embroidery in silk

Silk yarns are composed of a number of silk filaments twisted together, usually 8 to 12 to form a thread. The filaments have a natural coating of gum which gives strength and elasticity, but reduces lustre. The gum must be boiled off if lustre is wanted, which may be done either in the yarn state or when woven in cloth. Silk yarns are divided into two classes, " thrown silk" and " spun silk," the first being yarns that are made by the processes of reeling and throwing, and the second consisting of yarns spun from waste silk. Thrown Silk, or Net Silk comprises organzine and tram yarns, organzine being made from the most perfect cocoons and used for warps. Tram is made from the inferior cocoons and used as weft. All silk contains a proportion of natural gum, and the amount of gum removed give rise to the following terms: - Boiled-off Silk - Yarn which has had all the gum removed, and has the highest sheen (see Boiled-off). Hard Silk - Yarn that has not undergone any boiling-off process. Ecru Silk - Yarn boiled to remove about 3 per cent to 5 per cent of the gum by light washing in lukewarm water. Souple Silk - Yarn boiled to remove about one-sixth of the gum. Bengal Silk - See Bengal Silk. Berlin Silk - A silk yarn made for fancy hand work. It is produced by doubling from 4 to 8 twisted singles grege by a right-hand twist; then again doubling three of these with a left-hand twist. The thread is very round, smooth, and hard, also known as cordon-net. Blond Silk - A special silk yarn made by doubling three grege threads left-hand twist, then doubling three of these together with right-hand twist. Brights - Silk which has been entirely de-gummed in the skein and then dyed. Bourette, Bourrette Yarn - A low grade of silk yarn made from the waste produced by schappe spinning. Canton Silk - See Canton Silk. Chiffon Twist - Single raw silk threads, 50 or more turns per inch. Used for chiffons, crepe-de-chines, etc. Crepe-de-Chine - Hard twist tram silk, about 40 to 70 turns per inch. Made from 3 to 5 raw silk ends. Usually woven as weft. Crepe Georgette - Hard twist raw silk usually made from two threads 13/15 deniers, 50 or more turns, both right and left twist, used for crepe georgettes as warp and weft. Crepe Twist - This is tram silk hard twisted, having from 30 to 100 turns per inch. Used for making fabrics of a crepe character both all silk and mixtures. Cordonnet Silk - See Berlin Silk; also under Cordonnet. Eri Silk - A raw silk obtained from the wild silkworm " Attacus ricini." Flock Silk - A general term used to indicate silk yarns made from the outer uneven parts of the cocoon. Floss Silk - Used principally for embroidery purposes. It is a thrown silk and made by doubling two thick raw singles with right-hand twist together with a left-hand twist. Galette Silk - A coarse silk yarn made from waste. Grenadine Silk - Organzine silk with a large number of turns per inch. Jaspe Silk - Silk warps printed in the hank. Ombre Silk - Skein dyed yarn in a gradation of shades, which run in sequence of depth of colour, varying from five up to forty shades. Schappe Silk - A spun silk yarn which is made from silk degummed by the maceration process used on the Continent (see Schappe Silk). Soie Ondee - See Soie Ondee. Silk Yarns - In addition to the foregoing yarns see under the following terms for further silk yarns: - Cable, Cevennes, Chappe, Chine, Clochepeid, Crocheting, Crue (see Ecru), Cuite Cusier, Cusirino, Degummed, Docken, Doup-pion. Ecru, Embroidery, Etschingo, Filature, Filature a 1'Europeune, Filet, Florette, Fringe, Goffered, Grege, Gum Hainin, Hard, Kahing, Knitting, Lousy, Marabout, Maybasch, Melange, Mele, Mi-cuit, Minchcw, Nett, Noil, Organzine, Ouvrees, Oval, Pearlina, Pel, Pelo, Poie, Pure dye Silk, Raw (see Grege), Re-reels, Retorse, Senegal, Sewing, Simonita, Soft Singles, Soie Ondee, Souple, Spun, Steeped, Strafilato, Stumba, Thrown, Tors San File, Tram, Tramette, Tsatlees, Tussah, Twist, Washed, Zaguri.

Usually a four-fold yarn used for embroidery. Two-and three-fold yarns are used, but not so much as the four-fold. They are all slack twist, made from cotton, silk, rayon and linen. If cotton, they are made from super cotton and mercerised. In silk from one-to twenty-fold yarns are made, and all are loosely twisted. They are also known as crewel yarns.

This is silk yarn of very loose twist, made in all thicknesses from one up to twenty-five-fold.

A general term for fabrics used for hand embroidery work and includes cambrics, canvas, net, silk, etc.

A plain weave silk fabric, used especially for embroidery work. Made in all widths up to 54-in. and the threads are formed by twisting silk around a cotton core.

A very narrow woven fancy silk braid having a pearl edge and made of dyed yarns, in all colours. Sold in skeins for embroidery work.

A method of work that was popular in the 17th century. Figures of animals and other objects were outlined upon the ground fabrics, padded up with horsehair and wool and the raised pads covered with white or coloured silk. Above this and upon it was embroidered the most gorgeous stitching. At times the relief motifs were covered with fine lace or had jewels interwoven in the pattern.

Native embroidery in East India, made in chain stitch, in gold, silver, and silk threads over silk ground.

This type of work is very durable and is done with washable materials. The design is drawn on ecru linen or fine cotton cloth, the outlines are run over with ecru thread, then with ecru silk and button hole stitches. The parts of the pattern are connected with bars and wheels. The ecru linen is cut away where no pattern is formed and the work is attached to coloured silk or velvet as desired.

Silk yarn made from the tangled waste silk from the outside of cocoons. An embroidery silk is also known by this term and is made by doubling two thick singles having a right-hand twist with a left-hand twist (see Silk Yams)

This is a spun silk yarn. More especially when made from stock which has been degummed by the schapping or maseration process, and is a silk waste. This term only applies to silk waste prepared as above. It is also known as " chappe " and " Florette." There are many qualities of which the better are used for embroidery and sewing silks and for warps, and the poorer for weft for combining with other fibres.

Work done by Arab women from very ancient times. The designs are very elaborate, geometrical figuring done with floss silk on muslin or cloth in brilliant colours. Algerian embroidery is the same.

Fancy embroidery, though named after one particular stitch, includes all flat embroideries done with coloured silks, filoselles, or wools, upon coloured satin, silk, velvet or linen foundation.

A Spanish embroidery done on fine white linen, with black silk and gold thread, at times, for added ornament.

Velvet bands are sewn in check forms on a coarse canvas foundation and the inside of the squares filled in with coloured wool or silk embroidery.

A variety of embroidery resembling cloisonne produced at Delhi, India. The outline of the design, consisting usually of flowers and foliage, is done in gold thread and the pattern is filled in with bright-coloured silk. Used for screens, table covers, etc.

Beautiful embroidery and darned work, done on linen or silk foundation with floral, arabesque, etc., designs. Used as borders and edgings for articles that are frequently washed.

Half-twisted needlework silk thread, used during the first half of the 19th century for embroidery work on slippers, bags, and canvas pictures. It was the most brilliant silk obtainable at that time.

A tram silk yarn made by twisting to the right from 12 to 16 raw silk threads. Used as an embroidery yarn or for cords.

A trade term formerly used for soft embroidery silk yarn.