yet 
 make admirable patterns for all kinds of embroidery, for 
 every church purpose. They are also capable of being 
 increased or diminished to any proportion, without dete- 
 rioration of effect; and may be wrought satisfactorily for 
 sermon-cases or for book-covers ; while they would be 
 equally good in white, or in coloured cotton, worked in 
 chain stitch on cambric or lawn, for chalice veils, or other 
 sacramental cloths. 
 
 We will describe the colouring for Applique ; the same 
 will do for Embroidery, — 
 
 No. 1 may be made most brilliant by the introduction 
 of various grounds within the circles. Bright crimson may 
 be inserted under the Cross in the centre ; green under the 
 circle of trefoils and spots ; and crimson or blue within the 
 circles at the four finials of the Cross. 
 
 With such an arrangement of grounds, the whole of the 
 pattern might be in rich gold colour, edged with dark 
 
DESIGNS 
 
 SUITABLE FOR APPLIQUE 
 
 J-LATZ . II 
 
ancient anti s^ouem. 7 1 
 
 green, excepting the trefoils and spots, on the green ground. 
 They should be white, edged with crimson. 
 
 No. 2 would be very good in effect if applied in gold- 
 colour velvet, or cloth only, and edged with black. So 
 arranged, it could be placed on any ground. It would also 
 come out richly in cloth of gold. 
 
 No. 3 may have a white Monogram, edged with rich 
 crimson on a blue ground ; the rest of the pattern may then 
 be gold colour edged with black, excepting the spots, which 
 should be white, edged with crimson. 
 
 No. 4. — Here the Monogram may be white, on a crimson 
 or a blue ground ; and the leaves gold colour, veined with 
 crimson and edged with black. Quatre-foil band, gold, 
 edged on both sides with black. For the assistance of those 
 who may desire to embroider these designs, we have indi- 
 cated some of the stitchery in the illustrations. 
 
 POWDERINGS. 
 
 Scarcely any designs are more acceptable to the imitators 
 of ancient embroidery than those made for powdering. To 
 work the entire ornamentation of an altar in separate sprigs, 
 — one or any number of which, however varied in style, will 
 form a perfect pattern — is one of those happy ideas, for 
 which, like many others that we cannot improve upon, we 
 are indebted to the earliest Christian workers. 
 
 We regret that we must confine our illustrations for 
 powdering, to 14 examples; but although restricted with 
 
7 2 
 
 regard to space, yet we have endeavoured to make the most 
 of it by varying the designs as much as possible. 
 
 Every one of these — with the addition of scrolls and 
 spangles, above, below, and about them, which were always 
 added after the transfer of the sprig — may be worked for 
 frontals. We have illustrated every figure in the old em- 
 broidery stitches which will best represent it, but we must 
 also observe, that each of the sprigs may be worked up to 
 any amount of richness in applique, of either cloth or velvet. 
 
 To direct the execution of each one in elaborate detail 
 would be, we are sure, unnecessary. Our pains perhaps 
 have been better bestowed, in placing before the eye of the 
 worker, — in the engravings — what the most lucid descrip- 
 tion might fail to do — i. e., the result, as well as the means 
 to be employed for arriving at it. 
 
 Colouring may be used in these powderings as profusely 
 as the taste may suggest. The following hints respecting 
 a few of the principal figures will be enough to initiate the 
 worker in the treatment of the whole. No. i is taken from 
 the painted ceiling of St. Jacques, at Liege : — 
 
 Cone-shaped centre. — Gold, chequered with rich copper 
 brown. Edging, — black twist silk. Upper leaves enclosing 
 cone, — two distinct shades of green. Edging, — very dark 
 green. 
 
 Lower leaves, as calyx to cone. — Gold couched with 
 green. Edging, — amber floss. 
 
 Stem. — Gold, in perpendicular lines ; kept down at 
 intervals with horizontal lines of bright-green floss. 
 
POWDERING-S 
 
 TLATE 17. . 
 
 \ 
 
Ancient ann ^oUern, 73 
 
 Large projecting leaves next to calyx. — Bright crimson, 
 and full pink. 
 
 Centres of leaves. — Gold, couched with orange. Edging, 
 black twist. 
 
 Lowermost leaves. — Two distinct shades of sunny brown. 
 Centres of leaves, — gold, couched with green. Edging, dark 
 green. 
 
 No. 2. — Large bulb of flower. — Gold, couched with 
 orange. Edged with black. 
 
 Petals drooping over bulb. — Two shades of crimson and 
 pink Dacca. Edged with white. 
 
 Calyx of flower. — Two shades of rich blue. Edged with 
 orange. 
 
 Fringed band enclosing calyx. — Rich sunny brown Dacca. 
 Edged with black. 
 
 Stem. — Gold couched with green. Edged with orange. 
 
 Upper leaves, springing from stem. — Two shades of 
 crimson. 
 
 Lower leaves. — Two shades of green Dacca ; both to be 
 edged with black. 
 
 Sprays from centre of flower. — Rich orange floss, enriched 
 by "passing," and spangles. 
 
 No. 3. — (Crowned Pine), gold, couched with crimson, 
 alternated in stripes, with rows of spangles in gradations of 
 size, on a crimson ground of Dacca silk. Crown to be edged 
 with one row of black crochet silk sewn with black. Pine 
 to be edged with two rows of black. 
 
 L 
 
74 Cfmrcf) OEmforoiDetp, 
 
 Crown encircling pine. — " Passing " couched with gold 
 silk. 
 
 Crest of pine. — Full pink. 
 
 Band beneath crest. — Rich crimson. 
 
 Side leaves embracing pine. — Two shades of green Dacca 
 " long stitch," held down by white veins in " twist stitch." 
 Edging, white. 
 
 Cross at base of pine. — Gold couched with lilac. 
 
 Leaves, springing and drooping from Cross. — Two 
 distinct shades of rich lilac, held down by white veins. 
 Cross and leaves to be edged with black. 
 
 Stem. — Gold, couched with green. Edged with dark 
 orange. 
 
 Ornament between Cross and stem. — Gold, couched with 
 orange. Edged with dark violet. 
 
 No. 4. — Flowers. — White, couched with gold. Edged 
 with dark crimson. 
 
 Veins on petals. — Bright rose colour. 
 
 Centres. — Spangles : or a cluster of French knots in gold 
 twist silk. 
 
 Stems to flowers. — Light green floss in horizontal stitches, 
 held down at intervals by perpendicular lines of a darker 
 green. Edged with dark green. 
 
 Small turnover leaves at bottom of flower stem. — Dark 
 green, veined with gold. Edged with orange. 
 
 Large leaves, turned upwards. — Two distinct shades of 
 bright blue green, veined with gold. Edged with dark green. 
 
ancient ann ^oDern. is 
 
 Leaves, drooping from the above. — A shade of rich copper 
 brown, lighted up by a warm shade of gold. Edged with 
 black. 
 
 Scroll, springing from last-named leaves. — " Passing," 
 couched with gold silk. Edged with dark orange. 
 
 Interlaced stems of leaves. — Rich copper brown, shaded, 
 on the outer curve, with warm gold colour. Edged with 
 black. 
 
 Small scroll leaves at lower end of stem. — Gold, couched 
 with orange. Edged with black. 
 
 Small leaves above. — Light green, veined with gold. 
 Edged with gold. 
 
 No. 5. — This quaint yet graceful figure is taken from an 
 illuminated missal of a very early date. The colouring of 
 the original is so rich and harmonious that we will describe 
 it literally. 
 
 Stem terminating as calyx to flower, and under scrollage 
 to leaves. — Soft shade of pink twist silk, couched, one thread 
 at a time, with rose colour. Edged with deep crimson. 
 
 Large leaves drooping over stem. — Two shades of a 
 bright French green. Edged with black. 
 
 Large veins through centres of leaves, and curling under 
 calyx. — Very light shade of green. Edged with white. 
 
 Ground enclosed by this scroll, and inner edges of leaves. 
 — Rich dark crimson Dacca. 
 
 Flower. — Orange red, spotted with warm gold colour. 
 Edged with black. 
 
7 6 Cfjurcf) aBmfcroitierp, 
 
 Scrollage about flower, and over green leaves. — Shades of 
 brilliant lilac. Edged with white. 
 
 Lower leaf on inside of stem. — Two shades of dark lilac. 
 Edged with orange. 
 
 Leaf opposite to the above, on outer curve of stem. — Two 
 shades of orange red. Edged with white. 
 
 Small curly leaf below the last-named. — Two distinct 
 shades of crimson. Edged with black. 
 
 All the veins to leaves. — Gold. 
 
 Flourishes abotit base of stem. — Amber floss enriched by 
 " passing." 
 
 No. 6 is a most happy representation of the cactus, ex- 
 emplifying, the possibility of applying natural flowers to 
 conventional designs, without obscuring the attractive cha- 
 racteristics of the plant. The rich mass of colour and the 
 broad and somewhat bold foliage embodied in such a flower 
 as the cactus, are great advantages in patterns for powder- 
 ing, whether they be made for execution by the weaver, or 
 the embroideress. This is one of the original designs of 
 Mr. T. J. Burton, who has generously allowed us the first 
 privilege of using it. 
 
 The flower should be worked in its own natural brilliant 
 red — in floss silk — couched, one thread at a time, with Dacca 
 of the same shade. All the petals to be edged with one row 
 of a very dark claret crochet silk sewn over with the same 
 colour. 
 
 To give the fringe of filaments a perfect effect, a dark 
 
ancient anO Quotient. 77 
 
 claret ground of Dacca silk should first be wrought in hori- 
 zontal stitches on the space appointed for the filaments. 
 Over this, long perpendicular threads of light amber Dacca 
 should be laid, caught down at intervals by very fine stitches 
 of light amber sewing, and at the end of each — to represent 
 the anthers — a French knot should be made of dark amber 
 floss. These filaments may be greatly enriched by streaks 
 of " passing " among the silk ; and each anther may be 
 formed by a gold bead, or a tiny length of checked bullion, 
 threaded, and laid transversely. 
 
 The leaves above the centre of the flower may be two 
 shades of rich French green, veined with gold, and edged 
 with white. Leaves on each side of the foregoing, two 
 shades of a blue-green, veined with gold, and edged with 
 black. 
 
 Lower drooping leaf. — Two shades of blue-green, veined 
 with dark red, enriched by a line of gold, and edged with 
 white. 
 
 Stem, and under side of leaf attached to stem. — Pale blue- 
 green, couched and edged, with a darker shade of green. 
 
 Leaf appearing above drooping leaf — Two shades of rich 
 French green, veined with gold, and edged with white. 
 
 Bract enclasping stem. — White Dacca, edged with amber. 
 
 No. 7, a crowned fleur-de-lis, which may be wrought in 
 either gold or white floss, or twist silk. To be couched 
 with orange, crimson, green, or purple, according to taste, 
 or with the colour of the ground it is to powder. The 
 
7 8 Cfmtcf) OEmfcrcuDerp, 
 
 crown, irrespective of the fleur-de-lis, should be always of 
 gold, couched with orange. 
 
 No. 8 is, we presume, rendered quite comprehensive by 
 the engraving, as regards the needlework. Such rich 
 colouring as we have recommended for No; i, may be 
 practised here, at the discretion of the worker. 
 
 No. 9 is a plain example of the Tudor rose ; we have 
 seen it most effectively worked in Berlin silks, as follows : — 
 
 Five petals of the inner rose. — Rich pink, edged with 
 black. 
 
 Small leaves betzveen five petals. — Gold colour. 
 
 Four petals of outer rose.— Full bright crimson ; turn- 
 over edges of same, white. Both to be edged with black. 
 
 Leaves between petals. — Bright green edged with black. 
 Tongue-shaped vein up the centre of leaf, gold colour 
 edged with black. 
 
 Centre of rose. — A foundation of white floss, chequered 
 with green. Each square to be held down, by a bright 
 crimson stitch. 
 
 Nos. 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14, we leave entirely to the 
 judgment and taste of the worker. These, as also the 
 Tudor rose, will prove very useful designs for all kinds of 
 hangings. Notwithstanding that we have marked them, as 
 the rest of the figures, for embroidery, they are precisely 
 suited for applique ; and in cases of hasty decoration for 
 special occasions, may be simply cut out in velvet or cloth, 
 
ancient anti £poDern. 79 
 
 of the chosen colours, and edged with black cord, to pro- 
 duce a satisfactory effect, at a comparatively small expendi- 
 ture of time and means. 
 
 Pulpit, or Desk Hangings. 
 
 On Plate 13, we have illustrated three examples of 
 borders, for pulpit or desk hangings, to be wrought on the 
 material of the hanging, previously pasted on linen, as 
 directed, page 115. 
 
 To work such designs on linen, and transfer them after- 
 wards to the material, would not be an impossibility, but 
 the symmetry of the border, depending as it does on the 
 outline, — in a continuously flowing pattern, — might be en- 
 dangered by the process of cutting out, and laying down, 
 and double edging. 
 
 We have marked each design, with the various stitches 
 that may be used for its execution. 
 
 Diversity of colour is not so frequently employed in the 
 needlework of the hangings of the pulpit, &c, as in that 
 immediately about the Chancel. 
 
 Two reasons may be assigned for this. The first, that 
 the Sanctuary claims a distinction of beauty, and richness 
 in its adornment, from every other part of the church. 
 The second, that in many churches of comparatively 
 modern build there are no painted windows, excepting 
 perhaps, just over the altar ; and brilliant colouring, that 
 may be rich and harmonious, under the mellow, subdued, 
 
8o Cfmrcft OEm&rcutierp, 
 
 light of stained glass, would be simply vulgar and obtrusive, 
 beneath the white cold glare, streaming through the un- 
 coloured windows of a semi-Gothic edifice. 
 
 Thus far, it is evident that the colouring of these 
 borders must greatly depend on opinions and circum- 
 stances, over which we can have no control ; but we 
 flatter ourselves that the instructions we have already 
 given, for the disposition of colours in other designs, 
 may be available, if required, for the execution of these. 
 
 We will therefore confine ourselves to a few general 
 suggestions. 
 
 No. 1 may be wrought in gold-colour twist, and every 
 portion of the pattern couched, as shown in one division, 
 with crimson, green, orange, or gold, according to the 
 colour of the ground. 
 
 Or the scrolls, as indicated in second division, may be 
 raised by one row of string, and worked over in modern 
 embroidery, with gold twist silk, and edged with gold cord. 
 The two large leaves springing from scrolls, in gold and 
 white Berlin silks, and veined with rich brown cord. The 
 white Berlin silk to be worked round the edges of the leaves. 
 
 The centre, fruit-like ornament, to be simply a chequer 
 work formed by lines of white cord, and held down at each 
 corner of the squares, by stitches of gold twist silk. The 
 outline to be made by two rows of gold cord. 
 
 No. 2 may also be a mixture of gold and white, or all 
 gold if preferred. The two kinds of stitchery, we have shown 
 
PULPIT & DESK HANGINGS 
 
 PLATS .13 . 
 
ancient ana a^onern. 81 
 
 in the engraving, may be used in the same border, and if 
 employed precisely as indicated, will have a good effect. 
 
 An opportunity occurs in this pattern for the introduction 
 of colour, if admissible, as a ground to the leaves within the 
 medallions. If treated thus, a transfer of the work would 
 be advisable. The best mode of proceeding is as follows : — 
 
 The design to be drawn either on velvet, cloth, or rich 
 silk, of the colour fixed upon for the insertion, laid on 
 framed linen, and the pattern wrought upon it ; edging the 
 outside of the medallions with gold cord. The embroidery 
 is then to be cut out neatly, close to this outer edge of gold 
 cord everywhere, and carefully transferred to the hanging, 
 on the principle, heretofore, recommended for such works. 
 A cord, the colour of the hanging, is to be finally sewn 
 beyond the gold cord. 
 
 The ground may be removed from between the leaves, 
 springing from the outside of the medallion ; but we would 
 recommend that it be left, as the cutting out, would be a 
 great trial of neatness and patience ; and the insertion will 
 form an advantageous break, in the otherwise regular line 
 of colour, carried through the medallions. 
 
 No. 3. — All the remarks we have made, and the direc- 
 tions we have given, respecting the execution of the two 
 former designs, may be applied to this. It may be wrought — 
 in gold and white silks, or coloured to any degree of rich- 
 ness. Its elegant foliage is taken from the initial letter of 
 a very early manuscript, where gold and colour have been 
 
 M 
 
82 
 
 Cfjutcf) (ZBmfcroftierp, 
 
 used so profusely, and still so judiciously, that it is impos- 
 sible to find the merest speck of either, which could be 
 spared, or altered. 
 
 We have given a sketch of a Ledum ornamented by a 
 hanging of needlework. 
 
 The border, above the fringe, is often considered sufficient. 
 A Cross, or Monogram still further enriches the hanging, 
 but such an addition is optional. 
 
 The four designs on Plate n, are well suited for this 
 purpose. 
 
 Sometimes a text, in place of a border, is worked above the 
 fringe. The following are aptly selected for the Pulpit : — 
 
 " ffiz tijat Jjatf) cars to ijear, let ftfm Sear." 
 " ©ootf untrerstanfcmg gtbcti) fabour." 
 " 2Hatt on tije HorU, anb ffit sftall sabe 
 " ^rust in tfje Hottr fcottt) all tljmc fteart." 
 " J^ar CKotr anti top i^ts comman&ments." 
 
 The Holy Scriptures abound with others equally appro- 
 priate. 
 
 The best mode of working the letters for such hangings, 
 is that recommended for the text, on Altar No. 3. 
 
 A rich twisted silk fringe, in spaces alternating with the 
 colours of the ground, and needlework, should be used for 
 pulpit and desk-hangings. It should also be what is called 
 a tied fringe. The process of tying, producing the effect 
 of crosses in the heading, as illustrated in the engraving of 
 hanging for Ledum. 
 
ancient ana element* 83 
 
 VI. 
 
 SERMON-CASES— BAND-CASES— BOOK-COVERS— ALMS-BAGS— 
 ALMS DISH-MATS— CHURCH BOOK-MARKERS. 
 
 pOUR designs for Sermon-cases, will be sufficient to 
 assist us in our remarks on the different kinds of 
 work, and material, to be employed in this particular branch 
 of Church Embroidery. 
 
 In the needlework of the sermon-case, variety of colour 
 is seldom favoured ; but real gold, or gold-coloured silk, is 
 always admissible, and few clergymen, however simple their 
 notions on the score of decoration, object to either a Cross, 
 or the Sacred Monogram, being embroidered on the ser- 
 mon-case. 
 
 Some elect to have their own cipher or initials, only, on 
 the sermon, as well as the band, case. We are not aware 
 that there should be any orthodox reason urged against the 
 practice, although whenever we have been consulted in 
 such matters, yet we have recommended the use of sacred 
 inscriptions only, on things appointed for hallowed pur- 
 poses. 
 
 Black, violet, and rich dark-blue, are the colours mostly 
 chosen, for the ground of the sermon-case. The material, 
 
84 Cfmrcb Cmtirottietp, 
 
 either best velvet, or rich plain repp silk. Watered, or 
 moire silks, are not correct, in the first place ; and, in the 
 second, a figured surface of any kind, is unfavourable to 
 the richness and uniformity of effect, which should be 
 always aimed at, in ecclesiastical needlework. 
 
 For an article so small as a sermon-case, transferred work 
 is not desirable. Nevertheless, there are sometimes parts of 
 a design which are better, wrought separately, and fitted to 
 the rest of the pattern afterwards. Presently, we shall have 
 occasion to direct particular attention to such an instance. 
 
 No. 1. — As the Monogram here, and indeed the principal 
 part of the design, is marked for modern embroidery, we 
 would advise that the entire pattern be drawn, and neatly 
 cut out in Bristol-board, leaving stays between — and many 
 of them — the trefoil terminations of the letters. 
 
 A piece of fine linen, the whole size of the case, should 
 be framed, and upon this the velvet, or repp silk, is to be 
 smoothly tacked. But previously, two correct lines must be 
 indicated, horizontally, and longitudinally, on the material ; 
 in such a manner that they may be easily erased, after they 
 have guided the true fixing of the points of the Cross. A 
 good way to make these lines, is to fold the material evenly, 
 by warp and woof ; lightly crease it each way, and then tack 
 the line along with fine silk, which may be readily drawn 
 away, after the cardboard design is sewn down. 
 
 The whole of the pattern may be worked in gold three- 
 cord silk, not too coarse, with good effect. 
 
SERMON CASES AND BOOK COVERS 
 
 FLATE 14- 
 
ancient and egooern. 
 
 85 
 
 The letters, circle, and continuation of latter, to where it 
 merges in bulb of finial ornament, to be raised over one 
 row of string. A finer quality of string, to be used for the 
 narrower portions of the design. The small trefoils need 
 not be raised. The bulb and leaves marked for "couching" 
 to be wrought in gold silk, laid down with light orange ; or 
 with sewings, the colour of the ground. The chequer-work 
 centre, to be gold lines upon the silk or velvet, caught down 
 with gold. The whole to be edged with real gold cord, or 
 with coarse gold crochet silk, sewn down with orange. 
 
 An insertion of crimson velvet under the Monogram, 
 would enrich the work, whether the ground be violet, black, 
 or blue ; but with such an addition, the triangular inter- 
 stice at the base of the flower should be filled in with 
 crimson silk "long stitch," and the couched parts of the 
 flower, sewn down with crimson. 
 
 To work this design satisfactorily, it should be drawn of 
 such a size that the extreme points of the finials touch a 
 circle of 6 inches diameter. The circle enclosing Mono- 
 gram should be 3 inches across, measuring from outside 
 of band. One and a half inch is thus left for the height of 
 each finial ; and so the proportions will be equal. 
 
