PRACTICE IN WEAVING

Materials— A long-eyed needle, a knot of split zephyr, a sharp-pointed lead-pencil, and a two and an eighth inch square of cardboard.

Lattice-work—

1. Turn to the measure (page 13).

2. On one side of the cardboard half-an-inch from the end, and one-fourth of an inch from the edge, make a dot with the pencil.

3. On a line with this dot, make nine more clots exactly one-eighth of an inch apart.

4. Mark the opposite side with dots exactly parallel to the other dots.

5. Make a knot in the zephyr and work across the cardboard from dot to dot (Fig. 63), having the stitches on the under side one-eighth of an inch long.

6. Weave across these threads by taking up and passing over a thread alternately (Fig. 63). Take a number of threads on the needle at once.

7. Make the second row by taking up those threads, which were passed over before.

8. When the row is finished, leave a short loop of the zephyr at the opposite end, and holding it firmly, draw the zephyr until it is straight.

9. Continue in this manner, always taking up the threads passed over in the previous row.

Suggestion— Coarse canvas can be used instead of cardboard, and in the place of zephyr, a small cord or coarse thread can be used.

STOCKINET DARNING

Materials— A long-eyed needle, No. 7 needle, No. 50 thread, scissors, a small spool of embroidery silk, a piece of cardboard or heavy paper three inches long and two and a half inches wide, and a piece of woolen stockinet, cut four inches lengthwise by a rib of the stockinet, and three inches and a half across.

Stockinet darning—

1. Place the cardboard on the wrong side of the stockinet, leaving half-an-inch at each side to be folded over the cardboard.

2. Baste one of the lengthwise edges of the stockinet, having it foldedexactly by a rib.

3. Drawing the stockinet smoothly across, fold the opposite side by a rib, and baste.

4. Fold and baste the ends.

5. In the centre of the stockinet, cut a circle, three-fourths of an inch in diameter.

6. Holding the stockinet lengthwise, begin at the right side, half-an-inch from the edge of the circle (Fig. 64, a).

7. Pointing the large needle from you, take two stitches, leaving half-an-inch of the end of the silk to be cut off afterwards.

8. With the needle pointing towards you, make the next row of three stitches, taking up the threads of the stockinet, that were passed over in the preceding row.

9. So continue, making each row a little longer at both top and bottom, as in Fig. 64, till the centre of the circle is reached; then decrease in the same proportion (Fig. 64).

10. Be careful to put the needle through the loops of the stockinet, at the edge of the circle.

11. Cross the darn in the same manner, making perfect lattice-work, (Fig. 64).

Suggestions— The stockinet is put on the cardboard to keep it in place while being worked, and silk is used that the stitches may be easily seen, and also that the lesson may be interesting. In mending a stocking, hold the work across three fingers of the left hand. A darning ball can be used, which prevents the fingers from being pricked, but it is apt to stretch the stocking and the darn. The darning can be done on either side of the stocking, and should be worked as far as the stocking shows signs of weakness; it should first be worked vertically and parallel to the ribs of the stocking. Loops of about one-sixteenth of an inch can be left at each end, to provide for shrinkage; stretching the darn slightly, when it is finished, will take up these loops.

The edge of a darn must never be made on one thread, as a single thread is not strong enough to bear the strain; a diamond or oval shape is better. It is wise to darn a thin place before a hole appears. In mending a large hole, draw out the rough ends, and, using a fine needle and thread, bring the loops or threads as near as possible to their proper position. To retain the proper shape of a large darn, begin the crossing at the middle instead of the end. The darning yarn should correspond in color and quality to the stocking. If too coarse a yarn is used, a hard bunch is made.

· For what is stockinet darning used?

· How should the stockinet be held?

· Where should the darning begin?

· How is the first row made?

· How is the second row made? How continue?

· What care should be taken at the edge of the circle?

· How should a darn be crossed?

· In mending a stocking how should the work be held?

· What are the best shapes for darning?

GRAFTING

Grafting is joining two pieces of stockinet in such a manner, as to render the joining invisible.

Materials— A long-eyed needle, two pieces of coarse stockinet, and yarn the quality and color of the stockinet.

Grafting—

1. Ravel the two edges that are to be joined, until the loops are perfectly even and clear.

2. Place the edges together, so that the loops of one are exactly opposite the corresponding openings of the other (Fig. 65).

3. Holding the right side towards you, work from right to left.

4. Fasten the end of the yarn, by darning it in and out on the wrong side of the stockinet.

5. Inserting the needle in an upper loop (Fig. 65, a), bring it out in the next loop (Fig. 65, b).

6. Inserting the needle in the under loop (Fig. 65, c) opposite the last upper loop, bring it out in the next loop (Fig. 65, d).

7. Continue, taking two upper loops, then two under loops, using one new loop each time, which will cause the needle to be inserted twice in each loop.

8. Fasten the yarn, by darning it in and out on the wrong side.

Swiss-darning—The stitches in Swiss-darning are taken in a manner similar to grafting, and are worked over the stitches in the stockinet, to strengthen a thin place.

Suggestions— A patch in stockinet can be put in almost invisibly as follows : cut a square or oblong hole in the stockinet, carefully, by a thread, and ravel the sides until the loops are even; cut the patch, by a thread, the exact size of the hole, and clear the loops; graft in the top and lower edges, and Swiss-darn the side edges together, working over four or five stitches at each side of the joining.

· What is grafting? What is first done?

· How are the edges placed together?

· How are the stitches taken?

· How are the stitches taken in Swiss darning?

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 646