Page:Embroidery and Fancy Work.djvu/42

38 hue is the result. This difficulty is obviated by selecting for the ground work a dark shade of the same color as the pattern; and when this is almost invisible, its color becomes neutralized by the tints thrown upon it, and it gives the effect of black. When the pattern is variegated in color, this difficulty will not occur."

Great care must be used in working designs containing different colored flowers, to choose such as will harmonize with each other. The greens of the leaves also must be selected with regard to both the background and the colors used for the flowers. Thus, yellow and blue flowers should have the leaves worked in russets and brown-greens.

In shading, as has been intimated, no attempt should be made to give a rounded or realistic representation of the flower used in the design, but merely an indication of the varied shades of color, as in the rose for instance, which often varies from a deep pink to so delicate a tint that it is almost white. Great care must be taken to have whatever shading is employed, worked so that in no place can the point where one shade begins and another ends be perceived. In this matter everything depends on the skill and taste of the worker.

It is well in beginning such work to undertake only small pieces, such as chair backs, table scarfs, etc., so that discouragement may be avoided, and failures may not be so disastrous. But to a skilful and persevering worker it is well worth while to put the time and pains into one large piece of work, which is often frittered away on a vast number of smaller undertakings. The work is so durable, in fact improves so with age, the colors becoming mellow with time, that an enthusiastic work-woman may well feel she is working for posterity, as she bends over her portière, screen or curtain.

For convenience sake borders are often worked in strips, and afterwards applied to the foundation. In