 No. 2 is designed for real gold and silver ; or it may be 
 in silk embroidery, of gold and white. The same prepara- 
 tion will be required for either work. 
 
 We will describe it for bullion. 
 
 The entire pattern to be neatly pounced and drawn upon 
 
86 Cfmrcj) OEm&rotDerp, 
 
 the material, which is then to be tacked down on framed 
 linen. Now, the Cross cut out in Bristol-board, is to be 
 sewn down, raised with yellow thread, and worked in three 
 rows of dead, and one of checked, bullion, alternated. 
 Then edged with pearl-purl, and the centre, where the 
 stitches unite, crossed by black Dacca, held down by a 
 silver spangle. 
 
 The four quatrefoils of Cross, — silver-dead bullion, edged 
 with black twist silk : centres to be formed of a cluster of 
 bright bullion loops. 
 
 The border. — The lines confining the pattern to be three 
 rows of " passing," couched, two threads at a time, with 
 orange silk, or with sewings of the same colour as the 
 ground. One pair of leaves to be dead, the other bright 
 bullion, and so alternately, round the four sides of the border. 
 They should be raised with one stitch of coarse crochet silk 
 along the centre. The stems, — real gold twist sewn down 
 with gold silk. 
 
 The small quatrefoils between the leaves to be formed of 
 four silver spangles, each held down by a loop of silver. 
 Centres — loops of gold bullion. 
 
 No. 3. — Here is the instance where, if desirable, a transfer 
 may be made of the shield, after its couched border and the 
 Monogram have been worked. An expedient especially 
 advantageous, if the shield be chosen of a different colour 
 to the ground. We will direct the colouring and execution 
 of this design, as we would effect it ourselves. 
 
ancient anD 8©oDern. 
 
 87 
 
 The material — rich black velvet. The pattern of leaves 
 in the corners, to be either " passing," or gold twist silk 
 couched with bright violet. Veins — bright violet sewn with 
 gold ; or " passing," sewn with orange. The shield and 
 Monogram to be drawn on either bright violet velvet, or 
 rich silk, and laid down on dark-grey holland. 
 
 The shield to be edged with four rows of "passing," 
 couched, two threads at a time, with violet silk ; or with 
 three rows of gold twist silk, laid with violet. In each 
 case it may be edged with " pearl-purl." 
 
 The Monogram to be raised, and worked in rows of dead 
 and bright bullion, edged with pearl-purl ; or in gold silk, 
 edged as bullion. 
 
 The work being completed on the shield, it is to be pasted 
 very firmly at the back, and cut out to within the 16th of 
 an inch of the gold cord, then transferred to its place on 
 the black velvet (waiting, ready framed, to receive it), by 
 imperceptible stitches taken through the pearl-purl. A 
 fine black silk cord, to edge it finally. 
 
 When this sermon-case is made, a gold and violet cord 
 should be sewn round it ; it should also be lined with 
 violet silk. 
 
 Working size of shield, 4 inches deep by 3 inches wide 
 at top. The pattern of corners in proportion. 
 
 No. 4 is a beautiful Monogram for delineation in either 
 real gold or gold silk. 
 
 To describe it for execution in gold, will perhaps be most 
 
88 
 
 Cburcf) OEm&rottierp, 
 
 useful. The worker, by this time, will have understood 
 how to substitute silk, if it be preferred. 
 
 The Crown to be couched, where indicated, with " pass- 
 ing," sewn with gold, or with orange, silk. The parts 
 marked for modern embroidery, to be dead bullion, raised 
 with yellow thread. 
 
 The Cross to be couched with " passing," in a diamond 
 pattern, of violet, orange, or crimson, silk : — the " H " the 
 same. 
 
 The " S " to be slightly raised, and wrought in two rows 
 of dead, and one of checked bullion, alternated. 
 
 The narrow border of lines to be four rows of " passing," 
 couched, two threads at a time, with silk, the same colour 
 as used for Monogram. The entire design to be worked 
 on the material. The letters to be edged with fine pearl- 
 purl. The line border to be edged with black crochet 
 twist, sewn with black. 
 
 To make the Sermon-case. — Sermon-cases are made in 
 two ways ; either stiff and flat like a book-cover, or firm 
 and soft, for facility of rolling. 
 
 For the book-cover principle, two sheets of stout card- 
 board, called " mounting-board," must be cut to the exact 
 size desired, and united at the back by a narrow strip of 
 calico, pasted along each side. Over this foundation thin 
 lining muslin must be smoothly stretched inside and out,* 
 after which the velvet may be tacked evenly on, by stitches 
 
 * This inner covering is to prevent the impoverished appearance likely to be im- 
 parted to the velvet and silk, by the tight straining over the mounting-board. 
 
Ancient ann 6£otiern. 89 
 
 drawn over the inside edge. A full half inch of velvet 
 should be turned over, to make the edges secure. 
 
 The silk lining now to be placed, and sewn to the 
 velvet by neat stitches, every one of which, if rightly 
 taken, will tend to tighten the material over the mounting- 
 board. 
 
 Finally a well-made cord of gold or silk, or of a mixture 
 of both, is to be sewn all round the case. This cord, which 
 should be about half an inch in circumference, should effec- 
 tually conceal the stitches uniting the edges of the velvet 
 and silk. A piece of elastic, a quarter of an inch wide, 
 is to be sewn top and bottom on the inside of the back, 
 for the sermon to be passed through. 
 
 The dimensions of the case must, of course, be governed 
 by the size of the sermon-paper adopted by the clergyman 
 for whom the case is made. Ten inches by eight, are good 
 proportions for quarto paper, — the size for which we have 
 planned our design. A little difference in the scale, either 
 one way or the other, will not materially alter the effect. 
 
 By substituting parchment under the embroidery where 
 Bristol-board is directed, and kid, or thin morocco, for the 
 mounting-board foundation, the sermon-case is made to 
 roll. In other respects, no deviation need be made from the 
 instructions for making up on a stiff foundation. 
 
 The Band-case. 
 
 Either a simple Cross, or the cipher of the owner, is the 
 most frequent ornamentation of the band-case. Sometimes 
 
 N 
 
9° 
 
 the sacred Monogram is embroidered upon it, but its use 
 is optional. 
 
 The band-case may be either of repp silk, or velvet, purple, 
 or black. The lining to be silk of the same colour as the 
 outside ; otherwise, of gold colour, or of white. 
 
 An approved form for the band-case is exactly like a 
 letter-envelope opened out, with four flaps to fold to the 
 centre ; two to fasten over the other two, by a small button 
 and loop. The embroidered back to be mounted over 
 stout cardboard : the flaps to be firm, but not stiff. 
 
 Book-covers. 
 
 For book-covers, no restrictions need be imposed with 
 regard to colour in the embroidery. The design must 
 obviously depend upon the nature of the book inside. For 
 ecclesiastical works, such patterns as we have given for 
 sermon-cases, may be used with propriety. They are 
 simple, but not incorrect. 
 
 We would direct the worker to the British Museum for 
 instances of costliness of material, and much bestowal of 
 labour, in this branch of needlecraft. 
 
 Beautiful examples are there, of book-covers worked long 
 before the close of the sixteenth century, and at subsequent 
 periods till after the time of Queen Elizabeth. This queen 
 wrought with her own hands more than one elaborate cover, 
 which are still in preservation. As such employment was 
 quite a fashion at her court, it is not improbable that many 
 
ancient anD a^otiern. 9 1 
 
 better specimens than these from royal fingers, which now 
 come under our notice, were worked by other industrious 
 ladies of the time, to perish modestly and obscurely as 
 things of naught. 
 
 The value of the writings they enclosed, doubtless saved 
 many of these triumphs of the needle for our study. 
 
 Such as Archbishop Parker's " De Antiquitate Britannicae 
 Ecclesiae," a.d. 1572. The Countess of Wilton, writing in 
 1844, thus ably describes the needlework binding of this 
 book : — 
 
 "The material of the back is rich green velvet, but it is 
 thickly covered with embroidery ; there has not, indeed, 
 originally been space to lay a fourpenny piece. It is 
 entirely covered with animals and flowers, in green, crimson, 
 lilac, and yellow silk, and gold thread. 
 
 " Round the edge is a border about an inch broad, of 
 gold thread." 
 
 This elegant writer also mentions Queen Mary's Psalter 
 in the British Museum, and is justly of opinion that the 
 originally beautiful embroidery on its cover, was first 
 worked on coarse linen, and afterwards transferred to the 
 velvet, by a golden thread or cord. 
 
 Crests, and coats of arms, work well on book-covers. 
 The arbitrary forms, and decided colouring in heraldic 
 devices, are favourable to the production of striking effects 
 on a small surface, such as the cover of even a large volume 
 may present. 
 
 We must step no farther out of our prescribed course, 
 
9 2 Cburcf) Cmbrot&erp, 
 
 but reserve what else we may have to say on the subject, 
 for a future work on Secular Embroidery. 
 
 Alms-bags and Alms Dish-mats. 
 
 To embroider the Church alms-bag, is as general as the 
 needlework decoration of the book-markers. 
 
 Any good design, whether of the Sacred Monogram, the 
 Cross, or the initial letter of the saint to whom the church 
 is dedicated, incorporated with the Cross, is considered 
 appropriate. 
 
 Velvet is the best material for the alms-bag. It should 
 be pasted, or tightly tacked, on framed holland, and the 
 design, cut in card, worked upon it. 
 
 Either gold, gold silk, silver, or white silk, may be used, 
 indiscriminately, according to the colour of the ground, or 
 the nature of the design. 
 
 In t a well-appointed church the alms-bags vary, and 
 correspond in colour with the apparel of the altar, according 
 to the day. 
 
 The shape of the bag is not always the same. We give 
 two examples of the most approved kind : — 
 
 No. 1, although not so elegant as No. 2, yet is the most 
 popular, on account of the facility with which it may be 
 passed from hand to hand during the collection. It is 
 made by a straight piece of velvet of 10 inches wide, and 
 8 inches deep, joined, gathered into, and sewn round, a 
 circular piece of card, of 2 inches in diameter, which should 
 be first covered, on one side, with velvet. 
 
ancient ann spotiern. 
 
 93 
 
 The bag should be lined with good silk, and hemmed 
 round at the top, over the hoop-like frame, to which the 
 handle is attached.* 
 
 No. 2 should also be of velvet, and lined with silk, with 
 the exception of the inner side of the back, indicated by 
 a cross. This should be of velvet, carried a little below 
 the cord of the front flap of the pocket. The depth of 
 this bag should measure 9 inches, from the base of 
 the loops ornamenting the top, to the extreme point 
 at the bottom. The width may be 6| inches in the 
 widest part. The depth of the front flap should be 6 
 inches. 
 
 The ofTertory-plate, or alms-dish, should always be pro- 
 vided with a mat of a proper description, to deaden the 
 jingling sound of coin, which upon the bare surface of the 
 metal, is so obtrusive at solemn times. 
 
 A circular mat of velvet, either plain or embroidered, is 
 necessary. It should fit to the bottom of the dish, and be 
 lined with silk, and trimmed with a firm fringe of either 
 gold or silk, not exceeding 1 inch in depth. 
 
 The same designs are proper for the alms dish-mats, as 
 have been suggested for the alms-bags. 
 
 Only, it should be strictly observed, that as the mat is 
 circular, the Monogram, Cross, or other Christian symbol, 
 must be drawn to touch the four sides of a square. A 
 design longer one way than the other, placed within a 
 circle, is a discord, as painful to the correct eye, as a melody 
 
 * These frames are sold by Messrs. Jones and Willis, Great Russell Street. 
 
94 
 
 Cfmrcf) (ZEmtaitDerp, 
 
 played out of tune, is to the ear of a good musician ; and 
 we need not say that, harmony in all works, appertaining to 
 the Church, is particularly essential. 
 
 Church Book-markers. 
 
 Markers for the Altar-books are now in universal use. 
 They are made of stout-ribbed ribbon, in widths varying 
 from i to 3 inches ; and in the five ecclesiastical colours, — 
 crimson, blue, green, white, and violet. 
 
 The three first, are those in constant requisition ; the 
 white, and the violet, are for the festivals and fasts only, 
 which the Church celebrates in these colours. 
 
 Numerous have been the designs already employed for 
 Church book-markers, and incongruous it would seem, have 
 been the ideas of the individuals, who have originated some 
 of these patterns. Unaccountable Monograms ; dispropor- 
 tionate Crosses ; crowns without symbols, and impossible 
 forms of every kind, without meaning or purpose, come 
 before us constantly, making us heartily sorry to see the 
 beautiful ribbon disfigured, which, if left plain, would 
 be at least decorous and unpretending. As for Crosses of 
 perforated card and beadwork, they are simply mean, and 
 improper, and not to be classed with Church Embroidery. 
 
 The widest ribbon, fit for markers, is too narrow for any 
 but the plainest characters to be represented upon it in 
 needlework. 
 
 A Latin Cross on one end, and a simple Monogram on 
 the other, are always good, if correctly drawn. Or, words, 
 
ALMS DISH MATS 
 
 P.LAT£ 16 
 
ancient ana s^oDern, 95 
 
 such as " Creed " and " Collect," as suited to particular parts 
 of the service, may be worked at the separate ends, in plain 
 Old English letters, surmounted by a Greek Cross. 
 
 The double triangle, with the X and P, as described for 
 Altar No. i, are also proper symbols for this purpose. 
 
 The length of the marker is governed by the depth of 
 the book for which it is required. For the large Altar- 
 books, a yard is the ordinary length, not including fringe. 
 This makes what might be called a double-marker, as it is 
 capable of being divided in the middle, by a barrel or 
 register, to fall over two pages of the book. 
 
 The register is commonly covered by a net-work of 
 either silk or gold, made over a mould, like the top of a 
 tassel. Some clergymen object to it altogether. Others 
 like it weighted with lead. One very good contrivance is a 
 piece of ivory, of the width of the back of the book, pierced 
 with holes, through which pieces of silk braid, from which 
 the ribbon is suspended, may be inserted and tied, as in 
 illustration. 
 
 The object of this invention, is to secure the book from 
 the liability of being torn by the ribbon, in passing back- 
 wards and forwards. A register such as we describe may 
 be made to order at any ivory-turner's. We are not aware, 
 if the article is sufficiently well known, to be found ready- 
 made at any Church needlework furnishers. The sus- 
 penders should be of stout Russia braid, of the colour of 
 the ribbon, measuring from two to three inches in length. 
 
 If the ivory-register be adopted, the markers must be 
 
9 6 
 
 Cfmrcf) OBmtirotDerp, 
 
 single, and may measure as much less than half a yard, 
 as the suspender is long. 
 
 We will give our instructions for working a church- 
 marker of the ordinary width of i\ inches, and a yard long. 
 Every other width and length may be regulated accord- 
 ingly. 
 
 A yard and a quarter of ribbon is to be procured, and 
 a piece of fine linen tightly framed. Upon this the end 
 of the ribbon, to the depth of 10 inches, is to be smoothly 
 tacked at the extreme edges by fine cotton. Along the 
 bottom edge, and across the top of the io-inch length, the 
 ribbon must also be tacked. 
 
 Five inches from the end of the ribbon the cardboard 
 design is to be fixed, and sewn down ; and embroidered in 
 gold, silver, or purse silk, according to circumstances. 
 This being done, the work should be covered from dust, 
 and the other end of the ribbon (supposing the framed 
 linen large enough to receive both) tacked down, and 
 treated precisely similar, only the pattern must be worked 
 on the contrary side of the ribbon, or, as a double-marker, 
 it will not fall right when in the book. 
 
 Refer to illustration, Plate 16, for an example of the 
 marker when correctly worked. 
 
 (This caution need not be observed if the marker be 
 worked on each side, of each end, as it sometimes is.) 
 
 When the embroidery on the two ends is completed, 
 the linen should be first cut from the frame, and then from 
 the back of the ribbon, close to the needlework. 
 
BOOK MARKERS , AND ALMS BAGS 
 
 PLATE 25 
 
ancient ann s^otiern. 97 
 
 To make up the Marker. — The plain end below the work 
 is to be turned back \\ inches over the untidy wrong side, 
 leaving \ an inch of plain ribbon below the design, on the 
 right side. 
 
 The two edges of the ribbon to the depth of \\ inches 
 are now to be sewn together by the neatest stitches of fine 
 silk, of the exact shade of the ribbon. The raw edge of 
 the turned-up end is to be hemmed across, above the 
 design, by stitches so fine as to be invisible on the right 
 side ; and the book-marker, which should now appear as 
 neat on one side as the other, will be ready for the fringe. 
 
 A soft twist silk fringe of i inches deep is best, if the 
 embroidery be in silk. If it be in gold, a gold fringe is the 
 most proper. Twice the length of the two ends, and 3 
 inches over, for turnings, is requisite. 
 
 The fringe should be sewn along one side of the marker 
 singly, then turned and sewn along the other, so that both 
 sides may be perfectly neat, and alike. 
 
 The height of a design for a book-marker should not, if 
 possible, exceed 3 inches. 
 
98 Cfjurcf) OEm&rottierp, 
 
 VII. 
 
 CHURCH LINEN— ALTAR AND OTHER CLOTHS— POUNCING AND 
 DRAWING PATTERNS ON LINEN FOR ANCIENT EMBROIDERT — 
 HOW TO PREPARE DESIGNS ON CARDBOARD FOR MODERN 
 CHURCH EMBROIDERT. 
 
 r J^ , cover the holy table with "a fair linen cloth" is a 
 custom which may be dated from the beginning of 
 the fourth century, since it is supposed to have been insti- 
 tuted by Eusebius, Bishop of Rome. 
 
 Dr. Rock in his " Hierurgia " writes : — " It is now more 
 than a thousand years that a custom has universally pre- 
 vailed throughout the Latin Church of having the altar at 
 all times overspread with a linen napkin." 
 
 Some of these cloths are now made, expressly, of fine 
 linen damask with ecclesiastical patterns woven upon them. 
 Others are of lawn or finest linen, and bordered by appro- 
 priate designs wrought in c/iazn-stitch, either with white or 
 coloured cotton. 
 
 They are usually made to fall over the table in front to 
 the depth of the worked border, unless there be an em- 
 broidered super-frontal beneath, which it would be as well 
 not to conceal. The linen altar-cloth should be long 
 enough either to cover the two sides of the altar, or it may 
 
LINEN ALTAR CLOTHS 
 1 
 
 '6^ 
 
 6^ 
 
 6*^ 
 
 (?3 
 
 4* 
 
 <S"Q 
 fa® 
 
 4^ 
 
 6^ 
 
 6^ 
 
 61 
 
 6 s 
 
 
 o « 
 
 v ^ ^ v$ ^ ^ ^ ^k^fy? 2& y? 
 
 -^ooo OO OO O O f-<| O O OOOO OOOO-j 
 
 
 
 *^ — ^ ^( /*\ ^^6.-S^B^/— 
 
 ^ O O 
 
 ooo° o o U o o o o oooooooo v^j 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 V 
 
 1 
 
 ..... 1 
 
 ■ 
 
ancient ann s@otiern. 
 
 99 
 
 be made only to turn down — as at the front — to the width 
 of the border, which in every case should be continued 
 along the two ends from the front of the cloth. 
 
 The borders, Plate 17, designed for these cloths, are as 
 suitable for white, as for coloured cottons, or for a mixture 
 of both. Crimsons and blues, are the most approved colours 
 for the embroidery of altar-linen. Green and lilac are occa- 
 sionally used, but with little advantage, for no good shades 
 of either can be obtained in cotton of this description, and 
 the best that we have seen, washes badly. 
 
 The linen altar-cloth should be finished along the edge 
 by a plain hem of an inch deep, resting upon which, the 
 worked border should appear. 
 
 Altars 2 and 5 are represented as covered with linen em- 
 broidered cloths. 
 
 The use of other linen cloths besides that to overspread 
 the altar, is not general throughout the English Church. 
 Nevertheless, there are strict adherents to the ancient rubric 
 who approve of the Chalice Veil ; also of the Corporal or 
 Pall, a small cloth separate from that which covers the table, 
 and employed for the sacred purpose of enshrouding the 
 Eucharistic elements. 
 
 The purpose of the chalice veil is universally known. It 
 is made of various sizes, from eight inches square upwards ; 
 and should be of French cambric, finely embroidered in 
 chain-stitch or otherwise. 
 
 Nos. 1 and 2, on Plate 11, are excellent patterns for 
 chalice veils. 
 
ioo Cfmrcf) aEmbrcu&erp, 
 
 A plain hem of three-quarters of an inch wide, with a 
 straight line of chain-stitch worked on the right side, is a 
 suitable finish for the chalice veil ; or it may be trimmed 
 above a less deep hem by very narrow Valenciennes lace 
 sewn round without fullness, — excepting at the corners. 
 
 The corporal may be of fine lawn, and may have a 
 Monogram, worked in cotton, in the centre, such as No. 2, 
 Plate 11, with a small Cross in each corner; or it may be 
 bordered all round, and have a Cross in the centre. 
 
 The Monogram surrounded by vine-leaves and wheat- 
 ears, on Plate 20, is quite adapted for the ornamentation of 
 the corporal. So, likewise, are designs 1, 2, and 3, on 
 Plate 14, for sermon cases. Instead of the Monogram and 
 shield on the latter, a Cross, such as on No. 2, may be 
 adopted with great propriety as a centre to the vine-leaf 
 corners. 
 
 The most correct finish for the corporal, as for the altar- 
 cloth, is a plain hem of an inch deep. 
 
