A rose design for an embroidered hatband. Nature should be copied

The colouring of the roses may be copied from Nature when possible, and their delicate light and shade faithfully reproduced in the shimmering strands of silk. It is a delight-ful hobby and study to follow the dictates of Nature herself, and to try to learn the secrets of her form and shading. Roses always look well when worked in satin-stitch, or one could use a Chinese idea, and work the entire rose in French knots in three shades of rose silk, thus obtaining a peculiarly raised and decorative effect.

Another even simpler and quicker method of embroidering would be to work the satin-stitch around the petals of the roses in two colours, allowing the centres of the flowers to show the sheen of the satin. The stems might also be worked in stem-stitch, whilst the leaves could be treated in the same manner. The veinings of both leaves and roses could be worked in small slanting stitches.

Finishing Off The Band

When the embroidery is completed, the width of satin should be turned in and herringboned on the wrong side in grey silk, or it could be finished off with a simple border in silk which exactly matches the satin. Bead edging or braid-stitch makes a pretty finish worked almost entirely upon the surface of the satin. A thick grey twisted silk would be most effective for this. The band may be finished off at the ends in the same manner.

There are some who may prefer to mount the satin on canvas before working; this would naturally make the embroidery stronger, and give a certain amount of stiffness to the satin. It should be carefully pressed on the wrong side with a cool iron.

The band is now ready to twist or fold around the hat as may best meet the needs and requirements of the wearer. It will be found a charming and effective mode of embellishing a smart hat; no other trimming is required.

Hatbands for Children's Hats

Another pretty idea would be an embroidered hatband for a white hat. The flowers could be worked on to a dull satin - malmaison carnations of the palest shades of pink would look admirable. A pale shade of pink - the palest coral colour - would certainly be most effective and beautiful as a background. The flowers might be worked in that most useful stitch for shaded work, " long and short stitch." The slender, curling leaves of the carnations could be worked in satin-stitch in the soft bluish greens one always associates with these beautiful flowers. When once this decorative band of embroidery has been completed, if it is not worn in a swathed band around the hat, a clever milliner could adjust it as a panel or fold adornment to suit the dictates of the latest fashion.

Charming hatbands for children's hats in a simpler form may be embroidered on a soft "Liberty" silk or satin. A pretty design is a chain of daisies on a dull silk ground of green, the daisies embroidered in white, with touches of green and gold, the stems in soft green. Conventional designs in the same colours as the silk fabric are also wonderfully effective, or simple spiral rings and French knots, with a kind of loop border in two shades of silk.

Indian muslin, with simple but charming results, may also be effectively embroidered for a summer hat - a conventional design worked in soft shades of blue and rose looks well when rather tightly stretched around the crown of a fine chip straw hat.

Chintz Flowers

Embroidered chintz flowers can be arranged to form a band or circle around the hat. Choose a cretonne with a design of Shirley poppies, rather full-blown flowers giving the best results. Embroider the centres of these flowers with silks which match the flowers exactly; work round the petals in stem-stitch, but not the outside edge of the flowers. French knots of gold may be introduced, if desired, or any stitches which the embroideress may wish to use, always taking care not to embroider the outside edge of any of the petals.

When this is finished take a sharp pair of scissors and cut the flowers out of the cretonne, one by one, right away from their foliage. It is best to have the hat ready, so that one can tell exactly how many flowers will be required. Take the largest poppy, and attach several others 'to its centre, leaving the edges free. They form one beautifully fluffy cretonne flower. Arrange the other poppies to overlap each other all the way around the hat. It is a most charming trimming - the effect of the embroidered flowers being both novel and beautiful. Cretonne roses could be used in the same manner, or any flower which would lend itself to such manipulation, provided the colouring is soft and delicate.