Balls for trimmings figs. 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841—Amongst the crochet patterns are two that are finished off with balls; to make these, begin by cutting a number of rounds of cardboard, two for every ball, with holes in the middle, fig. 836.

If you have a great many balls to make it is well worth your while providing yourself with a metal die of the proper size, to cut the rounds with.

Fig. 836. Balls for trimmings. Circle of cardboard.

Fig. 837. Balls for trimmings. Overcasting the circle of cardboard.

Fig. 838. Balls for trimmings. Cutting the stitches round the edge.

Fig. 839. Balls for trimmings. Putting in the loop.

Fig. 840. Balls for trimmings. Cutting out the cardboard.

Fig. 841. Ball completed with loop attached.

Lay two of these rounds together and cover them closely with stitches, fig. 837, using for this purpose Coton à tricoter D.M.C (knitting cotton) or Coton à repriser D.M.C (darning cotton).[A]

When the round is entirely covered, put the scissors in between the two circles of cardboard and cut open the stitches all round the outer edge, fig. 838; then draw a piece of thread between the two circles and knot it firmly round the stitches that meet in the centre hole, fig. 839; leave sufficiently long ends of thread hanging to form a loop by which the ball can afterwards be fastened to the heading of the fringe; when the stitches are knotted together you cut and pull out the cardboard, fig. 840, and snip the thread with your scissors until it becomes quite fluffy and the ball is perfectly round, as shown in fig. 841.

Tambour work figs. 842, 843, 844, 845—Since the introduction of the sewing machine, by means of which this charming kind of embroidery can be so quickly and easily executed, it has somewhat gone out of favour. As however, the fine patterns with a good deal of shading in them, can be far more accurately worked by hand than by machine, tambouring, which is in point of fact merely a form of crochet, has lately been revived. The piece of stuff on which the tambour work is to be done must be mounted on a frame.

Fig. 842. Thimble for tambouring.

Fig. 843. Tambour needle.

The loops which are made with a small hook, called a tambour needle, form a fine chain stitch and must be regular and even; to facilitate this a sort of thimble, fig. 842, is worn on the forefinger of the right hand, formed of a small plate of sheet brass, rolled up but not joined, so as to fit any finger; it is open at the top like a tailor’s thimble and has a little notch on the side which is placed above the nail, and in which you lay the tambour needle whilst you work. From the thimble being cut slightly slanting at the top, it follows that the inside where the two ends meet is a little shorter than the outside.

The thread is drawn through in a loop to the front of the work by means of the hook, whilst it is held at the back in the left hand, and when the needle is put downwards through the stuff, laid round it. The needle in its downward and upward passage, should be kept in the notch in the thimble and the stuff pressed down with the thimble, as the needle is drawn up to the surface of the work, fig. 844 below.