LITERATURE ANSWERS TO A NEED EX LIBRIS ' z z > H c 33 n o I m D H > Z m m o H11V3AA dOJ '3OG31M0NX tiOi'SlOVd 3D CDecoratwfccAit STEltll N G AND FRAN CINE OA1UC ART INSTITUTE L1BRART t/ fi^lX^ ' ffi^ <^ >^2? Mc •JL ^C ^^1 -ZlSlsC^^t^L^f^ (Tcf-J THREE HUNDRED Decorative and Fancy Articles PRESENTS, FAIRS ETC., ETC. WITH DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING XEARLY OXE HUNDRED DECORATIVE DESIGNS BY Lucretia P. Hale and Margaret E. White BOSTON S. W. TILTON AND COMPANY Copyright, By S. W. Tilton and Company, 1885. Press of Rockwell and Churchill, 39 Arch St., Boston. CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I, Something to Make for a Present .... i II. Aprons 4 III. Bags 11 IV. Household 29 V. Lawn Tennis Accessories 57 VI. For the Library 64 VII. Miscellaneous 75 VIII. Personal . 102 IX. Sachets 115 X. Travelling Conveniences 123 XI. Wall-Pockets, etc 138 XII. For the Work-Table 146 XIII. Fair Suggestions 162 XIV. Weddings 176 XV. Christmas 187 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. CHAPTER I. SOMETHING TO MAKE FOR A PRESENT. This cry is heard not only just before Christmas, but all the year round. The exhausted mother must listen to this appeal whenever the family birthdays occur, or at the birthdays of friends, or when the young friends are to be married, or at the recurrence of wedding anniver- saries. The following chapters propose to answer these various appeals. It is easier to prepare for the several birthdays as they come along than for Christmas, because there is but one person to provide for, and his or her taste can be carefully consulted. It is well known, perhaps, that he or she is in want of some especial thing, and this can be made with reference to the wants of the individual. In some families there prevails the custom of — 2 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. Birthday Lists, upon which the desires of the youthful brother or sister can be written down, and, if possible, gratified. But there is always a wish on the part of the giver to find something new, and, if possible, made by her (or him) self, and it is hoped that in the three hundred or more articles de- scribed in the following pages this wish can be easily car- ried out. Under the head "Personal," articles are described for especial personal use ; under that of " Household," direc- tions are given for useful articles in household use, and the headings of the other chapters indicate as far as possible the objects described. These are arranged alphabetically for convenience, but the reader is advised to study all the chapters, as it has been impossible to classify the sub- jects accurately. It is hoped, therefore, that the mother will find satisfaction for these birthday demands, as well as for the other occasions for presents. The giving of Wedding Presents will be treated of in a chapter by itself, but the intervening chapters will give numerous suggestions for making them. The " Household " chapter especially gives useful hints, and others will be found in the " Library " and " Work- table," while especial tastes can be consulted under the head of "Personal." But we would here again advise a careful survey of the whole book, where something can surely be found to suit the emergency. something to make for a present. 3 Philopaena Presents are required, as the name indicates, as a " penalty " for not being quick enough to bring out the word "Pbilo- paena" at the right moment. If some one finds two almonds in one shell, and gives one of them to a friend, a tacit agreement is formed that at the next meeting, the one who succeeds in making the other accept any object, saying " Philopaena" at the same time, shall win a present. "What shall I give as a Philopaena to Jack?" asks the disturbed young lady, who unthinkingly took her tennis racket from him with the word " Philopaena," as he lifted it from the ground, after having exchanged almonds the night before. Under the head of " Lawn Tennis Acces- sories," she may find something to answer her question, as well as to recall the time when Jack won his Philo- paena. We hope, indeed, that these chapters are so full that they will serve not only to suggest presents for every con- ceivable kind of birthday and other day, for the children as well as grown-up people to make, but also that it may furnish ideas for the frequently recurring Fairs and Bazaars which demand so much inventive talent. A chapter is given to suggestions for carrying out fairs and bazaars, and another upon Christmas, containing numerous entertainments, and various ways of giving pres- ents at Christmas. CHAPTER II. APRONS. A Medieval Apron should be made of crash. The Barnsley crash is the most useful for the purpose, as it comes wide enough, and is a heavy fabric suitable for em- broidery and for fringing. Cut a piece fifty inches long and eighteen inches wide. This should be sloped at the top towards the outside, to suit the shoulders, leaving the sides straight. At the neck cut away a triangular piece, leaving the shoulders five inches deep, and slanting in- wards towards the centre nine and one half inches from the top. To this the back should be fitted, made in bib- like form to fit the seam of the front shoulder-piece ; fifteen inches deep at the deepest part, at the top of the shoul- ders. A triangular piece should be cut out from the mid- dle, as the apron goes on over the head, leaving the back piece nine inches long at the middle, the shortest part ; this bib-piece should slant from the shoulders till it is only two and one half inches wide at the bottom of the back. Here a belt of the same material should be attached, from two and one half to three inches wide, to fasten at the side. The bottom of the apron should be fringed, as described for such work in Tilton's Art-Needlework, and a broad row of embroidery in colored crewels should be put above the fringe. A narrower row, corresponding in pattern and colors, should be worked round the neck and the two edges 4 APRONS. 5 of the belt. The fringing should be left till the last. The apron fits prettily, and is very effective as well as useful in doing artistic or household work. Handkerchief Apron. — Avery pretty apron can be made either of a figured silk or cotton handkerchief by trimming the material with lace and using the corners to be pinned in front for a bib. This can either be pinned on, or ribbons can be attached to tie it at the back. The apron should not be larger than twenty- eight or thirty inches square to fit nicely. The gay foreign silk handker- chiefs, or the cotton bandannas worn on the head by the colored women, are useful for this pur- pose. Pockets can be added, if desired. Another variety of these is the Jabot Apron. — A handker- chief, or square piece of ma- terial is taken in the same way as the last described ; but the point is brought up to the throat, and cut off or turned in, and the top is gathered closely and put into a binding to go round the throat and fasten behind. Another close gathering is made in front at the belt, bringing it to fit the waist, in the same way as the upper skirts of dresses are sometimes made, as in Fig. 2. Fig. O THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. Fancy Aprons make pretty Christmas presents, and give opportunity for the displaying of ingenuity and skill. They are made of pongee, madras, muslin, silk, or any fancy material, and are trimmed with ribbon, and embroid- ered as fancy dictates. Dressy Aprons are made in colored satin, with a bib, and liberally trimmed with lace ; with one if not two pockets. These can be made of any color desired. For instance, one of amber satin is handsome, covered with a square of lace, one point brought up to the left side of the bib, the rest draped across the apron itself. Another pretty one can be made of cardinal satin cut in battle- ments all round, each bordered with lace, put on full. Sometimes they are made of alternate strips of lace and insertion. Yellow Satin Aprons, cut out in battlements, with a frill of black lace underneath, and pockets and bib of frills of narrower lace, are fashionable. Some ladies are very fastidious about the appointments of their tea-tables, and vary their personal lace and ribbons to correspond with those of their tea cloth and cosey. Long Black Lace Aprons are made over gold or red surah or satin, with small bibs, and a bow of the color at the left side of the waist. The length and width are a matter of personal taste. Handsome silver waist clasps are worn sometimes in the centre of the band which joins the bib, and these are sewn on, or more frequently attached to a black waistband, fitting and keeping the apron in its place. Black pins fix the bib corners to the bodice. One silver clasp is sometimes placed on the right hip, securing APRONS. 7 the lace of the apron and holding a cluster of ribbon loops. These little fancies are quite optional. The lace is either black imitation Chantilly or Spanish ; more often the former. Black satin Merveilleux, with a broad inser- tion of Russian work in colored silks, or with a frill of lace over collar, are worn. For simpler ones, Madras figured muslin, Liberty's quaint flowered cottons, and plain muslin with a very broad hem and a frill of cream lace, are suita- ble. Many ladies wear foreign handkerchiefs, brought home from abroad. Large Black Lace Aprons are much patronized for afternoon wear. The bib is either composed of several rows of narrow gathered lace, or of one square of piece lace, puckered into the waistband. One pocket is at the side (optional), and a colored pocket-handkerchief peeps out of it. A Syrian Muslin Curtain will also make a very taste- ful apron, mounted on satin sheeting, or on Turkev red twill, or gold colored sateen. The curtain is folded in half, fixed to the band, divided, and drawn back, like paniers, and gathered down the sides of the apron material. An- other way is to take the curtain in half, carry it up to the throat, where it is gathered to form the top of the full bib, gathered again at the waistband of the apron, and looped back in paniers. Both ways are novel and becoming, and not at all clumsy, as the Syrian muslin is thin. A Figured Sateen Work-Apron can be made very prettily, with a pocket for work. Cut a plain apron of the sateen, twenty-one and one half inches long ; slope it, mak- ing it twenty inches wide at the bottom, and eleven inches 8 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. at the top. Put it into a belt of the same, curving it a lit- tle at the belt. Make a bib, ten and one half inches long ; stitch this on over the belt, coming down in a point, three inches below the top of the belt. This bib should be curved at the top, eight inches wide at the widest part, sloping to four and one half inches at the top of the belt, and sloping out again to five and one half inches, when it should be brought suddenly to a point. The pockets are made in one piece, the shape of the apron. This piece should be sloped like the apron, and cut eleven inches at the widest part, and ten at the top, fourteen inches deep. This piece should be put on six and one half inches below the belt, with three gathering threads in the middle to draw it up to seven inches. The gathers should reach three and one half inches, dividing the piece into two openings at the top. The outer edges should be plaited down to the apron with four plaits each side near the top on the outer edges, bringing them at about two inches distance from the edge of the apron. Put on a lace two inches wide round the apron, and round the bib and its point, also all round the pocket piece. Add strings of the material, twenty inches long, three and one half wide at the ends. This makes a very jaunty apron, which is also very con- venient to use for embroidery work, as the pocket is very serviceable. Work Apron. — This is a very useful style of apron to hold knitting, fancy work, etc. It has a lining foundation, and pocket at top, with the apron part gathered on be- low ; the corners and band are of fancy embroidery. The bottom is finished with fringe, as shown in the illustra- APRONS. tion, Fig. 3, and ribbon bows are added for further deco- ration. A Crash Apron is very easily made of a yard of crash, by drawing a fringe at either end. The fringe should be at least five inches long without the heading, which can be as deep as you please, of Solomon's Knot, or Jose- phine Knot. Make an open- work pattern above, by draw- ing the threads and working them, or run in a ribbon. Double down the upper end to make a fold of eight inches, including the fringe. Checked Crash Towels, with red and white or blue and white squares, can be embroidered to make very ornamental aprons. Take such a towel, which should be about a yard long and fringed ; cut off from the up- per end a piece ten inches long ; this is to be put on ten inches from the top for a row of three pockets. But before putting it on, embroider it, as follows, with red or blue embroidery cotton, the color of the stripes. Use cotton that will wash. In every alternate square work five French knots, one in each corner, one in the centre. Fig. 3. IO THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. The intermediate squares are crossed in Point - Russe. This strip should be turned in at the top, put on, and the pockets made, — in herring-bone, with the fringe left on, — the ends of the fringe drawn into a pattern if desired, and additional rows of herring-bone or other Oriental patterns should be added above the lower fringe. The proportions of the strip for the pockets must be adapted to the length of the fringes. Feeding Bib. — This should be made of a piece of pique, or coarse crash, sixteen inches long and twelve inches broad. Cut out to fit the neck, and decorate in any de- sired pattern in Holbein stitch, or with any quaint designs. Barnsley crash will be found especially suitable, as it is heavy and of even texture. A Pretty Roman Apron can be made of linen some- times called strainer cloth. Take a yard of the material, turn over the upper end, as for the crash apron, and trim both ends with torchon lace. Make a row of open work with drawn threads. Above this, work in cross-stitch a pattern consisting of a row of conventional figures, cocks, peacocks, any kind of birds, done in pink, alternating with brown patterns of cross-stitch and Holbein in brown filling- silk. CHAPTER III. BAGS. Bags are always in demand and are of all kinds, from the dainty silk work-bag hung on the arm to the stout linen shoe-bag in a useful but inconspicuous position on the closet door. Work-bag. — This bag is made of copper-colored plush, lined with yellow satin. Cut from each of these materials two pieces seven inches wide, six inches long, curving them at the bottom. For the front of the bag, work on the plush a lit- tle pattern, similar to the illus- tration. Put in the lining, and at an inch from the top make a running for an elastic. Fin- ish across the bottom, as in Fig. 4, with copper-colored che- nille trimming and balls. For the handle put on a copper-colored satin ribbon fifteen inches long and one inch wide, fastening it to the bag on each side, with a ball like those on the bottom. Shopping-Bag. — Cut out of seal-skin plush, a piece fourteen inches long and ten inches wide. With fine Fig. 4. II 12 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. cotton thread, baste on a strong brown cambric lining. Fold across the middle, to form the bottom of the bag, which should be wider than it is deep. From one half a yard of brown silk twenty-four inches wide, cut two pieces eleven inches long and three and one half inches wide. Line with brown cambric ; gather on both edges, and insert between the two sides of the plush bottom, sew- ing the puffs across the bottom in a seam, which curves a little, to prevent an awkward, sharp corner. Cut from the plush two pieces, nine inches long and two inches wide. Double so as to make the strip when sewed together three-quarters inch wide. Sew these firmly with strong linen thread to the top of the plush bottom for handles. Make a plain bag of the remainder of the silk, lining it up to the running for the strings with cambric ; above that point, turn down the silk for a lining to the frill at the top, which ought to be about two and one half inches deep ; make the runnings for the strings, which must be made of silk braid ; sew the silk top to the plush bottom, and cover the seam by facing over it the cambric lining. If the silk is a little less wide than the plush, full the puffs at the top enough to make the two of the same size. Turn the handles up as they will naturally stand when the bag is in use, and stitch them a half inch from the plush to the silk top. Another Shopping-Bag. — This bag, as illustrated in Fig. 5, is made of gray Java canvas, lined with brown satin. The canvas should be worked like the pattern, in chenille, in point russe stitches; the smaller pattern in brown, black, and yellow filling-silk. BAGS. 13 Cut out of the Java canvas a piece sixteen and one half inches long, ten and one half inches wide, the corners of which should be rounded, as shown in illustration. Bind the canvas with brown ribbon. For the bag, cut a piece of brown satin twelve and one half inches long and nine and one half inches wide. On the upper edge make a hem and a running for the strings, which should be made of brown silk cord of the same color, finished with tassels at the end. Attach this bag at the bottom and sides to the canvas. For the handles cut out of the canvas two strips eleven inches long and one and one half inches wide. Double and sew together each of these strips ; finish on the edge with button-hole stitch in black filling-silk. Add a ruche of brown satin ribbon three quarters inch wide to the outer edge of the canvas, and finish with a bow of brown satin ribbon. Pompadour with Lace Trim- fig. 6. ming. — Fig. 6, shows a pretty way Fig. 5. H THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. of trimming and embroidering a Pompadour of any size or material. A Black Velvet Bag embroidered with golden rod is handsome, made in the same manner. Pompadour. — This bag is to be made of a piece of brown plush nine inches wide and twelve inches long. For the pocket put on a piece three and one half inches high and twenty-two inches long. Line with silk ; round off the corners of the bag, as well as the piece for the pocket. Make and decorate as in Fig. 7. Handkerchief Work-Bags. — Colored silk handkerchiefs, edged all round with lace, with a draw- string run round just to escape the corners, make good work-bags, with a pompon at each corner, and at each end of the drawstring ; a little silk bag of scent is tacked inside. Two handkerchiefs of de- cided contrast in color are often joined to form the outside and Flg ' 7 * lining. These are also pretty made in the same way of a square of plain or dotted muslin trimmed with lace. The square needs to measure about twenty-four inches on each side. The place for the drawing-strings can be made of lace in- serting. A Macrame Bag, a little different from the common pattern, can be made as in Fig. 8. Work a square in mac- BAGS. 15 rame of about eight inches on each side. The pattern in the illustration can be easily followed. Make a bag of silk as wide as the diagonal of the macrame square, and a little longer than it is wide ; attach the macrame to this, putting on a plaited ruche. Make a handle of macrame insertion. Put on a bow where the handle is joined. Fig. 8. Harlequin Bag.- — This very pretty bag can be made from small scraps of material as follows : — Cut from silk, satin, or velvet, two pieces (which need not be alike in color) five and one half inches long and four and one half inches wide for the sides of the bag. Round off the two corners at the bottom. Cut from scraps of ribbon or silk eighteen pieces, four inches long and two inches wide. Sew these together on the longest edges. 1 6 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. This will give you a strip of silk which is to be gathered around three sides of the larger pieces already described. This forms the bag. Make a bag of the usual square shape, just the width of the top of the harlequin, and six inches long. Put this into it for a lining. Across the top sew on each side, a piece of silk seven inches long and two and three quarters inches wide. Line with a different color. Make running places for strings, which should be either of narrow ribbon or silk braid. The greater variety of colors that you can put into this bag, if they are taste- fully combined, the prettier will be the effect. Chair Bags. — These bags, to hang over the back of a chair, form a pretty ornament for parlor or chamber, and can be used to hold wools or embroidery materials in one end and a duster in the other ; or, in a chamber, as a recep- tacle for soiled clothes. They can be made of any mate- rial, but we should advise a bright-figured sateen, lined with a lighter color of the same fabric. The material should be forty inches long and forty-six inches wide. Double the sateen on the wrong side until the two sel- vedge edges meet, and run together at each end a seam ten inches long, beginning at the bottom. Do the same with the lining. Fold both the outside and the lining so that across the bottom of the bag the seam will come in the middle, instead of at the side. Put the outside and lining back to back, and at one end stitch them together across the bottom. Turn the bag right side out and tack together the outside and lining around the opening left in the seam. Finish on the straight end with a row of balls BAGS. 17 matching the colors of the sateen. Draw up the other end and put in three balls. American Pompadour is made in the same way, but not so large, and is convenient as a shopping bag, to slip through a muff, and should be long enough to hang about Fig. 9. a quarter of a yard below the muff at each end. This can be made, like the illustration (Fig. 9), of cashmere, lined with silk, with embroidered border on the straight end Indeed every variety of material can be used for these bags, and they can be made of any size desired, following 1 8 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. the proportions given above. They can also be made long enough to be carried twisted once over the arm. School Bags. — Bags for carrying school books are very useful made in this way. The bag when done should not be more than ten or eleven inches wide and one yard long. They can be made of brown felting, lined with a firm cam- bric. They should be square at each end. Use gilt rings, and finish the ends with a fringe of gilt coins or crescents, which should be put on profusely to be handsome. Ribbon Bag. — This will require three strips of ribbon four inches wide and sixteen inches long. The strips may be of the same or of contrasting colors. Fold each strip across the middle of the length and sew together along one edge. Join strips one and two by sew- ing them together on one edge, from the top to the bottom. Insert strip three, and the bag is made. Face around the top with silk, and make runnings for strings, two or three inches from the top to form a frill. The strings should be of silk braid or narrow ribbon. Finish with four tassels on the bottom, one at each of the three corners and one in the centre of the bag. If preferred, the bottom of the ribbons (across the folded part) can be slanted, instead of being left straight. Narrower ribbon can be used by taking four strips instead of three. In this case three-inch ribbon would be the right width. Cap Bag. — A bag like a ball, for carrying caps, can be made by cutting eight pieces of crinoline wire twenty-three inches long, joining them together in circles, and binding them together top and bottom in the shape of a ball, leav- BAGS. l 9 ing even distances between every wire. This will form a wire ball as large as an ordinary sized "football." Cut sixteen pieces of brown holland the size and shape of the spaces between the wires, but a little larger. Stitch all these sections together, leaving one seam undone for the opening ; turn the right side out, and bind the two edges with ribbon or tape, and put on three buttons and loops ; now put the holland case over the wire ball, making the opening come between two of the wires. To keep the case in its place it must be fastened here and there to the wire ; finish by sewing on a loop of ribbon to form the handle. This bag is greatly improved in appearance if a small wreath of flowers is worked down the centre of each section of holland, or it can be painted like a terrestrial globe. Crush Bag. — The ordinary bags for opera cloaks are about half a yard wide and a yard long ; they are made in satin sheeting or red twill, and have the owner's monogram worked upon them ; or they can be made of the envelope shape, just the size of the cloak when folded, like a nightgown case, fastened with a couple of narrow straps and a handle, the mono- gram in red letters on the outside. These can be made the same shape as the American Pompadour, of light colored cretonne, lined with plain light sateen. Fig. io. 20 THREE HUXDKED PRESEXTS. Lady's Necessaire. — This necessaire can be worn at the side, attached to the belt, and will be found very con- venient. It is made of satin. Cut out, in the shape shown in Fig. 10, a piece of card-board six and one quarter inches wide and five inches high. Cover the front with satin and the back with lin- ing silk. Make the pocket of satin lined with silk. It will want to be three inches high, and must fit the back at the bottom. The sides must be sloped out, so that the top of the pocket will measure one and one half inches more in width than the back does at the same point. Bind the back and pocket together with narrow ribbon. Make the divisions for the memorandum book and other articles. Finish the edge with a large silk cord tied at the top in bows as shown in the illus- tration. Chatelaine-Bag (Fig. ii). — First, cut the lining of black silk, seven inches long in the middle, slanted up to four and three quarters inches, and five and one half inches broad. The outside is covered either with black silk cord or ecru-colored twine done in macrame. Fig. ii. BAGS. 21 Begin the macrame for the flap as usual, using the rod at the upper part of the bag for the foundation. Work the flap in any pattern which will lead down to a point. For the bag begin as usual over a foundation cord, and work the same pattern as the flap for the length of the bag. Finish with a fringe. Put in the silk lining. For the cord to pass around the waist, make a series of Josephine knots, at equal distances as in the illustration, Fig. n. A Toilet-Bag can be tastefully made of linen crash. If the crash is sixteen inches wide, the bag can be made of the width of the crash. Double this over for the length of the bag, and cut off a piece about seven inches wide. Fringe the two sides of this by ravel- ling, and then draw the threads for two rows of Punto Tirato work, leaving an equal space in the middle and on each side. The double crossed stitch given in Tilton's Art Needlework is a pretty pattern. Line the bag with red silk, and put in red ribbon strings. This is also very pretty for a work-bag. Opera-Glass Bag. — For this bag, as in Fig. 12, cut a stiff bottom out of cardboard four and one half inches long and one and one half inches wide, and round the Fig. 12. 22 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. corners. Out of crimson plush, cut two pieces, five and one half inches high, and seven and one half inches wide at the top, sloped clown to five inches at the bottom (or to fit the cardboard bottom). Embroider this to suit your fancy. Cover the cardboard with plush, join the sides of the bag and sew to the bottom piece. For the inside, make a second bottom of cardboard the shape of the first, but one eighth inch smaller all around. Cover this with crim- son lining silk. Cut a thin card- board the shape of the plush bag, but only half its height. Cover this with silk and sew to the second bottom. On the top of the case thus formed, sew a silk lining for the remaining part of the plush bag. Slip the silk bag into the plush one, and fasten them together by hemming the lining on to the outside around the top, and make the runnings for the strings one and one half inches below this FlG - I3 - seam. The dimensions given above are for an opera-glass of the usual size but of course the bag can be made of any size that may be desired, being careful to follow the pro- portions here given. Skate-Bag (Fig. 13). — This bag is made of cloth lined with chamois-skin. For the outside cut a piece sixteen BAGS. 23 inches long and seven inches wide, and slope at the bottom as in Fig. 13. The lining should be a little smaller. Make it fourteen inches long and six and one half inches wide. Stitch each up separately, put the lining into the bag so that the seams will not show. Hem the outside down upon the lining and run a place for the strings. The handle is made of a strip of the cloth twelve inches long and one inch wide, doubled over. Violin-Bag. — The dimensions of this bag must, of course, depend upon the size of the instrument for which it is made. The material is billiard-cloth lined with quilted silk or chamois-skin. The design is done in outline em- broidery, as in Fig. 14. The bag is left open at the top, on both sides, to the depth of six or eight inches, and fastened with buttons and loops. Violin Blanket. — A blanket made of a square of chamois -skin large enough to cover it thoroughly is quite essential to keep the instrument from being injured by changes in tempera- ture. Game-Bags. — The game-bag represented by Fig. 15, is made of yellow leather and furnished with shoulder straps and girdle for the waist ; the front pocket is done with Macrame stitch and thread in a series of Solomon's knots, 24 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. the diamond shaped open-work being made of Josephine knots. The front flap is composed of deer-skin bound with leather. The lining should be made of stout drilling or buckram, and a pocket for cartridge cases attached to the back of this lining inside. For this pocket cut a bit of cardboard eight inches long and three inches wide, and cover it with leather. On the outside, at the back, finish as in Fig. 16. At- tach a long bag, half as long as the width, with a flap at one end to close up the bag, and a strap which can be fastened to a button at the bottom of the bag, so that when it is empty it can be doubled back as in the illustration Fig. 16. In front of the bag fas- ten to the edge of the flap some narrow leather straps furnished with metal rings, as in Fig. 15. These straps are to be used for tying up the birds that have been shot. Another Game-Bag can be more simply made by work- ing a pouch of Macrame twine ; this bag should be made with a flap to close over the top, and leather shoulder straps should be added. Piece-Bag. —Take three pieces of calico, the width Fig. 15. BAGS. 25 of the material, thirty inches long. Sew the three pieces together with one seam, so that when done they shall make a bag with a partition in the middle. This will give you a bag on each side of the middle piece. On the outside of each bag make a slit for the opening fourteen inches long. Bind with red braid ; sew the bag together at the top. You will need a bar of wood eleven inches long, one and one half inches wide, two and one quar- ter inches thick. Stitch on the machine a place deep enough for this bar, which must then be run through the top of the bag. Make two gimlet holes at each end of the bar through which you must put a double piece of braid to hang the bag up by. Triple Button Bag. This is made by con- necting three separate bags on one string. The string of the bags should pass through the hem of each, leaving a little frill at the top. The middle bag should be larger than the other two, about four inches square ; the bags should be made of pongee or some pretty material. Another Set of Button Bags. — Make four bags of sateen four inches square. Two must be made of figured Fig. 16. 