small projects

A doily with an extravagant knife point decoration is worked.
A circle design with a knife point outline is transferred to the center of a linen (16/cm thread count) square measuring 30 cm X 30 cm. The original design measures 12 cm in diameter.

Coral Knot stitches are worked along the circle line using Coton à broder No. 16.
The knife points are worked with Satin stitches using Coton à broder No. 20. Please use the instructions here: Schwalm Designs – Knife Points (3).
Inside the Coral Knots stitches Chain stitches are worked using Coton à broder No. 25.
The shape is filled with pattern 475 using Coton à broder No. 30.
To get a hem decoration to match the center design, knife points of the same size (as those on the center design) are worked.

A hem of approximately 2 cm (+ 1 cm wide fold) is chosen. So from the linen square 30 cm X 30 cm a square of 20 cm X 20 cm is remaining. The base of one knife point measures 1.2 cm.
20 cm : 1.2 cm = 16.67
So 16 points can be worked.
16 X 1.2 cm = 19.2 cm
0.4 cm each side is taken to the additional hem width.
The basic line of the hem is 5.4 cm up from the edges, where a thread is withdrawn.

A design, with 16 points of 1.2 cm in the width and 2 cm in the height, is drawn on paper.
At one side a corner design is added. The knife point decoration is placed outwards from the basic line.
The design is transferred to the linen, along each side, always carefully watching that the withdrawn thread line has the exact same lenght of the paper design (ironing the linen in one or the other direction helps to get the right length).
After working the knife points, a thread is withdrawn 1 cm up from the edges.
The hem is fastened at the basic line.
Washed, starched and ironed a nice doily with an extravagant knife point decoration is finished.

A small doily with a center design is worked.
The design, a circle with a leaves and scallops, is transferred to the center of a piece of linen (13.5/cm thread count) measuring 20 cm X 20 cm.
The original design measures 8.5 cm X 8.5 cm.

Coral Knot stitches are worked along the circle line using Coton à broder No. 16.
Using Coton à broder No. 20 for both, the leaves are worked with Satin stitches, and the scallops are worked with Blanket stitches.
Inside the Coral Knot stitches, Chain stitches are worked using Coton à broder No. 25.
The circle is filled with pattern 474, using Coton à broder No. 30.
A hem depth of 2 cm (+ 1 cm fold) is chosen.
So, for the basic line of the hem, a thread is withdrawn 5 cm in from the edges, and a second thread, adjacent to and inward of the thread just removed, is also withdrawn. For the fold a thread is withdrawn 1 cm from the edges.
The 1 cm fold and the 2 cm hem is marked by creasing the linen using your thumbnail or other tool.
The corner is trimmed on the bias 1 cm outside the intersection of the creased hem lines.
The 1 cm, bias-cut seam allowance at the corner is folded back,
the hem is laid into place, basted, and secured with hem stitches.
Hem stitches are also worked along the inside edge of the withdrawn thread line in order to maintain a stable and regular edge.
The corners are sewn with small invisible hand stitches.
The basting threads are removed.
Washed, starched and ironed a nice small doily is finished.

A beautiful, eye-catching bolster cover is embroidered with Schwalm borders. Narrow Schwalm borders are worked relatively quickly. And it is always possible, just as the fancy takes one, to add more borders to a design.
First a bolster pillow form must be found. The bolster pictured has a pillow form that measures 40 cm long with a 15 cm diameter.
A linen piece was cut to a size of 58 cm X 52 cm.

Along the 58 cm edge, measure out 20 cm from the center axis to both ends and work Four Sided stitches along these two lines. These lines will mark the ends of the roll later.
Inwards of the two Four Sided stitch rows, typical Schwalm borders are embroidered. A great quantity of similar Schwalm borders can be found in the booklet Schwalm Curved Lines, Narrow Borders, and Ornamental Stitches.

In the middle, a design of three Schwalm borders is stitched—each border separated from the next with one row of Four sided stitches. A wide range of different filling patterns is used.

The edges at the two ends get hems measuring 2 cm + 1 cm fold. They are additionally decorated with needlelace.
Before sewing the long edges together, the piece is washed for shrinkage.

Then it is ironed and sewn together. Begin and end the long seam before the hems. A cord—for gathering and closing the ends—is inserted into the hems of the bolster cover.
The pillow form is inserted into the embroidered bolster cover, and the ends are gathered and closed.
A very decorative bolster is finished.
Of course such narrow border designs have a multitude of applications. The designs can be re-sized to become suitable for different kinds of miniatures, for example a pincushion roll or a pincushion square.

I hope I have given you some good ideas for Christmas gifts!