 There are two other cloths, which many clergymen would 
 be onty too glad to have made for them ; viz., a napkin 
 and c&'alice veil, to accompany the pocket Communion 
 Service. Often when visiting the sick at home, more 
 especially amongst the poor, the want of a seemly cloth, 
 upon which to place the sacred elements, is painfully felt by 
 the minister. Such cloths must be necessarily small. The 
 corporal should be 20 inches by 1 5 ; the chalice veil about 
 6 inches square. In the one case we include a hem of f of 
 an inch deep ; in the other a hem of \ an inch wide. 
 
ancient ano e^onem. 
 
 IOI 
 
 Both these cloths may be ornamented with sacred designs. 
 They are usually preferred worked entirely in white cotton. 
 
 Chain Stitch. 
 
 Of all stitches few are more simple than chain stitch. It 
 is a perfect imitation of the old tambour stitch, but accom- 
 plished in a different manner, and with less trouble. 
 
 Tambour Work, took its name from the drum-like frame, 
 over which the material to be wrought in this particular 
 stitch, used formerly to be stretched. The stitch is formed 
 by the thread of silk or cotton being carried at the back of 
 the material, to be caught through, and looped along the 
 surface, by a needle like a crochet-hook. To work chain 
 stitch, — the cloth is held in the hand, while upon the fore- 
 finger loop after loop is made along the lines of the pattern, 
 by means of an ordinary needle threaded with cotton, or any 
 other material. 
 
 No stitch is more popular than chain stitch for working 
 Church linen. Where dots are indicated, to enrich or fill 
 up portions of a pattern, the common back stitch worked in 
 soft " dotting cotton " will produce the right effect. This 
 stitch may be satisfactorily used, to fill in the vine-leaves in 
 sacramental designs. 
 
 Where colours are approved, the leaves may be outlined, 
 in chain stitch, with crimson, the veins in blue, and the dots 
 in white. Stems should be simply outlined in chain stitch ; 
 to fill them in with dots is not only apt to make their effect 
 
102 
 
 Cfmrcf) (ZEmbrottierp, 
 
 too heavy, but to detract from the richness of the more 
 important parts of the pattern. 
 
 For chain-stitch on Altar linen of the ordinary quality, 
 No. 12 cotton is the best. For extra fine linen, or lawn, 
 No. 1 8 must be used; and for cambric, No. 24. In dotting 
 cotton, Nos. 4 and 5 are the correct sizes, for the simula- 
 tion of French knots. All cottons for Church purposes 
 are to be had of Mr. Helbronner, 265, Regent Street, W. 
 
 Pouncing and Drawing Patterns on Linen. 
 
 It may be as well to preface these instructions by saying, 
 that they are not only to be followed, with reference to 
 linen ; every other material which is not transparent should 
 be treated in like manner. Linen being the foundation 
 employed for nearly every example of ancient embroidery, 
 we have specified it here. 
 
 The linen we recommend as a foundation for powdering 
 figures, and large subjects generally, is called Duck-sheeting. 
 It is 2 yards wide, and 3s. 8d. per yard ; trade-mark " W. BT 
 The linen should be of a finer quality for figures of human 
 form — " 1 2 quarter Barnsley " 2f wide, 6s. per yard ; trade- 
 mark "Hat." 
 
 Amateurs, who have only pulled to pieces specimens of 
 the old work, and found them to have been wrought 
 generally on double linen, advocate the use of such by 
 modern workers ; but this is a mistake, for a good fabric, 
 such as we name above, of one thickness, is fully equal to 
 
ancient ant) a^oDern. 103 
 
 the double material of former days ; is far easier to em- 
 broider upon, and quite as lasting. 
 
 Before drawing or arranging any work upon the linen, 
 it should be well scalded, pulled perfectly even, while wet, 
 and when dry smoothly ironed. 
 
 Thus it will be freed from any properties it may have 
 possessed, injurious to gold or colour, and there will be no 
 fear of the pattern, drawn upon it, being pulled out of the 
 square in framing. 
 
 Pounce Pozvder. — Before we speak of pouncing patterns, 
 we should name the powder to be used for the purpose. 
 
 A penny cake of common pipe-clay, finely pulverised, 
 will make an excellent pounce for dark materials. 
 
 For linen, and other light grounds, a little powdered 
 charcoal mixed with pipe-clay will make a grey, which may 
 be lighter or darker, at discretion, by altering the propor- 
 tions. We do not advise charcoal powder alone to be used 
 for light grounds. It is so unnecessarily black, and apt to 
 begrime everything it comes near. Mixed with pipe-clay, 
 these objections are nearly removed. 
 
 A piece of flannel twisted tightly many times round and 
 round, bound with thread, and then cut off to about an 
 inch and a half in length, and made close and even at one 
 end, to form a stump, is the best medium for conveying the 
 powder to the pattern. 
 
 Pouncing. — To pounce a pattern, it must first be care- 
 fully traced from the original design on thin paper, and 
 this outline pricked in fine holes, of about 24 to the inch, 
 
io4 
 
 with a Walker's sewing-needle, No. 6, made agreeable to 
 hold between the thumb and finger, by a knob of sealing- 
 wax placed on the top. A piece of flannel doubled should 
 be placed upon the table, under the paper, to prick upon ; 
 this will make the holes open, or round ; but the needle 
 must be held quite upright during the process of piercing, 
 or a perfect pounce will never be obtained from the 
 pattern. 
 
 The pricked paper must be laid down in the place on 
 the linen, assigned to the work, and when exactly fixed, 
 must be kept from shifting, by pins at the four corners, or 
 by weights. The stump, well-charged with pounce powder, 
 must now be rubbed over the pierced outline everywhere. 
 Once, passing along with the pounce, is seldom sufficient. 
 It is as well to charge the stump frequently, and carry it 
 over the lines, to insure a distinct transfer of the pattern to 
 the linen beneath. 
 
 On removing the weights, if a true facsimile of the draw- 
 ing be presented in dotted lines on the linen, it must be 
 traced with a fine camel-hair brush, in Indian ink, and will 
 then be ready for framing. Should an imperfect represent- 
 ation of the design appear on the linen when the paper is 
 lifted, the powder must be lightly but entirely brushed off, 
 and the pattern pounced again ; for every part should be 
 clearly defined, through the pierced lines, before the per- 
 manent drawing is commenced. 
 
 Some geometrical figures, such as a Greek Cross, or a 
 quatrefoil, consisting of two halves, or four quarters exactly 
 
ancient ant) s^otiern, 105 
 
 corresponding, may be pierced very expeditiously as 
 follows : — 
 
 Trace only one-half, or one-quarter of the original 
 design on the thin paper ; fold the paper, with great pre- 
 cision as to the edges being parallel, in two or four, and 
 prick through the drawn portion. 
 
 If properly done, on opening the paper the entire design 
 will be found perforated, and more correct in outline, than 
 if the pattern had been pricked singly. 
 
 How to Transfer Old Embroidery on Linen. 
 
 In our long experience we have found it as well to 
 deviate from, if not improve upon, some of the mere 
 mechanical contrivances adopted by the early Church 
 workers. 
 
 One of these is with reference to transferring. We con- 
 sider it a much better plan to edge the embroidered figure 
 with its marked outline of silk or gold, before it is trans- 
 ferred. 
 
 Our objection to the old plan of edging after the 
 transfer, arose through the trouble experienced in fixing 
 the figures on a velvet ground, the resisting pile of which 
 is always unfavourable to the application of other materials ; 
 and a raw edge of linen a most unmanageable thing, to 
 cover evenly, on such a surface. 
 
 We grant that nearly all the old specimens of needle- 
 work, which in effect we are too glad to emulate, have 
 
 p 
 
io6 Cfmtcf) Cmbrofoerp, 
 
 been executed under these disadvantages, but maintain at 
 the same time, that we best show our appreciation of sueh 
 examples, by studying to arrive at the same result, by 
 easier means. 
 
 We therefore decidedly recommend that all embroidered 
 figures should have their marked outlines made sure before 
 transferring ; that is to say, they are to have their orange, 
 or crimson, or gold edges worked round them, before they 
 are removed from the frame. 
 
 They are then to be pasted at the back, and a piece of 
 thin paper, such as curling paper, placed on the wet paste, 
 and made to adhere to the work everywhere. 
 
 (The object of this backing of paper, is to secure all the 
 ends of silk, &c. ; and to make the edges firm when the 
 figure is cut out.) 
 
 When thoroughly dry, the linen should be taken from 
 the frame, and the figures cut cleanly round to within the 
 1 6th of an inch of the outline. 
 
 Upon the velvet or other ground, when framed to 
 receive the work, the design should be pounced, not drawn ; 
 the dotted powder lines will be sufficient to guide the 
 laying down of the figures, and may be readily brushed 
 away when no longer needed. 
 
 The figures being laid in their right position, should 
 then be held down at close intervals by short white pins — 
 passed perpendicularly like nails — through the figure and 
 the velvet, until secured all round the edges, by stitches of 
 waxed purse silk, an eighth of an inch apart. 
 
ancient ann e^onern. 107 
 
 The visible edge of linen may then be obscured by a 
 cord, the size of ordinary twine, sewn neatly round. 
 
 This cord to be of the same colour as the velvet, or silk 
 ground. 
 
 For transferring framed work of every kind the above 
 will be found a right principle. 
 
 To make needlework paste. — Paste which is sure to bind, 
 and will never come through on the surface of the material, 
 is shoemaker s paste ; two pennyworth of which may be had 
 from any adjacent shoemaker. 
 
 But supposing a shoemaker to be not always adjacent, we 
 give our receipt for an excellent paste, which may be made 
 at home. 
 
 Take 3 table-spoonfuls of flour, and as much powdered 
 resin as will lie on a shilling ; mix them smoothly with half 
 a pint of water, pour into an iron saucepan, and stir till it 
 boils. Let it boil 5 minutes ; then turn it into a basin, 
 and when quite cold, it is fit for use. 
 
 A hard, close-haired, scrubby paint brush, may be used 
 for needlework pasting ; but we prefer the hand only ; for 
 one's fingers seem to feel exactly where much or a little of 
 the paste may be applied, and to equalise it nicely over the 
 surface. 
 
 Paste kept longer than a week should never be used ; it 
 is not only likely to become unpleasant, but partly worth- 
 less for its intended purpose. It is best to make it in small 
 quantities, as it may be required. 
 
io8 Cfmrcft aEmfcrottierp, 
 
 how to prepare designs on cardboard for 
 Modern Church Embroidery. 
 
 The execution of Church needlework over cardboard 
 is of comparatively modern invention. It is the most 
 mechanical of all modes of Embroidery, but by no means 
 the least effective. 
 
 For Monograms, letters of texts, and geometrical figures, 
 demanding sharp clear outlines for their just representation, 
 the firm edges of a cardboard foundation are invaluable, 
 and an undoubted assistance to the worker. But it is only 
 for the modern, metallic-looking Church Embroidery that 
 cardboard should be used; all imitations of the ancient 
 work can only be properly accomplished by a diversity of 
 stitches on flat grounds, of linen, or other textile fabrics. 
 
 Embroidery patterns intended to be worked over card- 
 board must be first traced on thin paper from the original 
 design, and afterwards conveyed to the cardboard by either 
 of two ways, viz. : — that of placing the drawing on the 
 cardboard, with black transfer-paper between, and tracing 
 it carefully with an ivory stiletto or hard pencil, or by 
 pricking, pouncing, and drawing as directed for patterns 
 on linen. 
 
 A clear outline of the design having been produced on 
 the card, it should be cut out accurately, with sharp nail- 
 scissors. 
 
 In this cutting out, one imperative rule must never be 
 lost sight of, or an infinity of trouble will await the worker. 
 
ancient anti afjonern. 
 
 It is this : strips of cardboard, technically called stays, must 
 be left here and there, to keep attached such parts of the 
 design as would separate or fall away, if the whole outline 
 were cut round indiscriminately ; and not till the edges of the 
 cardboard design are firmly secured on the framed material 
 by close stitches of cotton, are these stays to be cut away. 
 
 The stays being removed, if the design is to be raised, 
 one row of even twine should be sewn down, along the 
 centre of the figure ; it is then to be worked over with the 
 silk. This one row of twine will give to the work, the 
 bright, sharp effect of gold in relief. More than one row 
 would defeat this object. 
 
 The thickness of the twine must be regulated by the size 
 of the figure to be raised ; the worker only can determine 
 this. To raise the embroidery at all is quite a matter of 
 taste ; we constantly see excellent specimens of modern 
 work, executed over the simple card alone. 
 
 For gold, or gold-colour silk embroidery, the upper side 
 of the card foundation should be painted yellow. This is 
 easily done, by a wash of either common gamboge, or 
 yellow-ochre. 
 
 The above directions are to be as closely followed in the 
 preparation of the smallest, as of the largest patterns, 
 designed for modern Church Embroidery. 
 
 The best cardboard for the purpose is called thin 
 mounting-board ; it is to be had at Messrs. Rowney's, 
 Rathbone Place, at 6d. per sheet, or $s. per doz. sheets. 
 Size of sheet, 2,3 x 19. 
 
I IO 
 
 Cfmrcf) <£m&rolDerp, 
 
 VIII. 
 
 APPLIQUE; OR, APPLIED WORK— INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARATION 
 OF APPLIQUE IN EVERY MATERIAL. 
 
 ^^PPLIQUE is the French term for the art of laying 
 one material upon another to form a pattern, in 
 broad masses of one or more colours, without shade. 
 
 The art not having originated with us, may account for 
 there being no single word in English which expresses it. 
 
 Applied work, is the nearest approach we can make to 
 the French. 
 
 The Italians greatly excelled in this effective work. 
 There is one beautifully-preserved Italian specimen in the 
 South Kensington Museum. It is a kind of valance of 
 white satin, with a bold scrollage wrought upon it, in crim- 
 son velvet, and cloth of gold, edged with gold cord. 
 
 The French of modern times are celebrated for the per- 
 fection to which they accomplish Applique, for small and 
 elegant articles; but we are not aware if they have yet 
 employed it extensively for important matters of decora- 
 tion. Its value, for the embellishment of hangings of 
 every kind, is certainly not yet understood in England, or 
 we should more often see it practised. 
 
 For powderings, for borders, for altar-chairs, for cushions, 
 
ancient anu a^cmern, in 
 
 and even for the hangings on the Altar itself, it is impossible 
 to imagine anything capable of producing a richer or more 
 satisfactory effect with little pains. For labels displaying 
 inscriptions, and texts, on altar-coverings, church-walls, 
 or banners, it may be called in requisition for ground, as 
 well as letters ; and at a vast saving of time and expense, 
 compared with the more elaborate works of the needle we 
 have already enlarged upon. 
 
 We had the good fortune to spend many of our early 
 years under the care and tuition of one who, besides being 
 a consummate artist, was skilled in every accomplishment 
 of the needle. It is due to her honoured memory not only 
 to thank her for all we know and feel, about embroidery, 
 but for our thorough knowledge of the art of Applique. 
 
 Under her direction we have seen every possible material 
 made available in Applique, for every conceivable purpose — 
 from the border of a royal shawl, or the hangings of a ducal 
 palace, to the adornment of a court train, a waistband, or 
 even a glove-trimming. 
 
 But little of this work was at that time executed for the 
 Church ; the reason probably, — the non-encouragement of 
 every kind of ecclesiastical decoration, till the late Mr. Pugin 
 revived the taste for it. 
 
 We could repeat the capabilities of Applique for needle- 
 work decoration to any extent. By its means, nearly all 
 the designs in our book might be satisfactorily executed. 
 Altars 6 and 7 excepted. For although it would be not 
 only possible, but easy, to accomplish these patterns in 
 
n2 C6urc6 (ZEmbrottierg, 
 
 applied velvets, yet we hold them not quite conventional 
 enough to admit of their being worthily treated in flat 
 masses of colour alone. 
 
 Velvet, cloth, and cloths of gold, and silver, are the most 
 proper materials to be employed in Applique on articles for 
 the Church. 
 
 Silk velvets are very choice for the purpose. Formerly 
 only such colours as were used for matters of personal 
 dress, or for ecclesiastical and other hangings, were to be 
 procured in England. 
 
 The various beautiful shades, by which we can make a 
 piece of applied work as pleasing to the eye, as some of the 
 most exquisite specimens of colour-blending, from the walls 
 of the Alhambra, were only to be had in Paris. Now there 
 is little or no difficulty in finding every possible tint at our 
 first-class West-end drapers. But these velvets must always 
 be of the best quality. A silk velvet at less than 16s. a 
 yard is worthless for Applique, if it be intended for the 
 Church. The pile of the cheaper qualities is long and 
 plushy looking, and impoverishes in effect by the slightest 
 pressure ; while that of the better kind is firm and close, 
 though soft, and with ordinary care, will undergo much 
 usage, without detriment to its appearance. 
 
 Cotton velvets of good colours may be sanctioned where 
 the mission is poor; but we do not advocate their use, if 
 avoidable. A pretence in any form in the house of God 
 must be an error ; and velvet of cotton, after all, is but an 
 affectation of that which is made of silk. 
 
ancient anD a^o&ern. 113 
 
 Pure white velvet, however, can never be other than 
 cotton, for that which tends to make every other silk velvet 
 look rich, viz., — the play of light and shade on the pile, 
 deteriorates the effect of white, by imparting to it a dingy, 
 dirty cast. Thus, white cotton velvet becomes preferable 
 to silk for applied work, where pure white is indispensable. 
 
 There is a great difference in the qualities of cotton 
 velvets ; those of the thickest texture, and closest pile, 
 should always be selected for Applique. None good 
 enough are to be had for less than $s. per yard. 
 
 Cloth of gold is a gorgeous material for Applique by 
 itself; but combined with velvet, as in the specimen we 
 have quoted, at the South Kensington Museum, it is a 
 beautiful and enriching auxiliary. We have often used 
 it for backgrounds of figures instead of needlework, where 
 expedition has been desirable, and for representations of 
 particular forms in conventional designs, such as a chalice, 
 a crown, or the sacred Monogram on a large scale, when 
 required in haste for some special occasion, have sometimes 
 found it invaluable. 
 
 For inscriptions and powderings on processional and 
 other banners, the employment of cloth of gold may be 
 always reckoned upon as satisfactory. 
 
 It is rather troublesome to manage in the delineation of 
 very small patterns, being apt to fray at the edges, notwith- 
 standing the most careful preparation ; but even so, with 
 patience and neatness, it may be applied with excellent 
 effect. 
 
 a 
 
ii4 
 
 Cfmrcf) €mt)toiUerp, 
 
 A black edging is usually the best for cloth of gold 
 Applique ; any other colour is liable to detract from its 
 native richness. 
 
 Cloth of silver may be used in the same manner, and 
 under the same circumstances as cloth of gold, but it is apt 
 to tarnish quickly, and should therefore be very cautiously 
 brought into requisition, for works that are intended to last 
 beyond a certain time. 
 
 The best cloths of gold and silver are only to be had, in 
 London, of Mr. Helbronner, 265 Regent Street, at 4.2s. 
 per yard. 
 
 Cloth is the easiest of all materials to prepare for Applique, 
 the most ductile to work, and by far the most durable. 
 
 We confess to a great liking for cloth in Church-work ; 
 it has many recommendations, but none greater to our 
 mind than this, — it affects to be no other fabric than it is ; 
 nor, can any other be made to imitate it. 
 
 It is especially good for applied works of large dimensions, 
 as it will bear rolling, folding, or brushing, without injury. 
 In lieu of the unseemly decoration of the walls of the 
 sanctuary with texts painted on glazed calico, we strongly 
 urge the votaries of Church-needlework to substitute letters 
 of cloth. They should be Lombardian or those of any 
 other alphabet equally plain ; and for mounting on the 
 walls of the church, should be about 6 inches high. Red 
 upon a white ground, or gold colour, or white upon red, 
 and each of them edged with black, would be good arrange- 
 ments of colour, for effect. 
 
ancient anu a^otietn. 115 
 
 From half a yard of cloth a large number of such letters 
 may be cut, which will only require a black cord sewn round 
 them to give a striking effect to an inscription, which may 
 be read as clearly at a distance of forty, as of four feet ; if 
 only the letters be simple, and the contrast between them 
 and their ground properly studied. 
 
 By levying contributions on a circle of friends for pieces 
 of cloth of various colours, however small, it would be quite 
 possible for any lady, or community of ladies, to decorate 
 an entire church in an humble district, in a rich and seemly 
 manner, with applied work alone. 
 
 Velvet may be introduced with cloth, and cloth of gold, 
 with both ; but cloth Applique by itself will repay the 
 worker amply, who exercises any amount of judgment and 
 taste in executing it. 
 
 To prepare Velvet, Cloth, and Cloths op Gold, 
 and Silver, for Applique. 
 
 Strain a piece of rather thin holland of about is. per 
 yard, — not union- — tightly in a frame, and cover it all over 
 with "Embroidery paste," carefully removing even the 
 most minute lump from the surface. Upon this pasted 
 holland, while wet, lay the piece of velvet or other material 
 of which the Applique is to be, smoothing it over the 
 holland with a soft handkerchief, to ensure its even ad- 
 hesion everywhere. If there be a necessity for drying 
 quickly, place the frame upright at a distance of four feet 
 from the fire — holland side to the stove. But it is always 
 
n6 Cfjurcf) OBm&roiOerp, 
 
 best, if possible, to prepare the material the day before 
 using, that it may dry naturally. The action of the fire 
 being likely to injure some fabrics, as well as colours. 
 
 The velvet, when perfectly dry, will be found tenaciously 
 fixed to the holland, and may be removed from the frame. 
 
