Isabella Beeton - Beeton's Book of Needlework

41.– Insertion in Tatting and Crochet .

Materials: Messrs. Walter Evans and Co.'s tatting cotton No. 40; crochet cotton No. 60; tatting-pin No. 2.

Begin the tatting with fine cotton and 2 shuttles. Work with the cotton on one shuttle over the cotton on the other in the following manner:–Knot the 2 ends of cotton together * 4 times 2 double divided by a short purl, 3 long purl divided by 1 double; the 1st and 3rd purl must be three-fifths of an inch long, the 2nd one two-fifths of an inch; 4 times 2 double divided by a short purl, 1 purl two-fifths of an inch long; repeat from * till the strip of insertion is sufficiently long. Then work a similar row of tatting, and join the two rows before working the 1 long purl, by fastening the cotton on the corresponding long purl of the 1st row, so that the 2 rows are joined closely together, and the purl stitches of either are turned outwards. At the top and bottom of the tatting work the 3 following rows of crochet:–* 1 double in the middle one of the 3 long purl, 8 chain, 1 double in each of the 3 following long purl, 8 chain; repeat from * to the end of the row. 2nd row. 8 double in each scallop, miss the 3 double stitches of the preceding row under 3 chain. The 3rd row consists of treble stitches in every other stitch, 1 chain after every treble. Lastly, the leaves are worked with thick cotton by filling up the first and last long purl of a pattern with darning stitch from illustration; the cross stitches between the two rows of tatting are worked with very fine cotton.

42.– Purse in Tatting and Beads .

Materials: Grey purse-silk; steel beads; scarlet glacé silk; a steel clasp with chain.

This purse is worked in tatting with grey silk and beads. The beads are threaded on a piece of silk, with which you work over another piece of the same. Begin each of the second halves of the purse with the circle in the centre, which consists of 1 purled stitch, 1 purl (all the purl of this circle are three-tenths of an inch long, and are covered with six beads, which must be drawn up close together before working the purl), 12 double divided by 1 purl. Join the stitches into a circle by knotting together the two ends of the silk.

2nd round: Begin again and work one of the small circles; * 2 double, draw up one bead after each, 1 double, 1 short purl without beads, 2 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double, fasten the silk on the purl of the middle circle, so as to let it come between the 3rd and 4th bead of the 6 beads on that purl; 2 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double, 1 short purl, 2 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double, join the stitches into a circle, draw up 2 beads; work a larger circle without fastening the silk belonging to the smaller one; 3 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double, 1 purl with 4 beads, 3 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double; 1 short purl, 3 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double, 1 purl with 4 beads, 3 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double; draw up 2 beads close to this large circle and repeat from *. Each following small circle must be fastened on the next purl of the circle which forms the centre; they are also fastened on to each other, instead of working the 1st purl, by fastening the piece of silk over which you work on the preceding small circle; in the larger circles, instead of working the 1st purl with 4 beads, the piece of silk must be fastened on the last purl of the preceding circle, so that it comes between the 2nd and 3rd beads. At the end of the round, the ends of the silk are knotted together and fastened off.

3rd round: * 3 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double, 1 short purl, 3 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double fastened on the middle purl of the 1st circle of the preceding round, 3 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double, 1 purl with 2 beads, 3 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double; join the stitches into a circle, and work at a short distance a 2nd circle; 3 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double, fastened on the last purl of the just-finished circle of this round, 3 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double fastened on the purl of the preceding round which is between 2 circles; the loop must come between the 2 beads; 3 double, 1 bead after each; 1 double, 1 purl with 2 beads; 3 double, with 1 bead after each; 1 double; leave a small interval, and repeat 11 times more from *, then fasten the ends.

When two similar parts have been worked, line them with scarlet glacé silk; fasten them together round the outside, and sew on the clasp. A round of large circles edges the purse round the outside. The 1st of these circles consists of 12 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double, 1 purl with 2 beads, 4 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double. Work a 2nd circle at a short distance from the 1st: * 4 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double fastened on the purl of the 1st circle of this round; 7 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double, 1 purl with 2 beads, 4 double, 1 bead after each, 1 double; leave a short interval, and repeat from * till a sufficient number of circles have been made. The last purl is not worked in the last circle.

43.– Insertion in Tatting and Crochet.

>Materials: Messrs. Walter Evans and Co.'s tatting cotton No. 40; crochet cotton No. 60; tatting-pin No. 3.

This pattern is composed of leaves and flowers. Each of the six leaves forming a circle is composed of 4 double, 2 purl, separated by 2 double, 4 double (the first and last purl of each leaf must be joined in the manner before explained), and the centre of each circle forms a wheel. The flower has four leaves: each leaf consists of 6 double, II purl, separated each by 1 double, and again 6 double; each leaf is filled up with button-hole stitches in fine cotton. To form the circle in the centre of this flower, turn several times the thread which joins the leaves, and work button-hole stitches round it. Join the flowers and the circles by knotting them together, or by making 1 purl longer than the others, and by drawing the next figure through. The crochet border on each side of the tatting consists of six rows, which are plainly seen in the illustration.

44.– Border in Tatting and Lace Stitch.

Materials: Messrs. Walter Evans and Co.'s tatting cotton No. 20 and 40.

This mixture of tatting and lace stitch is a style of work not only entirely new, but very pretty and effective when cotton of very different sizes is used. The tatting is begun with a row of circles two-thirds of an inch distant from each other; each circle consists of 13 stitches of plain tatting. Fasten a 2nd row to the 1st, and a 3rd to the 2nd, by working a circle of 13 stitches of plain tatting at one-third of an inch distance, * then at the same distance; fasten the cotton on the next circle of the preceding row, work a circle at the same distance again, and repeat from *. The cotton is fastened on the circles by drawing it through the circle with a crochet-needle, so as to form a loop, and then drawing it out of the loop. Take care to keep the distance between 2 circles always the same. Between the circles of the 3rd row draw another piece of cotton, by fastening the cotton on each circle of the 3rd row at distances of two-thirds of an inch. Then work the lower edge of the border in the following way:–1 small spot called a Josephine knot (for which work 5 stitches of plain tatting, draw the cotton downwards through the loop which fastens the stitches, and draw up the whole), fasten the cotton between the next two circles of the 3rd row, * and a little further make a spot consisting of 8 stitches of single tatting, close to this a circle formed of 3 double, 9 purl divided by 2 double, 3 double; then again a spot of 8 stitches of plain tatting, turn the 2 last spots so as to make their round sides come opposite one another; fasten the cotton on again between the 2 next circles of the 3rd row. Then a little further off work 1 small spot (5 stitches of plain tatting), 1 circle of 3 double, 1 purl, 2 double fastened on the last purl of the preceding circle, 2 double, 5 purl divided by 2 double, 3 double; then again a small spot (5 plain stitches), fasten the cotton on again between the next 2 circles of the 3rd row, and repeat from *, always fastening each new circle to the corresponding purl of the preceding one. On the other long side, the border is completed by 2 rows of crochet. The 1st row is formed by working 1 double under the piece of cotton between 2 circles of the 1st row, with 5 chain stitches between.