26 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. and two of plain material. Make a hem at the top one inch wide. In the hem of each bag make four button- holes, two on one side and two on the other, one and one half inches from the edges. When done lay the bags on top of one another, so that the figured ones shall come on the outside, and the plain ones in the centre. Put two strings of narrow ribbon through the button holes, arrang- ing them to draw, as in an ordinary bag. Sponge-Holder. — Another useful article and easy to be made, is a bag to hold a sponge, when it is hung in the sun to dry. This is best made in netting, but coarse crochet work would answer nearly as well. The bag should be made of crochet cotton, and if netted a mesh should be used measuring one and one half inches in circumference. When completed it should be seven or eight inches square. Around the top put in a draw- ing-string of strong cord, and put on a loop to hang it up by. Soap-Bag. — Take two bits of flannel five inches square and sew them together on three sides in the shape of a bag. Turn this right side out. Around the three sewn edges, make a trimming by working them over with scarlet worsted in loose button-hole stitch. Turn down a narrow hem across the two open edges, and finish them in the same way. Collect all the pieces of nice toilet soap that are too small to be kept any longer in the soap dishes. Cut four pieces of flannel four inches square, and lay the pieces of soap between them, basting around the bits of soap to keep them in place. BAGS. 2 J Put this bag inside the cover you have made, and run the open edges together slightly. This makes a good wash-cloth for the face and neck, and can be easily re- newed when necessary. Sponge-Bags. — These can be made of India-rubber cloth, in the form of a common bag, and bound around the edges with scarlet worsted braid ; or they can be made of any serviceable material and lined with oiled silk. The last idea, however, is to make them ornamental, by either covering them with colored sateen and working a flower on each side ; or in American cloth, painting them and bind- ing all round with galoon. Sponge-Box. — This is made from a tin mustard box or spice box, which is large enough and has a tight-fitting cover. The outside is painted some ground-color, upon which is put a spray of nasturtiums or any flower one chooses. Clothes-Pin Bag. — Out of bed-ticking, cut a piece twenty-eight inches wide and twenty-one inches high. Slope the sides of this piece from the bottom to the top, making the top only eighteen inches wide. Cut this a little curving, (across the top) to fit the figure. To the bottom sew a piece twenty-eight inches wide and twelve inches high. This piece is not to be sloped at the sides. Sew this to the bottom for the pocket ; Divide this with herring-bone into three spaces or pockets. Bind the bottom and sides with scarlet braid ; put on a belt at the top to fasten around the waist with a button and button-hole. A Duster-Bag can be made of a strip of cretonne nine 28 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. inches wide and one yard long. Double up this strip about half its length for the bag ; fold the upper end into a point and bring this over so that only the point will cover the top of the bag, passing the pointed end through a metal ring to hang the bag by. This should be firmly fastened with folds. The bag can be made longer or shorter as desired, and should contain a set of dusters. Finish with a tassel made by a strip of the cretonne, cut into a fringe at one end. CHAPTER IV. HOUSEHOLD. Mantel-Board. — An embroidered lambrequin is a very handsome present to make for a friend, if the giver is skilful in embroidery, to be made of velvet, satin, cloth, or felting, which should be cut in scallops or points at the bottom, or finished by having the edge cut up for four or five inches in narrow strips one quarter of an inch wide. This is a good suggestion for A Wedding Present. — If made for this purpose it will be more useful if a mantel-board is also made to fit the mantel-piece for which the lambrequin is des- tined. If the mantel-piece is narrow, this board should project a little from the edge. The usual way to cover it is to sew the top and lining together on the wrong side and slip the board in between. The top must be made of some mate- rial to match or correspond with the lambrequin, and the lining must be of some firm buckram, or drilling, of the same color as the top. The lambrequin can be sewed or nailed to this, and the edge covered with gimp held by brass-headed nails, or by a cord sewed on, with tassels at the corners. The cover is strained over the shelf. Tack to the wall 29 3° THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. the ends of lining of the cover; or the board can be fastened by screw-eyes. If fringe is used, unless very massive, it is always advis- able to back it by a double band of stuff in the same shade, which can be lightly sewn or nailed to the edge of the board underneath, and not only improves the set, but pro- tects the fringe from smoke and dust. Mantel-Curtains. — These are used for draperies to cover the sides of a mantel-piece in winter, and in summer can be drawn over the grate, like a fire-blind, to conceal it. The rod upon which the curtain hangs is secured beneath the mantel-piece (the outline of which it follows) to the wall or the mantel-piece itself, and on this the rings slip to and fro, the rings, of course, being sewn to the curtains. At the end of each side of the brass rods there should be either a hook to secure it to an "eye" placed in the wall, or else each end should be pointed, and fit into a hole in the wall on each side of the fireplace. Sometimes brass wire is substituted for the brass rod, and sometimes a red picture cord is used, as being more portable and less expensive. It answers the purpose equally well. The curtains should hang full, and the length should be about a quarter of a yard longer than they are required, and when caught up with ribbon and secured to the wall by a nail, they will be long enough to hang gracefully. It depends on what material is used as to whether the cur- tains require a lining. If of a thin texture, chintz or sheeting, a lining of some bright color improves them ; but if the material be of cotton, backed satin, or felting, or velvet, no lining is needed. Oatmeal cloth with a pat- HOUSEHOLD. 3 1 tern of flowers on it in crewels, has a very good effect, and is to be had in several beautiful colors. Feltings, too, are much used now, and look very rich for mantel-piece curtains. Satin of colors to correspond with the furniture of the room looks very well for this purpose, and with flowers painted on it the effect is very handsome. To cut flowers out of cretonne, chintz, and sewing on to a dark- colored cloth or serge, makes very pleasant work, which looks exceedingly well when finished. The chintz should be edged entirely with button-hole stitch in dark green silk to enhance the effect. Mirror Drapery. — An effective piece of color can be introduced into a room by making curtains for mirrors or pictures. The plain, bright, soft India silks should be used. Cause a brass rod to be put at the top and bottom of the frame, projecting from the wall as much as the frame does. Take as many breadths of the silk as are necessary to cover the mirror or picture, making the cur- tain in two separate pieces. Make the curtain the length of the space between the two rods, allowing for a broad hem on both ends. Sew on brass rings, and slip them on the rods. The curtains will then open from the centre by slipping them to each side of the frame. It is often a convenience to be able to shut off from a mirror or a glass covered engraving, the reflected light so troublesome to the eyes. Curtains used for mirrors and pictures are also fas- tened in folds to the top of the frame, and draped on each side in festoons, secured to the wall with bows of ribbon. This style of decoration is particularly suited for chambers. 3 2 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. Portieres. — These are made of every variety of ma- terial, too numerous to be enumerated. Some of the most popular are plush, felting, serge cloth, cotton tapestry, woollen tapestry, colored cotton flannels, satin sheeting, crash, etc. The modes of decorating them are equally numerous. One of the newest ways of arranging portieres, is with a piece turning down from the top, to the depth at least of half a yard. They generally have rings sewn to them, by which they are attached to a rod placed in the doorway : but if they are not required to draw, they are often nailed above the doorway so that they can be allowed to fall or be looped up and show the room beyond. The loopings are generally placed high up, French fashion, But, in good truth, the arrangement of portieres depends much on the materials of which they are made. The cheap blue and white striped curtains sold by Lasenby Liberty are much used. Many of the woollen tapestry or damask bro- cades have a dado at the lower edge of velvet half a yard deep, matching the dominant color. Screens. — The foundation is of wood, which can be made by any carpenter, if the size of each leaf be calcu- lated. The framework must be first covered with sail- cloth, which ought to be stretched firmly on. The sail- cloth is fastened to the edges by tacks, and when the pictures are on, these must be covered with ornamental beading. It is best to buy the framework complete, and we would not advise any attempt to be made at varnishing, as it requires a good deal of skill and practice, besides being rather dirty work. HOUSEHOLD. 33 The best pictures are bright-colored ones ; those given with the Illustrated London News, the Queen, and many of the Christmas periodicals, are just the thing. Photo- graphs would be so very expensive, as a very large number is used up in an incredibly short space of time. Have as many cut-out flowers and leaves as possible to cover angles and hard lines, and it is as well to make the pictures in careless groups, and not a stiff arrangement. In pasting on the pictures, rub from one side to the other, to avoid any unsightly creases, which spoil the effect of the prettiest pictures. Almost the whole beauty depends upon an ar- tistic arrangement of the scraps. We have seen one very pretty one where the plan had been used of first throwing them down carelessly on a table, and then putting them on the screen exactly in the way they had fallen. The ordinary size for screens of this description is five feet six inches high, and each leaf two, or two and one half feet broad. Screens for standing before an empty grate or in a corner can be arranged from a small clothes-horse, covered with cretonne or any fancy material. Embroidery is very effective on screens. Indeed it is perhaps the best way of showing off a handsome piece of work, either on the smaller screens just described, or on the separate leaves of a large screen. The material after working should be stretched firmly on with tacks, which can be covered by a narrow galloon or gimp, held down by brass-headed nails. The designs on the Japanese screens are very suggestive for embroidery, as they combine grace and color so happily. A stiff pattern is very tiresome, but the pretty branches stretching across 34 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. the screen, such as are found among the Japanes'e designs, are exceedingly effective. A handsome cretonne stretched across the frame and held down by brass-headed nails with a lining of cream- colored cambric makes a very pretty screen. Bolster -Pillo w. — Make a pillow of down or feathers fourteen inches long and fourteen inches in circumference. For a cover take two triangular pieces of plush of contrast- ing colors, twenty - two inches on the straight sides and sew them together on the slanting sides. Cover the seam with an embroid- ery of applique as shown in Fig. 17. For directions for applique, see Tilton's Art Needlework. Sew the cover together, face the ends with satin three and one half inches deep. Insert the pillow, gather up the ends, as in the illustration, and finish with bows of ribbon in one end, and silk balls in the other. Fig. 17. HOUSEHOLD. 35 Smaller Bolster-Pillow. — This should be thirteen inches long and eleven inches in circumference. Cover with plush or some plain material. Draw it up at the ends. As in Fig. 18, put on a cord with tassels. Decorate as in the illustration, with embroid- ery, or put around it, at equal distance from the ends, a point lace insertion three inches wide, edged with lace. This insertion can be made of knitted lace or macrame, done with ecru colored thread. This style of cushion is now used in Paris on the long lounge chairs that are much af- fected. Plush Pillow. — Fig. 19 shows another method of mak- ing a plush cover for a bolster pillow. It is ornamented with appliques of satin-stitch embroid- ery, pompon fringe, and with rich silk cords and tassels, the pom- pons bordering the two ends. This "dormeuse," as it is called in France, is adapted to arm- chairs and sofas, and serves as a head rest. The model is from Paris. The cords serve to tie up the cover at each end. The same pattern is used for night-gown sachets, as described under that head. Fig. i! 36 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. Embroidered Sofa-Pil- lows are very handsome, of plush, cloth, felting, pon- gee, and other materials. The work is described in Art-Needlework. Pine -Needle Pillows are made of crash or pon- gee, with a branch of pine embroidered upon them, and are filled with the fragrant pine-needles, dried ; or such a pillow can be filled with sweet fern, dried. Hop Pillows have al- most taken the place of pine-needle pillows, since hops have a soporific ef- fect. A pillow made of pongee, and embroidered with a device, such as " Schlafe wohl," or " Sweet be thy Slumber," makes an acceptable gift. Cretonne Table-Cover. A charming cover for a small table can be made from a square of bright- flowered cretonne, edged I '!,;; Fig. iq. HOUSEHOLD. 37 with Nottingham lace four or five inches deep, put on either plain or full. Five-o'Clock Tea-Cloths. — The greatest novelty is Russian cross-stitch in washing silks on fancy-grounded Madras muslin, edged with tinted lace, sewn on rather full. The cross-stitch is usually done on coarse canvas, which is drawn away afterwards, as described in Tilton's Canvas- Work. This canvas, being first tacked on, supports the somewhat delicate background, and gives substance for working on. The work must not be puckered, and, when finished, should be very lightly damped at the back, and ironed with a tolerably hot iron. The work is very pretty and uncommon, and cleans perfectly, though there is a risk in washing it. The cream muslin, with faintly tinted leaves and flowers over it, is used also, and the silks match to a certain extent. It can be worked in the four corners in crewels, with a foundation composed of pale coffee-colored muslin. Cream spotted muslin tea-cloths, edged with lace, are very pretty, with small silk " pompons " at the corners ; also the new flowered nainsook muslin with lace, one cor- ner turned up with loops of colored ribbon, with a cosey to match, made up over silk. Many of the fashionable tea-cloths are now of pale-colored Roman sheeting, bordered with a frill of deep cream and coffee-colored lace, or with festoons of fancy Madras mus- lin, with colored flowers, caught up with the silk pompons matching in color. Embroidered Table-Covers give an opportunity for the display of every variety of work, in borders of appli- que, or directly on cloth or felting, in the corners or 3 8 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. across the ends, in various stitches described in Art- Needlework. A new method of making table-covers is to tie the cor- ners with ribbon bows, which may be pushed up, so that the cloth will fit any smaller table. A table-cover of white Madras, lined with yellow sateen and tied with yellow bows, gives any table a light and graceful appearance. Bell-Pulls. — The length is two and one half yards ; width, four inches. Embroidery on silk or satin is most suitable for a drawing-room. Take, if possible, the pre- vailing color in the latter for the foundation. Black satin, however, worked with yellow wheat and daisies, looks well with almost anything. Line with yellow, and put a yellow cord around the edge, with a tassel of the same color. Crewel-work is most suitable for bed-rooms. Cretonne em- broidery does very well, too. A handsome pattern in imitation point lace is very ef- fective for a bell-pull, done with linen braid, especially if the lambrequins and other furniture are decorated with lace. Pillow-Shams. — These can be made in great variety. Dotted and figured muslins, lined with a color, are some- times used, but fine linen is more elegant and durable. Cut your material large enough to cover well all the edges of the pillow, but not so large that the two shams shall interfere with one another when on the bed. A monogram is the best device for the centre. The four sides can be finished in a broad hem, or in tucks. A small vine embroidered around the sides, and the edges finished in scallops, is very handsome. HOUSEHOLD. 39 Lace insertion let in around the sides, with a hem of the linen the width of the lace, on each side of it, to be trimmed when done with lace to match the insertion, is particularly pretty. The insertion should be lined with a color. An embroidered ruffle gathered to the sides is a simple and effective finish. Some ladies prefer to a pillow-sham an ornamental pil- low-case, made large enough to slip easily over the pillow when covered with the ordinary pillow-case. The orna- mental ones are carefully removed and folded away when the bed is made ready for the night. A Scarf Pillow-Sham. — The pillow-sham made long enough to cover both pillows is in some respects more convenient than two, and is heavily embroidered or trimmed at each end. Fender-Stools. — For bedroom use, direct your car- penter to make a fender-stool of the ordinary shape, taking care that the top board is the length of the hearth. It should be ten or twelve inches wide, and must stand seven inches from the floor on the lowest side. Cover the t©p of the stool with cotton batting. Over this stretch very tightly, strong unbleached .cotton cloth, fastening it to the stool with upholsterer's tacks. Over this put a second cover of cretonne, to match the furnish- ings of the chamber. Make a flounce of cretonne deep enough to come to the floor, and tack around the four sides of the stool. You will now have made not only a fender-stool, but also a convenient place for keeping boots and shoes in hiding. For drawing-rooms the stool should be made of 40 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. hard wood, such as oak or black walnut, and covered with worsted-work, or plush embroidered. Chair-Back Covers. — Squares or oblong pieces of Madras muslin, ecru color, and edged with a deep lace, can be arranged as chair-backs by tying a large bow round the centre, fastening to the top of the chair, and letting the two ends fall downwards, Russian fashion. Plush stamped, the pattern outlined in gold ; fine bolting-cloth embroid- ered; a piece of damask, with just a stripe of the pattern at the edge, outlined with gold-colored silk ; alternate strips of painted or embroidered satin, velvet, sateen, plain or fancy ribbon, or Liberty's silks and guipure insertion, the whole bordered with antique furniture lace, put on full at the corners, are all very effective ; also strips of pretty cre- tonne edged with lace. Satin sheeting, painted or worked with one large spray, thrown carelessly across from the left-hand corner, looks well. All these are very easy to make. The black satin antimacassars are in several styles ; sometimes with conventional sprays all over, at one end wild roses, or in stripes of japonica, or with hops in one corner. They are bordered with white lace. Scarfs. — The Turkish and Indian embroidered chair- backs are perhaps more in fashion than any other kind. For these scarfs the ground should be covered with a fil- ling of darning, in silk, and each figure or portion of a figure worked over with its own color in silk. Gather the scarf up in the middle and fasten it to the chair with a large bow. Foot-Stool. — The cover for Fig. 20 is easily made in the Ball pattern described in Tilton's Crochet. Any simple HOUSEHOLD. 41 canvas pattern can be worked. The design is carried out by changing the color for the several balls when it is needed ; the border is worked separately with a fringe of balls, and tassels should be put at the corners, as in the illustration. Another Foot-Stool. — Fig. 2 1 is worked in Smyrna wool done on very coarse canvas. It is worked over two Fig. 20. meshes each one half inch wide and in half-cross stitch. After the second mesh is worked over, cut the threads on the first mesh, and use this for the third row and repeat. This has the solid, raised effect of a Persian rug. The work is very easily done with a curved needle, when it can be found, or a large stout tape needle can be used. Small remnants of double zephyr can be used for the 42 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. work, which can be done in any simple canvas pattern, as in the illustration, Fig. 21. If varied colors are used, there should be a plain border of black, or some dark color to set off the whole. This stitch is very handsome for rugs. Music-Stool. — The cover for the music-stool, repre- sented in Fig. 22, is done by drawing double threads through a coarse Penelope canvas with a crochet needle as Fig. 2i. described in Tilton's Crochet book. The stitch gives a plush-like effect. The corners of the music-stool should be covered with plush put on in plaits, as in the illustra- tion. Silver Tripods. — Have three blackthorn sticks, and cover them with tinfoil, each in long strips about one and one half or two inches broad. Paste each loosely round, and leave it to dry ; then press it tight. Tie the sticks to- HOUSEHOLD. 43 gether three inches from the top. Put cross-bar pieces of wood from one leg to another at the bottom, at a distance of two inches from the end of the legs. Cover a little wicker basket with tinfoil, and suspend to the centre by a piece of string also covered with tinfoil. Inside the basket place a small cup for holding flowers. Rustic Wheel- barrows can also be made from twigs gilded, and are used for flowers or to keep on the cen- tre-table as recept- acles for small arti- cles. Rustic Stand. A bundle of these twigs gilded can also be arranged in the form of a flower- pot with a base, a torsade and bow of ribbon marking the separation of vessel and stand. Home-made Rugs. — These articles are so serviceable, and the genuine Persian and Turkish rugs are so expen- sive, that we do not wonder that American ingenuity has turned itself to invent some method of manufacturing them within the reach of every housewife. The New England housekeeper has for a long time not only adorned Fig. 22. 44 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. her own home, but has won prizes at country shows, by her skill in making handsome and durable Rag Rugs. — These warm and inexpensive rugs, or mats, are made by collecting all the thick rags of the household, light and dark, and cutting them into pieces about half an inch or thereabouts in width ; the length is not of so much consequence. These little bits should be drawn with a coarse bone crochet needle or rug hook through the meshes of a piece of coarse canvas, such as packing bags are made of, leaving loops tof stand up on the right side ; if drawn firmly through, no fas- tening is required, and the pattern can be made to suit the taste or fancy of the makers. If light rags pre- dominate, then the centre may be of a light shade and the border variegated ; or, if the colors are equal, it might be worked in lines with a border of one color. The patterns found on the Turkish rugs can be easily imitated. Any one skilled in design should first mark them out in broad lines on the burlap required, which can be easily followed. This work has been made even easier in late years, as the burlap or foundation can be found with pattern marked and careful directions for work. The burlap founda- tion, or body only of the rug, may be bought all print- ed or stamped in coloi's with a proper design. With the directions for working the rug are sent simple reci- pes or instructions for coloring rags, yarn, etc., a great variety of colors, and at a very small expense. Yarn, waste filling, etc., of any color, are furnished when re- quired. HOUSEHOLD. 45 The most convenient method of holding the rug body or pattern while working it or drawing in the rag filling, is to sew or tack it into a simple frame com- posed of four strips of board about two inches wide and seven eighths of an inch thick. This frame may be supported on the backs of chairs, or in any con- venient manner ; but the best way is to use the im- proved iron clamps, which are provided with screws for holding the frames together, and also with sockets for receiving the legs. They are also useful for supporting quilting frames. Proper rug hooks are furnished, made of brass wire with hard wood handles, as shown in Fig. 23, finished ^ very nicely, and bent to fit the hand so as not to tire the arm in working. Filling of all colors, which can be used instead of rags, can be easily found. FlG - 2 3- Rug-making Machine. — There has also been intro- duced a machine for "drawing in" the filling of such rugs. This machine is an ingenious device, saving much muscu- lar strength, performing its work rapidly and satisfactorily, and has the merit of being inexpensive, simple in its construction, and easily operated, and with a little practice can be successfully used by an intelligent child of ten years of age. Knotted Rugs. — A very effective rug or mat can be made with the odds and ends of wools thus : Work knotted stitches into coarse woolwork canvas in irregular-shaped patches of different colors, avoiding putting decided con- trasts together, but arranging blues, greens, reds, browns, 46 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS, and yellows, crimson and scarlet, greens and violets next to each other. Care must be taken that the wool is arranged in equal thicknesses, thus : two strands of fingerings, four of crewel wool, will be required to work in with fleecy. Several rows of knots in some dark-colored wool must be worked on the rug as a border. Knotted stitches are made by twisting wool once or twice round the needle before returning it into the same hole where the stitch was commenced. Burlap Rug. — A very quick and simple method of making a rug is by working in cross-stitch on the kind of burlap that comes in regular threads, different from com- mon baedne:. This is not unlike Java canvas, and can be worked in any Berlin pattern. It is usually done in one color, of a deep red, for instance, and the same color is brought into the fringe of drawn threads at either end. Wool Rug. — Tie together and wind into balls odds and ends of worsted of all colors and lengths. If your remnants are chiefly of double zephyr, double or treble your finer wools as may be necessary to make them all of the same thickness. From these balls cast on to medium- sized ivory knitting needles ten stitches if the wool is fine, eight if coarse. Knit back and forward until you have a strip as long as you wish your rug to be. Knit as many of these strips as you require for the width of your rug. Out of bed-ticking cut a foundation the size you wish. Double your strips lengthwise through the centre and sew them by the two edges on the bed-ticking, putting a strip to every stripe in the ticking. When all are sewed on, cut the strips open through the middle and ravel them a HOUSEHOLD, 47 little. The effect is handsomer if the strips are dampened and pressed with a hot iron before they are sewed to the foundation. The same method can also be carried out with a sew- ing machine by the use of a Patented Rug-Maker, an inge- nious contrivance which does away with the necessity of even knitting the strips, and which saves time by sewing them on the ticking with the machine, instead of by hand. This is called the Pearl Rug-Maker. A hand- some rug, with border two by four feet, can be made in from three to seven hours ; any sized rug may be made. All kinds of cloth — small pieces from the waste basket, wool carpet waste, odds and ends of yarn — can be utilized in making handsome, durable rugs. Silk clothing too much worn for patchwork, can be made into stool and ottoman covers, and designs in flowers produced with very little trouble. All the material comes on the upper side, and is firmly sewed on a base or foundation of coarse cloth. Handsome Smyrna rugs can be worked in the stitches given in this book for the covers of footstools, in Ball pattern, with crochet, Fig. 20, and in the handsome canvas pattern given with Fig. 21. A Handsome Knit Smyrna Rug can be made with ends of Smyrna wool, as described in Tilton's Knitting Book. Cut the ends of worsted two and one quarter inches long, and use No. 13 steel needles. The first row should be knit plain with coarse knitting cotton. For the second row knit one plain, take an end of the worsted, and lay it between the needles, one half lying in front next you, knit one stitch, as in Fig. 24, then double back the other end, 4 8 THREE HUXDRED PRESEXTS. so that it comes evenly side by side with the first in front on the side next you. Knit one plain row again and re- peat, bringing the ends always on the same side. Knit in strips to be sewed together. After it is finished cut the threads even at the top. Any Berlin pattern can be worked, changing the colors, the two ends of the doubled Fig. 24, worsted and two knit stitches making one stitch of the pattern. Materials for this work can be found, conveniently prepared for knitting these Smyrna Rugs, in boxes pro- vided with wools cut, with needles, cotton for foundation, and mesh for cutting more wools, as in Fig. 25. In using this, wind the worsted to be used over the grooved mesh, and cut the worsted along the groove. This makes the ends of the desired length. HOUSEHOLD. 