. Art crafts for amateurs . y modelled on an old(Chiswick School of Art and Handicrafts.) work. pleasing to the senses, and as dyed wools and silks yield arich, soft and varied palette, there is no excuse for needle-work to be other than a pleasing harmony, and it may bemuch more than this. Colour comes before design, for if NEEDLEWORK. 177 the best design ever made is badly coloured—harsh andinharmonious in scheme—it is of far less worth than a poordesign in whichcolour plays itsproper role. Butthere is no reasonwhy design shouldnot be wedded tofine colour. Why is it thatmost old needle-work,
. Art crafts for amateurs . y modelled on an old(Chiswick School of Art and Handicrafts.) work. pleasing to the senses, and as dyed wools and silks yield arich, soft and varied palette, there is no excuse for needle-work to be other than a pleasing harmony, and it may bemuch more than this. Colour comes before design, for if NEEDLEWORK. 177 the best design ever made is badly coloured—harsh andinharmonious in scheme—it is of far less worth than a poordesign in whichcolour plays itsproper role. Butthere is no reasonwhy design shouldnot be wedded tofine colour. Why is it thatmost old needle-work, even theschoolgirl sam-plers which folkhave lately takento collect, is morepleasing than thework of to-day ?Speaking off-hand,I should say thatthe older workerswere wholly con-cerned in skilfullycarrying out a de-sign with theirneedle, and, hav-ing but a verylimited knowledgeof art in general, kept well within bounds, and did not failby attempting too much : to show that they were cleverneedlewomen was enough for No. 12 r.—Back of Chasubie, 17cii good border could be adapted fromthis example 178 ART CRAFTS FOR AMATEURS. Our knowledge is infinitely greater; we can draw better,possibly paint from nature, know much about plant form,and have many more appliances at command and manymore resources in the way of wools, silks, and fabrics, andyet, equipped thus well, we too often produce a far lessadequate result than the older needlewomen who worked so
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectdecorat, bookyear1901