 Now, the entire design, or that portion of it intended to 
 be formed of this material, is to be pounced through its 
 pricked pattern on the holland side of the velvet, and traced 
 correctly with a soft black-lead pencil; then cut out with 
 sharp, strong, nail-scissors, and it will be ready for applying 
 to the article it is designed to ornament. 
 
 This application to the Altar-cloth, or whatever it may 
 be, is to be accomplished on the precise principles of 
 framing, pouncing, and laying down, explained for old 
 Embroidery on linen. — See Page 105. 
 
 Supposing a pattern to be designed for development, in 
 applied work of many colours, and perhaps, materials. A 
 piece of holland large enough to receive all the parts, if 
 possible, should be framed, and upon it the various pieces 
 pasted. When dry, each one should be pounced and 
 drawn, on the holland side, from an exact outline traced 
 from that particular portion of the design it is to occupy. 
 
 In other words, an entire pattern may be divided into any 
 number of parts, and each designed for a different colour 
 or material. But every portion, or section so designed, 
 must be correctly traced, on a separate piece of paper, from 
 the original drawing of the whole ; then pounced from this 
 tracing and cut out. 
 
ancient anD g&oDern. 
 
 117 
 
 When all the pieces are ready, and laid down in their 
 places on the perfect pattern, they should register as truly 
 as wood blocks in good colour printing ; or come together 
 as accurately as the parts of a Chinese puzzle ; and will, 
 if our instructions are but fairly adhered to. 
 
 Sewing silk, in neat stitches, of the shade of the figure 
 being applied, is best for securing it round the edges before 
 cording. 
 
 Coarse crochet silk makes a good edging for Applique 
 figures. Silk cords of all kinds are also used for the pur- 
 pose. Of the latter those called spiral cords are the best. 
 
 Twisted cords of silk and gold are likewise very suitable. 
 Every description of cord for edging Applique should be 
 made moderately stiff, so that it may be turned sharply to 
 describe the angles of a pattern well. 
 
 Real gold twist is very beautiful for outlining small 
 pieces of work; better still is pearl-purl, if its costliness 
 be not an objection. 
 
 Labels in cloth Applique. — We have said so much in 
 favour of cloth Applique for labels, that we feel bound to 
 describe how one should be effected. 
 
 To make our directions clear we will imagine a crimson 
 cloth label with gold-coloured letters. Stout grey holland 
 a few inches longer than the label is to be framed, and 
 upon it the piece of crimson cloth is to be pasted. When 
 this is dry, and while in the frame, the outlines of the 
 label and letters are to be pounced and drawn upon it 
 in Chinese white, with a camel-hair brush. 
 
n8 Cfmrcf) <£m&roitierp, 
 
 In another frame a piece of gold-coloured cloth is to be 
 prepared on brown holland, and upon this the whole of the 
 letters, or as many as possible, are to be pounced and drawn 
 in Indian ink. Over the outlines of the letters a black cord 
 is to be closely sewn ; and when the frameful is completed 
 after this manner, the holland is to be pasted all over the 
 back to secure the stitches and make the letters firm. 
 When perfectly dry, the holland with letters may be taken 
 from the frame. They are then to be cut out with sharp 
 nail-scissors, leaving the sixteenth of an inch of cloth 
 beyond the black cord everywhere, and laid in their places 
 on the crimson cloth, fixed with pins and finally sewn down 
 through the black cord by stout waxed silk in stitches at 
 the eighth of an inch apart. The small edge of gold- 
 coloured cloth, beyond the cord, should not be interfered 
 with ; it will rather improve than damage the effect of the 
 letters on the crimson ground. 
 
 A black cord must be closely sewn along the outline of 
 the label, and beyond it a gold silk cord the colour of the 
 letters. This done, and the work strengthened at the back 
 by paste, the label may be removed from the frame. It 
 should then be cleanly cut to within the eighth of an inch 
 of its outline all round, when it will present a perfect piece 
 of work of its kind, and will be in a condition to transfer or 
 mount to its final position. 
 
 It may not be always possible to frame the whole of a 
 label of large dimensions at one time. In such cases we 
 must refer the worker for assistance to our chapter on 
 
Ancient anD a&onern. 119 
 
 "framing," in which, at page 125, we have endeavoured to 
 explain how such things are best managed. 
 
 To prepare silk for Applique'. — All that we have said 
 respecting the preparation and usage of cloth for Applique 
 relates to every other material but silk. As this is now 
 frequently employed — for the Church — in applied work 
 of delicate designs, it may be as well to observe, that it is 
 best to back it with fine linen or lawn instead of holland, 
 and, instead of " embroidery paste," to use best white 
 starch — not Glenfield — made very thick. 
 
 Remarks on preparing Cotton Velvet. — The backing of 
 cotton velvet at all is optional. There is no real necessity 
 for it as with other materials, unless additional thickness of 
 substance be essential. Under any circumstances, however, 
 cotton velvet must always be prepared for Applique by 
 framing tightly, and stiffening at the back with thick white 
 starch — such as we have described above. The edges of, 
 only, a tolerably good cotton velvet will never fray, thus 
 prepared, even though it may not be backed with 
 holland. 
 
 Coloured Hollands. — We recommend dark-grey holland 
 for backing Applique materials that are of a dark shade. 
 Because, when the figure is cut out, the dull grey edge is 
 not so likely to grin or be obtrusive beyond the cord as a 
 lighter shade might be. On the same principle we advo- 
 cate ordinary brown holland for backing medium or in- 
 definite colours ; and white linen always for white cloth or 
 velvet. 
 
120 
 
 CfmrcS <2Em&rcutierp, 
 
 We could fill a good-sized volume only with suggestions 
 for Applique ; but we must quit the subject, however un- 
 willingly, here, having so many practical remarks yet to 
 make with reference to other modes of Church needle- 
 work. 
 
anctenf ant) a^otiern. 
 
 121 
 
 IX. 
 
 EMBROIDERY- FRAMES— FRAMING WORK GENERALLY— HOW TO 
 USE THE HANDS AT THE FRAME— PROPER IMPLEMENTS FOR 
 CHURCH EMBROIDERY. 
 
 r J^ , frame the linen, or other foundation for the needle- 
 work well, is an essential point for the embroideress 
 to observe. 
 
 Only in stout, well-made frames, should any work of 
 importance be attempted. What are called four piece 
 frames, viz. s frames without stands, formed of two bars with 
 webbing, to which the material is sewn ; and two laths or 
 stretchers, with holes to receive the pegs, are suited for 
 every purpose of the worker ; but they should be made by 
 a good carpenter, and of sound deal, mahogany, beech, 
 cedar, or oak. 
 
 The four following sizes are the most useful for Church 
 needlework : — 
 
 We also annex the probable cost of each, in either of the 
 above-named woods. 
 
 s. d. 
 
 One of 20 inches, in the webbing, will cost about 5 6 
 
 n 3° » » » 7 6 
 
 „ 3 ft. 3 inches, „ „ 10 6 
 
 » 6 „ 4 „ „ 15 o 
 
C&urcf) (ZBmbrciiDerp, 
 
 The four-piece frames sold in the ordinary Berlin wool 
 shops, do very well for slippers, smoking-caps, and other 
 slight matters for ornamentation, but they are wholly un- 
 fitted for the real business of Church-work, such as may be 
 comprised in the apparel of an Altar. 
 
 The stand-frame is an elegant and convenient kind of 
 frame for general fancy-work, but as one of only polished 
 beech, of f of a yard in the webbing, cannot be bought 
 for much less than eighteen shillings, the advantages of the 
 four-piece frame for work such as an Altar frontal, de- 
 manding foundations of different dimensions, are obvious. 
 
 The best features of the stand-frame are the screw laths 
 and nuts, whereby the work may be readily tightened or 
 loosened, at will ; but an earnest, careful worker will fix her 
 material as firmly and evenly in a four piece as in a stand- 
 frame, and, perhaps, after long experience like ourselves, 
 give the preference to the former. 
 
 The modes are various of supporting the four-piece 
 frame, depending upon its size, or the means and appliances 
 at hand. 
 
 If the frame be moderately small, one end may be held 
 down on the edge of a table by weights ; while the other 
 may rest on the straight back of a chair, to which it would 
 be advisable to secure it by tying ; for next to bad 
 framing, nothing is so prejudicial to the execution of good 
 work as an unsteady frame. We would advise any one 
 intent on the accomplishment of large pieces of Church 
 Embroidery, to order a carpenter to make them a pair of 
 
ancient anD a^otiern, 123 
 
 strong, firm trestles. They will be found invaluable for 
 the support of long, heavy frames, and equally useful for 
 short ones. 
 
 The frame should always exceed the length of the work 
 by some inches, as the webbing must necessarily terminate 
 on the inner side of the mortise-hole through which the 
 stretcher has to pass. It is also best to leave a little of the 
 webbing beyond the edge of the work, to ensure a good 
 purchase or pull, for the- bracing. 
 
 All materials, excepting canvas, should be sewn to the 
 webbing of the frame, by their selvage sides. Strong 
 thread, doubled, to be used for sewing the material to the 
 webbing — in stitches of about six to the inch. 
 
 After a piece of tape has been stitched along the woof 
 ends of the linen, or other fabric, it should be measured to 
 the webbing, with a view to leaving at each end, and on 
 both sides, a corresponding space clear, when the work is 
 sewn in. When both sides have been attached to the 
 webbing, the laths may be run through the mortise-holes, 
 and stretched moderately at one end first, and held by 
 small iron or brass pegs, run through the pierced holes of 
 the lath. Then the other end may be cautiously tightened, 
 and the first a little more, and so on, gradually, until both 
 ends are stretched to the same width exactly, and the 
 strain upon the material warns the worker to desist, to 
 prevent the stitches giving way. Now the ends may be 
 braced by a packing-needle, threaded with fine strong 
 twine, drawn through the tape. Commencing with a 
 
Cfmrcft (ZBmbroitierp, 
 
 firmly-tied knot at the right hand, and lacing over and 
 over the lath to the left, where the end of the twine should 
 be wound many times round the peg, and tightly and 
 finally secured by two or three sure knots. 
 
 If these directions be carefully followed, the material 
 when framed will sound like a drum to the touch. This 
 principle of framing is the only one to be adopted for 
 every kind of work and material upon which we have 
 treated. 
 
 The accompanying Plate illustrates a four-piece frame in 
 which a piece of linen is stretched, and upon it the centre 
 figure of frontal of Altar No. 8 is represented in progress of 
 work, according to our instructions. The laths of a frame 
 seldom need be more than a yard long. They may be 
 made of the same length as the side bars, so that a piece of 
 work may be strained to a square, if desirable, but if it can 
 be avoided, it is better never to stretch the frame more 
 than 20 inches at a time. No one wishing to preserve 
 health and spirits, and consequent ability for work, should 
 take a longer reach, for a continuance, from each side bar 
 of the frame, than 10 inches. We ourselves have some- 
 times worked at a distance of 14 inches, but we repudiate 
 the practice, and would strongly advise others never to 
 attempt it, but under most imperative circumstances. 
 
 There is another objection to wide framing ; however 
 strong the laths may be, they cannot, owing to the necessity 
 for passing them through the mortise-holes, be made of 
 equal strength to the sides, and will either bend very much 
 
ancient anD ££otJern. 125 
 
 in the middle, or break if strained beyond a certain length. 
 Bending or warping is commonly seen in frames with large 
 pieces of work. It cannot always be prevented, but in a 
 general way, it either denotes an ill-conditioned frame, or a 
 frame, to use a technical term, badly dressed. Works of 
 magnitude may be accomplished with the greatest ease in 
 divisions, by framing only one piece of holland at a time, 
 of a size large enough to be convenient for working upon 
 at both sides of the frame. A part of the material to be 
 pasted or tacked evenly upon this holland ; and when the 
 design on that portion is worked, the holland to be cut out 
 of the frame ; then another piece to be sewn in, the 
 material placed upon it as before ; and so on, till the 
 needlework is completed. The foregoing is the best of all 
 methods for transferring powderings to altar-cloths, or 
 other hangings of larger dimensions than a frame can take 
 in at one time. 
 
 We once superintended the restoration of an ancient 
 needlework tapestry, of 40 yards in length, in this way. 
 The ground to which the old figures were transferred, was 
 rich Genoa velvet of a deep claret shade ; and although the 
 work was nearly twelve months in progress, yet when it was 
 entirely finished, there was not a crease, or a detrimental 
 mark of any kind on the whole of that surface of velvet. 
 
 Should any fabric upon which needlework is to be 
 wrought exceed 10 inches in width, and should there be 
 any reason why holland may not be used as a foundation, 
 the material must be sewn to the two sides of the frame, 
 
126 
 
 Cbutcb oBm&roitietp, 
 
 and afterwards rolled round them (till the desired width is 
 obtained) with wadding between the bar and the silk, or 
 whatever it may be, to save the latter from injury by 
 creasing, which would otherwise occur, when the frame is 
 properly stretched. Of course this care in rolling is un- 
 necessary with linen foundations. Our remarks apply 
 principally to cloth, silk, and velvet ; the latter requiring 
 much consideration, and very thick layers of wadding, to 
 ensure its protection from undue pressure. 
 
 All the work over the 20 inch surface being completed, 
 the frame must be unbraced, and the material let out, until 
 as much of the unwrought design is exposed as may be 
 conveniently reached from each side ; then the frame is to 
 be stretched again, and so on, till the undertaking is brought 
 to a close. 
 
 It is in such instances as the above that long stretchers 
 may be required, which for such uses, should be clamped in 
 the middle ; or by other means made additionally strong, 
 or they will assuredly warp, and perhaps break, when 
 strained, to give proper tightness to the work. 
 
 We would make one or two other remarks, before con- 
 cluding these observations on framing : — 
 
 In working on velvet, silk, or cloth, either two or three 
 thicknesses of old damask cloths, or layers of soft paper, 
 should always be pinned round the sides, against which the 
 worker sits. Also beneath the hand and arm of the em- 
 broideress, a cambric handkerchief or an equivalent of soft 
 paper should be laid, to protect the surface of the material 
 
ancient ana a^ctoerm 127 
 
 from damage, by constant rubbing over it, during the 
 process of working. Finally, the needlework should be 
 covered up by soft clean cloths, whenever it is left, for no 
 matter how short a space of time. 
 
 Directions for Using the Hands at the 
 Embroidery Frame. 
 
 One of the first things for the aspirant to expedition in 
 framed needlework, to endeavour to command, is the 
 simultaneous use of the left with the right hand. 
 
 Accustomed as we are to employ the latter singly, for 
 every ordinary active purpose, it is not surprising that we 
 should find ourselves very awkward at first, in the manage- 
 ment of so delicate an implement as an embroidery-needle 
 by the left hand. By practice, however, we may gain equal 
 dexterity with both hands, and be able to accomplish most 
 works in little more than half the time they would have 
 occupied, had the right hand been inflicted with the usual 
 double duty. The greatest difficulty experienced by the 
 beginner in the use of both hands, is that of bringing the 
 needle up at the exact point required, unassisted by the 
 sense of sight, which can only be used above the frame. 
 This can only be overcome by patient perseverance in the 
 practice of the particular movement necessary to give the 
 fingers that nicety of touch, and freedom of action, which 
 is instinctive with the blind. 
 
 The novice must be content with slow progress in the 
 
<£fmrcl) aEm&rot&erp, 
 
 habit for a time. To move the hand beneath the frame, 
 with the same facility as the one above, should be the only- 
 thought, which steadily pursued, will lead to a perfect 
 achievement at last. 
 
 The practice should be acquired in such a way, that it is 
 a matter of indifference which is the upper, or which the 
 lower hand. This will give the embroideress great ad- 
 vantages ; it will enable her to sit at either side of the 
 frame, without having her hand in her light (a side-light 
 being the best for the sight) ; also, where two or three 
 persons, as is often the case for expedition, are sitting at a 
 frame, there need be no occasion for their elbows being in 
 each other's way, if they can work alike with both hands. 
 And last, but far from the least of the advantages to be 
 gained by the simultaneous movement of the hands, is the 
 preservation of health, owing to the ability with which the 
 worker can shift her position, and at intervals, so to say, 
 balance her figure ; instead of leaning continually to one 
 side, and engendering discomfort, if not deformity and 
 disease. 
 
 It is seldom that more than one hand is required above 
 the frame for long-stitch embroidery. The same may be 
 said of gold-bullion embroidery. 
 
 Couching is an operation for which one hand is generally 
 necessary to guide either the gold or silk along the surface, 
 whilst the other sews it down. 
 
 Pearl-purl, too, demands the entire use of both hands 
 upon the work. In fact, nearly all edging cords require 
 
ancient anD 6$otiern. 
 
 129 
 
 the same care. If at all limp, they must be guided as they 
 are sewn, or they will, more often than not, spoil the sym- 
 metrical outline of the pattern. 
 
 But the employment of both hands upon the surface of 
 the work, should not affect the good principle of using 
 either hand alike freely for working the needle. 
 
 The same regard can be- had to change of position, &c, 
 by sewing for alternate periods first with the right, and then 
 with the left hand. 
 
 How to sit at the embroidery frame. — To sit pressing or 
 leaning the chest against the frame is not only highly in- 
 jurious to health, but very inelegant. 
 
 The worker should fix the frame at a height that will 
 enable her to reach and see her work without stooping, or 
 even, if it can be avoided, bending her head. We direct 
 the reader to Plate 19, where, from the position of the hands 
 alone, enough is shown to illustrate a figure properly seated 
 in the act of working at a frame. 
 
 The sketch was made from life, and the person who sat 
 for it is an embroideress of long practice. 
 
 The Hands in working Floss Silk. 
 
 Smooth hands are indispensable to the production of 
 good embroidery in floss silks ; and every worker, no matter 
 what may be her condition in life, should use pumice stone 
 to her fingers, almost as frequently as soap. 
 
 Much of the disordered appearance we are sometimes 
 
i3° Cfmrcf) (ZBm&rofoerp, 
 
 called upon to observe in floss work accomplished by ama- 
 teurs, might be traced to the unfitness of the workers 
 hands. We hope not to be taken in an invidious sense 
 when speaking thus of amateurs. Professional workers, or 
 bread-getters, must necessarily execute their work on right 
 principles, or they would find no sale for it. 
 
 Plain sewing will always leave the fore-finger, at least, 
 more or less rough, and any one attempting to embroider 
 in floss, with a finger of this description, before using the 
 pumice stone, will experience no end of trouble in the 
 management of the silk, and after all produce " fluffy," un- 
 satisfactory results. Rings worn on the fingers, unless very 
 smoothly set, will catch, and draw the silk into most mis- 
 chievous confusion. Bracelets, also, are objectionable, for 
 the same reason. In fine, any roughness on the hands, or 
 even in the material of the dress, or projections of any kind 
 about the person, or near the frame of the embroiderer in 
 floss, are likely to spoil her work, and should therefore be 
 removed. 
 
 To keep the skin free from undue moisture, which is an 
 enemy to all silks, the hands should be washed in summer 
 in warm, and in winter in cold water, and should be always 
 thoroughly dried. 
 
 Some workers, whilst sitting at the frame, have a thought- 
 less habit of occasionally smoothing their hair, and touch- 
 ing the face with their hands. This should be checked, as 
 the moisture, however slight, about the skin of the face, to 
 say nothing of the grease from the hair, is imparted to the 
 
ancient ann e^otiern. 13 1 
 
 fingers, and thence communicated to the silk, to remove its 
 beautiful gloss, and render it soiled and worthless in the 
 eyes of the connoisseur in embroidery. 
 
 Proper Implements for Church Embroidery. 
 
 The above includes needles, pins, stiletto, scissors, thimble, 
 and the piercer, for manipulating gold. 
 
 Walker's sewing needles, commonly called sharps, are 
 decidedly the best for working every kind of silk. 
 
 Inferior needles have imperfect eyes, and such will not 
 only remove all smoothness from the silk, but cut and 
 destroy it before it is half used. As a rule, an experienced 
 •hand will choose a needle very large in proportion to the 
 thread it is to carry, in preference to one smaller, and which 
 a novice might imagine to be just the size. 
 
 We have often seen embroidery rendered truly laborious 
 by the use of a small needle. Perhaps, two or three tugs 
 necessary to jerk the silk through at every stitch, and the 
 worker complaining of aching shoulders, and of the insur- 
 mountable difficulties of Church-work, and, not unfre- 
 quently, of the coarse, bad quality of the silk. 
 
 The total unmindfulness of the ease with which the last- 
 mentioned grievance might be obviated, always reminds us 
 of that great scholar, who, finding himself too warm, from 
 his proximity to the fire in his study, rang for his servant 
 to consult as to the best mode of putting the stove further 
 back. 
 
13 2 Cfnitcf) Cmtirottierp, 
 
 Our criterion for choosing a needle for embroidery is, — 
 that we may be able to thread it instantaneotisly, and to 
 draw the silk backwards and forwards through the eye, 
 without the least friction or distress to the silk. 
 
 Long-eyed sharps are sold for fancy embroidery, but 
 they are necessarily narrow and weak in the eye, and we 
 entirely repudiate their use for Church-work. 
 
 Round-eyed sharps, from 7 to 2, are those most likely 
 to be required for every kind of silk. The first principally 
 for sewings ; the latter for crochet and other coarse silks. 
 
 For embroidering with coarse twist silk, we highly approve 
 of the drilled-eyed carpet needles, No. 2*0, made by Thomas 
 and Sons, of the British Needle Mills, Redditch. 
 