49 Umbrella-Stand. — Get a piece of drain pipe ten or twelve inches in diameter, and two and one half feet high, closed at one end. Put on a ground in oil paints, and on this paint clusters of flower-de-luce, or branches of altheas, or any large flower. The more delicate flowers will not be effective. This is to stand in the vestibule or corner of the hall, to hold umbrellas, and is a convenient as well as handsome receptacle for them, as they can be put in wet and allowed to drain. Baskets for Pet Cats or Dogs. — Buy one of the baskets made for the purpose of giving to a pet cat or small dog his own resting - place in the drawing-room. Line this with quilted * Fig. 25. satin, wadded, and fin- ish on the edges with a silk cord. Into the hood of the basket tie a bow of broad satin ribbon. A less expensive resting-place for a pet can be made by using instead of a wicker basket one of the long oval wooden baskets in which grapes are brought to market. Cover the outside with a dark figured sateen, and the inside with a plain pink or blue, and decorate with ribbon bows. Finger-Plates for Doors. — Many housekeepers like finger-plates to save the paint above and below the door- knob from getting soiled and worn. They can be bought in china and glass at the china stores ; but pretty ones might also be made by any ingenious person. 50 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. For each door have a carpenter cut two pieces of light wood, eight inches high, three inches wide and one quarter inch thick, with the corners rounded and edges bevelled. Decorate these with painting, or pen and ink drawing, or decalcomanie. Let your design get thoroughly dry, and then cover with two coats of varnish. These are to be screwed to the door, even with the outer edge, one just above and the other just below the door-knob. Book- binders' pasteboard, decorated and varnished could also be used, but would not be quite so durable as wood. Dusters. — A set of dusters is a nice present for a little girl to give to her mamma, as they are so easily made. Get cheese-cloth at five cents a yard, and cut it in squares three quarters of a yard in size. In one corner work the word Duster. Hem all the sides, or finish the edge with button-hole stitch in bright worsted. Scarlet is the best color to use, because it does not fade when it is washed. Duster-Bag. — A pretty bag to hold a duster for parlor use can be made of fine crash. Make the bag of two pieces ten inches long, and six inches wide. On one side work, in two shades of the same color, circles the size of a finger ring, in groups of two, overlapping each other. On the other side work a name or monogram or flower. Make up the bag leaving a ruffle above the strings three inches deep, which must be lined with bright-colored silk. Use ribbon of the same color for strings. Another duster- bag is described on page 27. Sweeping-Caps. — Cut cambric or calico in a half square, with the corner rounded, measuring thirty-six HOUSEHOLD. 5 1 inches long and twenty-two inches deep. There are two drawstrings, one running along the length at a distance of five inches from the edge, and the other in a half circle at six inches from the edge, but eight inches in the centre, opposite the corner. This is owing to the drawstring being in a half circle, and the corner pointed, or rather rounded. The first drawstring gathers the hood round the face, the second round the nape of the neck, thus form- ing the shape. A bow of the print or a ruche of lace round the front can be added for additional ornament. In pale pink, gray, and blue print, these caps are most pretty. Another Sweeping-Cap. — Another way to make a sweeping-cap is to cut a circle eighteen inches in diameter. Bind the edge with calico or braid, two inches from the edge all around ; face on a piece for a running string. Into this put either tape or elastic and draw up to suit the size of the head. D'Oyleys. — There is such a variety in the making of D'Oyleys, and they are so constantly needed, that indi- vidual taste can be gratified in making a very useful present in a set of them. Many patterns for making them are given in Tilton's Art-Needlework. They are very pretty of very fine crash fringed, with a border of drawn-work, a different pattern for each D'Oyley. A monogram can be worked in the centre, or a motto. A very pretty set can be made for fruit napkins, with a motto referring to a different fruit for each D'Oyley, or a separate fruit can be worked on each. Pretty patterns in cross-stitch can be done, in imitation of the Bulgarian 5 2 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. work, on loose-threaded India cotton, or coarse Irish linen. The work should be done over canvas, in gold thread and red, or some bright-colored filo-floss, the threads of the canvas to be drawn out afterwards. Etching-stitch should be done either in fine black silk, or in one thread of filo- floss, and the stitches should be of the finest. A close row of cats' heads makes an original border round the edge of a D'Oyley, done in fine etching-stitch. D'Oyleys can be bought like the illustration in Fig. 26, with a border ready for cross-stitch ; and a small design of a goblet, cup Fig. 26. and saucer, or Japanese vases, is pretty for the centre, done in two shades of blue or in any desired color. China-Closet Towels. — A set of china-closet towels neatly hemmed and marked is sure to be gladly received by a housekeeper. Towels for china should be made of the linen that comes for the purpose, checked off with blue or red, and the word China should be marked on each one. A pretty way of marking is to work one letter of the word in each of the five squares across one end of the towel, arranging the word so that it shall come either HOUSEHOLD. S3 at one side, quite in the corner, or across the middle of the towel. Old table-linen makes the best towels for wiping silver. Cotton-flannel is also much used, but soft linen damask is better. These should be marked Silver in some distinct way. Little drawings in indelible ink of some of the articles they are to be used for, such as forks or spoons crossed, or a cream-pitcher or sugar-bowl, also make a mark which easily distinguishes these towels from all others. Tea-Pot Holder. — This is made of a square of knit- ting, done in pearls. The border at the sides is of crim- son, the checks in the centre are alternate crimson and white. Cast on, of any fine yarn, fifty-five stitches. I. Knit fifteen stitches of the crimson yarn, five of white, five of crimson, five of white, five of crimson, five of white, fifteen of crimson. In going back, follow the same order. Repeat until you 'have knit four turns. 2. You must now reverse the checks. This you do by knitting as before, fifteen stitches of crimson for the border, five additional stitches of crimson, five white, five crimson, five white, five crimson, fifteen crimson. Repeat until you have knit four turns. You will now return to the order given in No. I. Alternate the checks in this way until you have made eleven rows of checks. Bind off and sew the holder together at the top. At the bottom sew it together only across the checks, leaving it open across the border. At the point where the seam stops put on a cord and tassel. In passing the different colored yarn from one check to the other, draw it as tight as possible across the under side so that the checks when done shall 54 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. be puffed, while the border lies flat. This is very import- ant as it forms the chief beauty of the holder. Knife-Cases. — These are made of cotton-flannel and are very good to keep knives in which are not in constant use. They are equally valuable to put silver forks and spoons in, as they will prevent their getting scratched or rubbed. The dimensions given below are for dinner- knives. Cut a piece of colored or white cotton-flannel two and one half inches wide and twenty-four inches long. Double back so that the nap will come inside ten inches, and sew up at the sides. Bind all around with scarlet braid. Di- vide the pocket thus made into twelve spaces which will each measure one and three quarters inches. A Corn-Napkin is pretty and convenient. Made of white linen, it is large enough to cover and keep warm a plate of corn. The corners are embroidered with two ears of corn and blades, in corn color and green silk. Cosies. — These are covers much used in Germany and in England for keeping liquids warm, and are valuable, also, to keep the heat in boiled eggs. Tea-cosies can be made of worsted work, bead work, crewel embroidery on crash, sheeting, and satin, quilted satin, plain satin. The plain satin should be ornamented with a spray of artificial fruit or flowers delicately placed on one side. Old-gold satin with a cluster of poppies on one side, and navy-blue satin, with a spray of buttercups, with a feather butterfly hovering on a wire, are pretty. They can also be composed of strips of satin ribbons run together about two and one half inches wide diagonally, HOUSEHOLD. 55 joined by a chain stitch of gold filoselle, and finished on the bottom with a frill of white lace ; or one can sew to a foundation of pink silk, narrow white lace, in a fan shape, one row just touchng the edge of the other, ending in the centre with a rosette of pink satin ribbon and a humming bird. A simpler and very inexpensive one can can be made from the following directions : — Cut two pieces of flannel, fourteen inches by twelve inches. Curve the upper edge, beginning on the upright sides four inches from the bottom. Decorate the two sides according to your fancy, and sew them together, leaving the bottom open. Cut a lining of the same shape and size as the outside, excepting it should measure one inch less than the outside, from the bottom to the top of the curve. Wad this lining quite thickly with cotton batting, quilted to it. Sew the edges together as in the outside. Put the lining into the outside, and bind the two together at the bottom with worsted braid. Put on a loop at the top to hang it up by when not in use. Still another pretty way of decorating a cosey is by cut- ting out the shape in canvas, laying on the crewels in lengths, as many as four or six together, and then tacking them down at distances with large cross-stitches in gold- colored filoselle or knitting silk. The crossed stitches down each line of crewels should be arranged to fit in neatly, every alternate cross being in a line, and the inter- mediate ones above and below. This work has a good effect and is very easy, and particularly suitable for old ladies or invalids, who require easy work. This is also good for kettle-holders and mats. 5 6 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. Flat-Iron Wipers. — Sew into a long strip, pieces of old cotton-flannel or other thick cloth, torn into widths of one and one half inches. Braid these together and sew round and round into a circular mat of any size you wish. These are better than any cloth to clean flat-irons in iron- ing. Flat-Irox Pads. — These are to put underneath the flat-iron stand to keep the ironing-sheet from getting scorched. Make a bag (ten inches by twelve inches is a convenient size) of bed-ticking, leaving it open at one end. Bind all around with scarlet braid. Make a pad of several thicknesses of newspaper, and slip into the bag, basting together the open en ' Key Rack. — Cover a wooden rolling-pin of small size, from six to eight inches long, with plush, tying the ends with satin bows of the same color ; screw in as many brass hooks in rows as you desire, and nail on the back a satin ribbon to hang it by. This is useful to hold keys, button-hooks, scissors, and other small things. Axother Key Rack can be made in the same way as the case for memoranda, by attaching rows of hooks to a small board covered with plush or gilt canvas. This can be supported by the pretty chain and rod used for hanging screens. CHAPTER V. LAWN TENNIS ACCESSORIES. Many useful and acceptable presents can be made in connection with the popular game of Lawn Tennis. At many country houses a supply of tennis shoes is kept for those who do not possess a pair of their own. A very neat-looking receptacle can be made for this in holland, or dark blue or red chintz, to be hung up against a wall. The whole thing is about a yard square, and it has two rows of pockets, in which the pairs of shoes are kept. The materials are one yard of Hessian, which is very coarse holland, like sacking, three yards of brown hol- land, and a dozen yards of colored or white braid. The Hessian is for the back, which goes against the wall, and into this, at the top, is slipped a piece of stick to keep it flat and straight. The holland is then cut and sewn on in broad, flat plaits, and stitched down the sides to form the pockets, each plait forming the pocket. At the top of each row of pockets a flounce is added, which falls par- tially over, and makes all look neat and tidy. The pock- ets and flounces are all bound with braid. The flounce has just to be raised to admit of the shoes being taken out or put in. Sometimes a button and hole are added to close the pocket over the shoes, but this is not necessary. 57 5 8 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. Make four rosettes of braid for the corners as a finish. The size of this wall shoe-bag is, of course, according to taste and requirements, and the number of pockets also. If this shoe case is for use in a large family, it is a good plan to work a name or a monogram, or even one letter, on each pocket, so that the shoes go into the pocket with their owners' mark, and are not mixed up with others. One row could be thus marked, and the other row left unmarked for extra shoes kept for visitors. This is also a useful arrangement to hang in a small hall, or a room where the racquets, etc., are kept. It can have a design of crossed racquets and ball worked on, in red or dark blue ingrained cotton, at the top, on the straight piece just above the upper flounce. If in colored chintz, the binding should be white braid. A somewhat similar receptacle can be made with long pockets to hold racquets. They can either be put in in an upright position, or laid down horizontally. Small pockets for keeping garden gloves in, can also be added, above or at the side of the others. These shoe receptacles are sometimes made for bedrooms, either in white muslin over a color, in holland, or in the chintz of the furniture. For directions how to make these, see Boot Bags, Wall Bags, and Splashers. Umbrella Tents. — Another novelty is to put em- broidery on the umbrella tents to be seen so frequently on garden lawns. The design is, of course, bold and large, and is either all round or only in the various divisions. A design of the beautiful red passion-flower, Tasconia, hang- ing from its stalk, with leaves of shades of green and lighter tendrils, is most effective. The stalk should be in LAWN TENNIS ACCESSORIES. 59 brown, and gracefully undulating. The large purple clem- atis is also very effective. The work is most pleasant. It must be as neat as possible, as there is no lining, so the stitches show. If one of these umbrella tents is particu- larly intended for a tennis court, as shelter for a looker-on or an exhausted player, it could be worked with racquets and balls. Lawn Tennis Belts. — Work a pretty pattern on crim- son silk in embroidery, or use silk canvas. Line the belt with white ribbon, inside which a second lining of leather must be placed. Bind with crimson velvet, and fasten a clasp at the ends. The common belts worn by boys over blouses are very suitable for a foundation, as they can be covered with embroidered silk, Panama canvas, or any other work. Tennis Aprons. — The Russian apron is of navy blue twill, about thirty inches long and twenty-eight inches wide, and has two bands of Turkey red stitched on, with a row of Russian embroidery (cross stitch), or coarse white insertion lace between. The bands are three and one half inches wide, the same width between and from the edge. The whole may be reversed. There is one large square pocket on one side, embroidered or trimmed to match. Another Apron is of cream unbleached linen, edged with red, blue, and cream coarse Russian lace, headed by a pattern worked in thick red washing thread on canvas, which is afterwards drawn away shred by shred, as de- scribed in Tilton's Art-Needlework. The pocket is square, and in the centre worked to match, and the left corner of the apron is turned back and buttoned with a 60 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. red covered button, showing two crossed racquets and a ball worked on in red thread. Black lace aprons for elderly ladies, and cream lace for younger ones, trimmed with col- ored satin ribbons, are always attractive. Garden-Cushions. — Another piece of garden work is a cushion for hanging on a chair or seat, made of crash and embroidered. A strap of braid is attached to the two top corners, passing over the back of the seat and fastening it. These cushions are long and rather narrow. They must be made according as they are needed and are padded. They are very comfortable and are highly appreciated by those who have the benefit of them. They are generally made about ten inches long and six inches wide. If work- ing them is an objection they can be made of any odds and ends of chintz or material, and in colored plush they look very pretty, but the white worked ones are the most effective and ornamental. They are very quickly finished, as only a spray of good flowers and leaves is required. They are also pretty with chintz birds or flowers appliqued on and button-holed. Mats. — Mats, to match, made of Hessian, are very use- ful to put down before chairs on the grass. A very coarse needle must be used. Basket-Chairs. — The covered basket-chairs so often seen on the sands of French watering-places, called at some places bourriches, are now being much used in gardens, and are capital for keeping off sun and wind. These are sometimes lined with pink or blue twill to render them ornamental and becoming, and have a colored wool ball fringe edging them. Round cushions can be made LAWN TENNIS ACCESSORIES. 61 Fig. 27. and worked for the seats of these chairs, and also a small pocket to hang up at the side to hold a book or pocket handkerchief. 62 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. Tennis-Ball Boxes. — Boxes for keeping the tennis-balls in are now often to be seen, either covered with crash or coarse linen previously worked with crossed racquets and balls, or painted with some appropriate design. If the box is large enough, a design in outline could be worked with dark blue filoselle, of a net with figures playing tennis. Sometimes the box containing everything appertaining to lawn tennis is neatly covered with holland or chintz, has a padded top, and is used on the ground as an ottoman. An old cupboard, with plain sunk panels, looks very well, having pieces of coarse linen worked in outline with dark blue cotton ; the design, a pretty figure ; the linen neatly fixed in the panels by means of small tacks ; a margin of blue in a zigzag pattern added all round. We have seen one like this in a hall, and everything belonging to the garden and tennis was kept in the cupboard. A flour- barrel also makes a good receptacle for lawn-tennis imple- ments. This can be easily painted, first with a coat of oil paint mixed with drying oil, or specially mixed by any working gilder and painter (the latter is perhaps the best as a quantity of tube oils is required), and then when dry decorated with a band of a bright color, or some roughly painted daisies or poppies. Varnish after some days, and the whole will be impervious to rain and friction. If you are not enough of an artist to paint your design, you can gum on sprays, or a wreath of colored paper-glazed flowers, such as are sold for scrap screens, and cover the whole with varnish, finishing off with a bow of ribbon, matching the tub, at one end of the handle. A barrel ornamented in this way also makes a pretty wood-box. LAWN TENNIS ACCESSORIES. 63 Lawn Tennis Net. — Directions for making a Lawn Tennis net are given in Tilton's Art-Needlework. A Lawn Tennis Bag can be made of netting, for which also directions will be found in Tilton's Art -Needle- work. This is useful for carrying balls about in, as well as for keeping them together when not in use. CHAPTER VI. FOR THE LIBRARY. Library Steps. — A pair of steps convenient for reach- ing books in a private library can easily be made orna- mental, and furnish a valuable present for a gentleman. A common set, of pine-wood, can be bought for sixty- two cents. Begin by painting them in such oil paint as can be obtained at a painter's shop. A dark red makes the best ground. Put a bit of carpet on each step, cor- responding with the carpet in the room for which the steps are to be used, or of some handsome color. Make a border of macrame fringe for the front of each step, and to go round the front and two sides of the upper step. For China-Closet Steps it is better to put on the carpet with brass-headed nails, and without fringe. Be- sides the ground-work of dark red paint, the closet steps might be ornamented with Japanese designs of cups and saucers, or other table furniture. A Book-Wagon is very convenient in a library, and especially useful, for any one suffering with lameness, or a writer at work with many books, which need to be kept together. A boy's small express wagon is suitable for this purpose, and should be as wide as the length of the books to be used, such as foreign dictionaries or other 6 4 FOR THE LIBRARY. 65 large books. Furnish the cart with a lining of any bright serviceable material which can be made up, like a Spanish Alforca described hereafter. The pockets at the two ends are useful for holding papers, scratch-blocks, pencils, etc. The handle of the cart should be shortened so that it need not be in the way. A fringe should be put over the sides of the cart, and a pretty cover might be embroidered to keep the books from the dust. Pretty moveable book- cases, or tables with shelves for this purpose, can be found at the furniture dealer's, but these are apt to be expensive, and are difficult to move when filled with books. But the wagon can easily be rolled from one part of the room to another, or from room to room. Ink-Stand Splasher. — Cut out from heavy woollen cloth of some dark color, a piece twelve inches long and eight inches wide. Bind this all around with galloon to match. Work some simple decoration in point-russe or feather-stitch one half inch from the outer edge, in bright colored worsteds or embroidery silks. In the left-hand upper corner of the splasher fasten a small cal- endar for the current year. Cut a strip of the material two and one half inches long and one inch wide. Bind or button-hole the edge, and fasten on the left-hand lower corner for postage stamps. Make a pen-wiper, either book- shape or round, as you prefer, and fasten on the right-hand side of the splasher, half way between the top and bottom, or across the upper corner. Chamois skin is the best mate- rial to use for the leaves of the pen-wiper, and should be finished at the edge by being cut into regular, small points. Along the bottom put elastic ribbon divided into suitable 66 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. spaces, and into them put pen-holder, pencil, and pen- knife, or small rule ; a square glass inkstand will be needed to complete the writing implements, and should stand in the space between the pen-wiper and the calendar. Pocket Pencil and Pen Case. — From a bit of kid cut two pieces four inches long and two inches wide. Cut the corners rounding at the bottom ; at the top of one piece cut out a semi-circle. Stitch the two pieces together, leaving them open at the top. Divide this case by lines of stitching, into spaces of the requisite width to hold a stylographic pen and two pencils. Blotting-Book. — Cut from thick blotting paper of dif- ferent colors six or eight pieces, twelve inches long and ten inches wide. Select the color you prefer for the cover, and paint upon it some tasteful design. Tie the cover and leaves together at one corner, and cover the knot with a bow of satin ribbon two and one half inches wide. Blotting-Book. — For the covers of your book, cut a piece of silk, satin, or kid ten inches long and seven inches wide. On this embroider your design. This piece must then be laid flat, and lined by pasting tissue paper over the inside with embroidery paste. The edges of the outside cover should be turned in, and this paper also holds them in their place. Over this, line with watered silk, or silk of any kind ; it is usual to paste this silk over thin cardboard ; if this is used, exactly in the centre of the cardboard cut it half through, so that it will fold evenly. This fold must be placed to the centre of the book, and placed with the cut edges next to the outside cover. This cardboard must be covered with the silk next, and this is again fastened FOR THE LIBRARY. &7 down to the outside cover with a little very dry glue ; on no account use it too liquid or it will destroy the cover. In the centre you now sew down a piece of narrow ribbon or elastic for the blotting paper ; this you should purchase in one of the usual books ; they are to be had all sizes, and you have only to remove the outside cover and your book is complete. Or, if you prefer, you can, with little additional labor, make the book yourself out of sheets of blotting paper of different colors, which can be bought at any stationer's. Writing Pad. — The most useful size for these is eigh- teen inches long, but they are frequently made twelve inches long, the width ten inches. The foundation should be a strong piece of cardboard, with four corners of leather, into which the blotting paper slips. They might also be made of enamelled cloth, to cover the cardboard at the back ; a little painted flower on each corner would be a pretty addition. Book Covers. — These can be made of linen, embroid- ered with silks and crewels ; or of velvet or plush, deco- rated with silks, or gold and silver threads. Cut the material large enough to allow it to turn two or three inches over the edges of the book you wish to cover. Sew the corners together, or, if you prefer, tie with ribbons across the inside of the covers. A cover of this descrip- tion might be used for any annual, such as the Boston Blue Book, or Visiting Directory, for successive years. The title of the book makes a pretty ornament on the out- side of one of the covers. Ornamental Catch- Alls. — A great variety of pretty 68 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. . catch-alls can be made to stand on a writing or centre table, to hold letters, or cards, or photographs. A few suggestions for these will be found below. Wooden Bowls. — Large wooden bowls, painted in oils, with designs of reeds, water lilies, and water, are new and striking. The inside of the bowls should be gilded. Iron Skillets. — These can also be painted. A ground of deep blue with a wreath of large white daisies is very effective. Dish Drainer. — Buy, for a quarter of a dollar, a Folding Dish Drainer. They can be found at any kitchen furnishing shop. If you wish to keep the wood light, merely varnish it ; if dark, paint it black, or gilt would be pretty. Into the slats at the sides interlace ribbon, alternating the spaces which the ribbon covers, as in basket weaving. For this you will need a whole piece of ribbon one inch wide. A ribbon or strip of silk seven inches wide can be used. In this case the effect produced is of stripes. If the wide ribbon is used, you will require one yard and fifteen inches. Pass the ribbon from one side to the other, leaving a length of seven inches between the two sides to form the side pieces. These must be laid in plaits at the bottom, like the sides of a pocket-book. If narrow ribbon is used, the sides can be made in the same way, by passing the ribbon from one side to the other; or a better way would be to line the whole thing with silk, making the side pieces of the material used for lining. This catch-all is particularly adapted to holding photo- graphs. By unlacing, or pushing up the lower row of FOR THE LIBRARY. 