an embroidered tea-cosy from Sweden

By Courtesy of "Needlework Illustrated". China by Courtesy of the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Factory.

Homecrafts of the Scandinavian countries are distinguished by their utter simplicity and good, clear-cut outline. This Tea-cosy is a pleasing example of Swedish embroidery, worked effectively in red, black and jade, on natural coarse-weave material.

When buying material to copy this cosy, select one of which the threads can be counted and work all stitches by the counted thread. Cut material to shape of cosy pad, allowing for 1/2-inch hem along lower edge. Slip-stitch this, then above it draw out threads for one inch. Hemstitch edges of space with jade. Work drawn thread stitch as at lower left along space, in red and black. Leave 1/2-inch and work row of red feather-stitch. Leave 3/8-inch and finish with the straight-stitch border at lower right, which is actual size— flowers red, leaves and stems green, ground black. Make up with bow of jade braid at top, and part-way down rounded edge work zig-zag stitches, red on one side, black the other. Thick twisted mercerised embroidery thread is used.

Drawn-Thread