_Material--Raworth's crochet thread No_. 40.

_Centre Flower_.--12 c s, unite, work into this ring 5 c s, 1 l s, * 2 c s, 1 l s; repeat from * eleven times, finish with 2 c s, s c into third st.i.tch of first, 5 c s.--

_2d round_. D c into first s.p.a.ce, * 5 c s, d c into next s.p.a.ce; repeat from * into every s.p.a.ce, finish with 5 c s, s c into first d c of the round.--

_3d round_. 5 d c round every loop of 5 c s in last round.

_The eight Leaves round this Flower_.--Commence on one of the st.i.tches at the edge of this flower, 25 c s, s c back (this is for the stripe in the centre of leaf), * 5 c s, miss 3, d c into fourth; repeat from *

five times, which brings it to top st.i.tch of leaf, 6 c s, d c into same st.i.tch, 5 c s, miss 3, d c into fourth six times down the other side of the stripe, draw out the loop on the needle a little, pa.s.s the thread under the leaf, 1 d c round the first loop, 5 c s, d c round the next loop, * 6 c s, d c round the next; repeat from * four times, which brings it to top loop, 7 c s into same top loop, 6 c s into five more loops down the other side, 5 c s, d c into last loop, pa.s.s the thread under the leaf, d c three times round the loop next to stripe, five times round next loop, six times round every loop up to the top, 2 d c, 5 l s, 2 d c round the top loop, 6 d c round every chain of six down the other side, 5 d c round chain of 5, 3 d c round the last loop at bottom of leaf next to the stripe; fasten off. Make another leaf in the same manner at the opposite side of the centre flower, and one at an equal distance between these two; another on the other side to correspond, which will make four leaves, then work four more leaves between these 4, and the eight leaves will be finished.

_For the rounds of open work proceed thus:_ Commence on the point of one of the leaves, work 29 c s, d c into point of next leaf; repeat this all round, not making the c s too tight.--

_2d round_. D c into every st.i.tch of this round.--

_3d round_. 1 l s, * 3 c s, miss 2, 1 l s into third st.i.tch; repeat from *.--

_4th round_. D c into every st.i.tch of last round.--

_5th round_. 1 l s, * 3 c s, miss 2, 1 l s into third st.i.tch; repeat from *.--

_6th round_. D c into every st.i.tch of last round.--

_7th round_. 1 l s, 2 c s, miss 2, 1 l s into third; repeat from * all round.--

_8th round_. D c into every st.i.tch of last round. Work on the inside of the first round of 29 c s a ring, thus: commence on centre, c s _between_ the leaves, 16 c s, unite on foundation-st.i.tch, d c twenty-four times round this ring; repeat these rings between every two leaves, making eight in all.

_The Leaves on the outside of the open Rounds_.--

Commence on st.i.tch opposite to the point of one of the large leaves. 18 c s, 1 l s into sixth st.i.tch, * 2 c s, miss 2, 1 l s into third; repeat three times more from *. 1 s c into foundation-st.i.tch, then 4 d c round first loop; 1 d c, 2 l s, 1 d c round next three loops, 1 d c, 4 l s, 1 d c round top loop; 1 d c, 2 l s, 1 d c round three loops on the other side of leaf; 4 d c round last loop. Make another leaf in the same manner, beginning at the same foundation-st.i.tch. Fasten off. Then two more leaves exactly the same, opposite the points of all the large centre leaves. Then two more leaves opposite each of the d c rings inside the open rounds (which will be at an equal distance on each side from the others). There will now be thirty-two small leaves, two and two, the upper point of each leaf to be turned _outwards_, and to be tacked with needle and thread to the point of the next leaf, which it will meet easily. (Care must be taken to refer to the engraving for the manner in which the mat is to be finished, as it will greatly a.s.sist the explanations.)

For the small roses between the leaves, which are made separately: 9 c s, unite, 5 c s, 1 long st.i.tch into ring, * 2 c s, 1 l s; repeat from *

seven times. 2 c s, s c into third st.i.tch of first 5 c s.

_2d round_. 1 s c round first s.p.a.ce, 3 c s, 3 l s, into same s.p.a.ce, * 5 c s, miss 1 s.p.a.ce, 4 l s into next s.p.a.ce; repeat from * all round.

Finish with 5 c s, s c into third st.i.tch of 3 c s. Fasten off sixteen roses for the round. Place one of these roses between every pair of the leaves which proceed from the same foundation, and sew it at the edge to the third scallop of the leaves; then commence between the points of the leaves which were sewn together, * 24 c s, d c into centre of edge of small rose, 24 c s, d c between the points of the leaves; repeat from *

all round, then 26 d c st.i.tches _round_ every 24 chain.

_Sprigs between the 24 C S_.--18 c s, unite on twelfth. D c round this loop twenty-two times. S c up remaining c s for stalk. Fasten off, leaving an end to sew the sprig on the mat. Turn wrong side up. Commence on fifth st.i.tch from stalk on the _right-hand side_ of the flower, * 10 c s, unite in same st.i.tch. Turn again. Into this circle work 18 d c st.i.tches *. Turn wrong side up. S c up to top of ring formed by 18 c s; repeat from * to * for another ring. Turn wrong side. S c down to fifth st.i.tch from stalk. Repeat another ring, when the work will be on the right side. Bring the cotton to the side of this last ring nearest to stalk. 13 c s, s c into top of last ring. 6 c s, s c into same st.i.tch.

13 c s, s c into foundation close to the lower part of ring. 5 c s, s c into _foundation-ring,_ close to centre ring, at the top. 13 c s, s c into top of ring; 6 c s, s c into same st.i.tch; 13 c s, s c into foundation at bottom of ring; 5 c s, s c into foundation at lower part of next ring; 13 c s, s c into top of ring; 6 c s, s c into same st.i.tch; 13 c s, s c into foundation at the other side of ring. Fasten off.

Sixteen of these sprigs are required, and sixteen more small roses.

Place one sprig between each of the chains of 24 d c, where they meet at the points of the leaves, and sew them by the thread which was left at the end of the stalk. Confine them to the 24 d c by the lower 13 c s.

Place a small rose between each of these sprigs, fastening them together where they meet. The best way is, to cut out a circle in coloured paper, and (after the crochet work is completed) place the mat wrong side up upon it, and fasten the flowers to it and to each other, as it will then be quite flat and smooth.