CLEVER EMBROIDERY WORK.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 62, 6 December 1907, Page 3

CLEVER EMBROIDERY WORK.

A writer in an Australian paper recently, complained' that so fow women understand the artistic value of embroidery on presentday gowns, and truly , it is matter for '•wonder that justjnow, when" the fashions, and the desire for picturesque gowns afford such scope for the use of embroidery, more women do not take advantage' of this easy method of imparting that touch of individuality which is.the soul of good dressing The effect of Mount Mcllick embroidery qri' ( white 'linen we thoroughly, understand, and .we have seen, several embroidered'box'robes in the shops, so we a'ro aware of the charms of a conventional wreathed. ,pattcrn worked lightly in pastel shades on .coloured taffeta. But just there our ideas as to embroidery usually stop short, and yet there. is a wide field through which they might range. For. instance, how. charming would be a design of purple irises worked on white silk, or, to quote another instance, a running design in delicate shades on nar-' row strips of tussore silk. Of course, it is not'everyone who has the skill to do this* work, or who, having the skill, possesses the necessary leisure, but they may, nevertheless, take great pleasure in the artistic work done by others. : '. . I had an opportunity recently of inspecting some very effective pieces of .work done by Mrs. Hardy, of Aurora, Terrace. Ono was an embroidery on a gown of soft thick cream silk. This had round the hem, and- coming far up the front breadth, a design of wheat .cars worked in gold silk and thin gold thread with outline in - black. The design was repeated on the front of tho bodice, and a double row of French knots in gold finished the hem and tho shoulder capes.! Another handsome frock was'.of dove-coloured cloth with wide pannier in-tho front worked in a .very beautiful bold floral design, with.green leaves and flowers in shades of v pink. - A muslin frock was embroidered on the bodice with ,a design of marguerites and small blue flowers. Of-course, this sort of thine; lends itself to infinite variation, according to the taste of the wearer and the designer, and that is whero tho especial charm comes in. Thero were specimens of embroidery applied to other uses, dainty blotters with embroidered covers, and, what was more attractive, embroidered covors of silk or linen for bound books. It is a grand idea to havo a separate cover for one's favourite and most used book, and one could spend a day choosing appropriate covers for special books, "The Idylls of the King," for instance.. How would they be done, with a design showing a sword and shield ? Ono could havo, as Burne-Jones did, the coats of arms of several of the knights, fcr take tho cover that Elaine worked for Lancelot's shield. The Rubaiyat would bo suitably clad in a green cover avith a briar rose design in memory of the briar that overhung the poet's grave, and of tho perfume of the poem, or sun, moon and stars might be introduced into a design of foliage. Suggestions of 'this sort would he a good ground to up upon, and .the designer could reject or modify at will.-