These sweet bow alphabet letters were drawn by Sarah Hale Hunter and published in newspapers on two consecutive Sundays in 1909. She suggests the following method for executing the designs:
The letters should be carefully padded and then worked in solid satin stitch, making the stitches as close together and as evenly as possible. The bow may be outlined or embroidered solidly.
A pretty effect for towels is to work the letter in white and the bow in a color. Use mercerized cotton No. 25 for the embroidery.
It seems to me there are many other ways you could embroider these bow letters. I think it would be just fine to simply outline the letters and bows in stem or chain stitch, or you could outline and then fill the letters with some other stitch — seed or French knots or even narrow stripes in back stitch.
Although the patterns were designed “for marking your linen,” I am imagining an adorable alphabet quilt for a little girl. Click any image for slideshow.