69 ribbon, it can be folded together, and easily packed in one's trunk to carry to the country or seaside in summer. Tambourines. — These are mere trifles of the day, and of no particular use, except to hang on to a deep mantel valance at one corner, or over the edge of a screen, or to hold a few odds and ends on a table. They have also been used at Christmas for putting bonbons in, with a net cov- ering to keep them in, and a folded lace mat below. They are also pretty on a writing-table to hold letters ready for the mail. The toy tambourines are the ones used, and the edges are not painted, but the parchment is either on both sides or only on the inner one. Battledores. — A pair of small battledores, tied cross- ways with a large bow, holding a wall-basket with another bow, and a painting on each parchment, is one of the last novelties, even newer than the painted and ribboned tam- bourine. Waste-Paper Baskets. — Baskets made for this use are numberless in size and style, and are decorated in a variety of ways. One of the simplest as well as prettiest ways is to lace ribbons into the sides of a four-sided basket, which is made of rattans, with very little wicker-work. The ribbons should be of contrasting colors ; old gold, blue, and olive are pretty. They are to be woven in and out of the rattans like basket-work ; ribbon No. 2 revers- ing the order of No. 1, and No. 3 going back to that of No. 1, and so on. Place a full bow of loops and ends at the front of the basket. Drums. — Large drums made of Panama canvas, worked in a handsome pattern of cross-stitch and lined with col- JO THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. ored merino to match, can be used either as work-baskets or waste-paper baskets. The largest sized round baking- powder tins make an excellent foundation for these. A round muff box can also be used, but it is not as service- able as the other. Wooden Pails. — A common wooden pail may be made into a useful and pretty waste-paper basket. The inside should be painted or lined with some suitable material. The outside can be covered with cretonne or silk laid in folds, with a torsade and bow of ribbon around the centre, and the handle wound with ribbon. A frill of lace can be made to fall over the outside at the top ; or, Turkey red can be used to cover the outside, and a piece of macrame to fit the pail can be put over this. The handle should then be covered with macrame. • Table Cloths with Pockets. — These are used to cover a work or writing table, and may be made either of brown broadcloth, heavy flannel, or felting, lined with sati- nette, or cretonne lined with merino. Each pocket, which is made by putting a straight strip of the material lined across the ends of the cloth, has a grecque in brown braid, with a row of herring-bone stitches in yellow silk. The initials of the owner are worked in braid in the centre. These pockets, which are of French contrivance, are very useful. Pen-Wipers. — These can be made in an almost endless variety of designs — of which we give a few below, begin- ning with the most simple ones. i. Cut from chamois-skin four circles from three to four inches in diameter. Pink or notch the edges ; place FOR THE LIBRARY. 7 1 these evenly together and in the centre cut two holes through all the leaves. Pass a narrow ribbon through the holes and fasten with a bow. On the outer leaf, draw with pen and ink, or paint in sepia, some design. Bul- rushes are pretty ; or you can print some motto, such as "Extracts from the pen of ," putting in the name of the friend to whom it is to be given. If you prefer, the outside leaf or cover can be made of dark woollen material, finished on the edge with a button-hole of bright sewing-silk. In the centre you can put a little mouse or frog, or any of the small Japanese figures that are to be found at the toy or variety stores. A small box for postage stamps might form a convenient centre orna- ment. 2. Cut out of flannels of contrasting colors, four circles from three to four inches in diameter. Finish around the edge as above, or overcast the edges with beads. Fold each circle into a right-angled triangle, or a quarter of a circle. Place the four pieces thus folded together, so as to form a circle again, and fasten them at the centre with a button, or bow, or tassel. 3. Put sixteen or more pieces together in this way and you will have a prettier and more useful pen-wiper. When done it will be the shape of half an orange. Sew to the edges of these a cord of bright colors, or tinsel, and the effect will be charming. 4. Small china dolls dressed in full skirts of woollen material, with a led riding-hood drawn over the head, are ornamental to a desk or writing-table. The skirts must be stiff enough, and even enough around the bottom, to enable the doll to stand alone. 72 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. 5. Pen-wipers are often made in imitation of flowers. Dahlias, pansies, and cowslips are quite common. Below are given the directions for making a tulip : — Out of a yellow-green flannel cut two oval pieces six inches long and four inches wide. Between these put two similar ones of chamois skin. Notch all four on the edges. This makes the pen-wiper. For the stem of the tulip, cut a piece of stiff paper four and one half inches long and one half inch wide. Make into a roll and cover with the flannel. For the petals of the tulip cut out of cardinal-red flannel six pieces two inches long and one and one eighth inches wide. Shape in imitation of the flower. To do this, cut from half way up the side to the top, sloping all the way and ending in a point. Again cut from the middle of the petal down towards the bottom, sloping very slightly, and rounding the lower edsre. Button-hole these all round with silk to match. On one end of the stem sew three loops of twisted yellow silk for the stamens. Around these sew the red petals, lapping one over the other at the bottom to make the cup shape of the flower. Sew this and the stem to the pen-wiper. Cut two leaves of the flannel four and one half inches long and one and one quarter inches wide in widest part. Shape like the petals. Button-hole around the edges with silk of their own color. Lay the leaves over the stem in such a way that the base of the leaves shall lap over each other, and the tips of the leaves shall be three inches apart. Fasten to the pen-wiper at the base of the leaves. 6. A crocheted fez filled with soft woollen leaves, or a tassel of black wool, is a rather uncommon design. For directions see Tilton's Art-Needlework. FOR THE LIBRARY. 73 7. Shell Pen-Wipers. — Pen-wipers can be made with bivalve shells which have been first well cleaned in sulphuric acid and water. Make a bunch of several skeins of sewing silk, by twisting them several times round the fingers ; fasten them tightly together with a bit of thread, then cover the inside of the shell with glue, and stuff the tied end of the bunch of silk into it ; the silk ought to project about two inches. When the glue is quite dry, cut the ends of the silk even. These shells look beautiful covered with gold leaf, or painted first with vermilion oil- color, and then with Bes- semer' s gold. 8. Pen- Wiper. — This pen-wiper is made of a strip of black cloth which Fig. 28. is made into a roll, and covered with a strip of red velvet embroidered with old gold. The handles are made of leather as in Fig. 28. 9/ Leaf Pen-Wiper. — Work a leaf in green cloth, with the veins all marked in lighter silk, and black pieces under- neath. Any shaped leaf can be taken ; a fern will do even, as the pinnules can be worked on it to imitate the shape tolerably. 10. Shawl Strap Pen-Wiper. — Imitate railway wraps with a piece of cloth five inches long, three inches broad, rolled round wool or other pieces of cloth for wiping the pens upon, and fastened with a shawl strap. 11. Flat Pen-Wiper. — Cut five pieces of felting the size of a playing card, of different colors., black, yellow, red, 74 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. blue, and white. The upper one should be white. On this put seven hearts cut out of red felt, to imitate a .playing card, the seven of hearts, or any other number desired. Fasten the lower pieces together with wire, and gum on the upper piece. Suggestions for Other Pex-Wipers. — Velvet butter- flies embroidered in silk. Flags, the red, white, and blue parts worked in knitted stripes. Umbrellas, made of merino lined with black silk, arranged in shape round a straight twig ; paint a little brown piece at the end of the stick. One resembling a gentleman's stick can easily be formed. Paper-Weights. — Choose a good-shaped stone (one off the beach is the best), and wash it quite clean. Ordinary water colors can be used, but a good deal of Chinese white must be mixed with them, as it is necessary to give the whole effect at once, and not with several washes. Begin bv covering one side thickly, with Chinese white ; then sketch your design, and paint it, after which it requires varnishing. Let the painting be thoroughly dry, and first varnish the back, then when dry the right side. Copal varnish is the best to use. Another Paper-Weight. — Paper weights are also sometimes made of a common brick tile covered with plush or satin, painted or embroidered, with a bow of the ribbon placed at one corner. Or, instead of any other decoration, some choice little porcelain figure or one of the many grotesque Japanese images can be fastened to the centre. An inkstand used for the centre ornament also makes a convenient combination. CHAPTER VII. MISCELLANEOUS. Lamp Shades. — These can be made in great variety, and are a pretty ornament for a parlor or dining-room. Large ones, resembling parasols, composed of frayed ruch- ings of one or several colored silks, edged with a fall of rather wide lace, are very handsome. The Japanese paper parasols, with a hole cut round the top of the framework of sticks, occasionally form the foundation, but more usu- ally a wire frame is worked upon. Red silk is most popu- lar, but pink is nearly as much so, and both throw a soft, becoming shade on surrounding objects. Feather butter- flies, or humming birds mounted on quivering wire, can be used for decoration. The frames can be purchased at some of the best lamp shops. They are to be had round, five-sided, or parasol-shaped. Sometimes they are covered with soft silk cut on the cross, frayed at each edge, and ruched closely together. Sometimes the silk is plaited top and bottom, bordered with lace and tied round with ribbon. A length of red ribbon, tolerably broad, tied in a large bow, with the ends spread out butterfly fashion towards the room, forms a pleasant shade, and has a good effect. This bow is tied round the neck of the white opaque glass shades. The lace covers of parasols, long 75 76 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. laid by as being too small for present day use, are now converted into lamp shades over colored silk or paper, with silk ball pompons looping up the divisions. Even a lace berthe can be utilized in this manner by being laid round a silk covered shade, with a full ruche round the top and round the edge, a bow on one side joining the ends. Etchings on oiled paper make pretty lamp shades, as well as dried ferns, grasses, and bright leaves, put between two thicknesses of oiled paper. Sun-Flower Lamp Shade. — A shade in imitation of a sun-flower is especially pretty. To make this, you will require one sheet of tissue paper of a darker and one of a lighter shade of yellow, and one of dark brown. Out of the yellow, cut four circles, alternating the two shades of yellow, beginning with the darkest. Cut this one, eight inches in diameter, and each of the others one inch smaller than the last. The edges of all four, must then be cut into pointed scallops one inch deep. Each one of these scallops must be folded lengthwise through the middle and crimped on the edges with a knife. Lay these circles one over the other according to their sizes, and tack to- gether in the middle. You now have made the petals of your flower. For the centre, cut a thin card into a circle three inches in diameter. Cut from the brown tissue paper, long strips one inch wide, and double them through the middle. Cut these folded strips into a fringe, begin- ning at the doubled edge and cutting to within one quarter of an inch of the other edge, and sew them in rows, round and round, on the cardboard, until it is completely cov- ered. Secure this firmly in the centre of the petals. To MISCELLANEOUS. 77 hang the sun-flower on a lamp or gas shade, cover a bonnet wire six or eight inches long, with tissue paper. Fasten Fig. 29. it to the sun-flower at one end, and at the other bend it into a hook, with which to hook it to the side of the shade. Lamp Shade of Silk and Lace. — The lamp shade shown in the illustration Fig. 29, is made of red silk and 7 8 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. white lace over a wire frame. This will require of the silk, a piece one yard long and nine inches deep, to be scol- loped on each edge. The lace should be of the same length, and eight inches deep. Put on as in illustration, with loops of ribbon. The second ruffle around the top is made of plain tulle. Photograph Fan. — Cut out the shape of each section of a fan in moderately thick cardboard ; there are twenty- four, therefore forty-eight must be cut out, as, when each side is done, the blank sections must be gummed together. Select the larger photographs for the top, and the smaller ones to go on as it gets narrower. Col forte, a preparation sold by most stationers, is a very good solution to use, as it puts them on without wrinkles. They ought to be taken off the cards. Varnish each slip, and string them together as a real fan is done. Remember, in arranging the photographs, that a space must be left for the cut: and let the cut (where the ribbon passes through) be in some portion of the dress or furniture, and not in any part of the face or figure, which would spoil the general effect. Palm Leaf Fans. — The palm leaf fans that are painted on one side and have a natural spray of flowers on the other, have now a small pocket placed near the handle, behind the bow, for holding the lace handkerchief. Toilet Box. — Take, with the lid on, a cigar box twelve inches long and six inches wide. Cover the inside neatly with watered paper of some delicate color. Around the outside of the box put a strip of cambric or silk of the same color, but of a darker shade. Over this gather on a frill of white dotted muslin hemmed, or trimmed on the MISCELLANEOUS. 79 lower edge with a narrow lace. Make a pin-cushion on a piece of cardboard cut to fit the lid of the box. This can be stuffed either with wool wadding, or with bits of flannel cut into very fine chips. Cover this first with the cambric or silk, and then with the dotted muslin, and glue firmly to the top of the lid. Finish around the edge with a nar- row frill of the muslin, trimmed with lace on both edges and gathered through the middle. Put a loop of narrow ribbon on the centre of the front edge of the lid to lift it by, and straps at the sides, fastened to both the box and the lid, to prevent the latter from opening too far. Brush and Comb Basket No. i. — A convenient recep-^ tacle for toilet apparatus can be made from a basket, meas- uring twelve inches in length and six and one half inches in width, with wicker work pockets at each end. The body of the basket holds the brushes and combs, and the pockets hold hair-pins, scissors, and all the small articles. A napkin to fit the bottom of the basket should be made of linen, fringed on all four sides, and ornamented with herring-bone in red cotton. A monogram can be worked in the centre. A larger napkin of the same material and style of decoration should be made to throw over the basket when not in use. A pretty design for this would be a brush and comb worked in outline. Brush and Comb Basket No. 2. — Or, if you prefer, you can use a knife basket, first removing the partition in the middle. Line with Turkey red. Or, work a napkin as in No. 1, and tie into the bottom with ribbons passed through the interstices of the basket. In this case the napkin should be large enough to cover the sides of the 8o THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. basket as well as the bottom, and be made to fit by laying it in folds. After once giving a basket of this description to a friend, you can make a series of presents, as occasion offers, by working new napkins of different designs and fashions. Hair-Pin Cushion. — A pretty cushion for hair-pins can be made out of a doll's straw chair. The seat is cush- ioned with wool wadding, which is covered with a piece of bright colored worsted loop knitting, as described in Til- ton's Knitting. Ornament the back of the chair with a small ribbon bow. The hair-pins are run into the cush- ion horizontally. Another Hair- Pin Cushion. — Take an oval box about two inches high ; fill it with a stuffing of hair, or wool put in very lightly, so that the hair- pins will run into it easily. Cover this with a piece of plain, loose knitting, as in Fig. 30. Around the side put a ruffle of plaited ribbon two and one quarter inches wide. Over this put a row of scallops in mignardise, made with crochet needle without thread, as described in Tilton's Crochet, and finish with a ruching of satin ribbon one inch wide. Clothes-Brush Case. — This case requires a piece of stiff pasteboard twelve inches high and eight inches wide, and shaped as in Fig. 31. Cover on the outside with Java Fig. 30. MISCELLANEOUS. 81 canvas, decorated as you choose. Line the back with cambric. For the pockets, cut from the Java canvas a piece six inches high and thirteen inches wide. Line with cambric and lay in plaits at the bottom and sew firmly. Divide this pocket in the middle by sewing to the back. Finish, as in the illustration, with a ruche of plaited rib- bon and bows, and fasten a loop to the back to hang it up by. Bath Blankets. — These are used to put un- der a sitz bath-tub, or by the side of a set bath-tub, and will be found useful and comfortable. A fine blanket, either gray or white, is the best material for these, button-holed at the edge, and worked with a large monogram or crest in one corner, a bunch of flowers in the others. The newest idea is to work one edge only as though the flowers were growing there, and this portion is placed immediately in front of the bath. Sometimes they are bound with braid. Cross-stich patterns in red, as a border all round, are oooooooooooooooa C>Oaaaaa3aaaaaaaa»aaaaa3a3a83a83aa88H«aaaOCi OQ3i8a8a838aa388a888888S88888883888888a8aOC* (OOSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOKKOQI OOKKOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKKOCf OOS»OOIHIM»1B»»I I BBBBBBBaBBBBBBOOHaO'Ci s:; :• aaaaaaaaaaaaaai i OBBaaaBBBaaaaa ::a : ;j .^ iimubmihi i aai i ■■■■■■■■■■■■: »^c o ■; oaaooaaaaBBaaaaBai i aai i bbbbbbbbbbbb': -:bboo icos:;ocBBBBa::BBi i i i bb::::bbi i rOOaaOOBBBBKHBBI i i i bb^::bbi i < OJJKOOBBBBBBI I I I IBIi: 111] - bkoobbbbbbi i « i ■■ib::::ibii OOSSOOBBBBI I I I I I M^IIOQai •OOaaOOBBBBI Mill Bl = BBOQBB I0088Q<3 looaaag i i bbbbbbc ;::aoct I I BBBBBBC08S0CI i i i i aaaa : aaoa II I I BBBBOOaSOO C-0H30QBBBBI I BBBBsgssiBBDannBBBBI I ■ BBB00S80C! ©QSWOOBBBBI I imsiiiBIDCCOBIIBI I BBBBOCaaOCi D08800BBI I Milt r? § i S lliaDQCQQBIIII I BBOOK30"3 » :aao:BBi i bbbbs4 BBfj^au^CBBBai. i bb ::::::•: ;• c-ossodi i BB::;:::::aBBBBB::::BWBBaB;;::::::BBi i ccssoo (SOHSOOi i BBu:^:::aaBBBB::::BBBBBBc:c::;::BBi i oossoq ooaaooBBi i BBBBnonaanBBSss bbbbi i BBcoesoa e-eaaooBBi i ■■■■□□aaoaiii 1 1 1 1 iibiii i BBooaaoa K>08800BBBBI I BBBBGJOQBB? § h^BBBBI I BBBB008300 DoaaooBBBBi i BBflBDonaaassa'saaaBi i aaaaooaaoc >OSSCOBBBBI I I I I _>OaaOOBBBBI I I I I OOaaOOBBBBBBI I I tOOaaOOBBBBBBI I I K?OaaOOBBBBHKBBI eoaao bbbb::::bbi lag Mill BBBBOOaaOC I I I II BBBBOOaaO'O f I I BBBBBB003K00 I I I BBBBBBOOaaOQ i aa:x:BBBBOoaaco I BB^UBBBBOOaaoa BBBBCU i i bb:::;bbi i i i bb::::bbi i ■: : ^aOOBBBBBBBBBBBI I BBI I BBBBBBBBBBBOOaSOCI ^OaaOOBBBBBBBBBBBI I BBI I BSBBBBBBBBB00880O OOaaOOBBBBBBBBBBBBl I BBBBBBSBBBBBOOaaOC! OOaaOOBBBBBBBBBBaBI I BaBBBBBBBBBBOOaaOO gsoaaoooooooooooooooooooooooooooosaoQ Cioasoooooooooooooooooooocoooooooaaoa Doaasaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasaaao^ ^oaaasasaaasaaaaaaaaaaaaaasaaaaaosi rxjoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooa Fig. 41. a simple pattern as Fig. 42 should be selected, the ground dark blue, border of pattern, yellow, filled in with red and olive ; decrease in the same proportion as for the upper part. The connecting strips are knit in three pieces in the same manner as the top. For the two side pieces, cast on eight stitches ; the six middle stitches should form stripes of color, the first and last of blue, the two middle stitches of terra-cotta. Decrease for the width as the narrower part of the top is reached, knit- PERSONAL. I05 BaftaesBBBaaaaaasaBanarflB BaaBBeaBBBaaaaaaasaBBBBaa BCtaisiiBii ioaiHBDiiaa~ ZOEBrMJBBBi QQBsssasaa ■■BonaaeaaaBaaaaaaBTulBii ■BQsaKBaaaBsssKHHECJHKaai ■ooaaaaaaaaaaac^aaaaaacDDi : : ■ . . _ ■ . ■■■■B ! i.-i::a:-:aaaaaaa3GBBBBi bbbbbbb:.'.- bbbbbb-: lbbbbbbi nBBBGloaaouBBBBBBBBI ■■■■■BiaeiDfiiH»itini •■BIIG1IIIC EBBBBBBBBBB BBBBBBBBBG. XXOuBBBBBBBBB BBBBBBB XXXXXX BBOBBiaa BBBBBIJ^ XXXXXXXXXX j OBfBD BBBL^XXXXXXXXXXXXXXI BB_ BDDKXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 3C DBI ■QtXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 0QBI BBB XXXXXXXXXXXXXX BIB BBBBB XXXXXXXXXX BBBBB ■BBBBBB. XXXXXX; aBBBBBB) ^BBBBBBB XX BBBBBBBr IBBBBBBBB \C BBBHBBBBB aaaaBBBBBBBBaBBBBa BBBBBBBBBBBaaHIIB Fig. 42. ting two together on either end of the strip. For the front connecting strip, cast on the same number of stitches as the upper part is finished off with, and knit twelve rows, the first, third, ninth, and eleventh of dark blue ends, the fifth and seventh of terra-cotta ends of wool, and slope the ends to match the side strips. Sew these strips together and attach them to the upper and under part. A lining should be knit of finer wool in separate pieces to correspond with the outside, all done in plain back and forward knitting. Sew in the lining, and attach two handles of silk cord. Velvet Muff. — Make first a plain muff of any material you like, wadded with cotton. Line with red satin. Cut your material twelve inches long, eight inches wide. Sew together the shortest sides. Trim the ends with black lace, and draw up to the requi- FlG. 43 106 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. site size with elastic ribbon. Next take a piece of black velvet, figured or plain, eighteen inches long, thirteen inches wide. Plait this to the front of the muff in plaits about an inch deep. Arrange as in the illustration, Fig. 43. Cover the back with a piece of the same put on plain. Finish with bows of black satin ribbon, and a silk cord to pass around the neck. Nightingale. — This very comfortable wrap for invalids requires two and one half yards v of colored flannel. Fold it exactly in half, and cut to the depth of nine inches. Turn back each side of the cut into a half square ; then run together diagonally to form a sort of hood. Turn back the angles at each extreme corner for cuffs. With white wool, work round the entire wrap in feather-stitch, remembering to work the hood and cuffs to show on the right side ; tack each angle of the hood into its place, sew ribbon strings at the neck, and the " Nightingale " is fin- ished. If speed be an object, binding with ribbon does just as well as feather-stitch. A Dressing Towel. — This is a convenient article to throw over the shoulders when one has occasion to arrange the hair without taking off the dress, or to take the place of a dressing sack for ordinary toilette use. It is made of one yard of cross-barred muslin, hemmed all round. In the middle of one side, cut a slit seven inches long. Be careful to reverse the hem down the sides of the slit, and for seven inches from it on the side of the square in which the slit is cut. Trim all around with lace. Turn back the slit its entire length to form right-angled revers, and fasten them at the corners. This is to form the neck PERSONAL. IO7 of the garment. The length of the towel falls over the back and shoulders, and is fastened at the throat with a button and button-hole. Infant's Shoes. — Procure from your shoemaker a pattern of the shape and size you want. Cut each piece out of silk or merino and line with wadded silk. Bind each piece with narrow ribbon, and over-seam them to- gether. Make eyelets worked with silk for the strings. Spectacle Cleaners. — These are made of two pieces of kid, two and one quarter inches long and one and three quarters wide, lined with chamois skin, and bound with ribbon. To get the shape, fold one of the pieces of chamois skin through the mid- dle, lengthwise. Begin to cut one half inch from the folded edge, and form into an oval. The straight edge thus left makes the top of the piece ; and when made, the pieces are to be joined together at that point by sewing-silk loops. Handkerchief Bow. — This bow is made of a pocket- handkerchief so arranged that three corners of the hand- kerchief form the ends, while the fourth makes the knot in the middle, as in Fig. 44. Decorated Parasols. — Parasols covered in red Tur- key twill are much improved by being painted in neutral tints with a flight of swallows, The parasols are moderate Fig. 44. IOS THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. in price ; but the painting on them considerably raises their value. Parasols covered in pongee can be decorated with equally good effect. Sprays of leaves, butterflies, or large bunches of azalias, nasturtiums, or daisies are pretty. The decoration should be put only on one or two gores of the parasol. Card-Case. — This card-case has the recommendation of being large enough to carry not only visiting-cards but concert or other tickets, and even a folded pocket-hand- kerchief. Cut from embossed satin or velvet a piece fifteen inches long and six inches wide. Line this with a bright colored satin. At each end turn up three and three quar- ters inches, and fasten at the sides by over-seaming. If the upper edges of these flaps are rounded slightly, cutting out one half inch at the centre, the convenience of getting the cards out will be increased. A Card-case can also be made after the directions given under the title of Cigar- case. Tobacco-Pouches. — Soft kid or chamois skin cut in a circle and bound with ribbon, embroidered in colored silks with a floral design and monogram, silk cords draw- ing it up, makes a pretty pouch. They are often made of Panama or Russian canvas, lined with India-rubber cloth ; indeed, it is best to buy one of the inexpensive kind of India-rubber pouches and cover it with embroidered silk, or with striped silk. Sometimes, in lieu of striped silk, silk ot two colors is chosen and arranged side by side, melon shape. Oriental materials and colorings are best. Some of the plain-colored damask designs look well outlined in silk em- PERSONAL. IO9 Fig. 45- HO. THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. broidery, especially soft damasse silk of one color, using it as a covering to India rubber or kid, which keeps the to- bacco best. Tobacco-Pouch (Fig. 45). — This design represents the fourth part of a tobacco pouch. It is made in cashmere, and ornamented with embroidery in point Russe and au passe, executed with silks of various colors. When the four sides are terminated, they are joined together, and the seams are concealed with a fine silk cord. The end terminates with a tassel, and the top is drawn with cord. The lining is kid. Crochet Tobacco-Pouches should be done in Oriental colors in silk, putting in the colors, as described in Tilton's Crochet, in long crochet open work. Begin with a black star on green ground, and continue to increase till the bag measures nine inches round. Work on in close long cro- chet till it is six inches high, bringing in rows of gold color, scarlet, and black, on a ground of green. Introduce a close border for a pattern on black, with stripes of red, edging the pattern with gold. Crochet a shell pattern to finish off at the top, line with white kid, run a string into the upper open stitches, and finish with a tassel at the bottom. ' Cigar-Case made of a Handkerchief. — A simple and pretty cigar-case can be made in the following way : For the back, cut a piece of cardboard six and three quar- ters inches long, and three and one quarter inches wide. One and three quarters inches from the top cut this partly through across the width, so that the cardboard will easily fold over for the flap. This flap must be cut into a point PERSONAL. I 1 1 in an exact right angle. Begin to slant one quarter inch above the fold. For the front, cut a second piece of cardboard, five inches long and three and one quarter inches wide. At the top cut out a V, which must also be a right angle, but a little shorter on the sides than the one which makes the point, so that the flap will fold a little way beyond it. Line the point and half way down the back with satin. Take a silk handkerchief thirteen and one half inches square, with a colored border. Fold it crosswise, and cut in halves through the bias. Lay the point of the cardboard back on the point of the handkerchief, and glue them together. Next, lay the cardboard front on the back, and fasten them together by sewing across the bottom. Then from the two remaining corners of the handkerchief cut off four inches, measuring along the bias, which will leave a straight edge measuring four inches, and running parallel with the cardboard back. Turn the handkerchief up from the bottom, over the cardboard front. From the bottom corners fold the handkerchief again, so as to bring the bias edge close to the sides of the cardboard case, and then fold what remains across the front, and secure the whole with glue. Card-Cases. — This is a very good way to make card- cases, for either ladies or gentlemen. The material and decoration can be as handsome as you choose. A Small Card-Case can be made as described on page 108, of silk or velvet, decorated with Lustra painting. Or the sides can be made of kid, or of wood, cut of the right size and shape and painted in the same way. 112 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. This Smoking Cap should be worked in gold cord or gold-colored silk couched on, that is, caught down at regu- lar intervals, on some dark material. The crown of this cap should be seven inches in diameter. The straight rim should be twenty-nine and one half inches long and three inches high. Line, and ornament fig. 4 6. as in the illustration. If preferred, a soft cap can be bought for fifty cents, to be embroidered in any manner. Smoking Coat. — Velvet with narrow stripes worked between, with rows of gold braid, makes a most excellent trimming for a smoking coat ; so also does largely quilted silk, with a flower in the centre of each quilting. Cash- mere patterned cottons, the design outlined in gold, have a good Oriental effect for the same purpose. Gentlemen's Braces. — A pair of braces is always acceptable to a gentleman, and they are easy to make. A strip of white satin jean, cut the required breadth and length (a pattern brace should be got to cut from), will do for the foundation of each brace ; on this may be stitched with a machine, or, what is more effective, worked on in feather-stitch with coarse buttonhole silk, strips of col- ored braid ; red wears best. This braid may be put on in straight lines, a broad line in the centre, and a narrow at each side, or a pattern might be traced on the jean, and then worked over with the narrow braid ; but it must be borne in mind that strength and durability are the great requisites for these articles, and that a raised pattern PERSOXAL. 