Kay’s Practical Embroiderer is a set of folding tin templates used for creating a form of ‘pile’ embroidery often called Amish Stumpwork.  The original patent (466488) was accepted in May 1937 and this clever set of templates was sold and in use for many years afterwards for creating 'pile' embroidery. It comes with a comprehensive instruction booklet with design ideas inside. The templates are placed on a piece of cloth and then covered in layers of woollen threads worked in satin stitch. The embroiderer works using surface satin stitch over the top of the metal pieces, making tiny stitches at the sides and working back and forth instead of stitching across the back and working in the same direction on every stitch (as in regular satin stitch). Many layers are worked this way, then the stitching is cut down the middle and the template is removed, creating a pile effect. Different colours could be used on each layer to create shaded work.  The wool is then cut down through the middle of the stitches and the template removed, resulting in a pile in the outline of the template shape.