Page:Embroidery and Fancy Work.djvu/296

292 work a wooden frame about the size and shape of the mat you propose making, with rows of pegs or large pins inserted at the top and bottom. Common seine twine can be used, the size to be chosen to suit your taste. Double the string and wind it up and down the frame in the pegs until it is quite full. Now thread a small packing needle with the twine, using it double, and darn in and out of the strands, over two, and under two. Cut the twine off at the end of each line of darning. When the whole is darned, brush the back well over with thick paste while the mat is still in the frame, and let it get thoroughly dry. Have ready a piece of mill board cut to the required shape and covered on one side with cambric or merino. Cut the plait work to lit the foundation, and baste the edges firmly to the mill board, binding with ribbon or tape to match the lining. To finish the mat plait nine strands in a three plait braid and sew over the binding. If the plait work is heavy enough, the mill-board can be dispensed with. Two or more colors can be used in the work thus producing a checkered pattern. Cross work patterns can also be worked on them.

TO TRANSFER COLORED PLATES TO GLASS.

Very pretty transparencies can be made by carefully transferring good colored plates to glass, by the following process:

Lay a smooth, thin coat of Venice turpentine on the glass, and then take the print and wet it on the back with a sponge dipped in water. Make it moist enough to render the picture soft, without being watery. Lay the picture, face downwards, on the turpentine, now carefully rub the paper away on the back with the fingers. If the paper dries too much before it is finished, it must be wetted again. When all the paper is worked off, let it dry, and with a fine camel's hair brush, lay a