113 would probably be uncomfortable. When the outside strips are finished, they should be lined with another piece of jean, same breadth and length, and the two (lining and outside) be bound together by braid. A lining of flannel, to match the braid in color, is most effective, but it gets rubbed into holes after a few weeks wear, and makes the whole look ragged and untidy. Proper fittings for these braces can be bought very cheaply, and give more satisfac- tion than button-holes worked at each end. Comforters for Gentlemen. — Those knit in brioche stitch in single Berlin wool are the softest and most com- fcrtable, besides being easy to knit, every row being the same. The rule is *over, slip one as if about to purl, knit two together, repeat from *. The next row is the same, *over, slip one, knit two together, repeat from *, but the slipped stitch is the one made by "knit two together" in the last row, and the over and the slipped stitch of the last row are knitted together, v It takes two rows to make a complete stitch, one each side of the work. Seventy-two stitches would be a good width for a gentleman's com- forter, of any color preferred. Add a fringe at each end made as described in Tilton's Crochet. Hat-Markers. — These are easily made, and are a pretty and useful present for a gentleman. Work on rib- bon the initials of your friend, in colored silks, either in outline or solid embroidery. It is intended to be sewed to the lining of the hat, and will often save a good deal of anxious uncertainty, or some of the awkward mistakes that are so apt to occur at a party, in the gentleman's dressing-room. H4 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. Sermon-Case. — An acceptable present to a clergyman is a sermon-cover of satin or silk, quilted, edged round with a silk cord, and his monogram worked on the outside. A few pieces of elastic should be sewn inside, to hold the leaves or sermons. Shaving Cloths. — A set of embroidered shaving cloths are made in the following way : get one yard and a half of checked or striped Oxford shirting, cut out twelve or fourteen pieces eight or nine inches square : either hem them or unravel for half an inch all round to form a fringe. Now work a border, or some pretty pat- tern in each corner, in washing silks or cottons. A name, initial, or crest in one corner, and a pattern in the other three also look very well. Dog's Coat. — This should be cut out to fit the dog, being large enough to cover the back and sides well. Fine cloth is the best material. It should be bound with narrow silk braid, a line of Russian braid above it, and the monogram and crest in one corner, worked in silks, a strap beneath the dog keeping it in its place. It is sometimes made in two pieces, joined down the back, and often lined, black with scarlet, chocolate with blue, etc. Pig. 47- CHAPTER IX. SACHETS. Handkerchief Sachets. Checker-Board Sachet. — This sachet is made of one piece folded in the middle. It must be twenty inches long and twelve inches wide. The upper part of the outside is covered with strips of folded satin, braided together as in the illustration, and edged with a piece of satin. For the braided portion, as in Fig. 47, cut seven strips of blue satin three and one quarter inches long, one and one half inches wide ; nine strips of brown satin, five and one quarter inches long and one and one half inches wide ; fold the edges of these strips under to make a width of one half inch each. Cut crosswise out of brown satin, long strips three inches wide, and put around the edge in reversed plaits, as in the illustration. Line the whole with quilted white silk, and Close with tassels. finish with a cord around the edo-es Il6 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. Other Handkerchief Sachets. — The newest fashion is to make them almost square, with one corner turned back and split up the centre. The two pieces are fastened back, and one is of quilted satin, or sateen, secured by a fancy-headed pin, while the other is plain, and has a mono- gram or a device embroidered on. The lining of the case is wadded and quilted, and sometimes scented, and the whole is edged with gathered lace, hemmed muslin, or frayed silk. The handkerchief case opens in half, and on each side are two places for handkerchiefs to slip in, from the middle — plain ones, fancy ones, evening, and colored. Another favorite shape is a square, bordered fully with lace, with the four corners tied together with a bow, and the name or monogram worked on one. Black satin lined with quilted yellow sarsenet, brown lined, with pink, and pale blue with coral, are fashionable, trimmed with tinted lace. The brush case is also made to match, the brushes and combs being thrust through at the corner. The small, cheap, colored silk handkerchiefs are now, as little novel- ties, being quilted inside, with strong sachet powder in the lining, edged with coffee-colored lace, and fastened together in the centre by the corners with a bow of satin ribbon. Another style of pocket-handkerchief sachet, intended to hold handkerchiefs in a drawer, is of plain colored cotton- backed satin, with two pockets. On one side ( the top when folded), a white handkerchief with fancy border is folded and fixed on by four pearl-headed pins, and stitches in the centre. Glove Sachets. — Glove sachets, made a trifle longer and wider than gloves, composed of satin or velvet, braided SACHETS. 11/ ' or embroidered, edged round with a ruche of satin, and lined with quilted satin or Persian silk, form a useful present. Sachets For Note Paper. — These are also much used. They can be made of any of the materials indicated above, and should be cut just the size of the paper for which they are intended, and highly scented. Moth Sachet. — Buy Russian shavings from a bookseller and cut them up into little pieces ; then prepare a case four inches square of white Victoria lawn ; sew up two of the sides ; then turn the bag right side out- wards, fill it with chips, and close the opening by running the two turned edges together. Camphor Bags. — These may be made so as to be ornamen- tal as well as serviceable. Besides being useful to lay among furs to prevent moths from attacking them, they are a valuable preventive of a cold in the head if smelled of constantly when the very first symptoms show them- selves. Take a piece of heavily brocaded ribbon two inches wide and five inches long. Double it together to form the bag. Around the top put a heading of plain silk of contrasting color to make the frill. This should be lined with the same. Make runnings for the strings where [_ M Fig. 48. I iS THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. the two colors join. The strings should be of silk cord and long enough to tie around the neck of the bag when drawn up in a bow and ends, and should be finished with a small tassel. Fig. 49. For Ornamenting Sachets, the small designs repre- sented in Fig. 48 are exceedingly pretty. They should be done in chain stitch if worked as in the illustration. The tiny sprays of leaves are worked in chain stitch caught down with a small stitch taken through. Such a design is very effective done in any delicate color on white or gray satin, and edged round in gold thread. They can also be worked in stem stitch. SACHETS. II 9 A Perfume Sachet, worked in the pattern given in Fig. 48, can be made prettily in a purse form. Take some delicate silk about ten inches long, thirteen inches wide. Double it together, and put it over a lining filled loosely with perfumed powder. Draw the sachet together in the middle with ribbon and a large bow. A Japanese Square makes a pretty cover, or any choice silk. Fig. 50. Sachet for Fancy Work. — This pocket, Fig. 49, may be made in either satin or plush, claret, blue, bronze, or green, and can be cut to any size. The embroideries that ornament it are executed in silks the colors of the natural flowers and leaves, and the flap of the envelope is worked inside as well as outside. The sachet rests on a support at the back like a photograph frame. Lace Sachet. — This pretty sachet, Fig. 50, is intended for holding lengths of valuable lace. It is made of plush 120 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. which is ornamented with Lustra painting, the design being fruit and flowers. The lining is quilted satin., the wadding being perfumed. Lustra painting on silk is described in Tilton's Self- Instructive Lessons. Nightdress Sachets, — The dimensions of these saahets vary much, according to individual taste. The largest, which are usually of chine silk, edged with rather deep lace gathered on very full, measure half a yard by three quarters, and are laid on the centre of the bed cover- lid. They are made with a flap, like an envelope, finished off with a bow or an artificial flower. But these are not very commonly seen. The most usual measure about half a yard long and thirteen inches wide. They are quilted and lined with pale-colored satin. The outside is of plain silk or satin, with a painted spray of flowers, embroidered monogram, or appliqued design, and edged with a silken cord; cretonne and sateen are also used. One end is left open, and also seven inches down the side. This corner is turned back and secured, and sometimes the design or monogram is on the flap. The nightdress slips in down- wards without difficulty. If the material and color are very delicate, a muslin cover is made, and the sachet is slipped into it. The newest nightdress sachets are made the full length of a pillow, and, if made with taste, are a great ornament to a room. A piece of sateen, the square of the width of the material, is required. This is trimmed round entirely with lace, and is folded over so that the two edges cover each other four or five inches. A button is placed on the under part at each side, and a buttonhole SACHETS. 121 made in the part above. This is covered with a bow of ribbon made to match the material. These are extremely useful and nice, as the dress is not crushed as they usually are in placing in the bag shape. Cracker Sachets for Nightgowns receive their name from the cracker bonbons and are like the plush bolster pillows represented by Fig. 19. The cracker Fig. si. sachet resembles its namesake, and the opening is down the side, buttoning over, and the fastening hidden by a cascade of lace, or not hidden at all, but neatly finished off. It measures about twenty-three inches round, and is often of two colors joined together. It is nearly a yard long, is edged with lace, with a drawstring about six inches from each end, hidden by a ribbon and bow. The dress is folded and laid on the case open, the ends are drawn up, then 122 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. wide ribbon is tied round outside at each end, by which you have a good resemblance of the bonbon cracker. Nightgown Sachet of Pique. — Fig. 5 1 should be made of white pique, ornamented with white embroidery cotton in Kensington stitch, and trimmed with crochet Mignardise edging, for instruction in which see Tilton's Art-Needlework. Cut a piece fourteen inches wide, and thirty-one inches long. Make the satchel thirteen inches long, back and front, leaving five inches to turn over for the flap. Sachet for Gentleman's Ties, No. i. — The best kind is a strip of embroidered satin twelve inches long by eight inches, the lining quilted, and the edges bordered with cord. It must be folded lengthwise in half, and have on either side of the inside, loops through which the neckties are slipped and kept in their place. No. 2. — Very useful, and always acceptable, gentlemen's tie-cases are made thus : Cut a length of black, brown, dark red, or some other colored satin, seventeen inches long and four and one half inches broad ; paint a design on it, then line with pale-colored quilted sarsenet ; edge with narrow cord, fold it in half, and sew an elastic across for the ties to pass over. These dimensions allow of a white evening tie being folded in half, and then folded a^ain over the elastic which crosses the case. If made across the satin, half a yard is sufficient to make three tie- cases. These cases hold a good many ties. CHAPTER X. TRAVELLING CONVENIENCES. A Simple Shawl-Case for keeping shawls from the dust, can be made to be used with a common shawl-strap. Cut a strip of burlap bagging, a yard long and twenty-one inches wide. Across the middle lay a strip of the same material and width, sixteen inches long, and attach it firmly at the sides. This makes a pocket open at each end, convenient to hold a few flat articles. Such a case will hold one large shawl, or a smaller one with some small wraps. A strip of dark-colored felt or some serviceable material should be put on at each end, with herring-bone or some ornamental stitches. Travelling Toilet-Case. — Cut out of enamelled cloth or drilling a piece twenty-eight and one half inches long and eleven and one half inches wide, with a lining of oiled silk of the same dimensions. One end should be curved as in the illustration, Fig. 52. At the straight end put on a pocket of oiled silk the width of the outside, and four inches deep. Bind the upper side of this piece with worsted braid. The pockets next to this should each be cut six and one half inches long and four and one half inches wide, and bound with the braid all around, excepting on the outer edge, which, in one of the pockets, is to be 123 124 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. laid in one large plait, and attached to the lining. The other pocket is to be folded in two plaits, and fastened to the lining in her- ring-bone stitch between the two plaits. For the flap to cover the three pockets thus formed, cut a piece five inches long and four inches wide, the corners of which should be rounded. Bind with the braid, and fasten in the mid- dle to the lininsr with herring-bone. Fasten with but- tons and loops of elastic cord. Quilt a piece of silk ten and one half inches long and eight inches wide ; bind it, and attach it to the lining at three sides, for a case for the mirror, TEA VELLIXG COXVEXIEXCES. 12 which can be held in its place by ribbons or a strap as in the illustration. For the rounded end of the dressing- case, cut a piece of the oiled silk fourteen inches long and four and one half inches wide. Shape and gather the lower edge to fit the outside, and gather the upper edge into a binding of braid twelve inches long. Cut the flap ten and one half inches Ions: and two inches wide. Curve Fig. 53. and bind as in the illustration, and sew it to the lining. Fill the remaining space with two envelope -shaped pockets for wash-cloth and soap, and a pocket divided in the centre for tooth and nail brushes, as in Fig. 52. When finished, fold over the mirror, and fasten on the outside with a delicate leather strap of the right length, with a handle between the straps. Brush axd Comb Case. — A simple travelling case 126 THREE HUXDRED PRESEXTS. can be made as in Fig. 53. Cut from firm drilling, for the case, a piece fifteen inches long and eleven inches wide. Cut also, for the pocket, a piece thirteen inches long and five inches wide. Bind this with a piece of braid eleven inches long across one of the long sides, gathering the pocket to fit the length of the braid. Gather the re nain- Fig. 54. ing long side, and baste the pocket to one end of the case, and bind the two together with the braid, which is to be carried all around the case. Put on straps for the necessary toilet implements, as in Fig. 55. These are to be made of the drilling and bound with the braid. Fold over three times and fasten with a piece of braid to tie around the whole. Travelling Work-Box. — This box as in Fig. 54, should be made of book-binder's pasteboard, cut by him into pieces of the following dimensions : one piece ten inches long by seven and one half inches wide ; one piece TEA YELLING CONVENIENCES. 127 nine and three quarters inches long by seven and one quar- ter inches wide ; two pieces ten inches long by three and one half inches wide ; two pieces seven and one half inches long by three and one half inches wide. The box is cov- ered with brown kid, and lined with silk of any color you prefer. Cut the silk for your lining the shape of the dif- Fig. 55. ferent pieces of pasteboard, allowing three quarters inch on every side for turning over the edges. These pieces of silk should be fitted smoothly over the pasteboards, either by pasting down the edges, or by passing threads across the back, as in covering a pin ball. Fasten the pieces to the bottom by over-seaming. Lay the piece thus formed by joining the five pieces, out flat on your kid. Secure firmly with a weight so it shall not slip, and mark the out- line with a pencil. Cut out the kid by this line, and bind all around with galloon. "Attach the kid to the pasteboard 128 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. by sewing them together at the edges. Cut four squares of the silk three and one half inches in size, double them crosswise, and sew into the sides as seen in Fig. 55. Next, cover with the silk the remaining piece of pasteboard, which forms the false bottom, having first fastened to the upper side straps of ribbon or silk, as shown in the illustration, divided into spaces suitable to hold the sewing implements. Attach this to the bottom of the box at the back by three loops of sew T ing silk, and put a loop or rib- bon on the front side, with which to raise it. Make the quilted cover and lay over the top. The corners are to be fastened on the outside with buttons and loops, as well as the handle, which is to be made of the kid lined with silk, and shaped as in Fig. 55. Travelling Pillow. — Make a round pillow fifteen inches in diameter, and fill with feathers, down, or hair. Make a cover of gray linen ; at the back put on a pocket ten inches high, with a hem wide enough to admit of but- tonholes. Sew on the buttons and add a handle of the same material, as in Fig. 55. Decorate with a monogram, or in any way you fancy. The Spanish Alforca is used by the Spaniards in travelling, and makes a most picturesque travelling case. It can be made in various sizes, and can be used as a re- ceptacle for work, in the drawing-room, as well as for trav- elling. Some heavy woollen material is needed of gay colors. It is difficult to find anything absolutely Spanish, but the woollen materials used for portieres and curtains can be made useful. For the largest size, take some such material eighty-two inches long and fifteen inches wide. TEA VELLING CONVENIENCES. 129 At each end turn over the material for a pocket fifteen inches deep. Baste the sides of these pockets together. Take another strip fifteen inches wide and forty-four inches long ; put this strip over the other, bringing the middle of each together, and the ends of the upper strip will lap Fig. 56. over the openings of the pockets. Bind the two long sides of the bag with woollen braid, leaving out the ends of the upper strip for flaps to cover the pockets. The Spanish Alforca is held together on its outside edges by a braided seam of different colored worsteds. These are sewed over and over the two edges, in lengths of about 130 THREE HUXDRED PRESEXTS. four inches of one color, scarlet, for instance, then the same length of green, next of the blue, orange, etc. The stitch forms a sort of cord done in coarse crewels, in one of the braided stitches described in Tilton's Canvas-work. These cases can be made much smaller, and are verv con- venient to hans; over the back of a chair to hold knitting or other work, or a cluster, and can be made very orna- mental. They are also useful to carry over the arm in travelling. The ends of the upper flaps, and each end of the Alforca should be finished off with tassels in the colors of the materials. Cut ends of worsteds the length de- sired, and draw them through the edge of the material. Bring the ends of the worsteds together, and wind some worsted near the top firmly, to form the tassel. Larun. — These hoods which are worn by both ladies and peasants in the Pyrenees, are very easily made, and are most warm and comfortable for wearing at night, or when travelling. Take a piece of fine scarlet flannel, one and three quarters yards long, and seven eighths yard wide. Bind it all round with black velvet about one and one half inches wide. Then double it in half, so as to make a square, and sew the two top edges of the velvet together on the wrong side. For the front, turn back about three inches of the flannel the whole way, and fasten under the chin with a hook and eve, or bow of black velvet. They are very pretty made in the same manner with pale blue or white flannel, with a broad black velvet binding. Bashlik. — This is a pretty head-dress or travelling wrap. The German ladies wear them for skating, and they look extremely warm and picturesque, of black or TRA VELLING CONVENIENCES. 131 scarlet cloth, or any colored flannel. Fig. 57 shows one half ; the bashlik is cut in two pieces and joined along the side b, as far as a; a is seventeen inches long ; b is fourteen inches long ; the en- tire length of the bashlik forty inches. Add a bow and a tassel at point d. Embroider all round the bashlik with white wool in feather-stitch if you do not care to em- ploy a long time on it. They can be braided or scalloped ; the former is the usual way. These are light enough to wear over a bonnet or hat, for a cold day or evening. Crocheted Head Wraps. Make a chain one half yard long. Into this with a very large needle, crochet loosely twenty-six shells of two 1. c. Make twenty rows and then divide your stitches. Take one half of them and con- tinue to crochet as before until your piece measures one yard. Then return to the other half of the stitches and crochet as before until this piece is the same length as the other. You have now made the foundation of your wrap, and it should be very loose and open. To make the I3 2 THREE HVNDRED PRESENTS. fringe of loops with which the wrap is covered, put a stitch into the centre of each of the shells in 'the founda- tion connecting them by loops, formed by chains of eight stitches each. When finished gather up the piece across the whole end for the head, and put on a satin bow, and tie a bow of ribbon six inches from the bottom of the two ends. Split zephyr is the softest and most desirable mate- rial to make this wrap of. Knit Head Wrap. — To make this pretty head wrap, medium-sized bone needles are to be used, and white and pink Shetland floss. The two colors are wound in separate balls, but are used together in knitting. This gives a pleasing mottled effect when done. Cast on sixty stitches and knit thirteen turns. When this is done take off one half the stitches on a thread, or third needle, and continue to knit back and forth on the other half until you have made fifty turns. Then take up the other stitches and knit to the same length. Draw the strip together across the whole end for the head to go into, and cover the gath- ering with a bow. The long ends are to wrap around the throat or the head as one pleases. Case for Travelling Wraps. — A thick striped linen, such as is used for shades, made as a bolster roll, with a strap a few inches from either end, and a leather handle, will be found most serviceable. If a larger one is required we advise very strong painted canvas — this makes it waterproof — bound with leather, a yard and a half long, with a pocket at one end, which is rolled and then strapped, and should have a leather handle. It is strong and secure enough to go in the baggage-car if required. TRAVELLING CONVENIENCES. 133 Pocket Writing-Case. — This case, when folded, is not very much larger than a pack of postal cards, and will hold postal cards, scratch-block, envelopes and note paper, memorandum book, tickets, postage stamps, and stylo- graphic pen. To make it, cut out of kid a piece sixteen inches long and five and one half inches wide. Line this with brown silk, and bind all around with galloon of the same color. At each end fold back two inches, and sew at the edges to form the pockets for postal cards, etc. If you prefer, folded sides can be inserted at one end to better accommodate memorandum books, tickets, etc. Exactly in the middle of the space left between the pockets at each end of the case, put a scratch-block five and one half inches long and three and one half inches wide. Fasten this in, by passing underneath it elastic ribbon three quarters inch wide. You will need for this purpose two pieces eleven inches long. Fasten these to the lining and put a buckle on each bit of elastic. When buckled over the scratch-block, these straps should each come one and one half inches from the upper and lower sides of the block. The end to which the buckle is sewed will want to measure two inches in length from the point where it is fastened to the lining, and four inches from the same point on the other side of the block. Make a small pocket for postage stamps out of a piece of kid one and one quar- ter inches long, and one and one eighth inches wide. Line with silk and bind all around with galloon, and sew on the pocket for postal cards. In some convenient space, put elastic bands to hold the stylographic pen. Put envelopes, and note paper folded to fit them, on top of the scratch- 134 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. block and buckle the straps securely over them. Fold the case together, and secure by an elastic strap- on the out- side. Umbrella Case for Travelling. — This case should be made of gray drilling. Cut a piece thirty-one inches long and twenty-nine inches wide at the top. Double and slope both sides down to eighteen inches at the bottom. Stitch the divisions for umbrellas and canes, as in Fig. 58. These will want to be about three inches wide. Attach ribbons or tapes to the back to tie the case firmly together when rolled. Travelling Case. — The material of which this very convenient travelling case is made is gray burlap or drilling, lined with the same. It can be bound with leather or braid, and decorated with braid, as in the illustration, Fig. 59. Cut the material one yard and ten inches long, and twenty - three inches wide. Round it at the corners, as in Fig. 60. The pocket on the outside (see Fig. 59) is made of the same material as the case, and is fastened to the outside be- FlG - 58- fore the lining is put in. The pocket on the inside is twenty-three inches wide and thirteen inches deep, rounded at two corners to correspond with the back. This is to be bound across the top before fastening it to the back, which is done with the binding that goes around TEA YELLING CONVENIENCES. 135 the case. The strip for the umbrella case is twenty-three inches long and six and one half inches wide at one end, Fig. 59. sloping down to five inches at the other. This is divided into two compartments by a row of herring-bone through the middle. The flaps (see Fig. 60) are made of two pieces of the material, lined, fifteen inches long and fourteen and one half inches wide. These are fastened together with Fig. 60. 136 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. buttons and loops of elastic ribbon. A small ^bar of wood must be put between the outside and lining at one end of the case and stitched in, and a strong handle, either of leather or of the material, added. Fasten the whole with leather straps. The Riddle Fan. — This is a very pretty present for any one to arrange who has plenty of wit and remembers the wit of others. Take a pretty Japanese fan that opens and shuts, which has one side in color or figured and the other of a plain white. Common five-cent fans would answer the purpose, of plain brown, or else of some attrac- tive pattern on one side, and on the other you are to write out as great a number of riddles in the shape of charades, anagrams, and conundrums as you can find. Begin by marking over your fan in little compartments, each of which shall contain one of these riddles ; these divisions are to be scattered on, much as with the separate pieces of crazy patchwork. Some should be the shape of a narrow- visiting card, others in triangles or squares, put on slanting across the fan, lapping over each other occasionally, one half covering the other. A good way to arrange it would be to cut out in paper the separate pieces and lay them over the fan to see how you will fit them ; on these you can experiment to see if you have room enough to write or print your riddle on it ; the outline should be marked out in colors, and the riddles written in so as to be plainly read. If you have skill enough, you can paint in little designs to fit in the corners. You will need some time for prepara- tion, collecting your riddles from original sources when you can. Riddle books sold at fairs often contain very TRAVELLING CONVENIENCES. 