Indian Floss Silk Embroidery

As described in The Dictionary of Needlework: An Encyclopedia of Artistic, Plain, and Fancy Needlework, 1887, By SFA Caulfeild and Blanche C. Saward.

Indian Floss Silk Embroidery is work executed upon black or white net with white or colored floss silks, and is an imitation of the Floss Silk Embroidery made by the natives of India. From the nature of the materials used, the Embroidery should not be subject to much wear and tear, but it is not difficult of execution, is extremely Oriental in appearance, and is suitable for brackets and mantelboards and evening dress trimmings.

To Work: Trace out upon pink calico an Oriental design, composed of conventional leaves and flowers, and work out the design as in ordinary Satin Stitch Embroidery. Tack down to the calico black or white net, and cover the pattern over with a series of long Satin Stitches worked in floss silk. Insert the needle in the lower part of a leaf, and carry the stitch up to the top of the leaf, here twist the needle around one mesh of the net just to hold the silk, and carry the silk back to the lower part of the leaf on the upper side of the net, so that none of the silk is wasted at the back of the work.

Work long Satin Stitches in this manner over all the pattern, slanting them outwards when forming the petals of flowers, and curving and sloping them, when by doing so the lines of the designs are more fully indicated.

Work large leaves, not from the top to the bottom, as before mentioned, but with two lines of stitches radiating from the center vein, and stems with a number of short slanting stitches. Designs in cream white floss silk are more Oriental in appearance than those into which colors are introduced.



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