Spiritural Flood-Tide

      "I stood on the coast of England, and looked out over a stretch of oozy slime and ill-smelling mud. There were the barges high and dry, lying on their side–no matter what cargo they carried or how skillful the captain, they were on the mud. It would have availed them nothing to heave the anchor or hoist the sail. And I thought, What is the remedy? Were it any use for the corporation to pass a by-law that every citizen should bring kettles filled with water, and pour it out upon the stretch of mud? 

      But as I watched I saw the remedy. God turned the tide. In swept the waters of the sea, and buried the mud, and then came the breath of sweetness and life. And it flowed in about the barges, and instantly all was activity. Then heave-ho with the anchor, then hoist the sails, then forth upon some errand of good. So it is that we stand looking out upon many a dreadful evil which fills us with dismay–drunkenness, gambling, sexual impurity. Is there any remedy? And the churches, so very respectable, but, alas, high and dry on the muddy beach–for these too, what is the remedy? We want the flood-tide–the gracious outpouring of the Spirit; then must come the roused and quickened churches, the Christians transformed into Christ-like men and women who shall demand righteousness."  Mark Guy Pearce. 

Divine Discontent

 An unidentified author writes thus of discontent:

When the world was formed and the morn-

ing stars

Upon their paths were sent,

The loftiest-browed of the angels was

named

The Angel of Discontent.

And he dwelt with man in the caves of the

hills,

Where the created serpent stings,

And the tiger tears and the she-wolf howls,

And he told of better things.

And he led man forth in the towered town,

And forth to fields of corn;

And he told of the ampler work ahead

For which the race was born.

And he whispers to men of those hills he sees

In the blush of the golden west;

And they look to the light of his lifted eye

And they hate the name of rest.

In the light of that eye doth the slave be-

hold

A hope that is high and brave,

And the madness of war comes into his 

blood

For he knows himself a slave.

The serfs of wrong in the light of that eye

March on with victorious songs;

For the strength of their right comes into

their hearts

When they behold their wrongs.

"Tis by the light of that lifted eye

That error's mists are rent--

A guide to the table-land of Truth

Is the Angel of Discontent.

And still he looks with his lifted eye,

And his glance is far away

On a light that shines on the glimmering

hills

Of a diviner day.

Collar Design in Bulgarian Embroidery

       I am furnishing you a pretty design today. the very name of which will call to your mind the peasantry of the Balkan Mountains who are noted for their remarkable skill in completing some of the handsomest embroidery of historical beauty. It is their aim and delight to use a great many colors, intermingling them in a manner so clever that one color blends like a shadow into its adjoining part.
      For this pattern I suggest for the center pieces, or floral motif, the different shades of blue, ranging it from pale blue to a china or phenol blue, or begin the wheel center with medium blue and graduate the tones to a navy blue. In the stem and leaf portions use dark leaf green in outline, then a lighter green for leaves, with a very pale tip-green. The butterfly can be worked in Delf blue with wing spots of blue, two colors, and a mere touch of green. Miniature triangles on collar border should be worked in green. Fill the notches in satin-stitch of dark green floss, and border with a scallop of dark blue. I have offered this color scheme because the colors, as a rule, wash well.
      All portions are in solid effect, with the exception of wheels, made with Battenberg stitches. The pattern can be developed in all white, but I feel sure you will like a color effect to create a decided novelty in your finished collar. Sincerely yours, Winifred Worth

Restored illustration of collar design.

Old-Fashioned Embroidery Designs for Plate Doilies

Satin, outline, eylet and button-hole stitches.

       These designs may be worked in either solid or eyelet. Detail drawings, show method of working.
      There are two ways to apply the designs to the material upon which you wish to work them.
      If your material is sheer--such as handkerchief linen, lawn, batiste, and the like--the simplest method is to lay the material over the design and with a well pointed pencil draw over each line.
      If your material is heavy secure a piece of transfer or impression paper. Lay it face down upon this, then draw over each line of the paper design with a hard pencil or the point of a steel knitting needle. Upon lifting the pattern and transfer paper you will find neat and accurate impression of the design upon your material. 
      There are two points to observe in this simple process if you would execute it satisfactorily. One is to see that your material is level--cut and folded by a thread--and that your design is placed upon it evenly at every point. 
      The second is, when placed accurately secure the design to the material with thumb tacks or pins, so it cannot slip during the operation.
      Do not rest your hand or fingers upon any part of the design while you are transferring.

 

Historic embroidery pattern depicting daisies.

Historic embroidery pattern depicting wheat stalks.

A Poppy Design for A Round Table

       The floral design pictured you can readily transfer to linen, leather or burlap by inserting a sheet of carbon, or tracing paper between the design and fabric, then going over all the lines of the design with a stylus or sharp pencil.
      You will then find the lines on the fabric distinct enough to follow in your embroidery. 
      This historic pattern has a lovely all-over design using poppies, their buds and leaves. Victorians loved to display a decorative vase with a bouquet, prominently in the center of a table covering like the one included here.
       Use brilliant reds, oranges and pinks to emphasize the design in your own version!

A draft of the historic poppy pattern.