 Nos. 8, 9, and 10, are the sizes used ordinarily for 
 threading the different qualities of gold bullion. Fine silk 
 cords may be drawn through the material by a large, sharp- 
 pointed rug needle. Gold twist may also be conveyed by 
 the same vehicle. In beginning to work the gold twist, the 
 end should be just pulled through underneath, and then, 
 when the twist has been sewn along the surface of the work 
 as far as it is to go, it should be cut off to within an inch of 
 the work, before being threaded in the needle, — to the eye of 
 which this short end may easily be introduced, if the needle 
 be first sent partly through the material on its way to the 
 other side. By this mode the gold will be spared much 
 friction, which in any degree is detrimental to it. 
 
 Very stiff or thick cords are to be treated in the same 
 way, only, instead of being passed by a needle, they should 
 
ancient antJ ^o&ern, 133 
 
 be sent through a hole pierced by a stiletto. Or, if it be 
 found necessary to thread the end of the cord, a large round 
 packing needle should be employed for the purpose. There 
 will be no fear of these ends of cord ever coming through, 
 if they be sewn by small, firm stitches on the surface of the 
 material, immediately at the place where the end was in- 
 serted. This applies equally to all cords. 
 
 Pins are no insignificant item in the embroiderers work- 
 bag, for very little can be perfected without them. 
 
 The cardboard patterns for Modern Embroidery must, 
 before sewing down, be laid in their right position by pins. 
 The figures wrought in imitation of the Ancient Needle- 
 work are best arranged for transferring by pins. So, with 
 Applique, every part of a design must be fixed accurately 
 by pins, preparatory to its being sewn down. For all these 
 purposes, only pins of the best make will properly serve. 
 
 Kirbys short whites may always be depended upon for 
 quality. No larger size need ever be used. For very fine 
 or delicate objects, about to be applied or transferred, we 
 recommend minikins. 
 
 The stiletto is an implement of great value to the Church 
 embroiderer. Motives for its use are constantly being sug- 
 gested, in the progress of work of any importance. By the 
 stiletto the stitches in Modern Embroidery are constantly 
 regulated over the card. 
 
 In Applique, where edging cords are used, the stiletto is 
 indispensable for passing them through the material ; and 
 in Mediasval-work it may be in frequent request for punc- 
 
i34 
 
 turing holes, which, in its absence, the scissors might be 
 improperly made to do. We say improperly advisedly, 
 since, scissors have usually angular sides, and accordingly 
 will, in piercing, cut the material — a great evil, which the 
 rounded stiletto cannot well be capable of. A steel stiletto 
 is the best. The ivory implement, so common for satin- 
 stitch embroidery in cotton, is not suitable for frame work. 
 
 Sharp, strong nail scissors are the only kind necessary 
 for every requirement. They should be selected as large in 
 the bows as possible, to secure the thumb and finger from 
 hurt, in cutting out cardboard designs and textile materials 
 for Applique. The points, too, should close well together, 
 for the purpose of cutting up bullion, and for cleanly nip- 
 ping the pearlpurl in two. 
 
 Thimbles. — Two thimbles are, of course, necessary for 
 the worker who uses both hands. Plainly-made silver 
 thimbles, with smooth, wide bands at top, are the best. A 
 new thimble, in order to remove its roughness, should be 
 used for some time at coarse, indifferent work, before being 
 brought into request for silk embroidery. 
 
 The piercer is the little instrument by which the gold 
 embroiderer regulates the tubes of bullion over the yellow 
 thread, guides the pearl-purl edging, and arranges and 
 controls the passing, whilst laying it down in different forms 
 and patterns. The piercer is as essential to Church Em- 
 broidery as the scissors ; indeed, it may be considered the 
 factotum of the worker in gold. 
 
 It would also answer the purpose of the stiletto for silk 
 
ancient anti a^ooern. 135 
 
 embroidery, but that it is not made so capable of piercing 
 large holes for passing very thick cord. Amateur writers 
 on needlework have sometimes called it a "pincers" an 
 instrument to which it bears not the slightest resemblance. 
 
 The piercer is made entirely of steel, rounded, and pointed 
 at one end like a small stiletto, and wider and fiat-sided at 
 the other. 
 
 It is to be had at Blackwell's, Bedford Court, Covent 
 Garden, for is. We know of no other shop where the 
 gold embroiderer's piercer is sold. 
 
136 
 
 Cfmrcf) (ZEmbrottierp, 
 
 x. 
 
 REMARKS ON GOLD— GOLD BULLION EMBROIDERY— PASSING- 
 ITS USE ILLUSTRATED FROM PHOTOGRAPHS OF 13 OLD SUTCHES. 
 
 JN most of our designs, where gold is directed to be used, 
 gold-colour twist silk may be substituted. There can 
 be no question as to the superior richness of the former ; 
 still there are often good reasons, apart from those of 
 economy, why it should not be employed. 
 
 Although, as Miss Lambert says, — " if properly protected, 
 gold and silver may be preserved without becoming tar- 
 nished for a number of years," yet " exposure, under some 
 circumstances, will be sufficient totally to destroy their 
 lustre and beauty." This is perfectly true. 
 
 An altar-cloth embroidered with gold may be used in a 
 dry, well-aired church for years without any material change 
 in its freshness ; but let it be removed to a damp building, 
 and probably, the gold will in a very short time become 
 absolutely black.* 
 
 Gas, too, is a great enemy to gold bullion ; and all needle- 
 work enriched by the precious metal should be kept, as 
 
 * The humid atmosphere of Ireland is most unfavourable to gold embroidery ; so 
 much so, as to make those who are conscious of it, extremely cautious in using gold or 
 silver in needlework, where silk may be substituted. 
 
ancient anu a^oDetn. 137 
 
 much as possible, away from the hurtful influence of the 
 effluvium. 
 
 Vapours of every description are prejudicial to manu- 
 factured gold. The very use of perfume about the person, 
 or upon the handkerchief of the gold embroideress, will 
 seriously injure the brightness of her work, in fact, may 
 cause it to change visibly before it leaves her hands. 
 
 Again, — we have known, to our cost, individuals who 
 could scarcely touch, or even approach, gold without tar- 
 nishing it, owing to some obnoxious exhalation from the 
 skin. Such persons, however great their ability or taste 
 for embroidery, should, upon conscientious principles alone, 
 never apply themselves to gold zvork, — professionally or 
 otherwise. 
 
 Some shades of green will affect the gold worked upon 
 them most seriously. We are told that they are such as 
 are produced by the aid of prussiate of potash, arsenic, and 
 other pernicious minerals. Surely the dyes of former days 
 must have been free from qualities so inimical to the mate- 
 rials brought in contact with them by the needlewoman, or 
 we should not find, as we do, the gold still glistening on 
 pieces of tattered embroidery, which have been tested by 
 the vicissitudes of full five hundred years. But the metal 
 also, in ancient times, must have been manufactured in a 
 form purer than it is now ; otherwise these old specimens 
 of work would have blackened, long since, under the influ - 
 ence of damp, and gas, and other evils, which they have 
 been necessarily exposed to in our age. 
 
 T 
 
i3 8 Cfwtcf) (ZBmfcrottierp, 
 
 The different kinds of gold materials used in Eccle- 
 siastical Needlework, are named, — bullion, pearl-purl, twist, 
 passing, tambour, spangles, and beads. 
 
 Silver is manufactured under corresponding heads to 
 gold, and is worked in precisely the same manner. 
 
 Passing ; Illustrated by Various Stitches. — 
 Tambour Thread, and Spangles. 
 
 The particularly bright smooth thread by which nearly 
 all the old work is enriched, is called passing. It is an ex- 
 quisite material, formed of very finely drawn silver-gilt 
 wire spun round a thread of yellow silk. That gold thread 
 was not always made in this way we may find by referring 
 to the earliest Scripture history ; which not only leads us 
 to believe that it was used extensively in sacerdotal and 
 other vestments, but also enlightens us as to the manner in 
 which it was produced. 
 
 We read in the twenty-ninth chapter of Exodus, in the 
 description of the ephod : — " And they did beat the gold 
 into thin plates, and cut it into wires to work it in the blue, 
 and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, 
 with cunning work." 
 
 Starting from this far-distant point, and advancing on- 
 wards, we can trace that, even to the decline of the Roman 
 Empire, gold thread for embroidery or weaving was made 
 of the pure, solid metal, without the addition of silk. 
 
 But no ancient relics of needlework, wrought with such 
 
ancient ana ^oDerm 139 
 
 material as this, have descended to us ; or, at least, they 
 have not come within our knowledge. 
 
 The manufacture of gold thread, as known to us at the 
 present day, is thus clearly explained by Miss Lambert : — 
 
 " A silver rod is encased in gold leaf, and this compound 
 cylinder is then drawn into round wire down to a certain 
 size, which is afterwards flatted in a rolling-mill. This 
 flatted wire is' then wrapped or laid over a thread of yellow 
 silk by twisting with a wheel and iron bobbins. By the aid 
 of mechanism a number of threads may be thus twisted at 
 once by one moving power. 
 
 "The principal nicety consists in so regulating the move- 
 ments that the successive volutions of the flatted wire on 
 each thread may just touch one another and form a con- 
 tinuous covering. By the ordinances of France # it was 
 formerly required to be spun on flaxen or hempen threads." 
 Although all kinds of gold have been more or less employed 
 in the sacred needlework of our ancestors, yet none appear 
 to have been in such general requisition as passing. 
 
 In the Ancient Embroidery this gold thread was seldom 
 pulled through the linen or other foundation, but was 
 couched, i.e., laid on the surface by being sewn down, one 
 or two threads at a time, by stitches taken either somewhat 
 irregularly, or, with such precision and method as to pro- 
 duce, by a series of them, a perfect diapered pattern of 
 colour on a gold ground. 
 
 * The finer kinds of work in gold and silver were "for a length of time best exe- 
 cuted in France and Italy." 
 
h° CJmrcf) (ZEmfcroitierp, 
 
 To these wonderful little stitches may be ascribed much 
 of the beauty of effect for which the old work is remark- 
 able. 
 
 Not only patience but great ingenuity must have been 
 exercised in the production of these patterns on the gold ; 
 and judgment withal, since the sewing required, to secure 
 the glistening thread on the linen, was studiously made as 
 valuable to the whole in the way of ornament as tttility. 
 
 We may copy the most elaborate of these stitch patterns 
 with perfect ease ; but it is a question if we could invent 
 one of them, without an amount of thought which the 
 necessity for rapid movement at the present day might 
 altogether prevent. 
 
 Here is an example of Plain couching, commonly em- 
 ployed in ancient needlework. 
 
 No. i. 
 
 PLAIN COUCHING. 
 
 An exceedingly graceful effect is likewise produced by 
 the passings being couched in wavy lines. A process quite 
 
Ancient ann ^otJern. 
 
 141 
 
 as easy as plain couching, the worker having only to lay 
 down the first line, duly undulated, to regulate the position 
 of any number of rows. 
 
 No. 2. 
 
 WAVY COUCHING. 
 
 Another mode of diversifying the couching stitches is to 
 work them in diagonal lines. 
 
 No. 3. 
 
 DIAGONAL COUCHING. 
 
 Another is diaper couching, often used for representa- 
 tion of pavements, and frequently for back grounds to 
 emblems, and figures of saints. 
 
Cfmrcb OEm&rotoerp, 
 
 No. 4. 
 
 DIAPER COUCHING. 
 
 Diamond couching is very pretty, and useful for holding 
 down silk as well as passing in the ornamentation of large 
 fleur-de-lis, or other conventional forms. Our sketch is 
 photographed from a pattern in three-cord silk. It is 
 for a diamond of four stitches each way. The size of 
 the diamond must be ruled by the dimensions of the 
 space to be covered. 
 
 No. 5. 
 
 DIAMOND COUCHING. 
 
ancient ann 90onern. 143 
 
 The annexed is a good and expeditious stitch for a gold 
 ground, for a large monogram, or other figure. Excellent 
 also for a coarse twist silk ground, when it should be laid 
 in rows of one colour, and sewn down with purse twist of a 
 darker shade. 
 
 No. 6. 
 
 BROAD COUCHING. 
 
 The same stitch as the last, worked diagonally, is very 
 effective. 
 
 No. 7. 
 
 I 
 
 ! 
 
 DIAGONAL, BROAD COUCHING. 
 
 The stitch shown here will be found very advantageous 
 for covering a large space of ground with a diapering of 
 needlework. Or it may be used only as a border to 
 
H4 Cfmrcf) aEmfctottierp, 
 
 enclose a plain ground, as for the large Cross of Reredos, 
 on Altar No. 8. It is most perfect when represented by 
 lines of passing, caught down at their intersections by a 
 cross of crimson or other bright-coloured silk. The dots 
 in the centres of the squares may be either gold beads or 
 French knots. 
 
 No. 8. 
 
 LINE AND CROSS DIAPER. 
 
 The beauty of this pattern, we fear, cannot be appre- 
 ciated in a black-and-white engraving. Although faith- 
 fully photographed from a piece of work, couched in 
 
 No. 9. 
 
 SHELL-DIAPER COUCHING. 
 
 passing with bright-violet silk, yet it falls far short of the 
 original. It is well suited for parts of a conventional 
 
ancient ann a^oDern, 145 
 
 flower on a large scale, as the bulbs of lilies on Plate 10, 
 Design 6. 
 
 The reader will see by what simple means this pattern 
 may be accomplished. The only care to be observed in 
 working it, is to leave the lines of gold somewhat loose 
 between the stitches, so that an involuted cone may be the 
 result. 
 
 Sometimes large leaves, spaces in scrolls, draperies of 
 figures, or fore-grounds, are covered with long loose lines 
 of coloured floss silk, secured at intervals by single threads 
 of passing laid across. We show also in this illustration 
 the effect of a piece of gold twisty sewn round the edge of 
 a figure. 
 
 No. 10. 
 
 FLOSS, LAID WITH PASSING. 
 
 In this engraving is represented the simple Long-stitch^ 
 upon which principle all floss-silk embroidery is wrought. 
 This sketch is from the petal of a flower worked in two 
 distinct shades of blue, and edged with amber crochet-silk, 
 sewn down with white. The light shade is to be used first, 
 commencing from the outer edge of the centre of petal, 
 
 u 
 
h6 Cfmtcf) oBmbrotuerp, 
 
 and working first to one side and then to the other. Then 
 the dark shade to be worked in like manner downwards. 
 
 No. ii. 
 + 
 
 LONG-STITCH EMBROIDERY. 
 
 We here illustrate a scroll in Twist-stitch enriched by 
 passing. By working stitches, of an equal length, one 
 behind the other on an even line, this effect is produced. 
 The passing is laid down after the silk scroll is worked. 
 
 No. 12. 
 
 TWIST-STITCH SCROLL ENRICHED B'V PASSING. 
 
 The Basket-stitch is one of the richest and most inge- 
 nious of the old stitches. It is very successful for straight 
 borders, or for the raised parts of a conventional crown, a 
 large monogram, or for any pattern of a formal outline 
 
ancient ann ^otietm 147 
 
 where a plaited and interlaced effect is the aim ; but it is 
 a mistake to use it in arabesques or scrollage of any kind. 
 
 No. 13. 
 
 BASKET-STITCH. 
 
 We once saw a very graceful renaissance design on a large 
 scale, completely ruined, by the introduction of this stitch 
 by a person who was a beautiful mechanical worker, but 
 devoid of either judgment or taste in the use of her 
 stitches. 
 
 For the working of a border in Basket-stitch any even 
 number of rows of twine, from four upwards, must first be 
 sewn firmly down upon the framed foundation, and over 
 these the gold is to be carried two threads at a time.* 
 
 The worker commencing by taking two threads of passing 
 and stitching them down, first over one row of twine ; then 
 over two rows ; and over two again, till the single row at the 
 opposite side is arrived at. 
 
 Any number of threads may be carried across in this 
 manner before altering the arrangement of sewing down, 
 
 * Only for borders is it necessary to lay down the rows of twine in even numbers. 
 
148 Cfmrcf) oEmfcrotUetp, 
 
 according to the width decided upon for the divisions of 
 the plait. We will suppose, as in the engraving, that six 
 threads, or three layers, of passing, have been turned back- 
 wards and forwards, and caught down precisely alike, — the 
 gold is then to be sewn over two lines of twine, each time, 
 from side to side of the border for three layers more, and so 
 alternated to any extent. 
 
 Medium purse-silk is best for sewing down the gold, and 
 a close, firm twine, after the make of whipcord, should be 
 used for the lines. The thickness of the twine must be 
 governed by the size of the figure, or space, the basket- 
 stitch pattern is considered suitable to cover. 
 
 To make the directions for this stitch comprehensible in 
 writing, we are aware is a very difficult matter, but we hope 
 to have rendered them perfectly clear by the illustration. 
 
 It was photographed from a border pattern worked in 
 coarse crochet silk. 
 
 Passing is to be treated precisely similar. 
 
 The border must be completed on each side by either a 
 gold or silk cord ; or, an edging of some description to 
 conceal the looped ends of the passing ; which, it should 
 be observed, are not pulled through, but turned backwards 
 and forwards as evenly as possible. 
 
 When the basket-stitch is employed to fill up a form in 
 a conventional flower or other design, the passing is some- 
 times pulled through instead of turned upon the surface. 
 It is well to avoid this if possible, as the gold is liable to 
 work off the silk by friction, and great waste is the conse- 
 
ancient ann a^otiern. 149 
 
 quence, for an impoverished piece of thread must never, 
 upon any account, be used. 
 
 Tambour is a gold thread precisely similar to passing, 
 but of the finest and most delicate quality. It is also very 
 flexible, and may be easily pulied through the material, — as 
 silk. In elaborate designs it may be used, in preference to 
 passing, for streaking and working upon silk embroidery. 
 
 Spangles are made of two kinds, fiat and concave. The 
 latter are in the most general request for Church-work. 
 They are made of various sizes, so that they may be ar- 
 ranged in gradations for enriching scrolls, &c. 
 
 Messrs. Johnson, of 10, Little Britain, London, supply all 
 the gold bullions, twist, pearl-purl, passing, tambour, and 
 fiat spangles at \os. per ounce. The concave spangles are 
 lis. 6d. per ounce. 
 
 Gold Bullion Embroidery. 
 
 Patterns to be worked in gold bullion are to be prepared 
 the same as those for modern Church Embroidery, in every 
 respect but one, viz. : — that instead of raising the work with 
 twine, yellow carpet thread is to be employed. From a 
 skein of this, as many threads are to be drawn, placed evenly 
 together, and then sewn down on the card, as the worker 
 may deem sufficient for placing the design in good relief. 
 
 Gold bullion for embroidery is of three different kinds — 
 called rough, smooth, and checked. 
 
 The rough works very richly by itself ; but the checked, 
 
150 CfmrcS (ZEmfctoitierp, 
 
 which is all glitter, is often blended with the rough, and 
 with excellent effect. If used together it should be some- 
 what as follows — three rows of the rough and two of the 
 checked alternately, till the letter or figure is covered. 
 After the same manner the bright may be introduced in- 
 stead of the checked ; or the three, as is frequently the case, 
 may be called into requisition for one piece of work, with 
 admirable results. 
 
 Gold bullion is made in lengths of rather more than 
 thirty-six inches, of fine wire, twisted to form a round, 
 elastic tube, which may be pulled out to any extent. On 
 this account the greatest care has to be observed in using it. 
 It should be handled as little as possible, and is to be 
 threaded in lengths, like bugles, and laid over the surface 
 of the design ; any attempt to pull it through to the other 
 side of the material, will immediately elongate and draw it 
 to a mere wire, thereby rendering it quite useless. 
 
 Gold bullion is made of different sizes ; that best suited 
 for designs which are not very minute, will just admit of a 
 Walker's needle, No. 9, threaded with sewing silk, being 
 easily passed through. 
 
 Two qualities are made, — "best" and "copper;" we 
 ignore any but the "best" for Church-work. It is 105". 
 per ounce. 
 
 Upon a small square of thick dark cloth the bullion is to 
 be cut with sharp nail scissors in various lengths, which 
 when threaded should pull over the raised foundation and 
 enclose the edges of the card as though actually worked 
 
ancient ana e^otiern. 15 1 
 
 through the material. The cloth, with the gold cut in 
 lengths upon it, is to be laid on the frame before the worker, 
 and from it each piece of bullion is to be picked up sepa- 
 rately on the point of the needle, and run down the silk to 
 its appointed place. The needle is then to be passed 
 through the material at the opposite edge of the cardboard, 
 and the tube of gold will remain over the surface of the 
 yellow thread. 
 
 The art of quickly selecting from the cloth each piece of 
 gold of the exact size required, must to a certain degree 
 depend on the accuracy of the worker's eye, as well as upon 
 practice. Upon no account must the pieces of bullion be 
 cut short; while to be a trifle longer than the space they 
 are to be carried over, is rather an advantage, for they will 
 pull down the more firmly over the stuffing. 
 
 Fine yellow sewing silk, waxed and doubled, is best for 
 threading the bullion. The hand, in working it, must be 
 drawn gently and firmly, as each stitch is laid down, regu- 
 lating one against the other, by the flat end of the piercer. 
 
 Pearl-purl is generally used for edging bullion em- 
 broidery. It is a gold cord of a beautiful manufacture, in 
 effect like a row of closely strung beads. Being made upon 
 the same principle as the bullion — i. e. of twisted wire — it 
 must, like the bullion, be carefully handled, laid only on the 
 surface, and never pulled through. It should be sewn 
 closely round the figure with single yellow silk, well waxed ; 
 each stitch being made to conceal itself through the separa- 
 tion in the twisted wire. Pearl-purl is the same price as 
 
152 
 
 bullion — ios. per ounce — but being made of a much thicker 
 wire, it weighs heavier, and is in consequence more costly. 
 
 It is frequently used to edge conventional designs worked 
 in any coloured silks : it forms an exquisite outline, and is 
 a marvellously improving auxiliary. 
 
