NO department of home ornamentation offers a wider range than Needle-Work. Each year the desire to increase the attractions of our homes, becomes greater. In many large cities societies of Decorative Art have been teaching ladies what real ornamentation means, and great progress has been made, as the demand for specimens and designs for needle-work and embroidery fully attest. It is needless to say that the embroidery of to-day is vastly superior to that of a few years ago, - that the glaring, unserviceable ornamentation of the past has given place to decoration of a more refined character, in which cultivated taste displays itself, while usefulness is not overlooked.

The real secret of beauty in home decoration does not depend so much upon the richness of materials used as upon their arrangement with reference to the principles of harmony and simplicity. [230]

The cardinal principles in work of this character should be usefulness and ornamentation combined.

Materials

The materials used as foundation work for embroidery-are varied, new ones being brought out every year; but the subjoined list will be found serviceable in the selection of such as are most popular and least changeable.

Materials of inferior quality should never be chosen. Labor expended on them never pays. The fabrics, of whatever material, should be firm, well woven, and devoid of irregularities. Inexpensive stuffs, when suitably treated and used for appropriate purposes, are just as desirable as more costly ones.

Flax Cloth

Unbleached brown linen is often used for chair covers, doylies, etc.

Canton Flannel, - Now known as Fashion Drapery, is used very much. It is double width, and may be found in a varietv of shades.

Momie Cloth - Is fifty inches wide, made of both cotton and wool, and varies from one to three dollars per yard.

Upholstery Felts - Are now much used instead of cloth for curtains, table-covers, lambrequins, portieres, etc. It is easy to work upon, and is made in a variety of beautiful shades, presenting the appearance of fine cloth at much less cost. Two yards wide, one dollar and a half per yard.

Bolton Sheeting - Is of a beautiful cream color, and improves with washing. It is much used in embroidery, and comes in very wide widths at one dollar per yard.

Plushes - Are costly materials. Cardinal, old gold, and peacock blue are the standard colors of this material; but a variety of other tints can be found. A beautiful new style is Ombree plush, shaded gradually from one side of the piece to the other, producing a charming effect in screens, panels, or anything which is of sufficient size to show the shading. Single width is four dollars and a half per yard, and upward.

Satin - Is furnished in a variety of beautiful colors, and is of great width, selling at six dollars and fifty cents per yard. Embroidery satin is known as Furniture Satin.

Crewels - Are made in all desirable tints. Fast colors, however, are found only in the best quality of crewels. These can be cleaned without fading, and are therefore especially for working on linen and flannel. In using crewel, it should be cut into short lengths, as long needlefuls pull the design out of shape.

Arasene - Is a kind of chenille, rich in appearance, and producing good effects. The work is done in the same way as with crewel, except that after working, the outlines are traced over with tinsel or gold cord, which adds greatly to the clearness and beauty of the design.

Embroidery Silks - Include several kinds; as, bobbin silk, purse silk, filoselle, all differing in quality and texture, - bobbin silk being used for satin, silk, or any fine material. Filoselle is manufactured of inferior silks, and hence costs less than purse and bobbin silk.

Beads

Cut steel beads, colored with transparent lacquers, allowing the metallic luster of the beads to show through, are one of the latest novelties in needle-work. A silk or linen thread is used to string them on, as many beads being strung on at each stitch as are necessary to give it the desired length. As they are made of many colors, the work can be very accurately shaded, the same stitch showing several shades.