137 choice specimens never before printed, that you will find useful. A riddle fan is a very nice present to give a friend who is going to travel, as it is a very entertaining occupation to puzzle over riddles, charades, or conundrums on a long journey or voyage. If you wish to add the answers, you can put them on the back of the fan in the same way, helter-skelter, without any reference to the riddles them- selves, as this will make a fresh puzzle to find the right answers. We give a French puzzle, " the history of Helen," to show how this can be arranged. This should be printed as though on the cover of a small quarto book about an inch square. HISTOIRE D L. N. LNEDPY LNETME LAVQ LADCD Conundrum Cards. — A pack of cards made up in the same way is a very entertaining companion for a traveller, easily carried in the pocket. Each card should contain some riddle, conundrum, rebus, or pictorial puzzle. CHAPTER XL WALL-POCKETS, ETC. Wall-Pocket. — This is to be made of plush over card- board. For the front, take a piece of cardboard twelve inches wide and five inches high at the sides, rounded up to seven inches in the middle. This is to be covered with olive-colored plush, which must be twelve inches wide and seven inches high, allowing, in addition, enough for the turning. The upper edge of this plush is left straight, to be drawn down in plaits at the side, as in Fig. 61. This front is to be lined with plain silk of old gold color. For the back, cut a piece of cardboard twelve inches wide and five inches high at the sides, rounded up to thirteen inches at the middle. This is to be covered with the old gold silk laid in plaits, as in the illustration. For the side pieces, cut two pieces of cardboard five inches high on the sides, rounded up to five and one half inches at the middle, and two and one half inches wide at the top, sloping down to a point at the bottom. The outside of these pieces is to be covered with the plush, and the inside with the silk. Put front and back together ; put in the side pieces, and cover the seams with a large silk cord, which should be made into loops at the top and side, and ornamented with silk balls, as in the illustration. Embroider the front be- 138 WALL-POCKETS, ETC. 139 fore putting it over the cardboard, in gold thread, in any design you fancy. The back must be lined with cambric. Toilet Wall-Pocket. — Take a half square of the material, measuring twenty-five inches on each straight side, and fold across the diagonal so as to make a crease from the top to the bottom of your cloth. From this Fig. 61. crease measure four and one quarter inches on each side, and fold your material on one side, first towards the centre and then back, and then again towards the centre. Do the same on the other side. Stitch together the two longest folds where they meet in the centre of the bag, and stitch the next longest folds to the outer edges of the bag. Unite the two remaining small diagonals at the 14° THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. centre. Put a lining on the back and bind across the bot- tom. You will thus have five pockets which can be used for vide-poche, brush and combs, and hair-pins. This can be made of drilling, and embroidered around the edge with herring-bone. A monogram may be worked in the corner. If chintz is used, the edge can be bound to match the bottom. If more ornament is desired, a bow can be added where the folds meet at the bottom, to match one at the top. Splasher with Pockets for Washstands. — This should be made of enamelled cloth, decorated with red flannel, pinked, as in the illustration, Fig. 62. Fan Wall-Pocket. — A palm-leaf fan, handle upper- most, with a satin or cretonne bag sewn to it, to hold lamp-lighters, letters, or a little dusting brush, makes a pretty wall-pocket. The cretonne or satin is sewn on full to the edge of the fan, but left open at the top just below the handle, with an elastic run in, and a ruche or frill of lace to hide it. A Letter-Pocket can be made of two wooden plates. One plate is used for the back, and the other is cut in half and one of the pieces is used for the front. Bore holes at equal distances all around the whole and the half plate, and join these by interlacing ribbon through the holes. The ribbon is also carried in the same way around the remainder of the back. Put bows at the corners of the front. Ornamental Bellows. — These bellows are used for dusting china. The designs are worked on satin or plush in outline with Japanese gold thread or colored silk. A WALL-POCKETS, ETC. 141 good effect is produced by carrying out the leaves and flowers in silk or filoselle, and by outlining or touching up the same with fine Japanese gold. The bellows are Fig. 62. made of light wood or strong cardboard, with sides of soft leather of a suitable color, and the embroidery applied to them by means of tiny brass or nickel-headed nails. 142 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. Letter Box.. — This box, as shown in Fig. 63, is in- tended for a letter receiver. Answered letters are to be dropped into the bag below, while unanswered ones are kept in the box itself. Take a cigar box six or seven inches long, four or five inches wide, and two and one half inches deep. Cut a slit in the bottom of this box four and one half inches long and one half an inch wide. Line or paint the inside of this box, and ornament the outside with paint- ing, or cover with crochet work or lace. Attach to the bottom a bag netted of macrame twine of any color you desire. This is to be done according to the rules for round and round netting, giv- en in Tilton's Art-Needlework. Cast on in Fisherman's knot, as there described, fifty or sixty stitches, according to the size of your box. Continue in plain net- ting forty-two rows, over a mesh one and one quarter inches in circumference. Draw the bag up at the bottom, and finish with tassel or balls. The bag can be attached to the box by making holes in the bottom of it, which can be bored either with a small gimlet or burned with a red- hot knitting-needle. A pretty cover for the top of the box can be made of a Fig. 63. WALL-POCKETS, ETC. 1 43 small napkin embroidered, and the sides can be decorated in the same way. Screw-eyes should be screwed to the back of the box to attach it to the wall. For Visiting Memoranda. — Make a case to hang; against the wall. For this take a piece of stiff cardboard about eight inches broad and five and one half inches deep. Line this with silk or brocade, and make the front of gilt canvas eight inches square. Turn up the lower edge two and one half inches. Stitch this down for a place for a pack of visiting-cards, and one for a small scratch-block for memoranda. Put a small thermometer in the middle above, a calendar on one side and a bow of ribbon on the other. Finish with a gold cord all round, and attach the top to a gilt rod, to hang against the wall by a chain, to which a pencil should be fastened by a ribbon or chain. Hanging Shelves. — Let your carpenter make a small wooden shelf with two holes in each end for the cord to hang it by.. Cover the shelf with any material you like. Work a valance of the same material in crewels ; finish the bottom either in points or with a fringe, and fasten the valance around the shelf with brass-headed nails. Pass the cords through the holes, bring them together at the top at the required length, and tie firmly. Cover the knot with a bow of ribbon. A deep macrame fringe makes a handsome valance. Two or three shelves made in this way and strung together can easily be packed in a trunk, and make a convenient set of book shelves at a summer boarding-place. Burnt Match Receivers. — These can be made of tin spice or baking powder boxes. The tin should be con- 144 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. cealed by a cover made to fit, of perforated cardboard, either silvered or plain. Work around the edges some pretty pattern in colored silks or crewels. Finish the top and bottom with a ruching of quilted ribbon, and put on a ribbon handle to hang it up by. Match Scratchers. — Cut a piece of tinted cardboard into a square four inches on the sides. Bind this with narrow ribbon. Cut a circle of sand-paper three inches in diameter, and on this paint some device or legend, such as " Merry Christmas," with the date of the year. Paste this firmly on the cardboard, being sure to have it ex- actly in the middle. Punch two holes over a corner of the square, and put in a ribbon to hang it up by. Watch and Ring Case. — The watch and ring case shown in the illustration, Fig. 64, is made of velvet, lined with silk. The dimensions are, for the back, six inches high and four and one half inches wide. Cut the back out of cardboard, and shape as in Fig. 64. Cover with velvet, and line the back with silk. For the pocket at the bottom, to hold rings or other trinkets, cut a piece of velvet six inches wide and two and one half inches high. Line this with silk. The gores at the side are made of velvet, lined Fig. 64. WALL-POCKETS, ETC. 145 with silk, and must be one and one half inches wide at the top. The large hook, to hang the watch upon, can be pro- cured at any of the variety shops. Sew a brass ring at the back to hang the watch-case up by. Other Watch Cases. — Other watch cases are made of cardboard covered with satin, edged round with a thick silk cord, then a pretty tatting or point lace design made to cover the satin. Another style is of quilted satin, pointed at top and rounded at the bottom, edged round with narrow fringes, which droop over the top very prettily. Sew on a hook to hang the watch upon. Crash embroidered with silks or wools would be a novel and effective material to use. Boot Case. — Cut a piece of stout material eighteen inches long, twelve inches deep ; cut another piece forty inches by twelve inches ; form this latter into four single box plaits two and one half inches wide, two inches apart, leaving one inch of material at either end ; this will make it eighteen inches long. Tack this to the first piece down the sides and bottom : the plaits form four receptacles for boots ; stitch strongly down between each. Now cut out another piece eighteen inches long ; form it into four shal- low scallops ; sew this on the top to make flaps ; put an eye on each and a hook on the stuff below, to cover the boots from dust. Bind all with braid, put a ring at each corner to hang up on the wall. CHAPTER XII. FOR THE WORK-TABLE. Peach Basket Work-Stand. — For this you will need two round, wooden peach-baskets ; also a block of wood of any size or thickness needed to add the height desired for the table. To this block nail the bottom of one peach- basket ; then turn it upside down and nail the other one to the other side of the block. Your table is now ready for the cover. The cover may be made of any material you choose. One of the baskets must be lined. It would be best to do this before it is nailed to the block. If cre- tonne or chintz is used for the cover, Turkey red will make a suitable lining*. Cover the outside of the table with a piece of your material, enough longer than the table is high to allow for tying it in at the middle. If put on in plaits, you must allow, in width, for three times the circumfer- ence of the table. If it is only slightly fulled on, one and one half will be sufficient. Finish around the top with a frill, and tie at the middle a wide ribbon with a bow, or a silk cord and tassel. Baskets and Other Articles Made of Hats. — Cheap straw hats can be decorated prettily and made to serve various uses. One way is to make them up into work-bags by lining them with quilted Turkey twill, with a ruche of ecru lace at the edge, and points of the Turkey twill but- 146 FOR THE WORK-TABLE. 147 tonholed with coarse red thread, turned over, and fastened to the outside of the hat. At each point put some orna- ment, either a hanging cherry made of red worsted, a star of ecru thread, a single artificial daisy, a large bead, or a tassel of wool. Push in the crown to enable the hat basket to stand, and finish off with a ruche of the same ecru lace or red twill round it. The handles are of rope, covered with the Turkey twill, tightly rolled round in a long strip, or merely of broad red braid. For Flowers. — Another way, is to run a tolerably stout wire round the edge of the hat, and sew on a full frill of red, blue, ecru, or coffee-colored lace, to fall over, lining the inside with any material. Bend the wired edges, first into a square, and then round the corners, and indent the sides. Fix four little common glass tumblers into the cor- ners with wire or network of coarse cotton stitches passed backward and forward, and add a round finger-glass or some other shaped glass in the centre, filling up the entire basket with hay or wadding, or hiding the glass with a layer of artificial green moss. The stuffing must be pushed in tolerably tight to keep the glasses in their places. The crossed handles, tied at the top with a large bow, must come from the four sides, and be of wire covered with some color, finished off at their ends with four little bows. This flower receptacle looks extremely pretty on a table. Toilet Pincushion. — A toilet pincushion may be made out of the same shaped hat by being prettily trimmed with any color desired, and cream lace, a glass for flowers being in one corner, a case containing scissors and button-hook in another, a smelling bottle in a third, and a pocket for 14-8 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. rings, etc., in the fourth. In the centre a large round pin- cushion trimmed to match. No handles, but bows at the indented sides. Other hats have a bag with a drawstring fixed to the edges, which holds all sorts of things, and are ornamented outside with applique leaves and flowers in cloth or worsted. Felt Hats. — The soft felt tennis hats, recently so fashionable, can be transformed into tasteful work-bags by being lined with velveteen or satin, the edges turned over the sides in points, finished off with feather-stitching, and a silk cord forming the handles, as well as bordering the edges all round. Chimney-Pot Hats. — The old chimney-pot hat may be converted into a smart work-basket by being lined with drawn satin, covered outside with drawn plush, and fin- ished off with a full flounce of rather deep coffee-colored lace. A broad ribbon tied in the centre in a bow forms the handle, and a thick ruche is fastened to the inside of the brim. The plain circular piece of plush covering the top of the hat is put on first, and then the full piece sewn to it. A bag can be sewn round the inside of the hat, drawing with a string, but this is not necessary. Discarded straw sailor hats can be decorated in the same way. Housewife. — Cut from kid or enamelled cloth a strip twelve inches long and three and one half inches wide, and the same of flannel for the lining. Stitch these to- gether on the machine, in as ornamental a way as possible, and pink the edges. Take the cover of a square paste- board box three inches long on each side, and three quar- FOR THE WORK-TABLE. ►sillfiw* ters inch high. Cover the sides smoothly with a strip of flannel one quarter inch in width, but long enough to allow of plaits in the corner, as in the illustration, Fig. 65. This must be cut into points at the top and bottom. Make a cover to fit, of paste- board, to which a cushion is attached made of layers of flan- nel the shape of the cover, each one being cut a trifle smaller than the last, to give a rounded form to the cushion. Make a depression in the centre to re- ceive the thimble. Cover this cushion with flannel, cut large enough to allow of being notched on the edges. Attach it to the cushion with French knots of embroidery silk. Fasten to the back of the box, with sewing- silk loops or narrow ribbon. When completed, the box must be placed in the middle of the outside case, and fastened to it by sewing the points cut in the flannel strip put around the sides, to the lining, by a French knot, worked in every point. 149 Fig. 65. 150 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. Cover one end of the case with a piece of flannel three inches square, notched and worked, as in Fig. 65. Fasten this to the lining on three sides, leaving the fourth open to receive the papers of needles, for which pockets are made as in the illustration. On the remaining portion of this flannel, put on bands of flannel, divided by seams of her- ring-bone into spaces to hold the scissors and other neces- sary implements. For leaves for needles, at the other end of the case, cut two pieces of flannel six inches long and three inches wide. Put these together and fold across the middle. Cut the leaves so that each shall be smaller than the last. Chain- stitch them firmly together on the folded side. Notch and ornament them with herring-bone. To fasten them to the housewife, take a ribbon one half inch wide and one half yard long. Attach this to the lining with herring-bone at the middle and one half inch from each edge. Make an eyelet through the uncut side of the leaves, one quarter inch from each edge. Pass the ribbon through and tie with a bow. When finished fasten the housewife together with an elastic band. Bellows Xeedle-Book. — Cut out of cardboard two pieces three and one half inches long and two and one quarter inches wide. Shape these into the form of a pair of bellows, and cover with sage-green velvet. Line these pieces with red satin drawn smoothly over stiff paper, as in making a pin-ball. Over-seam the outside and lining together. Make leaves of fine white flannel or kersymere, and buttonhole them around the edge. Fasten the two sides of the bellows together at the bottom by over-seaming, FOR THE WORK-TABLE. 151 leaving, however, in the centre an open space one eighth inch wide for a bodkin to go through, which will make the nose of the bellows. Cut out of red leather or silk a wafer to paste on the back side, to simulate the air-trap. Tie rib- bon around the handles and the bottom, in imitation of the leather on a pair of real bellows. Fill the sides with pins. Xeedle-Book. — This needle-book can be made either of silver canvas or perforated cardboard, ornamented with point Russe stitches of black, red, and gold filling silk. It is to be lined with silk of one of these colors. Cut two pieces of canvas, which should be two and three quarters inches long in the middle, three inches wide at the bottom, sloping to two inches wide at the top. The lower part must be curved as in illustration, Fig. 66. Cut the lining for these two sides in one piece, a little larger than the canvas to allow for turnins; in on the ed°;es all the way round. Be careful however not to cut the silk open at the top, as the additional material thus allowed forms a back like that of a book into which should be sewed leaves of white flannel for needles. A Small Needle-case for holding materials needed for mending and repairing, can be made very convenient for travelling, as in Fig. 67. Cut of Panama canvas, or per- Fig. 66. 152 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. forated cardboard, eight pieces from three to* four inches long and two and one half inches wide. Embroider in cross- stitch two of the pieces to serve for the upper and lower sides of the case, and trim all the pieces with plain brown silk. Turn in the edges of the silk, and attach them to the canvas or cardboard in deep buttonhole stitches taken at regular distances. The pieces are then attached to each other on the long sides, as in illustration, by sewing them Fig. 67. together at the buttonhole stitches, which should be taken so regularly as to meet where the different pieces are joined. Sew to one of the middle pieces, a piece of flannel notched round the edge. Across the other pieces put on two rows of silk galloon, embroidered in herring-bone. These bands are to be caught down to hold rows of pins, cards of shirt and other buttons, a paper of needles, and card of linen threads, as in the illustration. One or two needles should be threaded with linen thread or cotton ready for use. It would be well to have a darning-needle among the needles, FOR THE WORK-TABLE. 153 and a flat card of darning-cotton of some serviceable color. The case should be tied together with ribbon, as in Fig. 68, and can be made larger or smaller as is needed, but should be very compact. It is a pretty case for children to make, varying the materials to suit the emergencies for which they are needed. A Friend in Need. — This is a work-case made of a number of pockets, folded into book shape as follows. Cut out of strong drilling a strip forty inches long and thirteen inches wide. Turn up one of the long sides of this strip four and three quarters inches, and divide into spaces five inches wide, to make eight pock- ets. Stitch these divisions with red silk. Turn down the other side three and one-eighth of an inch and cut into scallops five inches wide, to make the flaps to the pockets. Bind these scallops and the sides with red tape. In the middle of each scallop make a buttonhole, and sew a button to correspond on the pocket. Mark with indelible ink, or in cross-stitch with red cotton, on each flap, one of the following names, — Needles, Thread, Pins, Buttons, Sewing-silk and Twist, Tape, Cotton, Elastic. For the back of the book cut two pieces four and one half inches long, two and five eighths inches wide. Round off the corners, bind each piece with red tape. On one fasten near the outer edges the first and last dividing seams in the Fig. 68. 154 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. row of pockets, and also the third and fifth dividing seams three quarters inch from these outer ones. Cover the stitches thus made on the back with the second piece, cut for the back, by over-seaming it to the first one. Leave a space open, however, at the top and you will have a pocket for scissors and knife. On the back mark in ink or cotton the title, A Friend in Need. A mono- gram or appropriate device can be drawn or worked on the covers. Close your book and fasten with strings of red tape sewed to either edge. Scissors Case. — Cut a piece of gray drilling fourteen inches long, and one and a half inches at the bottom, sloping up to seven and one quarter inches at the top, from which place the material should slope down again to a point for the cover. Embroider this cover with the design, in the illustra- tion, Fig. 69. Line with brown silk, putting in, as far as where the cover begins, an interlining of some stiff ma- terial. The pocket pieces are to be bound with brown satin ribbon, and placed as shown in illustration, Fig. 70. Cut the side pieces seven inches long and one inch wide, and shape as in illustration. These are to be bound with satin ribbon, and fastened on the sides of the pockets. Finish with a bow of brown satin ribbon, as in Fig. 69. Case for Crewels — Crewel cases can be made of crash, embroidered with a monogram and flower design. Fig. 69. FOR THE WORK-TABLE, 155 A narrow slip of crash must be put on the inside, forming divisions for the wools, which can be easily drawn into these with a long flat needle which comes for the purpose, or a large crochet needle. Leaves of flannel are tacked to the sides for crewel needles. Black satin, feather-stitched between the runners, with a mono- gram worked in old gold, makes a handsome one. Slipper Work-Case. — A work- case can be made in the shape of a dressing-slipper by cutting out two thin pieces of cardboard for the soles, and covering one with brown holland and the other with white silk or cash- mere, and sewing them together with white silk; this forms a pincushion. The front part of the slipper is also of cardboard, covered with velvet or satin, and embroidered with colored silks or beads. Sew this to the sole, and stitch round the open part a piece of silk large enough to draw up into a bag, which will hold the work. Now fasten some bands of white elastic across the heel part of the sole to hold the thimble, packets of needles, scissors, etc. Sunflower Pincushions. — Pretty round pincushions can be made in semblance of a sunflower. Make the petals of yellow cloth, each one curled and fastened together like a grocer's miniature paper bag, with the top open and pointed, and arranged round a stuffed circular Fig. 70. 156 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. cushion of brown velvet or velveteen, with a frayed row of gold-colored silk sewn on round the centre, which is studded with pins. The whole is the size of a large real sunflower. Bolster Pincushion. — A tiny bolster-pillow, like illus- tration No. 71, is an ornamental form of pincushion which can hang by its cord to a looking-glass frame. For direc- tions how to make this cushion, see Bolster-Pillows. This small cushion should measure about six inches from end to end. Emery Cushions. — The old strawberry pat- tern is a very good one. Make the shape first with calico, and stuff with emery powder. Cover this with red merino ; the seeds in yellow silk, or tiny yellow beads. The calyx must be green merino, and the stalk must be done over wire. They are often worked in single crochet, with red and green shaded wool, having first threaded the yellow beads on the red wool, and in- troducing them as seen in a real strawberry. Shell Pincushions, etc. — Pairs of cockles, mussels, and what are commonly called " sailor's tobacco boxes," can be made into needle-books, penwipers, or pincushions. Two holes must be drilled in each shell with a large needle, or the point of a penknife, to put a ribbon through for a hinge. Penwipers will require either some leaves of cloth or a bunch of silk to be fastened between the shells. Pin- Fig. 71. FOR THE WORK-TABLE. 157 cushions must have a cushion to fit the pair of shells, made in the following manner : Cut two pieces of strong cotton the same shape as the shells but a little larger ; sew the two pieces together, leaving a small opening ; turn the bag and stuff it with ends of silk, cotton, or wool ; finish sewing it up, and cover with a piece of silk or velvet. Tie the pair of shells together, glue the insides, and put the little cushion between them; press them together, and bind with a piece of string till dry. Needle-books will re- quire leaves of flannel or cashmere overcast with silk, or nicked all round, to be inserted between the shells. English Walnut Shell Pincushions. — Dainty little pincushions can be made out of walnut-shells thus : Scrape the inside of the shell till quite smooth, then stuff a little bag of some bright-colored material with wadding, making it, as nearly as possible, the shape of the shell ; sew to this a handle, — a bit of narrow cap wire, covered, answers the purpose, — then drop a little liquid gum into the bottom of the shell, and press the cushion, which should look like a small basket, into it. Butterfly Pincushion. — A pretty parlor pincush- ion to pin to the curtains can be made to simulate a but- terfly, the body forming the cushion. Velvet is the best material for this. The spots on the insect's wings must be imitated on the velvet in silks of the right colors, and rings of silk fastened around the body. Beads are good for the eyes, and the antennae are made of long bristles. Pocket Pincushions. — Cut two circles two inches in diameter out of cardboard. Cut a piece of flannel of the same size. Cover the cardboards with silk or satin. This 158 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. is best done by cutting out your cover one half inch larger than the cardboard, and running a thread around the edge with which to draw it tightly over the cardboard. Fasten this firmly and smoothly in place by passing threads back and forth across the back from different points. Place the flannel between the two cards and over-seam them together. The outside can be decorated with embroidery or painting. (For directions for painting on silk see Tilton's Self-In- structive Lessons). Two pins with colored glass heads crossed is an appropriate design ; souvenir is good ; also flowers, a little landscape, or a ship on the sea. Braids of Sewing-Silk. — Select a dozen skeins of Italian sewing-silk of the colors most useful for mending gloves and dresses. Braid these together. Cut the skeins open at each end and tie firmly with strong linen thread two and one half inches from the ends. Cover the thread with ribbons tied in bows. The skeins will probably need folding together once before braiding them, as when done the braid should not be over twelve or fourteen inches Ions;. For Using up Odds and Ends of Velvets, etc. — For using up odds and ends of velvet, plush, cloth, and colored filoselle and other silk, we would mention a kind of fancy work which can easily be done, and is particularly suited to elderly ladies, or any others whose eyesight is not very strong. Rough, colored serge of some good color forms the foundation, and on it there are designs of large acorns, bursting chestnut-pods, oranges, pomegranates, and many other things, raised by means of padding, edged with gold cord or silk stitching, and composed of scraps which FOR THE WORK-TABLE. 