 Gold twist is a cord of more ancient manufacture, and 
 less costly than pearl-purl. It is either fine or coarse, ac- 
 cording to the number of threads employed in forming it. 
 In the old work it was frequently made to edge the gold 
 draperies of figures. As for instance ; — in the representation 
 of a bishop, or saint, we find the cope couched in horizontal 
 lines of passing, and outlined with gold twist. Also, in 
 figures of angels, gold twist was often used to streak, or 
 mark the dividing lines in the floss-embroidered, richly- 
 coloured wings. Or, in fact, gold twist was always used in 
 lieu of passing, where the latter would have been too fine 
 for the production of a desired effect. It should be sewn 
 on with fine gold silk, by stitches taken slantwise, with a view 
 to concealing them in the interstices of the twisted cord. 
 Gold twist may be bought by weight, and is the same price 
 per ounce as other gold. For an example of this material 
 as an edging cord, — see page 145. 
 
 Mr. Helbronner has favoured us by specimens of gold 
 of different kinds for Church Embroidery, which, he assures 
 us, are of as pure metal as any manufactured in ancient 
 times. We gladly give publicity to this assertion, and 
 leave our readers the option of using the gold, which is 
 1 6s. per ounce, in preference to that previously named. 
 
ancient ann a^otiern, 153 
 
 XI. 
 
 EMBROIDERT SILKS— DIRECTIONS FOR LONG-STITCH EMBROI- 
 DERY— FRENCH KNOTS, WITH PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATION. 
 
 r J^HE various kinds of silk, employed in all Ancient and 
 Modern Embroideries, are denominated — -floss; 
 Dacca; Berlin; three cord; crochet twist; purse silk; 
 and sewings. 
 
 Floss was the silk principally employed in the best 
 specimens of Ancient Work. Laid in perpendicular lines of 
 arbitrary and effective shades, and kept down by rows of 
 fine gold thread, placed crosswise, it was made to represent 
 the draperies of figures, a canopy, a tesselated pavement, or 
 the attributes of some saint or martyr. Split very fine, it 
 was used for the flesh and hair ; and either a thick line of it 
 was laid down to edge the subject finally, or, it was used 
 instead to sew down rows of fine twisted silk, many of 
 which, laid together, formed a compact outline to the 
 embroidered figure. We may be able to conjecture only 
 as to the original colour of the faded and mysterious shades 
 of some of the work of the middle ages ; but we may decide, 
 without error, that the material was floss. Likewise, in 
 nearly every flower and ornament in Mediaeval Embroidery, 
 
 x 
 
i54 
 
 Cfmrcf) OEm&rotDerp, 
 
 floss silk is the foundation of its brilliancy ; and gold thread, 
 i.e., " passing," its enriching, and refining adjunct. 
 
 Dacca silk was originally manufactured at Dacca, once 
 the capital of the province of Bengal ; hence its name. 
 
 It is a kind of floss ; so made, that it may be readily 
 divided into two filaments or plies, which may be again 
 subdivided into threads as fine as need be, for the delinea- 
 tion of the most delicate portions of a design, such as the 
 features and hair of a human figure. The thick floss, we 
 have previously described, may also be split into filaments, 
 but not with the same smoothness or facility as Dacca silk. 
 The latter, too, is dyed in closer and more numerous shades 
 than the former, which is an especial advantage for the 
 perfect representation of flesh tints in figure work. 
 
 Dacca silk is made in France, as well as here, but, writing 
 only as practical people, and apart from prejudice, we must 
 acknowledge the superiority of the English manufacture, 
 for all the finer kinds of embroidery. It is easier to split, 
 softer to work, and much more glossy than that of France. 
 
 Formerly our colours were not so brilliant, nor our 
 shades as many, or as consecutive as the French ; but we 
 have paid greater attention to these particulars latterly, and 
 the result leaves us no excuse for giving a preference to 
 foreign silks, for even the most florid designs in needlework. 
 
 Berlin silk, is a material of a smooth, loose twist, 
 manufactured originally for the embroidering of shawls, 
 dresses, &c. 
 
 By degrees, it is superseding the old Mitorse silk, which 
 
ancient anti a^otjem. 155 
 
 is so unequal, dry, and harsh in quality, that only the most 
 skilful workers can produce by its means, perfect examples 
 of even embroidery. 
 
 Berlin silk is admirably adapted for the execution of 
 scrolls and leaves, designed for flat masses of colour. It 
 may be had in every colour and shade. 
 
 Three cord is a close-twisted silk of three plies, which, 
 when properly worked, simulates gold bullion better than 
 any other. 
 
 Here again the Church needlewoman will do well to 
 patronize the native article, for, although the French gold- 
 colour three cord is dyed of excellent shades, yet the silk 
 is not so pliable or so glossy as ours. The English dyes are 
 excellent, and some of them less likely to change than those 
 of our neighbours. 
 
 There is an apricot shade, of dead gold colour, which 
 the French have a great liking for ; it is a lovely tint, but 
 not lasting, and any work executed in it, will, by mere 
 exposure to the air, to say nothing of light, turn nearly 
 white, in a short space of time. This peculiar shade should 
 therefore be avoided, and the more yellow, metallic-looking 
 hues chosen ; they are quite permanent, and resemble the 
 gold itself, as nearly as possible. 
 
 Nearly all colours, as well as that of gold, may be 
 procured in this silk ; but the shades are farther apart than 
 in the Dacca and Berlin silks. 
 
 Crochet twist is also a silk of three plies, but coarser, 
 and less tightly twisted than the three cord. It is most 
 
156 Cfmrcf) (ZEm&rotoerp, 
 
 useful in the execution of designs on a large scale, em- 
 broidered in imitation of gold ; where it may be success- 
 fully worked either in modern embroidery over card, or 
 laid down by small stitches of purse silk, as in illustration 
 of " diamond couching," page 142. 
 
 Crochet twist is also a good substitute for cord in 
 edging Applique, and embroideries of different kinds, as 
 see page 146. 
 
 According to circumstances or taste, it may be laid 
 down either single or double, by stitches taken at equal 
 distances, as seen in the floss outlines of the Ancient Work. 
 It is made in many brilliant colours. 
 
 Purse silks, owing to their exquisitely regular twist, are 
 employed in many ways by the modern Church em- 
 broiderer. They are made principally in three sizes, called 
 coarse, medium, and fine. The former is suited for small 
 Monograms or other designs, where three cord would be 
 too thick, such as are wrought on alms-bags, sermon-cases, 
 book-markers, &c. ; the latter is very good for couching 
 crochet silk on an even surface ; and the medium best for 
 any purpose where a strong even silk of a moderately fine 
 quality is desirable. 
 
 For Basket Stitch, see page 147, medium purse silk 
 should always be selected ; as the pull of the hand, necessary 
 to draw the silk down between the rows of twine, demands 
 strength, such as might be obtained from a coarser material, 
 but at the risk of producing too clumsy a stitch. 
 
 Sewing silks vary so considerably in quality, and are 
 
ancient ana 8$ot!ern. 
 
 157 
 
 employed for so many different purposes, that we deem it 
 necessary to remind our readers, that there is but one first 
 class quality of sewing silk, to be used to the exclusion of 
 every other, for ecclesiastical needlework. The best way to 
 buy it, especially the gold colour, which is always in 
 request, is in hanks ; they differ in size from half an ounce 
 to an ounce. 
 
 Drapers' sewing silk is worthless for Church-work ; and 
 the small reels in boxes, so invitingly arranged in shades, 
 and sold at a penny each, are mere fallacies for anything 
 but braiding pen-wipers and slippers. 
 
 Most of the passing in sacred embroidery is couched 
 with good sewings; and the numberless other ways in which 
 it is employed, constitute it a very important material to 
 the Church needlewoman. 
 
 Of every description of embroidery silk which we have 
 enumerated, we consider Messrs. Pearsall the best 
 manufacturers. They are wholesale dealers, therefore do 
 not undertake to sell to private individuals ; but we recom- 
 mend the house of Mr. Helbronner, 265 Regent Street, 
 where we are assured that all goods made by the old- 
 established firm of Messrs. Pearsall will be conscientiously 
 supplied. 
 
158 Cfmrcf) aEmfcrotoerp, 
 
 Approved Modes of Proceeding in Long-Stitch 
 Embroidery. 
 
 There are different methods — they cannot be called 
 rules — of laying the stitches in embroidery. 
 
 Patterns to be represented in shades of floss mostly par- 
 take of florid and irregular outlines, which may be wrought 
 in as many ways, as there are needlewomen of taste and 
 judgment to exert their skill upon them. 
 
 We may, however, safely advise a few principles to start 
 upon, which will refer to nearly every object for Mediaeval 
 Embroidery. 
 
 The upper side, upon which the light falls, of any flower 
 or form, should be always worked in the lightest shade. 
 
 Stems should be of a light or medium shade, but never 
 very dark. 
 
 The shades in scrolls, leaves, and conventional forms, 
 should be few, and arbitrary, i.e., clearly distinct from each 
 other. 
 
 The shades in draperies may be of any number, but the 
 high light, should always be full four degrees lighter than 
 the shade worked against it. 
 
 As all things describe a wider space on the outer than the 
 inner side, the stitches in embroidery should be taken from 
 the outside edge, and directed towards the centre. 
 
 If the figure be of equal sides, the first stitch should be 
 taken in the very centre of the edge, and first one side and 
 then the other worked from this stitch. An example of 
 
ancient ann ^otiern* 
 
 l $9 
 
 this principle is given in the illustration of "long-stitch 
 embroidery," page 146, the little cross denoting where the 
 first stitch should be taken in such a form. The light 
 shade being worked first, half way down the petal in stitches 
 close and even along the edge, but irregular and ray-like 
 towards the lower end, in order that the darker shade may 
 fall in streaks between. Otherwise, a hard, even line through 
 the petal might be the result of the shade. An error too 
 palpable to require further comment. 
 
 In working leaves and scrolls, the stitches should always 
 be taken in a slanting direction, as in illustration of powder- 
 ing sprig in progress, Plate 18. 
 
 The edges of leaves are usually worked first, and the dark 
 shade filled in to the centre vein afterwards — gracefully 
 streaking the light, as we have before observed. To em- 
 broider shaded objects in straight stitches on the satin-stitch 
 principle is wrong, and at variance with the rules of Nature, 
 as well as Art. 
 
 Veins of leaves, whether of gold or silk, should always be 
 worked last ; and where a scroll of passing, or other kind 
 of gold, is carried through a leaf, as in the illustrated ex- 
 ample just named, it should not be wrought till the silk 
 embroidery is perfected. Edging the needlework should be 
 the final operation ; and it should be executed with great 
 care, for a clumsy outline will seriously affect the value of 
 either the most elaborate couching, or the finest embroidery 
 in long stitch that was ever done. 
 
 Hints for Modern Embroidery. — As Modern Embroidery 
 
i6o 
 
 has usually cardboard for its foundation, and is seldom exe- 
 cuted in more than one shade of gold, or other coloured 
 silk of twisted make, we find little to say respecting the 
 manner of effecting it, save as regards regularity in laying 
 the stitches. 
 
 Straight stitches are more allowable in this style of work 
 than in the ancient embroidery ; at the same time, where 
 the form or figure will admit of the slanting principle, it 
 will be best to adopt it. 
 
 In twist silk work there can be no " dove-tailing," or 
 filling up gaps by extraneous stitches, as in floss embroidery; 
 every one must be laid side by side evenly and regularly as 
 gold bullion, the point of the piercer being as frequently, as 
 advantageously, used for keeping each in its place. 
 
 The usage of the silk demands great care in working. 
 The hand must be drawn up and down with constant regard 
 to the twist, so that one stitch may not. appear to be made 
 of either a looser or tighter quality of silk than its neigh- 
 bour ; upon such precision depends the principal merit in 
 the execution of Modern Embroidery over card. 
 
 The instant a needleful of silk begins to appear either 
 dull or distressed, it should be discarded, and a fresh one 
 taken. It is false economy to persist in using up every 
 inch of silk, at the risk of producing unseemly work. 
 
 A large-eyed needle is a great preserver of the silk. 
 
 Too long a needleful of embroidery silk of any kind is 
 an error, but of twist silk especially. An accomplished 
 worker will never thread her needle with a length exceeding 
 
ancient anu apnern. 
 
 161 
 
 27 inches. By the time this is nearly worked up, it will 
 begin to show evidences of friction, and should be replaced. 
 A longer length would suffer at the same juncture, therefore 
 there is nothing to be gained, but a great deal wasted, by 
 employing it. 
 
 French Knots, with Illustration. 
 
 A French knot is, at the same time, one of the easiest 
 things to make, and one of the most difficult to describe. 
 
 No stitch is, in its place, prettier or more useful ; and 
 believing a thorough knowledge of it essential to the Church 
 embroideress, we give an illustration of the position of the 
 hands in the act of forming it. 
 
 Only in a frame can these knots be made perfectly. 
 
 The needle is first brought up through the stuff at the 
 exact spot where the knot is to be ; and the thread of silk 
 is taken and held midway between the work and the needle, 
 by the left hand. Whilst the silk is thus held, the right 
 hand twists the needle round it, forming a loop, which is 
 then slid down to the point of the needle, which is again 
 passed through the stuff, nearly at the same place that it 
 came up. By the right hand it is drawn underneath, the 
 left retaining its hold of the silk whilst it passes through, 
 and until the loop settles into a secure knot on the surface. 
 
 French knots are increased in size according to the 
 number of times the silk is twisted round the needle. 
 
 When properly made, they should be like beads. In the 
 
1 62 C&urcfr GEmferottierp, 
 
 mode of holding the silk in the left hand, while the loop is 
 forming into a knot, consists the art of making this stitch 
 deftly. Any one desirous of excelling in it, would do well 
 to practise it on some indifferent material for a short time ; 
 after which correct manipulation must follow. 
 
 In working small Crosses over cardboard it is sometimes 
 difficult to carry the stitches neatly over the centre, but a 
 cluster of French knots may be made very readily, and, by 
 contrasting with the smooth surface of the embroidery, will 
 greatly improve the effect of the Cross. The centres of 
 some flowers may be beautifully wrought in these knots in 
 a succession of shades. — Commencing with an outer circle 
 or line, of either the lightest or darkest shade, and filling in, 
 row after row, with the other, and consecutive shades. 
 
 For the anthers of flowers, these knots are also very rich. 
 
 The Chinese are celebrated for executing large pieces of 
 work entirely in French knots, than which anything 
 more elaborate in effect cannot be conceived. 
 
ancient ano aptiern. 
 
 163 
 
 XII. 
 
 TEXTILE FABRICS FOR ROBING THE ALTAR— CORRECT CHURCH 
 COLOURS AND SHADES. 
 
 '^TEXTILE fabrics for the Church, whether they be 
 ornamented with needlework or not, should be of 
 the very best ; and better than, if not different to, any 
 material employed for dress, or other secular purpose. 
 
 The terms common and cheap, should never be heard 
 with reference to any article required for the adornment of 
 the House of God. 
 
 We are aware that all churches have not alike available 
 funds for decorations ; but when we consider that an altar- 
 cloth of even a perishable quality, in the hands of a careful 
 sacristan, may last ten years without necessity for renova- 
 tion, it seems unaccountable that there should be any 
 difficulty experienced in raising the few pounds requisite 
 for the purpose. Should the mission be very poor, surely 
 an appeal made once in ten years to the Christian worship- 
 pers in more prosperous districts, would meet with a 
 response sufficiently generous to enable the clergy to keep, 
 
1 64 Cfrurcf) (ZEmfiroitierp, 
 
 at least the apparel of the Holy Sanctuary, in some degree 
 worthy of its name. Velvet is the richest of all materials 
 for altar coverings. 
 
 Our own Spitalfields velvets are unexceptionable, and 
 preferable to those of either Genoa or Lyons. They 
 are now to be had of 48 inches wide, of two qualities — 
 One 88.?. per yd. the other 6$s. per yd. No velvet can 
 possibly be made better than the first. The latter is also 
 excellent, and may, under certain circumstances, be worthily 
 substituted for that of more costly manufacture. The 
 high price of these velvets may startle the reader at first, 
 but it must be observed that they are more than twice the 
 width of the best Genoa velvets, and are fabricated in the 
 richest and most durable manner. 
 
 We estimate that an entire altar of ordinary dimensions 
 may be covered by either of the qualities above named, for 
 in the one case, 30/., and in the other 25/. : including 
 fringe and lining. This is irrespective of any embroidered 
 decorations. The cost of such being quite beyond calcu- 
 lation. If they are gratuitous, as is usually the case, like 
 all works of love, time, ingenuity, and costly material, may 
 be expended upon them without limit, in proportion to 
 the zeal, ability, and means of the donor. If on the other 
 hand, they are the result of paid or professional labour, 
 they of course differ in value, as they are made, elaborate, 
 or the reverse. 
 
 Repp silk. — Next in beauty to velvet, for altar coverings, 
 is a thick grained silk called Repp. It is made expressly 
 
ancient ann a^oDem, 165 
 
 for the Church, and of the purest silk. Mixtures of cotton 
 or worsted with silk, such as are used for domestic furniture, 
 are to be avoided. Apart from their inappropriateness, 
 they wear badly, and are never even in colour. 
 
 It is usual to overhang a frontal of Repp silk with a 
 super-frontal of velvet. An Altar may be clothed in this 
 way for 15/., or for 20/. ; according to the quality of the 
 materials. 
 
 Church Repp silks are made of 27 inches wide, in 
 crimson, green, violet, and white, at 11s. 6d. per yd. Or 
 they are made of a somewhat inferior quality, of 24 inches 
 wide, at 16.?. 6d. per yd. 
 
 Utrecht velvet is a material often used for Church 
 draperies, as less costly than silk velvet, and more seemly 
 than cloth. 
 
 The former cannot be disputed, the latter is a matter of 
 opinion.. As a ground for embroidered designs, Utrecht 
 velvet is such a particularly obstinate fabric to manage, 
 that we recommend our readers to reflect a little, before 
 they decide on placing work of any elaboration, or beauty 
 of outline on such a surface, in preference to silk velvet, 
 Repp silk, or cloth. The English-made Utrecht velvets 
 are not good. The only foreign quality fitted for 
 ecclesiastical purposes is 13s. per yard, and 24 inches wide. 
 
 An Altar-cloth of this material may be made complete 
 for less than 10/. 
 
 Cloth. — Broad-cloth of the very best kind is manu- 
 factured in the correct canonical colours, of 6 feet wide, at 
 
166 Cfjurcl) (ZEmfcrofoerp, 
 
 21s. per yd. With such, it is quite possible to cover the 
 Altar handsomely for 61. ; or at the most, for 8/. 
 
 Holland for lining Altar-cloths. — Various linings are 
 used for Altar-cloths — such as the woollen stuff called 
 tammy, the twilled mixture known as Coburg, unbleached 
 calico, and holland. The latter may be said to obtain the 
 preference, as the two first-named give encouragement to 
 moths, and unbleached calico has a tendency to collect 
 dust. Red holland is made for lining crimson covers ; no 
 other colour but this, with the ordinary brown shade, is 
 kept by Church furnishers. 
 
 The most approved quality is is. 6d. per yd. 
 
 Church fringes. — The correct fringes for altar and other 
 hangings, are those made in spaces of different colours, any 
 or all of which are included in the needlework, as well as 
 the ground of the cloth. Should one colour in the fringe 
 be chosen to predominate over the others, it should be that 
 of the actual fabric forming the cover. The divisions with 
 the principal colours may be from 3 to 4 inches wide. 
 Where black is introduced it should occupy only about 
 the space of an inch, and should be placed between the 
 prevailing rich colour, and gold, or gold silk. 
 
 The fringe at the bottom of an Altar-cloth may be of 
 any depth ; it is 4 inches, ordinarily. The fringe for the 
 super-frontal must be less deep than that of the frontal — 
 where the latter measures 4 inches, the former should be 
 3 inches, but they must both be of the same make, and 
 order of colouring. 
 
ancient anD egotiern, 167 
 
 We have frequently seen a fringe sewn round the top 
 edge of the Altar-cloth, where there has been no super- 
 frontal. This is altogether wrong. The origin of fringe 
 was the ravelling out of the material itself, as a graceful 
 pendant to any drooping form. Fringe, therefore, cannot 
 be held consistent at the top edge of anything. The same 
 argument favours the necessity for employing the principal 
 colours used in the ground and needlework in the fringe ; 
 as it affects to be the untwisted threads of the whole 
 cloth. 
 
 Where there is no super-frontal, and a finish is desirable 
 at the upper edge of the cloth, a thick silk cord is the 
 proper thing to sew round it. 
 
 Tied fringes such as we have described for pulpit- 
 hangings, are the richest for Altar-cloths, but to be hand- 
 some, they must contain a large amount of silk, and are 
 in consequence, very expensive. None suitably full, <san 
 be made for less than i is. a yard. 
 
 Not inferior to the above, in quality of material, but 
 in make alone, is a fringe very extensively used, and upon 
 no account objectionable. It is a spaced fringe made of 
 soft three-cord silk. That of 4 inches wide is 8s. per 
 yard. 
 
 That of 3 inches wide, 6.?. gd. per yard. 
 
 Our estimate of the cost of all materials named in this 
 chapter, has reference to those furnished by Messrs. Jones 
 and Willis, Great Russell Street. 
 
i68 
 
 Cfmrcfr OEm&rcriDerp, 
 
 Colours for the Apparel op the Altar. 
 
 Crimson. — All the modern hues of crimson, such as 
 magenta, and solferino, are to be avoided in the selection of 
 the Church colour. The proper shade has always a dash 
 of scarlet in it, and is more brilliant and permanent than 
 any of the blue tints which have lately been so much in 
 vogue for domestic decoration. 
 
