SORRENTO BARS (No. 8). These are bars which occur most frequently in
Italian lace. They are simply twisted threads, so closely entwined
that they only appear as one. They also are frequently radiated, and
crossed; the effect produced will be seen in the accompanying diagram.
DOTTED VENETIAN BARS (No. 9). A bar of threads is made, as for a
common Venetian bar. Do on it six stitches, and instead of drawing the
seventh tight, hold the top by sticking a needle through it and the
paper, about the tenth of an inch, and work on the threads of the loop
three button-hole stitches. Do six more on the bar, and repeat.
VENETIAN EDGING, VENETIAN BARS, EDGED VENETIAN BARS, SORRENTO BARS.
RALEIGH BARS (No. 10). Make a bar of threads, as for Venetian bars,
and work on it about eight stitches. At the ninth, instead of bringing
up the needle through the loop to form another button-hole, slip it
under the bar, and bring it up on the right-hand side, leaving a loop
of thread about two inches long, which you will hold down with your
thumb, to keep it in its place. Now twist your needle six times under
the right hand thread of this loop; draw it up, when it will make a
knot, and slip the needle through it, above the bar, to continue the
process. It may be observed that when this bar forms a part of the
foundation of a piece of point, only two of these dots are generally
seen on it, and they are placed near each other, almost in the centre
of the bar.
POINT D'ALENÇON (No. 11). This is only common herring-bone stitch,
with the needle twisted once or oftener under the thread of each
stitch, according as the space to be filled is narrow or wide.
SPANISH POINT (No. 12). This is the raised stitch which gives the
peculiarly rich appearance to all the Spanish lace. A certain
thickness of soft cotton is tacked down on the lace, in the form
desired, and this is covered closely with button-hole stitch, edged
with Raleigh dots, or with small loops. It is to be noticed that this
is not attached to the lace by the button-hole stitches, but only by
the thread which tacks down the soft cotton, so that it can be picked
off without injury. The button-hole stitches must be worked very
smoothly, and quite close together.
ROSETTE (No. 13). This is exactly like a spider's web, worked on
three, four, or more threads, according to the shape of the space
intended to be filled. Begin by making a Sorrento bar across the
space, from one point to the opposite; then a second one, slipping the
needle under the first in going, and over it in twisting back; then do
a third, or fourth, if necessary; but when you have twisted back to
the centre of the last, make the rosette, leaving the half bar single.
The rosette is done by passing the needle under two threads, then
continuing to slip it under two, the first of which is always the last
of the previous two, until you have made the spot a sufficient size,
when you finish the last bar, by twisting down to the braid, and
fastening off. The size of the space must be the guide for that of the
rosette; but from six to ten times round a centre is an average.
