107

A LENNON.

piece of lace; the number, we believe, is now reduced to twelve.The design, engraved upon a copper plate, is printed oft in divi-sions upon pieces of parchment 1U inches long, each numberedaccording to their order. Green parchment is now used, theworker being better able to detect any faults in her work than onwhite. The pattern is next pricked upon the parchment, which isstitched to a piece of very coarse linen folded double. Theoutline of the pattern is then formed by two flat threads, whichare guided along the edge by the thumb of the left hand, andfixed by minute stitches, passed with another thread and needle,through the holes of the parchment. When the outline isfinished, the work is given over to the “ reseleuse ” to make theground, which is of two kinds, bride and reseau. The delicatereseau is worked backwards and forwards from the footing to thepicot—of the bride, more hereafter. For the flowers the workersupplies herself w ith a long needle and a fine thread ; with theseshe works the “ point noue ” (button-hole stitch) from left to right,and when arrived at the end of the flower, the thread is thrownback from the point of departure, and she works again from leftto right over the thread. This gives a closeness and evenness tothe work unequalled in any other point. Then follow the“ modes,” and other different operations, which completed, thethreads which unite lace, parchment, and linen together are cutwith a sharp razor passed between the two folds of linen, anylittle defects repaired, and then remains the great work of unitingall these segments imperceptibly together. This task devolvesupon the head of the establishment, and is one requiring thegreatest nicety. An ordinary pair of men’s ruffles would bedivided into ten pieces; but when the order must be executedquickly, the sub-divisions are even greater. The stitch bywhich these sections are worked is termed “assemblage,” anddiffers from the “ point de raccroc,” where the segments areunited by a fresh row of stitches. At Alenfon, they are joined bya seam, following as much as possible the outlines of the pattern.^ hen finished, a steel instrument, called “ aficot,” is passed ink)each flower, to polish it, and remove any inequalities in its surface,ihe more primitive lobster’s claw was used until late years forthe same purpose.

ceuse, reseleuse,” “ remplisseuse,” “ toucheuse,” “ brideuse,” “ boucleuse,”, eU8e ’” “ m °deu8c,” brodeuse,” “gazeuse,” mignoiineuse,” “ pico-e u eusc, regaleusc,” “ assembleuse,” tense,” “ aibneuse,” 11 aftiquense.”