 Green. — The correct shade of green for clothing the 
 Altar, is a pure bright emerald, with less of blue than 
 yellow in it. It should be such as will harmonize well with 
 gold and red, and upon which blue may be worked without 
 detriment. 
 
 All these qualities may be proved, by simply placing 
 several skeins of gold, red, and blue silks, upon different 
 hues of green, and marking the effect, before deciding upon 
 th* material. 
 
 This test will answer well, for every colour about to be 
 chosen as a foundation for needlework. 
 
 Violet. — The safest shades of violet, by which we imply 
 those that are not likely to fade, are of the full deep 
 amethyst ; or the exact hue of the dark glowing purple, in 
 a choice heartsease. 
 
 As violet is only used by the Church in penitential 
 seasons, it should never be selected of too light a tint. All 
 the new mauve shades are to be avoided ; they have too 
 much light in them, and impoverish every other colour 
 which approaches them. 
 
ancient ana a^o&ern. 
 
 169 
 
 Blue. — Blue, excepting in those Churches where festivals 
 of the Virgin, and such of the Saints whose colour it is, are 
 commemorated, is less in request for hangings than the 
 colours already enumerated. The clear celestial Blue is 
 that of Our Lady. It should be of that full shade which 
 will mix freely with white, without losing any of its richness. 
 
 Until within the last twenty years, a Blue Altar-cloth was 
 as general as one of crimson. The shade was, what we 
 should now call, dark Mexican blue, with rather less of 
 purple in the colour. 
 
 White. — White Altar-coverings, are principally made of 
 Repp silk. It should be always of the creamy white shade. 
 The blue-white tints are poor and paper-like in effect. 
 
 Amongst other beautiful materials for Church-work, we 
 have lately had our attention called to some Levantine silks, 
 which have been manufactured, expressly for the house of 
 Mr. Helbronner, in imitation of the old damask, used for 
 sacerdotal purposes. The fabric is somewhat too thin for 
 Altar-cloths. We are told that it is at present most in 
 request for vestments : that particularly old, rich shade of 
 cream colour, like unbleached silk, has been produced 
 with great exactness, and, as a ground for needlework, is 
 unexceptionable. 
 
 z 
 
INDEX TO PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS. 
 
 oO^Oo 
 
 ALTAR, Adornment of the, 12. 
 
 : — , Baldacchino, Example of, 38. 
 
 , Canopy for the, how to work the, 39. 
 
 , Correct colours for apparel of the, 19, 168. 
 
 , Curtains for the, 41. 
 
 , Textile fabrics — various — for the, 163. 
 
 , Linen for the, 98. 
 
 ALTAR-CLOTH, Agnus Dei for Lenten, 31. 
 
 . , Alpha and Omega for, 23. 
 
 ■ , Florid Gothic design for, 29. 
 
 , Frontispiece, for festivals of our Lord, 50. 
 
 , Gothic design for, 27. 
 
 , Grecian „ 20. 
 
 , Lily, for Saints and Martyrs, 35. 
 
 , Simple design for, 25. 
 
 ALTARS, Stone, 12, 14. 
 
 , Super-, 13. 
 
 , Travelling, 13. 
 
 . Wooden, 12. 
 
1 72 
 
 3[ntei: to Practical Directions; 
 
 APPLIQUE, Advantages of, no. 
 
 , Cords for edging, 117, 118. 
 
 , Preparation of materials for, 115, 119. 
 
 , Proper fabrics for, 112. 
 
 Bags, Alms, 92. 
 
 , Frames for alms, 93. 
 
 Band-case, The, 89. 
 
 , How to make up the, 90. 
 
 Book-covers, 90. 
 
 BOOK-MARKERS, Church, 94. 
 Bristol-board, Preparation of designs on, 108. 
 , Description of, for Church Embroidery, 109. 
 
 Card-board, See Bristol-board. 
 Chain-stitch, 10 1. 
 
 — , Cotton proper for, 102. 
 
 Chalice-veil, The, 99. 
 
 Chinese- White, for tracing patterns on dark surfaces, 117. 
 CLOTH, Applique in, 114. 
 
 , Broad, for Hangings, 165. 
 
 , Of gold, 113. 
 
 , Of silver, 114. 
 
 Constantine, Sacred Monogram on Labarum of, 20. 
 Cords, Spiral, for edging Applique, 117. 
 Corporal, The, 99, 100. 
 Couching, 139. 
 
 Dacca Silks, 154. 
 Desk Hangings, 79. 
 Dish-Mats, Alms, 93. 
 
 EMBROIDERY, Reference made to Ancient, 15, 16, 41, 153. 
 1 How to execute Mediaeval, 158. 
 
3[nDer to IPracttcal Directions. 173 
 
 EMBROIDERY, Gold Bullion, 149. 
 
 , Modern Church, 108, 159. 
 
 , Silks, for, 153. 
 
 Floss Silk, Description of, 153. 
 
 -, Passing laid upon, 145. 
 
 , The hands in working, 129. 
 
 FRAME, Four piece Embroidery, 121. 
 
 , How to use the hands at the, 127. 
 
 , How to sit at the, 129. 
 
 , The Stand, 122. 
 
 FRAMING Work, generally, 123. 
 French Gold-colour Silk, 155. 
 French Knots, 161. 
 Fringes, Altar-cloth, 166. 
 
 , Book-marker, 97. 
 
 , Lecturn, 82. 
 
 FRONTALS, Monograms and Crosses for, 60. 
 , Super-, 56. 
 
 GOLD, Beads, 46. 
 
 , Bullion, 149. 
 
 , Cloth of, 113. 
 
 , Passing, 138. 
 
 , Pearl-purl, 151. 
 
 , Remarks on, 136. 
 
 ■, Spangles, 149. 
 
 , Tambour Thread, 149. 
 
 , Twist, 152. 
 
 , Vapours prejudicial to manufactured, 137. 
 
 Gum Tragacanth, 61. 
 
 Holland, 119, 166. 
 
 IMPLEMENTS for Church Embroidery, 131. 
 
i74 
 
 3lnner to Practical Direction*. 
 
 Indian Ink, Uses for, 51, 6-c. 
 Inscriptions, Cloth of Gold for, 113. 
 
 LABELS to be wrought in Applique, 117. 
 Leaves, Veins of, 159. 
 Lecturn, Example of, 82. 
 LINEN, Altar-cloths of, 98. 
 
 , Foundation, for Ancient Embroidery, 102. 
 
 , How to prepare, for tracing upon, 103. 
 
 , How to transfer Embroidery upon, 105. 
 
 MONOGRAMS, Various, 70. 
 Museum, Reference made to British, 91. 
 
 , Reference made to South Kensington, 15, 16, no, 113 
 
 Needles, Church Embroidery, 131. 
 , Packing, 133. 
 
 Offertory Plates. See Alms-Dish, 93. 
 
 Pall. See Corporal, 99. 
 Paper, Backing of Needlework with, 106. 
 Passing, Gold, description of, 138. 
 Paste, How to make needlework, 107. 
 
 , How to spread, upon holland, 115. 
 
 Piercer, for Gold Embroidery, 134. 
 Pins, Short-white, importance of, 133. 
 
 , Minikin, 133. 
 
 POUNCING, 103. 
 
 , Powder for, 103. 
 
 , Stump for, 103. 
 
 POWDERINGS, 71. 
 Predella, 14. 
 
 Pricking, for pouncing, 103. 
 Proper Needle for pricking, 104 
 Pulpit Hangings, 79. 
 
3[nDer to Practical Directions. 175 
 
 Registers, Church Book-Marker, 95. 
 
 Reredos, Description of, 38. 
 
 Rome, Lamp found in Catacombs at, 61. 
 
 Scissors, Proper, for Church Needlework, 134. 
 SERMON-CASE, The, 83. 
 
 , How to make up the, 88. 
 
 SILK, Moire, objection to, 84. 
 
 , Repp, for clothing the Altar, 164. 
 
 , To prepare, for Applique, 119. 
 
 , Watered, objection to, 84. 
 
 SILKS, Embroidery, 153. 
 
 , Berlin, 154. 
 
 , Crochet Twist, 155. 
 
 , Floss, 153. 
 
 , Purse, 156. 
 
 , Sewing, 156, 157. 
 
 , Three-cord, 155. 
 
 SILVER, 138. 
 
 , Cloth of, caution in using, 114. 
 
 Spangles, 149. 
 
 Starch, White, for Applique 7 purposes, 1 1 9. 
 Stays, Cardboard, necessity for, 109. 
 Stiletto, Use of the, 133. 
 STITCHES, 139. 
 
 , Basket Stitch, 147. 
 
 , Broad Couching, 143. 
 
 , Chain Stitch, 101. 
 
 , Diagonal Broad Couching, 143. 
 
 , Diagonal Couching, 141. 
 
 , Diamond Couching, 142. 
 
 , Diaper Couching, 142. 
 
 , Line and Cross Diaper, 144. 
 
176 
 
 3|nne* to Practical Directions. 
 
 STITCHES, Long Embroidery Stitch, 146. 
 
 , Plain Couching, 140. 
 
 , Shell Diaper Stitch, 144. 
 
 , Twist Stitch, 146. 
 
 , Wavy Couching, 141. 
 
 STRING, Uses for, 26, 52, 63, 80, 85, 109, 147, 148. 
 
 Tambour Work, 101. 
 
 Texts, suitable for Pulpit and Desk, 82. 
 
 Thimbles, 134. 
 
 Trestles, use of, for four-piece frames, 123. 
 Twine. See String. 
 
 VELVETS, Cotton, 112. 
 
 , Silk, for Applique', 112. 
 
 — , Spitalfields, for Apparel of the Altar, 164. 
 
 , Utrecht, 165. 
 
 Wash, Yellow, for White Cardboard, 109. 
 
 LONDON : PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET 
 AND CHARING CROSS. 
 
Cfmrcb (ZBmbroiDerg atitoertteec. 
 
 By Appointment to Her Majesty and the Emperor Napoleon III. 
 
 JACKSON AND GRAHAM, 
 
 29, 33, 34, 35, 37, and 38, OXFOED STREET, London, W. 
 
 PERRY'S PLACE, FRESTON PLACE, AND NEWMAN YARD, ADJOINING. 
 
 PEIZE MEDAL, GREAT EXHIBITION OF 1851. 
 Gold Medal of Honour, Exposition Universelle, Paris, 1855, for Improvements in English 
 
 Furniture. 
 
 MEDAL for ' Great Excellence in Design and Workmanship,' International 
 Exhibition, 1862. 
 
 JACKSON and GRAHAM respectfully inform the Nobility and Gentry that they 
 have recently made great additions to their former extensive premises, which render their establish- 
 ment the largest and most complete of its kind in this or any other country. 
 
 The Spacious Show Rooms and Galleries are filled with an unrivalled stock, the prices of v. hich are 
 all marked in plain figures at the most moderate rate for ready money. 
 
 The extensive Manufactory adjoining, with Machinery worked by Steam Power, is fitted with all 
 means and appliances to ensure superiority and economise cost. 
 
 Each of the undermentioned Departments will be found as complete as if it formed a separate 
 business, viz. : — 
 
 Paper Hangings, Painting, and Interior Decorations of all kinds. 
 Carpets of superior manufacture ot every description. 
 Cabinet Furniture, Chairs, Sofas, Ottomans, &c. 
 
 Silk and Silk and Wool Damasks, AubuBson and Venetian Tapestries, Chintzes, Utrecht Velvets 
 
 Arras, Reps, Merino Damasks, Cloths, &c. &c. 
 Bedsteads of Iron, Brass, and various Woods, and superior Bedding and Mattresses of all kinds. 
 
 The new and extensive premises (No. 29), consisting of four floors, measuring 20,000 feet, are 
 
 devoted to this department. 
 Plate Glass, Carving and Gilding. 
 
 Gallery of Bronzes d'Art (sole depSt for the productions of F. Barbtdieune and Co., Paris), 
 Clocks, Candelabra, Vases, and Ornamental Porcelain. 
 The Public are thus enabled to select their Paper Hangings or Decorations, Carpets, Curtains, and 
 Furniture, all in harmony with each other, without the trouble and inconvenience of going to different 
 houses. 
 
 EXTRACT from REPORT of the INTERNATIONAL JURY, Class XXX. 
 
 * We have already stated that the Furniture exhibited by Messrs. Jackson and Graham was > 
 in a most special manner, distinguished by the International Jury. The great Sideboard in 
 British Oak, decorated with figures, subjects, and attributes, is executed with rare perfection ; 
 and, although there may be a little excess of richness in the composition, the workmanship is 
 all that could be desired. The same remark applies to the great Wardrobe, inlaid with coloured 
 wood, which is placed in the Nave at the back of the Sideboard ; the columns and pilasters 
 which separate the three divisions of this piece of furniture are in good taste, and of most 
 careful execution. 
 
 'In the English Furniture Court they have exhibited several pieces of furniture; one 
 especially received admiration for the elegance and simplicity of its form, as well as for its 
 perfect execution. It is a small Etagere, in ebony inlaid with ivory, in quiet and perfect taste, 
 and may serve as a model in the midst of that exuberance of richness without reason which 
 furniture manufacturers so constantly produce. Another Cabinet in ebony, enriched with gilt 
 bronzes, accompanies the Etagere ; the mountings are very well executed, but perhaps too 
 rich for the cabinet. A drawing-room decoration, with a chimney-piece finished with French 
 bronzes, completes the important exhibition, truly worthy of a house which in 1851 and 1855 
 took the first rank in production of furniture, and continues its efforts in the direction of art 
 and good taste.' 
 
2 
 
 CHURCH EMBROIDERY ADVERTISER. 
 
 CHURCH EMBROIDERY and TAPESTRY 
 
 DESIGNED AND PREPARED, 
 
 WITH EVERY FACILITY FOR LADIES' OWN WORKING, BY 
 
 R. HELBRONNER, 
 265, REGENT STREET, near the POLYTECHNIC. 
 
 Silk and Worsted Fabrics for Hangings. 
 
 FIGURED AND PLAIN SILKS FOR VESTMENTS. 
 
 CLOTHS OF GOLD AND SILVER. 
 
 Foreign and English Velvets of various Widths and Qualities, 
 for the Uses of the Church. 
 
 FRINGES. 
 ECCLESIASTICAL LACES, WOVEN IN GOLD AND SILK. 
 
 TREBLE GILT GOLD BULLION AND THREAD. 
 
 Precious Stones for Inserting in Embroidery. Spangles of every Description. 
 RICH RIBBONS AND REGISTERS FOR BOOK MARKERS. 
 
 ALTAR LINEN. FOUNDATION LINEN FOR MEDIAEVAL NEEDLEWORK. 
 
 ENGLISH & FOREIGN EMBROIDERY SILKS. EDGING CORDS. 
 WHITE AND COLOURED COTTONS FOR CHURCH LINEN. 
 
 Frames, Needles, and every other Implement for Church Embroidery. 
 
CHUKCH EMBROIDERY ADVERTISER. 
 
 3 
 
 A BOON TO LADIES IN THE COUNTRY. 
 
 All Country Orders sent Carriage Paid or Post Free. 
 
 ODICEMSALETTO DI 
 
 These unique inventions combine Firmnrss with Elasticity ; they fasten easily in front, fit closely, 
 retain their original symmetry, and are adapted for every age, figure, and habitude. 
 
 FROM ABBEY, AND CASTLE, AND TOWER, 
 
 from Rectory, Priory, Vicarage, and Parsonage — from Manse and Grange — from Palaces and Parks, 
 and Cottages and Halls, and Homes of every class, throughout the length and breadth of the land, the 
 Patentees are day by day receiving from Ladies Notes of Approval, expressing admiration of the style, 
 quality, accuracy of fit, and comfort of these elegant articles of attire ; fuller acknowledgments of satis- 
 faction they could not desire, higher or more valuable testimony they could not offer or receive. These 
 notes of approval, collected in volumes, are their own evidence of veracity, and open to the inspection of 
 any lady visitors. 
 
 COMFORT-LOVING ENGLAND. 
 
 ' Your Corsaletto fits beautifully, and is a 
 
 perfect treasure for comfort, fully deserving all 
 the high eulogiums which it has gained.' 
 
 ' has great pleasure in adding her testimony 
 
 to the comfort of the Corsaletto. She cannot give 
 it greater praise than by saying it fully answers the 
 expectations entertained on reading the prospec- 
 tus.' 
 
 ' have tried several styles of Corsets, but 
 
 have found none to answer so well as yours ; they 
 are, indeed, all they profess to be.' 
 
 ' ■ is much pleased with the Resilient Bodice, 
 which came safely by post. She never wore any- 
 thing so comfortable, and considers it a great ad- 
 vantage that ladies residing at a distance can obtain 
 so superior an article with so Utile trouble.' 
 
 ' , sending measures for a young friend, is 
 
 glad of the present opportunity of expressing her 
 unqualified satisfaction with the Corsalettos. She 
 never knew real comfort in dress till she wore 
 them.' 
 
 All Country Orders sent Carriage Paid or Post Free. 
 
 It is by this liberal regulation, placing them within reach of every lady in the land, that they have become 
 to thousands upon thousands not only a luxury but a necessity, alike in regard to health, elegance and 
 convenience. 
 
 Fine Light Qualities made up for India, with Incorrodible Busks. 
 
 The Enlarged Prospectus, with Tinted Illustrations, Prices, Directions and Papers, for 
 Self-Measurement, &c, sent post free. 
 
 MESDAMES MAEION AND MAITLAND, 
 
 AR TTSTE8 EN CORSETS ET J UP ONS, 
 238, Oxford Street, opposite the Marble Arch, Hyde Park, London. 
 
4 CHURCH EMBROIDERY ADVERTISER. 
 
 MES. LITTLES 
 
 20, CRANBOURNE STREET, ST. MARTIN'S LANE, 
 LONDON, W.C. 
 
 VESTMENTS, COPES, FRONTALS, &c. 
 
 EMBROIDERED CENTRES FOR CHASUBLES, COPE HOODS, FRONTALS, &c. 
 
 The same cut out in Holland, ready for Embroidering, also for Stoles, 
 Book-Markers, &c, with Silk, Gold Thread, Spangles, Jewels, and all 
 Materials for Ladies' own working; also, Mediaeval Berlin Patterns for 
 Faldstools and Kneeling Mats, with Woojs, Canvas, &c 
 
 ^Urs, Surplices, Collars, ^Uar $inm, |prcitas, Stocks, €msAnm. 
 Altar Candlesticks, Vases, Crosses, &c, Altar Plate, and all Church Furniture, 
 
 GOLD AND SILVER CROSSES, ARTICLES OF PIETY, ALTAR BREAD, ALTAR WAX, 
 INCENSE, FLOATS, IMMORTELLES, RELIGIOUS STATIONERY, PRINTS, 
 STATUARY, KNEELING DESKS, FRAMES, AND 
 ALL OAK WORK. 
 
 CHURCH DECORATIONS. 
 
CHUKOH EMBROIDERY ADVERTISER. 
 
 EXHIBITION OF ALL NATIONS, 1851. 
 Church Carpets, Hangings, Episcopal Robes. 
 
 The only Award for Church Decorations collectively. 
 
 5 
 
 INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION, 1862. 
 Church Furniture and Decoration. 
 For Excellency of Workmanship. 
 
 The only Prize Medal for Church Furniture 
 in General. 
 
 CHURCH FURNISHING ESTABLISHMENTS, 
 
 43, Great Russell St., LONDON, W.C. 
 and Temple Row House, BIRMINGHAM. 
 
 oo^oo 
 
 JONES & WILLIS, 
 
 gftnnuftutnrers of 
 
 (U]LOTM§ s VELVETS, AE"JD> IFJRITOIES, 
 
 FOR ALTAR CLOTHS. 
 Rich Silk Laces, Satin Damasks, Silks in all Colours, and every requisite 
 Article for Eucharistic Vestments, &o. 
 EMBROIDERY, IN EVERY DESCRIPTION, OF ANCIENT AND MODERN WORK. 
 MATERIALS & DESIGNS 
 
 Supplied to Ladies who wish to make up their own Altar Frontals, &c. 
 
 faaMmtM €%xp% f eto flats, &t. 
 
 HANGINGS, IN SILK & WOOL, FOR SANCTUARY WALLS, SCREENS, DOORS, &c. 
 Fair Linen Communion Cloths, Napkins, Veils, Corporals, Maniples, &c. 
 CHURCH CUSHIONS AND HASSOCKS. 
 
 DOOR-MATS, COCOA-NUT MATTING IN EVERY WIDTH. 
 
 §krlxcs, j&ttrpltas, atttr jefoerg gUscripiwn of Clerical Claiming. 
 
 Mediaeval and other Devices of Hangings, Carpets, Cloths, Tapestry, &c, 
 for Parsonage Houses. 
 
 woozD-a^zE^^zztsra-, 
 
 PRAYER DESKS, ALMS BOXES, FALDSTOOLS, LECTERNS, PULPITS, &c. 
 
 METAL WORK AND ALTAR PLATE. 
 
 A Catalogue, containing above 500 Designs and Estimates, free on application. 
 
(J 
 
 CHURCH EMBROIDERY ADVERTISER. 
 
 UNRIVALLED NOISELESS FAMILY 
 
 SEWING MACHINE. 
 
 Silent, Simple, Compact, Artistic, Efficient, 
 Durable, and Cheap. 
 
