All care has been given to present this pattern in the original form. KnitHeaven is not responsible for errors.

30. SCAGLIOLA WORK

This description of drawing is called Scagliola work, or a Mischia (mixed workmanship); it was first invented by Guido Tassi, and the art was afterwards improved and perfected by Henry Hugford, a monk, of Vallambrosa. It was first used to counterfeit marbles; and the altar of St. Antonio, in the church of St. Nicolo, at Carpi, is still preserved as a monument of extraordinary skill and beauty. It consists of two columns, representing porphyry, and adorned with a pallium, embroidered as it were with lace; while it is ornamented in the margin with medals bearing beautiful figures.

The dicromi, or yellow figures on a black ground, in imitation of the Etruscan vases, are now most admired in scagliola work; and as the art is one easy of attainment, we shall describe it. Having procured a piece of sycamore of the desired size and shape, you draw upon it with a pencil, first the centre piece, and afterwards the border; you then trace over the pencil marks with Indian-ink and a fine crow-quill, and next fill in the ground with Indian-ink and a camel's-hair brush. After two or three days, varnish with the best picture-varnish. If sycamore cannot be procured, deal will answer the purpose, covered with good cream-coloured drawing-paper.

49. WATCH-POCKET. (BRAID.)

Materials—Pink silk or satin, a piece of white silk braid, white silk fringe, and white satin ribbon.

Draw the pattern on the silk with a white crayon, and hem the braid on; trim with the fringe, and rows of satin ribbon.

No. 49 WATCH-POCKET.

Beautiful cabinets, work-boxes, work-tables, fire-screens, &c., may be painted in imitation of ebony inlaid with ivory by the following means:—Let your screen be made of an elegant form, but merely of common white wood or deal, prepared as below.

Composition for the Surface of Wood.—Steep one ounce of glue in a pint of cold water all night; throw off the water in the morning. Take six ounces of finest white lead in powder, mix it by degrees in a mortar, with about half a pint of cold water, till it is perfectly smooth, then place it, along with the glue, in a clean pan. Add half a pint more water; set it on the fire, stirring constantly till it boils. Let it boil three minutes; take it off, and pour it into a stone jar, and continue to stir it occasionally till cold. When cold, but before it congeals, take a clean paint-brush, and paint your screen with the composition. When it is quite dry, rub it over with sand-paper, to make it quite smooth; then give it another coat of the white composition, repeating the rubbing with sand-paper as before. Repeat this same process five or six times, until you obtain a smooth, equal, white surface. When that is accomplished, dissolve the fourth of an ounce of isinglass in a quarter of a pint of water; when cold, but liquid, give the screen a coat of it with a clean brush, and do not use the sand-paper after it.

To Ornament the Screen.—Lay a sheet of black tracing-paper on the screen, with the black side downwards; then place a pattern above it, with the right side uppermost; place a weight here and there, to prevent it slipping; then trace over the outline with a rather blunt stiletto. On removing the paper, you will find the outline of the pattern transferred to the surface of the screen. Trace over the outline, and shade, in lines, with a fine camel's-hair pencil dipped in Newman's lamp-black; fill in with the same.

Varnish.—Place four ounces of rectified spirit of wine in a wide-mouthed bottle; add one ounce of gum sandarac, a quarter of an ounce of gum mastic, and a drachm of camphor, all in powder. Put a stopper in the bottle, set it near a fire, and shake it occasionally. When all the gums are quite dissolved, add one ounce of oil of turpentine; then strain through muslin into another clean, dry wide-mouthed bottle. Let it stand a day or two before using.

Mode of Varnishing.—Take a large clean new varnish-brush, dip it into the bottle, and then cover over all your screen with it. When perfectly dry, give it another coat, and so on till it has had six coats; let it remain untouched for two days; rub it smooth with sand-paper; then give it two more coats of varnish, and repeat the rubbing, being careful to wait between each coat till the last is dry, and not to rub with sand-paper sooner than two days after varnishing, and never give more than two coats of varnish in a day—one in the morning, another at night. When you think it looks clear and sufficiently thick, give it another coat without using the sand-paper after it; let it stand four days; then rub it all over with pounded rottenstone, and wipe it off with a wet cloth; after which take a little Florence oil and hair-powder, and polish with your hand.

We will describe how to make an anti-macassar:—

Take Penelope canvass, three quarters of a yard long, half a yard wide; a piece of crimson china ribbon; one piece of gold-colour, one of shaded lilac, and a rug-needle.

Prepare the canvass by cutting away every 2 alternate threads, and draw them out the whole length of the canvass; next cut away and draw them out with tweezers, every 2 alternate threads, the whole of the width of the canvass. Next thread the rug-needle with crimson ribbon, and sew over the first 2 threads of canvass the lengthway of the canvass; when at the end, pass the needle to the next 2 threads and sew them over, taking care to keep the ribbon flat as possible; when at the top, return and cover the next two threads with the same coloured ribbon. This will make 3 stripes. Proceed the same with the gold-colour, 3 stripes; then the lilac, 3 stripes; then recommence with the crimson, and continue the same until you have the whole length finished. Next commence to sew over the same from side to side, which will form a chequered pattern, and has a rich effect. Finish round with a ruche of satin ribbon or fringe, crimson colour. If desired, can be worked with slight silk.

No. 72. RIBBON-WORK,