1 59 are usually thrown away as too small to use. The leaves are of scraps of diagonal cloth, serge, etc., and the fruit usually of the velvet. The padding can be made from the tiniest scraps, cut into the minutest of pieces. Dyed blan- kets can be utilized in this style, and form curtains, cou- vre-pieds, carriage-rugs, chair-backs, bags for scraps, table cloths, and other things. A little taste and skill in arrang- ing a design are required, but the work is extremely easy. A perambulator cover of dark green or blue, with oranges or cherries, would look well, or a cot quilt of pale blue. Milk Pails. — These are used as receptacles for needle- work in the drawing-room, and are wider at the base than at the top, and provided on each side with two handles or ears, the apertures of which allow the fingers to pass through and easily carry the pails about. For drawing- room use, however, thick cord in bright contrasting color is passed double through the holes and knotted in the cen- tre, being finished off with knobs or tassels, as the case may be, and thus forming a sling handle by which the pail can be held in the centre. The inside of the recepta- cle has a slightly wadded lining of cashmere, silk, or satin in bright hue, arranged, as taste prefers, in plaits or honey- combing. But it is on the outside that the skill of the amateur artist is expended. It can be washed over, wood and hoops indiscriminately, with any of the popular wood stains, and on this colored ground may be thrown some bold design, the floral ones being most appropriate, either placed circularly within the belts as wreaths, or, still better in style, starting from the very base and branching up- wards over hoops and wood unbrokenly. Thus, an ebon- l6o THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. ized pail is ornamented with some effective bloom, as lilies, sunflowers, irises, etc., a mahogany one with blush roses or bunches of hawthorn. Milking Stools. — These make an ornamental little seat, and are particularly pretty in a room with the milk pails described above. The usual plan is to cover them with some dark paint, — generally black, green, or red, — and on these to paint daffodils, or sunflowers, or apple blos- soms, or flags in oil. Procure the prepared house paints sold in half pound tins ; mix any tint you may wish for the ground ; the wood should not be very coarse in the grain ; put on first a light coat of thin glue, then lay on your ground evenly, and when dry paint your subject, or deco- rate them with scraps or with oil painting. Floral orna- ment is almost exclusively used for this purpose, the legs being either left plain, or adorned with small repeats of the blossoms, sometimes detached, and in other cases ar- ranged in tapering trails. Pails for Work-Baskets. — Ordinary-sized wooden pails can be converted into receptacles for work in the fol- lowing manner : a piece of satin drawn in a frill round the top, and fastened with small tacks, and drawn in again with a drawstring round the bottom, and again secured ; a ruche round the top and bottom, and satin ribbon twisted round the handle. A top of cardboard, covered neatly with satin, with a ruche round the edge and a fall of lace, is attached by a ribbon on one side, so that it comes off, and hangs down when the receptacle is to be used. It is not necessary to have a handle, as these pails are gen- erally kept in one place, by the side of a chair or in the FOR THE WORK-TABLE. l6l customary place of the lady who owns it, as it is heavy to move. It is extremely useful for keeping wools in, or a piece of work that is only occasionally taken up. Black satin, with a. ruche of gold colored satin round the edge, with a fall of cream colored lace, looks well and suits all furniture, though all red or blue is very pretty and bright looking. Basket Pails can be had or made at any basket shop, and these are much lighter than the others, and can be easily carried about in the hand. They are often used now for carrying lawn-tennis balls to the lawn. A piece of embroidered crash, sheeting, or serge, or a broad band of patchwork can be utilized for covering, or pretty cretonne. They are pretty also for keeping wood in by a drawing-room or bed-room fire. It is much the fashion now to gild them, which can be done by the lady herself with Bessemer's gold, though it is best to get it done by a professional hand if possible. CHAPTER XIII. FAIR SUGGESTIONS. In every fair, whatever is its object, the effort is to offer something novel and entertaining, so as to interest the visitors of the fair, and lead them to purchase articles and contribute to the cause almost unconsciously, so that they can spontaneously exclaim that the entertainment is indeed "worth the price of admission." Preliminary Entertainments are very frequent, such as amateur concerts and theatricals, private sales at houses, in order to raise funds for the fair itself. Among these entertainments, one of the most attractive is The Fan Brigade. This can be got up in a small hall, with little or no expense to the performers, or it is a pretty performance in a private house when the rooms are large enough. The programme for the Fan Brigade is taken from a paper written by Addison himself for The Spectator, No. 102, and there can be no better descrip- tion of the method of carrying it out than the original paper, which is an entertainment in itself in the charm of its style and wit. The costume should be that of the time of Addison (the date of this paper is June 27, 171 1), giving occasion for very picturesque and coquettish dress. It should be carefully rehearsed before the performance, and the drill should be superintended by some one skilled in 162 FAIR SUGGESTIONS. 1 63 the art of drilling, who should preface the performance with the very words of the article in The Spectator, going out at the end, and coming back to advertise his little treatise the "Passions of the Fan," and his "Plain Fans" for service, closing with the general review, for which the regiment should be well prepared. " Women are armed with fans as men with swords, and sometimes do more execution with them. To the end, therefore, that ladies may be entire mistresses of the weapon which they bear, I have erected an Academy for the training of young women in the Exercise of the Fan, according to the most fashionable airs and motions that are now practised at court ; the ladies who carry fans under me are drawn up twice a day in my great hall, where they are instructed in the use of their arms, and exercised by the following words of command: — Handle your Fans. Ground your Fans. Unfurl your Fans. Reverse your Fans. Discharge your Fans. Flutter your Fans. " By the right observation of these few plain words of command, a woman of a tolerable genius who will apply herself diligently to her exercise for the space of but one half year, shall be able to give her fan all the graces that can possibly enter into that little modish machine. But to the end that my readers may form to themselves a right notion of this exercise, I beg leave to explain it to them in all its parts. When my female regiment is drawn up in array with 'every one her weapon in her hand, upon my giving the word to Handle their Fans, each of them 164 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. shakes her 'fan at me with a smile, then gives her right- hand woman a tap upon the shoulder, then presses her lips with the extremity of her fan, then lets her arms fall in an easy motion, and stands in a readiness to receive the next word of command. All this is done with a close fan, and is generally learned in the first week. " The next motion is that of Unfurling the Fan, in which are comprehended several little flirts and vibrations, as also gradual and deliberate openings, with many volun- tary fallings asunder in the fan itself, that are seldom learned under a month's practice. This part of the exer- cise pleases the spectators more than any other, as it dis- covers on a sudden an infinite number of Cupids, garlands, altars, birds, beasts, rainbows, and the like agreeable figures that display themselves to view, whilst every one in the regiment holds a picture in her hand. " Upon my giving the word to Discharge their Fans, they give one general crack that may be heard at a considerable distance when the wind sits fair. This is one of the most difficult parts of the exercise ; but I have several ladies with me, who at their first entrance could not give a pop loud enough to be heard at the far- ther end of the room, who can now Discharge a Fan in such a manner that it shall make a report like a pocket-pistol. I have likewise taken care (in order to hinder young women from letting off their fans in wrong places or unsuitable occasions) to show upon what sub- ject the crack of a fan may come in properly ; I have likewise invented a fan, with which a girl of sixteen, by the help of a little wind which is inclosed about one of FAIR SUGGESTIONS. 1 65 the largest sticks, can make as loud a crack as a woman of fifty with an ordinary fan. "When the fans are discharged, the word of command in course is to " Ground their Fans. This teaches a lady to quit her fan gracefully when she throws it aside to take up a pack of cards, adjust a curl of hair, replace a falling pin, or apply herself to any other matter of importance. This part of the exercise, as it only consists in tossing a fan with an air upon a long table (which stands by for that purpose), may be learned in two days' time as well as in a twelvemonth. "When my female regynent is thus disarmed, I generally let them walk about the room for some time, when on a sudden (like ladies that look upon their watches after a long visit) they all of them hasten to their arms, catch them up in a hurry, and place themselves in their proper stations upon my calling out Recover your Fans. This part of the exercise is not difficult, provided a woman applies her thoughts to it. "The Fluttering of the Fans is the last, and indeed the masterpiece, of the whole exercise ; but if a lady does not misspend her time, she may make herself mistress of it in three months. I generally lay aside the dog-days and the hot time of the summer for the teaching this part of the exercise, for as soon as ever I pronounce Flutter your Fans, the place is filled with so many zephyrs and gentle breezes as are very refreshing in that season of the year, though they might be dangerous to ladies of a tender constitution in any other. There is an infinite variety of motions to be made use of in the Flutter of a Fan. There 1 66 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. is the Angry Flutter, the Modest Flutter, the Timorous Flutter, the Confused Flutter, the Merry Flutter, and the Amorous Flutter. Not to be tedious, there is scarce any emotion in the mind which does not produce a suitable agitation in the fan, in so much that if I only see the fan of a disciplined lady, I know very well whether she laughs, frowns, or blushes. I have seen a fan so very angry that it would have been dangerous for the absent lover who provoked it to have come within the wind of it ; and at other times so very languishing that I have been glad for the lady's sake that the lover was at a sufficient distance from it. I need not add that a fan is either a prude or coquette, according to the nature of the person who bears it. To conclude my letter I must acquaint you that I have, from my own observations, compiled a little treatise for the use of my scholars, entitled The Passions of the Fax, which I will communicate to you, if you think it may be of use to the public. I shall have a " General Review on Thursday next, to which you shall be very welcome if you will honor it with your presence. " P. S. I teach young gentlemen the whole art of gal- lanting a fan. " N. B. I have several little plain fans made for this use, to avoid expense." The Broom Brigade is another of those pretty perform- ances to be carried out after a careful drill as for the Fan Brigade. There should be a uniform costume, consisting of sweeping-caps and white aprons and short dresses, with low shoes, all of which can be as coquettish as you please. FAIR SUGGESTIONS. l67 The following verses should be sung as an introduction to the exercise, and should have been carefully practised beforehand. The best singers taking solo part, and all joining in the chorus. Chorus SONG OF THE BROOM BRIGADE. Do not be frightened, O brothers, we pray, As we stand here before you in martial array ; For we do not come here with murd'rous intent, On carnage and slaughter ferociously bent. Sweep, sisters, sweep, your brooms with ardor plying, Sweep, sisters, sweep, and set the cobwebs flying. Chorus Our peace-loving weapons we only would wield To remove all encumbrances far from the field ; So that even the falling leaves, rustling and sere, Should be cleared from the pathway of every one here. Sweep, sisters, sweep, etc. Chorus We would brush away sufl'ring and sorrow and care, And everthing else that is irksome to bear, As cobwebs are brushed from the dim window-glass, To let the bright sunbeams shine in as they pass. Sweep, sisters, sweep, etc. Chorus We would brush away folly and envy and strife, And everything hurtful that darkens your life. Only the loving, the noble, the true, Should shine on your pathway and illumine your view. Sweep, sisters, sweep, etc. The exercise should be closed with the following lines, suns; to the tune of Yankee Doodle : o 1 68 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. LINES, SUNG TO THE TUNE OF YANKEE DOODLE. You've seen our skill In martial drill, And how you'd be defended, Should foe invade Your peaceful glade, So now our duty's ended. Then lay your heads Upon your beds, Without a fear or care ; Should danger come Into your home, Be sure you'll find us there. So here, O friends, Our duty ends. May slumbers sweet and light Your eyelids close In calm repose ; Good night, dear friends, good night ! The Fair itself is in danger of sinking into a conven- tional performance, each one being very much like another. But in these days, when there are great varieties to be introduced in the way of decorations and draperies and hanging curtains, there is no excuse for its being monoto- nous, or for the long row of tables covered with white cotton, that give a tedious air to the very first sight of the fair. Nowadays there is every variety of color, material, and handiwork, to give brilliancy to such occasions, and FAIR SUGGESTIONS. 1 69 there are many inventions to lend them attraction, if there are active individuals enough interested, with ideas to sug- gest and perseverance to carry out the ideas. One of the most attractive of these suggestions is the presentation of A Foreign Market-Place. — For this all the articles to be sold should be presented in booths made to resemble those seen in the large square of a foreign city. There should be a raised stage at one end of the room to display the more conspicuous and picturesque of these booths, while down the sides of the room there should be a succession of various colored awnings of different shape and size, shading the different tables. Arab Shops can be arranged along the back of this raised stage, with rows of booths all hung inside with Oriental rugs and shawls, ' a low seat coming half way across the entrance, and an Arab, cross-legged, within. The costumes of those who sell the articles should corre- spond with the decoration of the booths. An Oriental costume is so effective that there should be a large num- ber of Arab youths wandering about the hall, dressed in close-fitting red or white cap, white shirt with loose sleeves, loose white cotton trousers coming to the knees, leaving the legs bare, stained of a dark color, or covered with long dark stockings, the feet in loose Arab slippers. Each of these young Arabs must be furnished with something to sell, with a rod across his shoulders and something hang- ing from each end in baskets or buckets or pails. He can sell anything you please, — Egyptian dates, or Florida oranges, or even the native peanut, — or he can go round with the 17° THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. Fair Newspaper, which should be furnished daily with witty articles, as well as careful advertisements of the ob- jects for sale at the different booths. The Arab booths, indeed, need not be strictly devoted to the sale of Arab things, though all the decoration should resemble as far as possible the shops of Cairo and Damascus, out of whose dark and crowded depths come rich Oriental things new and old. A perfumed censer should be swinging inside to give an Oriental smell, and the Arab youths who go and come should have plenty of brass dishes or copper cans to make a tinkling sound with ; for noise is an indispensable feature of an Arab bazaar. All along the front of the raised platform should be a row of low tables containing articles for sale, which should be presided over by young girls in various costumes, — at one table the Neapolitan girl, with a flat white napkin laid over her black braids as head-dress, with short petticoat and white waist; at another a Hamburg basket-seller; at another a Spanish girl with cooling drinks. Every one who sells anything, indeed, should be in some sort of costume. A row of garden tents might be placed along the centre of the hall for the sale of flowers, while under the awnings of the side booths every nation should be represented as far as possible. Boys and girls dressed in costume, with wheelbarrows full of flowers, should find their way around the hall from time to time. All of this will not exclude the usual entertainments at a fair. The Fish Pond can be presided over by Christie Johnstone, dressed as fishwife. FAIR SUGGESTIONS. ^7 l The Grab-Bag is always attractive, though it may con- tain nothing more than the smaller articles that can find no place on the tables. These, however, should at least be worth the five cents or ten cents paid for the privilege of grabbing. The high tone of a grab-bag is soon dis- covered by the children, who are likely to patronize it. A place should be provided for the Old Woman in her Shoe. — Far the best plan is to have a large shoe made in common material, that is, moulded in pasteboard by a shoemaker ; cover it with satin, silk, or morocco paper. One can be made with two dolls dressed as babies, exactly alike, and labelled "Twins begging Charity." In one shoe there can be several sets of twins of different ages ; some of the old wooden dolls dressed as untidy charity children, boys and girls, a large wooden spoon, a basin of gruel, a birch rod, and a very dilapidated spelling-book. A Post-Office at a fair should be rigged up to look as much like a real one as possible, save that there should be a little red drapery above and at the sides. A telegraph office combined adds to the receipts. Forms and yellow envelopes should be procured. Prepare the dispatches beforehand, and then inform the various people that there is a telegram for them, and, presenting it, claim a quarter of a dollar. Letters should be always ready, and never send one without attempting to make a demand for a second necessary. Make plentiful use of Zabziel's Almanack, and favor the recipients with astonishing prophecies, as well as tender verses, good jokes, and ridiculous scandals. The whole success of the thing depends on the sharpness of 17 2 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. the presiding genius, and the ability displayed in the letters. There can be added A Post-Office Savings Bank. — Those who pay five cents can have a clip in a bowl, in which should be slips of paper, some blanks, some with a sum of money marked on them varying from one cent to ten cents, and these could be presented at any of the stalls and articles obtained to the amount. A Gypsy Tent should appear along the row of garden- tents, where should be a gypsy in true costume and color, to tell fortunes from the palm of the hand, and she can have mysterious fortunes to sell at varied prices to all who will buy them, written on leaves made of paper. Oak leaves can be used for gentlemen, and grape leaves for ladies. Another Tent can be arranged for five cent or ten cent admission, where an old woman disguised as a dwarf, behind a table, should give little presents to each person, with a few words of fun and wisdom. There should be a table covered with a cloth ; a pair of curtains should be arranged behind it and before the curtain the dwarf stands, looking as if she were on the table. Behind her stands a second person, whose hands, passing under her arms, form the dwarf's feet. These must have shoes and stockings on, and should dance about at intervals. The dwarf should be well dressed up, and should be some one who has a ready wit and tongue, as all the fun depends on her. A Travelling Minstrel should wander about the hall dressed as a troubadour, with a guitar ; or dyed black, with a FAIR SUGGESTIONS. 173 banjo, who, going about, collects a ring round him and sings, at the conclusion of each concert sending round his hat for contributions. Punch and Judy, if it is possible to obtain one, is a great acquisition. A Lawn-Tennis Tournament is a great attraction to the fite, if it can be arranged, with two or more prizes. Seats could be placed for the spectators, and a small charge made, if wished. The players would perhaps wear a particular costume or some badge to distinguish them. A children's match might be arranged. A Fruit Tent, with the attendant ladies dressed in fancy costume, would be popular ; and adjoining this tent could be the refreshment tent, with small tables for ices, tea, etc., in the open air. A Swing is a good thing for children, each one paying a halfpenny for a "good swing." A Flower Stall is always popular, with small plants in china pots, cut flowers in pretty fancy baskets with moss, ferns in ornamental china articles, and buttonhole- bouquets. White and blue china ornaments are cheap, and easy to get. In a market-place such as we have described, an effec- tive addition was made by the introduction of the singing of the hour to mark the time as the evening passed on, as is done by the street watchmen in the night in the smaller German towns. We give the verses as they were sung by a choir of voices as each hour came round. The first verse was listened to with interest, and in a few moments silenced for a time the 174 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. buzz of voices that filled the place. When the next hour came there was the same interest, but the silence was quickly forgotten in the usual noises of a crowd. By the time the hours of eight and nine came, the voices began to be expected, and when the final ten o'clock bell was sung out there was a feeling of solemnity that gave its character to the occasion. We recommend it as bringing the cere- monies of the foreign market-place to an interesting close. Hark, ye neighbors, and hear us tell, Five now strikes on the evening bell ! Five are the wondrous senses given To man on earth by God in Heaven. Hark, ye neighbors, and hear us tell, Six now strikes on the evening bell !• Before you taste the food now given, Give thanks therefor to God in Heaven. Hark, ye neighbors, and hear us tell, Seven now strikes on the evening bell ! Look, friends, and see the treasures given To help the cause so dear to Heaven. Hark, ye neighbors, and hear us tell. Eight now strikes on the evening bell ! Of all the gifts the Lord has given, Music takes us nearest Heaven. Hark, ye neighbors, and hear us tell, Nine now strikes on the evening bell ! Odors from flower-buds now are riven, And float like incense up to Heaven. Hark, ye neighbors, and hear us tell, Ten now strikes on the evening bell ! Now, friends, good night. For pleasure given, Let praise ascend from all to Heaven. FAIR SUGGESTIONS. 175 Articles to be sold at Fairs. — The descriptions we have given in the earlier part of this book will seem to suggest a sufficient number of articles to be sold at the tables of a fair ; there are over three hundred of these described, and for a fair it is well to be furnished with at least a dozen of each, though not many of a sort should be displayed at once. This would give nearly three thousand articles, which would furnish a good- sized fair, especially if refreshments including fruit are added, besides the flowers and plants suggested. Plain articles well made always sell well. Plain aprons of every sort, if not too expensive, sell quickly. Window-Curtains, made for the lower part of a window, either to run on rings, or with a hem for a wire or cord to be passed through, should be tied up in pairs, done up in little parcels, and there should be a sufficient number of duplicates to furnish more than a pair of the same, if desired. These can be made of cream colored cambrics, striped, plaided, or open-work, or of figured Madras muslin, finished with lace at the bottom. They are very pretty of Turkey red cotton, in Russian embroid- ery, in blue, yellow, white, and black cottons, worked over canvas, and the canvas pulled out, and these can be edged at the bottom with Russian lace, with the colors of the embroidery worked in ; these, however, should not be made too expensive with work, but they should be attrac- tive from their neatness and inexpensiveness. Small Articles for Children to Buy always sell well, and can be made to look attractive. All the varieties of dolls and doll's furniture can furnish one table. CHAPTER XIV. WEDDINGS. As Weddings are matters of constant occurrence, a few words of advice respecting the giving of presents may not be out of place. Probably no custom has devel- oped so greatly of late years. Formerly, a bride only re- ceived presents from her immediate relations and most intimate friends ; now every acquaintance is expected to contribute some token of regard, and very seldom fails to do so. Every one invited to the wedding is expected, as a matter of course, to send a wedding present ; and it is possible that many acquaintances send gifts in the hope of being invited to the ceremony, if it promises to be showy and fashionable. Formerly every one who sent a present thought it requisite that it should be accompanied by a note of congratulation and good wishes, but now it has become very usual merely to send with the gift a visiting card, on which is written above the printed name " with," and below it " congratulations and best wishes." Of course, near relatives generally write notes. Wedding Presents may be made either to the bride or to the bridegroom ; generally the nearest relations give presents both to him and to the bride. Presents may be sent at any time, from the official announcement of the 176 WEDDIXGS. l 77 wedding up to the eve of the ceremony. It is as well, how- ever, not to be too precipitate, as in the event of the wed- iing not taking place it is always awkward and unpleasant for a bride to have to return her presents, w T hich, of course, she must do under such circumstances. The Choice of a wedding present is generally a matter of some difficulty, unless cost is no object, when, of course, jewelry is the easiest to select and the pleasantest to re- ceive. But it is not always that brides marry in a sphere where a profusion of jewelry is useful, and a little care is requisite to render the gift acceptable to its recipient. Some Ornament for the Drawing-Room is the gen- eral resource of those who do not wish to expend the sum requisite for a handsome ring or bracelet ; but if the young lacy is about to move from one place to another, gifts of china, lamps, or ornamental furniture, are but of little use, and generally spend years shut up in some storeroom, whence they at length emerge too old-fashioned to be of any use or pleasure. A little thought is requisite to find an appropriate gift, and that is what many people never will expend. When a young couple are provided with a house, there should be no difficulty in selecting a present in accordance with the means of the donor. Silver. — It is now exceedinHv fashionable to srive silver, and pretty salt cellars, muffineers, cream jugs, and sugar basins, fish carvers or fish eaters, are not inordinately costly, and are always very acceptable. Plate has the advantage that it suits as well for a present to the bride- groom as to the bride, and the same may be said of an- other very usual gift, a claret jug. These may be had in 178 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. all varieties, and at all prices, some of those shaped like swans, walruses, etc., being very costly. A breakfast dish for hash is a favorite present, and rich relations sometimes give sets of entree dishes. Cases of pretty dessert knives and forks, either with or without china handles, hand- somely embossed grape-scissors, sugar-sifters, cases of ice spoons, or fanciful sugar-tongs, are all given, and some of them are quite within the reach of those who do not wish to make any extravagant outlay. Old silver ornaments are very favorite presents, — caskets, small trays or cups, fanciful toys, etc., all of which will afterwards look well arranged on small plush tables in the drawing-room. A pretty gold thimble, either set with pearls, coral, or tur- quoise, or plain, in a case, is a nice small present, and so are scent bottles, of which there are now an infinite variety. For Home Ornaments. — Clocks are always favorite wedding presents. Ornaments for the writing-table are a boon to those on the lookout for wedding presents, the consequence being that a bride is always overwhelmed by the quantity of inkstands and blotting-books showered upon her. Candlesticks are a thing of which it is difficult to have too many. The short shape, known as. "piano candlesticks," is most fashionable, and they are given in silver, bronze, and brass, ormolu being, happily, almost en- tirely a thing of the past. Choice lamps, too, are very useful presents, and may be had in all sizes and every vari- ety of form. China is always acceptable, — nothing tends so much to brighten a room, — and pretty glass is also much appreciated. It is almost impossible to have too many re- WEDDINGS. 