 Executes Hemming, Felling, Tucking, Binding, Cord- 
 ing, Quilting, Braiding, and Embroidery ; will do all 
 kinds of Domestic Work ; cannot be put out of order, 
 and is learned in an hour ; in short, it is the Cheapest 
 and the 
 
 Most Perfect Family Machine, 
 
 Printed Directions with every Machine. Instructions 
 gratis. All Machines warranted. Illustrated Price-Lists 
 gratis and post free. Inspection invited. 
 
 PRICE FROM EIGHT POUNDS. 
 
 13 5, REGENT STREET, EONDON. 
 BI RMINGHA M. 
 
 litttkbal Hiatal Wiaxk ^jitmaxxixl tyxmm. 
 
 STAINED GLASS WINDOWS. 
 
 Mural Decorations. Altar Cloths, Church Embroidery, &c. 
 
 13, KING WILLI AM ST REET, STRAND, LONDON, W.C. 
 
 Catalogues and Designs on application. 
 
 •TOHTV WALDEN, 
 
 Mpif aifo dwmetcical Staircase 
 
 MANUFACTURER. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL CARVINGS & FITTINGS 
 
 OP EVERY DESCRIPTION. 
 
 Air-tight Cases, Greenhouses, Conservatories 
 &e. &e. 
 
 Designs § Estimates given for all kinds of the above work. 
 12, MAIDEN" LANE, CO VENT GARDEN, LONDON, W.C. 
 
OHUKCH EMBKOIDEEY ADVEETISEE. 
 
 7 
 
 F. W. CATT, 
 
 197 and 198, SLOANE STREET, S.W., 
 
 Designs & Materials for Church Embroidery, Trimmings, Fringes, Tassels, &c. 
 ALL KINDS OF GOLD AND SILVER TRIMMINGS. 
 
 IKEBlIWOffiK MOOTTEID. 
 
 Importer of French Jewellery, Beads, Buttons, Dress and Mantle Trimmings, &c. 
 
 €SW&<SS lllMWill. 
 M. & J. KEID, 
 
 131b, OXFOBD STREET, (Four doors West of Holies Street). 
 gJms Hags, Stole*, WzstmuxtB, gJtta ptrar, ^Itar gxtmtuh, #t., 
 
 Executed in careful workmanship, and supplied complete at moderate prices ; or 
 Designs and Materials furnished for Ladies' own working. 
 WORK FINISHED & MADE UP. 
 Prices, Patterns, and any information, on application to 
 
 The MISSES REID, 131b, Oxford Street, London, W. 
 
 H. WEST & CO., 
 OPTICIANS AND SPECTACLE MAKERS, 
 
 3, CO^ZEZtsTTIR/Y - STREET, W. 
 
 (Late op 41, STRAND.) 
 
 H. W. & Co. return thanks for past favours, and call the attention of their Patrons to their 
 Selection of SPECTACLES and OPERA GLASSES ; also to remind them that they continue 
 to supply Spectacles for giving away to the Poor, at very low prices. 
 
 HENRY J. BELL & CO., 
 
 {Late Dwerrihouse, Carter, Ogston, & Belt), 
 
 WATGH & OLOOK MAKERS, 
 131, Mount Street, Berkeley Square, W. 
 
 ESTABLISHED 1760. 
 
 NOTICE OF 1 J E M O V A JL.. 
 
 MURRAY and SON, Blindmakers to Her Majesty, 
 
 Have REMOVED from ALBERT GATE to 
 
 90, BROMPTON ROAD, KNIGHTSBRIDGE. 
 
 ESTABLISHED 1804. 
 
8 
 
 CHURCH EMBROIDERY ADVERTISER. 
 
 ST. PAUL S WATERPROOF WAREHOUSE, 
 
 LADIES' CLOAKS AND HOODS, 
 RIDING AND YACHTING JACKETS, 
 
 NURSERY SHEETING, NURSING APRONS, CRIB SHEETS, 
 
 AIR AND WATER CUSHIONS, REDS AND PILLOWS, 
 
 Portable Baths, Sponge Bags, Hot Water Bottles. 
 Wiitev Beds Lent on Hire. 
 
 G. R. WOOLGAR AND CO., 7, LUDGATE HILL, 
 
 LONDON. 
 
 THOMAS PRATT AND SONS, 
 
 Clerical and General Tailors, Inventors and Sole Manufacturers of 
 
 Price, in Case, 25s. complete. 
 Eucharistic Vestments, Community Clothing, Priests' Cloaks and Clerical 
 Inverness Capes, in Waterproof Serge, and other "Woollen Cloths. 
 
 MEBIHYAIi MIT WOII, A2LTAM I1U1IIT1IJ1B, lU'.BISB, &C. 
 
 Good Black Cloth Clerical Suits from £3 18s. Figured Silk Orphreys from Qd. per Yard. 
 
 A Large Stock of Vestments, Albs, Surplices, and Cassocks, ready 
 for immediate use. 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL BHOW EOOMgg 
 
 OXFORD HOUSE, 14, SUSSEX ST., PIMLIOO. 
 
 i Near St. Gabriel's Church, Warwick Square, S.W.) 
 
 MONOGRAMS 
 
 MORING, HERALDIC ARTIST, 
 
 %\\)s € ngrafer on Seals, Jtts, ■& grasses. 
 
 OFFICIAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL SEALS, DIES, AND PRESSES. 
 DESK SEALS OF METAL AND STONE, GOLD AND SILVER PENCIL 
 CASES AND GOLD SEALS. 
 
 SOLID GOLD RING, ENGRAVED CREST or MONOGRAM, £2 2s. 
 
 Crest Die,! s. Crest on Seal, 8s. Arms Sketched, 3s. 6c?. plain ; 
 7s. coloured; 21s. on vellum. 
 
 testimonials 44, HIGH HOLBORN, W.O. 
 
 on vellum. ILLUSTRATED PRICE LIST POST FREE. 
 
CHURCH EMBROIDERY ADVERTISER. 
 
 9 
 
 FOR ALL WHO COURT 
 
 THE 
 
 GAY AND FESTIVE SCENES 
 
 THE FOLLOWING ARE INDISPENSABLE : — 
 
 ROWLANDS' MACASSAR OIL 
 
 Is a delightfully Fragrant and Transparent Preparation for 
 the Hair, and as an Invigorator and Beautifler beyond all 
 precedent. Price 3s. 6d., Is., 10s. 6d., equal to four small, 
 and 21s. per bottle. 
 
 ROWLANDS' KALYDOR, 
 
 for the SKIN and COMPLEXION, is unequalled for its Rare and Inestimable Qualities. The Radiant 
 Bloom it imparts to the Cheek, the Softness and Delicacy which It induces of the Hands and Arms, its 
 capability cf soothing Irritation and removing cutaneous defects, render it indispensable to every Toilet. 
 Price 4s. 6& and 8s. 6d. per Bottle. 
 
 ROWLANDS' ODONTO, 
 
 or PEARL DENTIFRICE, for Preserving and Beautifying the Teeth, Strengthening the Gums, and 
 for giving a Pleasing Fragrance to the Breath. It eradicates Tartar from the Teeth, removes spots of 
 incipient decay, and polishes and preserves the Enamel, to which it imparts a Pearl-like Whiteness. 
 Price 2s. 9d. per Box. Sold by Chemists and Perfumers. 
 
 *** Ask for ' Rowlands' ' articles. 
 
 gis foorn fag P*r $cgal jpigjpwss % prnrass of SStaks. 
 
 This elegant Jewel is one of the most beautiful Ornaments for a Lady's wear : it is filled 
 with an everlasting perfume, which unceasingly emits a delightful fragrance. 
 
 Price 5s. 6d. post free ; in Solid Fine Gold, Two Guineas, 
 
 IS CELEBRATED IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD 
 
 For Restoring- and. Beautifying- the Hair. 
 
 Price Is. 6d. per Bottle ; Post free, Twenty-four Stamps. 
 
 FELIX SULTANA & CO., ROYAL PERFUMERS, 23 POULTRY, LON DON, E.C. 
 
 MADAME VALERY'S NEOLIN HAIR WASH 
 
 For Infallibly restoring GREY HAIR to its natural colour in Two or Three Weeks. In 
 proof, Madame Valeky requires no payment until successful, in those cases treated by herself. 
 In Bottles, price 8s. 6d. 
 Of most respectable Chemists, and Wholesale of the leading Trade Houses. 
 See Madame Valeey's Treatise on the Hair, post free, Is. 
 
 46 "Wigmore Street, Cavendish Square, London, W. 
 DOES YOUR HAIR FALL OFF? 
 
 ii If so, use the Botanical Extract (an effectual remedy), 3s. 6d., 5s., 10s. 6d„ 15s., and 21s. 
 
 IF YOUR HAIR IS GREY 
 
 Use the Restorative Fluid (not a Dye), a gradual but certain remedy. 5s., 10s. 6d., and 21s. 
 Those who have Weak Hair, and ate anxious to avoid Baldness, should try Mrs. Taylor's 
 improved system of Hair Cutting. Ladies and Gentlemen attended at their own Residences. 
 
 TAYLOR, Hair Restorer, 61 Berners St., Oxford St. 
 
10 
 
 CHURCH EMBROIDERY ADVERTISER. 
 
 THE 'EXCELSIOR* PRIZE MEDAL 
 
 Sewing and Embroidering Machine, 
 
 WITH ALL THE LATEST IMPROVEMENTS, 
 
 F O K EVERY HOME. 
 
 THE CHEAPEST, SIMPLEST, AND BEST. 
 
 Easy to operate, simple to learn, — and not liable to 
 derangement. Sews from two ordinary reels, — requires no 
 re-winding, — and the seam, if cut at every inch, will not 
 rip. 
 
 Is eminently adapted for FAMILY Sewing. 
 Will Hem, Fell, Stitch, Gather, Quilt, Braid, and EM- 
 BROIDER, in a veiy superior manner, the most elaborate 
 designs with wonderful rapidity. 
 
 PRICE SIX GUINEAS. (Lists Free.) 
 
 ' We can from experience recommend the " Excelsior." * 
 Young Ladies' Journal. 
 
 143, HOLBORN BARS, LONDON, E.O. 
 
 Manufactory ; Gipping Works, Ipswich, 
 
 OLDBIDGE'S BALM OF COLUMBIA 
 
 IFOR* TEE HAIR. 
 
 THIS valuable preparation has been acknowledged for the last forty years to be the best and only 
 effectual Remedy ever produced for Restoring the Hair. 
 It STRENGTHENS and NOURISHES, exerting a healthy influence, and occasioning an ample and 
 luxuriant growth of the Hair :— PRESERVES where the Hair is already full ; RESTORES when weak or 
 falling off; BEAUTIFIES and gives a rich and beautiful appearance ; and CLEANSES the Hair from 
 Dandriff. 
 
 The NURSERY. — The peculiar mildness of the Balm, the action of which can be regulated at 
 discretion, specially suits Infancy and Childhood. No well-regulated Nursery can dispense with it. 
 
 Price 3s. 6d„ 6s., and lis. per bottle. No other prices are genuine. Sold wholesale and retail. 
 
 C. and A. OLDRIDGE'S BALM, 22, "Wellington Street, seven doors North of the Strand. 
 
 Testimonials will prove the efficacy of this Balm when every other specific has failed; and for 
 promoting the Growth of the Whiskers or Moustachios it will be found equally as effectual. 
 
 JOHNSON, SIMPSON, AND SIMONS, 
 
 (M*r, Silbxr, uvfo Silk (BmhxoxismxB, 
 
 O and. lO, Little Britain, London, 
 
 MANUFACTURERS OF 
 
 GOLD AND SILVEE PASSINGS, BULLIONS, BOUGH, SMOOTH, AND 
 CHECK PUBLS, SPANGLES, CONCAVES, &c, 
 
 FOR EVERY DESCRIPTION OF EMBROIDERY. 
 
CHUEOH EMBEOIDEKY ADVEETISEE. 
 
 11 
 
 CHAPMAN & HALL'S LIST. 
 
 UP AND DOWN THE LONDON STREETS. By Mark Lemon. 
 
 With 75 Illustrations. Demy 8vo. 12s. 
 
 CHURCH EMBROIDERY, ANCIENT AND MODERN. With 
 
 numerous Examples. By Anastasia Dolby. Fcap. 4to. 12s. 
 
 STUDIES IN CONDUCT: Short Essays from the Saturday Beview. 
 
 Post 8vo. 7s. 6d. 
 
 OWEN MEREDITH'S POETICAL WOEKS. First Vol. of a New 
 
 Edition, containing ' Clytemiiestra,' and * Poems Lyrical and Descriptive.' Fcp. 8vo. 6s. 
 
 LIFE OF HOLBEIN. By Ralph N. Wornum, Author of 'The 
 
 Epochs of Painting,' &c. With Portrait and numerous Illustrations. Imperial 8vo. 31s. 6d. 
 
 THE GAY SCIENCE. Essays towards a Science of Criticism. By 
 
 E. S. Dallas. 2 vols. Demy 8vo. 28s. 
 
 LIFE AND TIMES OF FRANCOIS-MARIE AROUET, calling him- 
 
 self VOLTAIRE. By Francis Espinasse. Vol. I. — From his Birth to his Arrival in England, 
 1694—1726. Demy 8vo. 16s. 
 
 POLYNESIAN REMINISCENCES ; or, Life in the South Pacific 
 
 Islands. By W. T. Pritchard, F.R.GJ3., F.A.S.L., formerly H.M. Consul at Samoa and Fiji. With 
 Illustrations, and a Preface by Dr. Seemann. Demy 8vo. 16s. 
 
 THE PRINCE OF THE FAIR FAMILY ; a Fairy Tale. By Mrs. 
 
 S. C. Hall. With numerous Illustrations by E. M. Ward, R.A., Mrs. E. M. Ward, Noel Paton, 
 R.S.A., Kennt Meadows, W. J. Allen, W. J. Coleman, &c. 12s. 
 
 A SELECTION FROM THE POETRY OF ELIZABETH BARRETT 
 
 BROWNING. With a New Portrait, and an Engraving of Casa Guidi. Second Edition. Crown 8vo. 
 10s. 6d. 
 
 THE VEGETABLE WORLD. By Louis Figuier. Translated from 
 
 the French. With 47 1 Illustrations, drawn chiefly from Nature, by M. Faqtjet. Demy 8vo. 20s. 
 
 THE WORLD BEFORE THE DELUGE. By Louis Figuier. With 
 
 233 Illustrations. Corrected from the Fifth French Edition. Second Edition. Revised and enlarged 
 by H. W. Bristow, F.R.S., of the Geological Survey of England and Wales. Demy. 16s. 
 
 ROBERT BROWNING'S POETICAL WORKS. Fourth Edition. 
 
 3 vols. Fcp. 8vo. 22s. 6d. With a Photographic Portrait. 
 
 ROBERT BROWNING'S DRAMATIS PERSONS. 2nd Edition. 
 
 Crown 3vo. 8s. 6d. 
 
 W. N. MOLESWORTH'S HISTORY OF THE REFORM BILL 
 
 OF 1832. Second Edition. Demy 8vo. 10s. 6d. 
 
 T. ADOLPHUS TROLLOPE'S HISTORY OF THE COMMON- 
 WEALTH OF FLORENCE. 4 vols. Demy 8vo. 31. 
 
 W. HEP WORTH DIXON'S HOLY LAND. 2nd Edition. 2 vols. 
 
 Demy 8vo. With Illustrations. 24s. 
 
 LORD WILLIAM LENNOX'S DRAFTS ON MY MEMORY. 2 vols. 
 
 Demy 8vo. 28s. 
 
 CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY. 
 
12 
 
 CHURCH EMBKOIDERY ADVERTISER. 
 
 READING'S INVALID COT CARRIAGES. 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 READING'S IMPROVED CARRIAGES are the greatest comfort ever introduced for the 
 removal of Invalids. They are fitted with the Patent Noiseless Wheels, and are let on 
 moderate terms for any journey. 
 
 H. & J. EEADING,' 
 
 RIDING HOUSE STREET, LANGHAM PLACE, W. 
 
 A Choice Selection of Broughams and Fashionable Carriages for Sale or Hire. 
 
 CHARLES DICKENS. 
 
 die ap sxiid Uniform. Edition. 
 
 Handsomely printed in Crown Octavo, Cloth, with Frontispiece. 
 
 1. 
 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
 5. 
 G. 
 7. 
 8. 
 9, 
 
 to. 
 
 11. 
 12. 
 18. 
 14. 
 15. 
 1(5. 
 17. 
 
 THE PICKWICK PAPERS 
 NICHOLAS NICKLEBY 
 MARTIN CHUZZLEWIT 
 DOMBEY AND SON . 
 DAVID COPPERFIELD 
 BLEAK HOUSE . 
 LITTLE DORRIT 
 BARNABY RUDGE . 
 OLD CURIOSITY SHOP 
 OLIVER TWIST . 
 SKETCHES by BOZ . 
 CHRISTMAS BOOKS . 
 GREAT EXPECTATIONS 
 A TALE OF TWO CITIES 
 AMERICAN NOTES . 
 THE UNCOMMERCIAL TRAVELLER 
 HARD TIMES, and PICTURES FROM ITALY 
 
 8. d. 
 5 
 
 3 6 
 
 3 6 
 
 3 
 
 2 6 
 
 CHAPMAN AND HALL, PICCADILLY, W. 
 
CHURCH EMBROIDERY ADVERTISER. 
 
 is 
 
 SANSFLECTUM CRINOLINES. 
 
 THE PATENT SANSFLECTUM 
 JUPON. 
 
 17s. 6c?. and 20s. 
 
 THE GEMMA JUPON. 
 
 12s. 6d. and 15s. 6c?. 
 
 THE POMPADOUR 
 JUPON. 
 
 Made of Horse-hair and India- 
 rubber tubing. 
 25s. 
 
 THOMSON'S 
 PLASTiaUE 
 JUPON. 
 
 ios. erf. | 
 
 2\ yards round. 
 
 THE DEMI-SANSFLECTUM. 
 
 No Steels at the Waist. 
 15s. 6c?. and 17s. 6c?. 
 
 THE DEMI-GEMMA JUPON 
 
 10s. 6d. and 14s. 6c?. 
 2\ and 2\ yards round. 
 
 FRENCH WOVE 
 CORSETS. 
 
 12s. 6c?. 
 
 EIDERDOWN 
 PETTICOATS. 
 
 70s. 
 
 ARCTIC 
 DOWN. 
 
 21s. 
 
 The dress falls in graceful folds.' — Morning Post. 
 
 'The rage for expansive skirts is gradually 
 diminishing, and the acknowledged leaders of 
 fashion are now adopting a more moderate form 
 of crinoline. Some ladies, it may be observed, have 
 totally discarded the jupon, but the effect produced 
 is rather peculiar than graceful, and such a decided 
 change is scarcely likely at present to commend 
 itself for general adoption. It is, in our opinion, a 
 great mistake to verge into extremes at the mere 
 indication of a change in la mode. Fashion varies 
 by almost imperceptible degrees, and every fresh 
 style that is Introduced, in order to be successful, 
 should be an improvement on its Immediate pre- 
 decessor. With this fact in view, Mr. Addley 
 Bourne, the well-known jupon manufacturer of 
 Piccadilly, has introduced a New Crinoline, which 
 he appropriately styles " The Demi." It is elegant 
 in form, moderate in proportion, and in every 
 respect admirably adapted to the present require- 
 ments of fashion.' — Court Journal, Jan. 19, 1867. 
 
 'Is the reign of crinoline over? No — 
 decidedly no ; it has only changed its form. 
 More moderate in its proportions, it is now 
 more than ever indispensable to an elegant 
 toilette.' — La Revue des Modes, Sept. 1866. 
 
 ' Crinoline is not dead ; it is modified.' — 
 Figaro, Oct. 1866. 
 
 ' No modest woman should venture into 
 the streets of Paris, on foot, without crino- 
 line.' — Revue Illustree, Oct. 8, 1866. 
 
 ' " To-morrow," we are always told, " crino- 
 line goes out of fashion ;" that to-morrow 
 will be long coming.' — Petit Courrier des 
 Dames, Oct. 6, 1866. 
 
 Illustrations of Crinolines, Corsets, Petticoats, and Ladies' Under-clothing, gratis and post-free. 
 
 ADDLEY BOURNE (late Philpott), 
 
 <f amilg $raper, Ittpon # €oxut Parrufaxiurer to % €smxt & $0gai Jfamilg, 
 37, PICCADILLY, Opposite St. James's Church, W. 
 
14 
 
 CHURCH EMBROIDERY ADVERTISER. 
 
 JOSEPH GILLOTT, 
 
 HWallk |pw Utoker to % %eeit, 
 
 ~DEGS to inform the Commercial World, Scholastic 
 Institutions, and the Public generally, that, by a novel appli- 
 cation of his unrivalled machinery for making Steel Pens, he has 
 introduced a NEW SERIES of bis useful productions, which, for 
 
 EXCELLENCE OF TEMPER, QUALITY OF MATERIAL, and, above all, CHEAPNESS 
 
 in price, must ensure universal approbation, and defy competition. 
 
 Each Pen bears the impress of his name as a guarantee of quality ; 
 they are put up in boxes containing one gross each with label outside, 
 and the fac-simile of his signature. 
 
 At the request of numerous persons engaged in tuition, J. G. has 
 introduced his 
 
 WARRANTED SCHOOL AND PUBLIC PENS, 
 
 which are especially adapted to their use, being of different degrees 
 of flexibility, and with fine, medium, and broad points suitable for the 
 various kinds of writing taught in schools. 
 
 Sold retail by all Stationers and Booksellers. Merchants and 
 Wholesale Dealers can be supplied at the Works, (iraham Street, 
 Birmingham; at 91, John Street, New York, and at 37, Gracechurch 
 Street, London. 
 
mm