Studio: international art (28.1903)

Some Experiments in Embroidery

bedspread worked by miss edith arnold

jewel-like preciousness to be gained by the con-
centrated use of gold and silver with jewels and
silks. There would be many dangers and many
difficulties, as well as much time not well lost,
in squandering the richer and more precious
effects over large surfaces; and so a reasonable
basis for a scheme seems to be to use the
simpler materials over the larger surfaces, and to
concentrate in certain focal points the precious-
ness of the effect. In considering the matter
from another point of view it may be as well to
note that it is desirable at the outset to decide
which of the three methods of decorative design
is to be followed. Whether the design is to be
(i) a dark pattern on a light ground, (2) a light
designed by m. h. baillie Scott pattern on a dark ground, or (3) a mosaic of tints

in which neither ground nor pattern are relieved.
In the first two methods an outline may or
better way, and points out a short cut which leads may not be used, but in the mosaic method it
to the same goal, which seems to suggest that the is almost essential, to bind together and har-
patient sacrifice which has been so admired may monise opposing tints. Combinations of all these
also be considered a little lacking in intelligence methods may be adopted in the same piece of work,
and reasonableness. such as the introduction of a special piece of back-

What is much to be desired in this as in other ground to relieve more forcibly some portion of the
arts is not so much evidence of patience as evi- design ; but it is important to have this fundamental
dence of the perception of beauty and an intelli- classification of methods clearly understood in
gent adaptation of means to ends. deciding on a scheme, and, before thinking in

What are the effects to be obtained by the colour, to think in light and shade,
needle which are peculiar, characteristic, and In applique work it seems important that the
essential, and which can be obtained in no other applied pieces should be as large as may be and
way ? That seems one of the first ques-
tions to be asked. If it is necessary to
compete with the painter, what can we
achieve with the needle that he cannot
achieve with his brush ?

There are many things. The sheen of
silk, the glitter of jewels, the gleam of
pearls, are not the least amongst them ;
and these jewels and pearls need not be
" real," for the imitation jewel is not only
cheaper, but generally quite as beautiful
as the far-fetched original, which by some
strange inconsistency is eagerly sought in
remote corners of the earth when it could
be quite easily manufactured at home.

It may be concluded that one of the
essential features of the art of the needle is
the display of the qualities of materials; and
in considering a scheme for embroidery
two ideas suggest themselves as the most
obvious amongst its many possibilities.
The first is the idea of breadth of effect

gained by the use of large pieces of mate-
■ 1 ' j xX. T.i ■ . . designed by m. h. baillie scott

rial applique, and the second the idea of cushion cover worked by miss milne

280