1 79 ceptacles for flowers, from the tall glasses, in which branches of evergreens and pampas grass can be arranged, to those adapted to the exhibition of single flowers. Sal- viati's Venetian glass is always a valued gift, whether it take the shape of a chandelier, wall brackets, looking- glasses, or a set of champagne, sherry, and hock glasses. A set of pretty flower vases, either in glass or china, for the dinner table, forms a nice and inexpensive present ; and so do pretty menu holders. Five o'clock tea tables are also very nice. They consist frequently of a black wooden stand, the top of which is a china tea tray, with the whole tea equipage complete. Small tables are always useful presents, either prettily covered with plush, or else ebonized, with gold ornaments. Some have an under-shelf that revolves, for books. The art of painting on looking- glass has introduced a profusion of pretty articles ex- tremely suitable for wedding presents. Small mirrors, either to stand on a table or hang against a wall, folding screens to hide a fireless grate, and various other things, are remarkably pretty, and have at the present moment the advantage of being quite new, though rather costly. Pretty photograph stands are always acceptable, and among small but useful presents may be noted stands for keeping newspapers together, and ornamental waste-paper baskets. Folding screens to keep out draughts are charming pres- ents, and may be had in all degrees of costliness. Small occasional chairs, prettily covered in embroidery or plush, are also useful. Ix Jewelry the choice is unbounded, and only lim- ited by the purse of the donor. Brooches, stars, and 180 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. bracelets are more useful now than lockets — at one time so universal a present, but now comparatively little worn. Small brooches, in the shape of bees, flies, spiders, etc., which can be used to fasten the bonnet strings, or to place about the bodice of the dress, are greatly prized, and ear- rings are also valued. Whether the friend will wear them should be ascertained before selecting them as a present. Sometimes a silver Norwegian belt is chosen as a gift, or a chatelaine, or, as a more humble offering, some pretty object to attach to one. The choice of quaint-shaped sil- ver pencil cases, for instance, seems absolutely endless, and there are other small objects, such as vinaigrettes, etuis, etc., well adapted as offerings from young ladies whose allowances are not large. Fans are almost always numerous in a collection of wedding presents, and are always acceptable ; by far the handsomest now are those of curled ostrich feathers, with either tortoise-shell or mother-of-pearl sticks. Those made entirely of Brussels lace, unlined, though very pretty, are not of the slightest use as fans. There is an admixture of lace with painted crape mounted on silk, which is ex- tremely tasteful. Paper-knives of every sort are always found among wedding presents, from the huge ivory one half a yard long, on which the monogram is generally engraved, to small ones of silver, gold, or enamel, suitable to the boudoir table. Lace ; A Check. — Some brides are fortunate enough to be presented with sets of handsome lace ; but such a present is, of course, only given by a near relative. The WEDDINGS. 181 same remark applies to the growing custom of giving a check instead of selecting a present. Of course, a check is only given for a handsome sum, such as no mere ac- quaintance would think of giving. House Linen. — When the marriage is not very affluent, some kind relative sometimes gives the house linen. Albums. — If intended as presents, albums may be beautified with drawings, or pen and ink sketches, to suit the individual taste of the recipient. But no one should undertake such work who cannot do it well. An accurate knowledge of figure and animal drawing is indispensable, unless, indeed, copies are resorted to, in which case any one who can color can turn out a creditable piece of deco- ration. It seems as if the huge and costly dressing-cases, one of which was at one time considered part of the necessary paraphernalia of a bride, were somewhat out of favor, though they are still occasionally given. Travelling Bags, mounted in gold or silver, appear to have taken their place, and are very useful when not made so heavy that it is almost impossible for a maid to carry them. A Handsome Travelling Rug is a nice present, and so is one of the fur travelling bags in which the feet, legs, and skirts are comfortably inclosed. Acknowledgment and Reception of Presents. — As soon as a present is received, the recipient, whether bride or bridegroom, should at once write a letter of thanks ; any delay is most ungracious. Of course the exhibition of the presents is one of the features of the wedding. The donors 1 82 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. would be greatly disappointed if they were not duly seen. The arrangement requires considerable care and taste, and, if the presents are at all numerous, the drawing-rooms are generally tolerably well filled. Care should be taken that the articles are not packed too closely, and the cards stat- ing from whom each article came should be so placed that there can be no mistake as to the present to which they appertain. Generally the card sent with the gift is used for this. Presents should be classified, plate on one table, china, glass, fans, clocks, etc., all separate; jewelry always on a table entirely apart, and the various articles should be exhibited in their respective cases. The presents given to the bridegroom are brought to the bride's house, and exhibited at the same time as hers. The presents suitable to him are, of course, hardly so numerous as those acceptable to a lady. They generally include plate, studs, links and pins, liquor case, luncheon basket, horn cups for taking out shooting, cigar cases, and any arrangement suitable for the smoking-room, riding whips, walking sticks, etc. A piano, a carriage, or a horse are all presents suit- able to bride or bridegroom, and are occasionally given and welcomed. Care should be taken not to repeat in the invitation the latest mistake of the engravers : " Mr. and Mrs. re- quest the pleasure of your Presents at the marriage of their daughter." The London newspaper, The Queen, speaks of American wedding presents as seeming "rather odd sometimes," and tells of one occasion where the bridesmaids gave the bride- groom a large golden latch-key ornamented with his mono- WEDDINGS. 183 gram in jewels, while the groomsman presented the bride with a miniature silver broom with a handle of precious stones. A More Sensible Fashion is spoken of as set by a bride at another American wedding, who made her six bridesmaids' dresses and trimmed their hats. We should suppose this fashion to be as rare as it is " odd," but it can well be commended wherever the bride should find time after arranging her own dress and hat. The Pewter Wedding is celebrated on the first anni- versary of the marriage, and gives an occasion for presents in pewter of every variety. The opportunity is chosen for all sorts of jokes in presents, from the penny whistle up to the five cent pewter basin. But if there is any old pewter extant in the family, this is the time for the maiden aunt to present it ; for some of the old hereditary pewter dishes and platters are as handsome as silver, if they have been kept well polished and in good order, and are an ornament to the mantelpiece. The Wooden Wedding comes in on the fifth anniver- sary, and is celebrated by all sorts of valuable presents in wood. Any one who is skilful in the use of the jig-saw or in wood carving can take advantage of it by manufacturing porte-livres, bookshelves, and all the larger varieties of furniture, or by making postage stamp and button boxes, etc. A cuckoo clock is one of the prettiest articles ever given on such an occasion. The Tin Wedding, celebrated on the tenth anniversary, bears a close resemblance to the pewter wedding, and, like I §4 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. that, can be made the occasion for giving manv useful articles. Pretty tins for flowers give an opportunity for sending any form of floral ornament. An appropriate one is to have two separate tins made six inches long and one and one half inches wide, one in the shape of the numeral one, the other in the shape of a cipher. The two placed side by side of course form the number ten. The Brass Wedding should be celebrated on the fif- teenth anniversary, and all sorts of amateur work in pounded and wrought brass can be brought into play, besides the Oriental plaques and handsome trays and dishes, of which a housekeeper can never have too many. The Crystal Wedding. — On the twentieth wedding anniversary, every variety of glassware can be presented. The more expensive articles, such as cut glass salad bowls or preserve dishes, will readily suggest themselves to every reader whose purse will bear such a demand upon it. To those who wish to give a less expensive present the follow- ing suggestions may not come amiss : A pair of wine- glasses, finger-bowls, or goblets, marked with the crest or initial ; ruby or other bright colored glass vases, butter plates, salt cellars, hand glasses ornamented with a flower painted on one end, with a satin bow tied around the handle, or a medicine glass. The Silver Wedding is so often celebrated that instruc- tions for its observance are scarcely necessary. This is the time to renew the silver service, and to supply any wants that twenty-five years of married life have suggested. There is the silver tureen, new silver ladles, all the new varieties of pickle forks, olive picks, with forks and knives, WEDDINGS. 185 cheese scoops, grape scissors, etc., etc., that the fashion of the day has made necessary. At the same time as much pleasure is given by a skilful workwoman making something of taste, that suggests the meaning of the day, and many things can be done in em- broidery of delicate silver material that answers such a purpose. Silver thread certainly tarnishes quickly, even in working ; but silver brocade can be used as the founda- tion of any piece of work ; or the back of a blotting case in crewel silks can be done on perforated silver cardboard, or on delicate shades of white silk with flosses. An artistic design of a spider's web, the corners finished by a spray of leaves, or grasses, may be well carried out in silver wire on gray or pale blue satin, for a screen or table cover ; this would be appropriate, and would not tarnish. The fine silver wire can be kept quite clean and bright by rubbing with a piece of wash leather, and the wire may be had so fine that it would be suitable for any web. The design in the corners should be worked in silks. Another idea would be to work heart's-ease, arranged as a flat pattern all over the centre of a table cover. This might be worked most effectively in simple outline of white or pale tinted silk, edged with the silver wire, a border to the cloth of plush or velvet the same color as the centre. Some of the fifteenth century work is admirably adapted for white silk ; and many beautiful specimens are to be seen worked entirely with white on a silk ground, some with gold on a white ground. Exquisite work is done by embroidering tiny rose-buds or small leaves on white satin, and edging the work with 1 86 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. gold thread, or with silver thread if done on gray satin. This work can be used for sachets, tied up with white satin ribbon, or for dainty pincushions, edged with lace put on with white shining beads scattered along the edge. A satin work-bag, tied with silver cord and tassel, would be a pretty present ; or a silvered basket, prettily lined and trimmed. The Golden Wedding need not be described. Its very rarity makes it well known. The novel of the Swedish author, Miss Bremer, — which is in danger of being for- gotten in the pressure of the numerous modern novels, — this novel, "The Neighbors," gives a charming description of the Swedish celebration of the golden wedding, which can well be followed. On this fiftieth anniversary of the wedding day, gold should come into the ornament of every present, which should be rare in taste, even if it is costly. A wedding cake, trimmed with a circle of fifty gold dol- lars laid around the frosting, is an appropriate ornament for the supper-table, or such an offering can be made more entertaining by putting the gold pieces into the cake and allowing the happy pair to find them as they eat it. The Diamond Wedding is seldom reached. It receives this name under the idea that only diamonds are precious enough to be offered on an occasion so rare. But we may well believe that the two who have had the happiness to live together through so long a period, will have outlived all desire for worldly jewels. Nothing can so well express the sympathy and taste of friends at such a time, as their cordial good wishes and heart-felt respect, tendered in per- son, or in written words in prose or verse. CHAPTER XV. CHRISTMAS. Christmas Eve. — In many families the celebration begins the night before Christmas Day, and the Christmas- tree is put up, and the festivities begin, which are quite as appropriate the night before as on the day itself. Christmas Wishes must be prepared the evening before Christmas. These are wishes written in verse for each member of the family. These wishes are to be written for each person, and folded so that they all look alike on the outside, to be placed under the pillow and slept upon. Christmas morning, one of the slips is to be drawn out, which will contain the Christmas wish that will surely come true. This gives a chance to express any Christmas wish for a friend. For the younger members, it is possible to anticipate their Christmas presents by bringing in some allusion to the present they will find in their stocking, or 187 1 88 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. on the Christmas tree. We will suggest a few of these which can be imitated or varied : — CHRISTMAS WISHES. FOR PAPA. May fickle fortune's smiles the new year bless. May stocks grow large and household bills grow less; For dinner may you never have to wait, Nor lack of buttons make my sire irate. FOR MAMMA. May head never ache, May china ne'er break, Nor your daughters outgrow their new gowns; Nor servants displease, Nor water-pipes freeze, Nor your sons turn your smiles into frowns. FOR SISTER. May Santa Claus a gold watch bring, And in your stocking hide it; How nice 'twill be, you'll never know Until, my dear, you've tried it. FOR SMALL SISTER. A dolly of wax, With tresses of flax, And eyes that shut close, when laid on her back, Who stands all alone, Can sing, laugh, or moan, May Santa Claus bring you. my pet, in his pack. FOR BROTHER. May Greek be naught but pleasure, and Latin only play, May Algebra and Calculus grow easier every day ; May studious, sober sprites and persevering fairies Carry you, my student dear, through your preliminaries. CHRISTMAS. 189 FOR SMALL BROTHER. A pair of skates, A handsome sled, A bunch of dates, An apple red ; May these and more, upon the tree, Be found as Christmas gifts for thee. Hanging up Stockings for Christmas is not so much practised as formerly, but some families still cling to the custom, and liberal mothers of the family provide large, roomy stockings to be hung up at. the foot of the bed, or near the chimney, and Santa Claus is ever ready to fill them. With the return to open fireplaces, which are now allowed in most houses, Santa Claus has a better chance, and can even get a rocking-horse down the chimney, even though he cannot get more than the horse's nose into the stocking. When the stockings are hung up the night before, if there is a family of children, the Christmas morning is apt to begin at an early hour. A patter of feet is heard in the upper chambers, hushed by the warning voice of the parents below, and the singular shape of the stockings can only be felt in silence and darkness till the morning light comes in. Christmas Morning by an old custom is sometimes welcomed in by the children running to open the front door, to "let the Christmas morning in ! " At breakfast time the presents are sometimes given, and the Christmas wishes are read, and in well-regulated families the stock- ings are now for the first time examined. 190 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. Hiding the Presents. — Among the many ways re- sorted to for giving the Christmas presents, when the family is not too large, it is entertaining to hide the presents. Perhaps the mother of the family undertakes Gfiuatiuaa JUWuiw^, Fig. 73. to do this, or else each member finds some chance early in the morning, or the night before, to hide the presents in different places, and perhaps the whole day may pass before all the presents are discovered. One finds a piece of music she has longed for shut in the piano when she goes to open it, or another finds a valuable pocketbook CHRISTMAS. 191 hung to the poker when he goes to stir up the fire, or the mother of the family finds her seat unusually hard in her favorite easy-chair, and discovers she is sitting on a brush and comb basket. But Usually the presents are quickly found. The seekers know well how to look in the folds of the curtain, or penetrate the back of table-drawers, or even look under the mats and behind the furniture, and end in finding something for everybody. Thanksgiving ad Christmas Dinners. — The well established dinner of roast goose for Christmas, and roast turkey for Thanksgiving, or both for both, is too well un- derstood to need much explanation. But families who meet regularly for a Thanksgiving dinner with one mem- ber of the family, and for Christmas with another, like to vary the customary ceremonies, otherwise the entertain- ment becomes a tiresome affair. The children begin to com- plain that it is all very monotonous to go over the same thing so often, and even the elders nod a little and grow sleepy in the evenings. Of course it is necessary to have all the kinds of pies for Thanksgiving, and to eat of each of the different kinds in the course of the day. making up at supper what has not been accomplished at dinner. And for Christmas there must be a smoking plum-pudding, as well as plenty of mince pie. Costumes. — But nothing varies the occasion more than to insist that every guest shall come in some sort of costume. It is a good opportunity for the mother of the family to get out her wedding-dress once more, though if she had it on for last Thanksgiving she must think of something new this year ; for the object is to present I9 2 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. something unexpected, and nothing adds more to the liveliness of the occasion than to look round a sober family table, and see each guest arrayed in an unusual costume, the maiden aunt with a Spanish mantilla on her head, the collegian in a deep red domino, the belle of the family in her great grandmother's cap and brocade, and the father of the family in tight breeches, and hair done in queue. Conversation becomes more lively and leaves the common ruts and keeps on in an entertaining flow through the nuts and raisins, till it is time to adjourn for the Christmas tree or the evening's entertainments. But it is often desirable to make a state occasion of the Christmas dinner, when it is an advantage to know some of the new suggestions for laying the table and giving it a startling effect. Harmony in Yellow and White. — Under this title the London Queen gives a description of an effective dinner table decoration, useful to those who desire some- thing novel. Down the centre of the table was placed a piece of cream-colored satin sheeting, with the family coat- of-arms embroidered in yellow silk in each corner. In the middle of each side was worked the crest and shield. A conventional border worked in raw silk connected the armorial bearings. The whole of the centre of the satin was finely darned with the same silk in a diamond pattern, having in the middle of each diamond a small flower; all round the edge a fringe of small tassels of yellow silk was worked in. The effect of such a centre is extremely handsome, as it looks like a mass of embroidery where the details are carried out, so much as almost to hide the satin CHRISTMAS. 193 sheeting. The D'Oyleys for the dessert plates were worked on cream satin, with the coat-of-arms in the centre, hav- ing the edge scalloped round, with a tiny tassel fringe all in yellow ; the menus were plain, cream-tinted, with a gold line round the edge. The names of the guests were tied to the top of the menus with yellow ribbon. Another Table Decoration is made of a broad stripe of fancy colored Madras muslin, with colored flowers har- monizing with the shade of the glass vases. The Madras muslin is fashionable on dinner tables, and looks well over the white cloth, — the kind used for curtains and toilet drapery, which has a cream ground, and is almost covered with faintly colored flowers in quaint shades of greens, blues, and pinks. In the hand the colors are indistinct, but over the white cloth they show up. The edges are hemmed, but could be edged with corresponding tinted lace, and the width of the muslin depends on that of the table, but should just leave room for the plates all round. Sometimes only the centre of the table is thus covered, the length being, however, greater than the width. Another novelty is to lay coffee-colored lace down the centre of the table, and the D'Oyleys to match, or with an edging of the coffee lace. This looks pretty. The edges of the centre piece are either rounded or square. The Menus can be so decorated as to form a pretty Christmas present. These are sometimes written out to convey some witticism in connection with the dishes to be served. Each dish can receive a name in compli- ment to each guest. Or if the brains are not used in this way, with the fingers and taste they can be employed in 194 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. decorating the dinner-cards, which will serve as a pleasing memento of a happy occasion to carry away. Guest Cards, cut out in black or white cardboard in the shape of Japanese fans, are exceedingly effective. The addition of a " stamped-out " bee, butterfly, ladybird, or insect to the ferns is a great improvement. These fans can be lined out with gold, vermilion, or blue ; the usual size of them is about two and one half inches in diameter. Two slits cut with a penknife at one and one quarter inches from each other, for a slip of paper in- serted for the guest's name, will enable the cards to be used several times. Shell Guest Cards. — Small, fluted scalloped shells, covered on the inside with gilt and silver put on diagonally with the name of the guest painted over the groundwork, are a new and pretty variety. Motto Guest Cards. — Fancy cards, upon which are written poetical quotations, appropriate to each guest, are pleasing from their originality. Rather a novel way of arranging one's guests at a dinner or tea party is this. If the company numbers twelve, six of whom are ladies and six gentlemen, prepare beforehand twelve bouquets, of which six shall each be wholly made of different flowers. One, perhaps, being made of roses, another of carnations, another of heliotrope, etc. Let the other six be made to correspond with these, tying the first six with blue, and the last six with pink ribbons. Pass them on a tray to the company, requesting each lady to select a bouquet tied with pink ribbon, and each gentleman one tied with blue ribbon. When all have been taken, the lady of the house CHRISTMAS. 195 then announces that each gentleman is to take to the table and sit by the lady who has chosen the bouquet corre- sponding to his own. Fig. 74. The Christmas Tree and its arrangements are now so well understood that they scarcely need a description. The shops provide all the necessaries, candles to hang upon the tree, gay dolls, and gilt shining ornaments for decora- 196 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. tion, even extinguishers to put out the fire which is sure to break out in some part of the tree, and which easily spreads among the dry leaves and branches. The trees can be of any desired size, from the smaller domestic one, such as appears in every German family on Christmas Eve, Fig. 74, to the huge pine-tree which can supply a whole Sunday-school with games. It is always a pretty object, whether seen year after year, or whether it gleams for the first time for the youngest child of the family, who looks up with admiration at the shiny fruit. It furnishes entertainment for the evening, and usually retains fruit enough to stand for a week or more, to be admired by fresh visitors. Christmas Parties. — There are many ways of enter- taining children at Christmas parties, if the Christmas tree is not desired. Hang a string across a room, and on it suspend small parcels of sweets, toys, etc., for prizes, some containing nothing. Blindfold the children in turns, and let them strike at the parcels with a stick. They obtain what they knock down. Christmas Post-Office. — This can be arranged in a separate room, and should be done by means of shelves, with a table in front, on which should be laid a lot of the usual bills and forms found in post-offices. A big boy should be dressed as a postman, and should come in where the children are, and distribute envelopes addressed to each child. On presenting these at the office each child receives a parcel addressed to it containing some small present. This is a good wind-up to a party. Magic Music for the discovery of little toys is popular CHRISTMAS. 197 for young children, and each finder should be the next hider, so that the gifts are not unequally distributed ; or the presents can previously have been hidden in different parts of the room. Their places should be known by the performer on the piano, who should indicate by playing loud or soft whether each child is finding its present, or whether it must look elsewhere. Santa Claus is perhaps as much of a favorite whether he hides himself behind a chimney, or is never seen, as when he appears in person. But for a large party of little children it is very amusing to see him appear all covered with snow, with white beard, and presents sticking out of all his pockets. If he is personated by somebody who understands how, he can frighten or delight the children as he pleases, and must be quite sure to reward them all. 198 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. Christmas Entertainments. — When the Christmas presents have been disposed of early in the day, some other entertainment is desired for the evening. On Thanksgiving evenings, as well as on Christmas, large numbers of children and young folks assemble and look at each other eagerly, wondering what they had better do next ? Perhaps they have not met since last year, and have talked out at the dinner table, at the side-table per- haps, where the children could talk freely, all the little subjects they can have in common. The elders have to come in and help. It is very easy if the rooms are large, and a patient elder sister or a kind cousin will sit down to the piano and play all the evening for CHRISTMAS. 199 A Dance. — Everybody can join in, but the young folks have it their own way at first, and the mothers and fathers look on admiring. Round Dances and square dances fill up the joy of the evening. Even to look on is bliss. And the entertain- ment ends off with An Oblong Dance or Virginia reel, in which everybody must join — grandmamma and bachelor uncle, and all the guests — till they are ready to drop with fatigue and to rest till next Christmas. INDEX. The details of working the several stitches mentioned in these pages can be found in Tilton's Art-Needlework Books. These are to be published in one volume, with additions containing instructions for Crochet, Worsted Work, and other stitches, be- sides those in Embroidery, Holbein, Punto Tirato, Lace Work, and Knitting already published. '' Self-Instructive Lessons in Oil and Water Color Painting,*' published by S. W. Tilton & Co., will give the details for the pamting needed in these articles. Acknowledgment and Reception of Presents, 181. Afternoon Aprons, 7. Albums, 181. Alsatian Nurse Doll, 89. Alum Basket, 100. American Pompadour, 17. Amber Satin Apron, 6. Aprons (Chap. II.), 4-1 1. Arab Shops, 169. Articles to be sold at Fairs, 175. Baby-Carriage Blankets, 82. Baby Dolls, 89. Baby-House, 90. Bags (Chap. III.), 11-29. Balls, 85. Ball-Pattern Rug, 47. Bashlik (for the head), 130. Basket Pails, 161. Basket-Chairs, 60. Baskets for Pet Cats or Dogs, 49. Baskets Made of Hats, 146. Baskets for Flowers, 147. Bath Blankets, 81. Battledores, 69. Bell-Pulls, 38. Bellows Needle-Book, 150. Birthday Lists, 2. Black Velvet Bag, 14. Blotting-Book, 66. Blotting-Book, another, 66. Bolster Pillow, 34. Bolster Pillow, smaller, 35. Bolster Pincushion, 156. Book Covers, 67. Book Wagon, 64. Boot Case, 145. Braids of Sewing-Silk, 158. Brass Wedding, 184. Broom Brigade, 166. Brush and Comb Basket, No. 79- Brush and Comb Basket, No. 2, 79- Brush and Comb Case, 125. Bulbs in Glasses or Pots, 99. Burlap Rug, 46. Burnt Match Receiver, 143. Butterfly Pincushion, 157. Button Bag, Triple, 25. Button Bag, another, 25. 201 202 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. Camphor Bags, 117. Cap Bag, 18. Card-Cases, 108, in, 157. Cardinal Satin Aprons, 6. Carriage Blankets, 82. Case for Travelling Wraps, 132. Catch-Alls and Ornaments, 67. Chair Bags, 16. Chair-Back Cover Scarf, 40. Chair-Back Covers, 40. Charity Girl Doll, 89. Chatelaine Bag, 20. Check, 1 So. Child's Crochet Ball, 86. Children's Play Reins, 91. Chimney-Pot Hats, 148. China Closet Steps, 64. China Closet Towels, 52. Christmas (Chap. XV.), 187. Christmas Entertainments, 198. Christmas Eve, 1S7. Christmas Morning, 1S9. Christmas Post-Office, 196. Christmas Parties, 196. Christmas Tree, 195. Christmas Wishes, 187, 18S. Cigar-Case, no. Closing Song for Market-Place, 174. Clothes-Brush Case, 80. Clothes-Pin Bag, 27. Comforters for Gentlemen, 113. Conundrum Cards, 137 Cosey, another way, 55. Cosies, 54. Costumes, 191. Cracker Sachets, 121. Crash Apron, 9. Cretonne Table-Cover, 36. Crewel-Case, 154. Crocheted Purse, 83. Crush Bag, 19. Crystal Wedding, 184. Decorated Chess-Board, 95. Diamond Wedding, 186. Dinner Menus, 193. Dish Drainer for Book-Rack, 68. Dog's Coat, 114. Dolls, 88. D'Oyleys, 51. D'Oyleys, designs for, 52. Dressing Towel, 106. Drums, 69. Dusters, 50. Duster Bags, 27, 50. Easter Eggs, 94. Easter Eggs, a second way, 94. Easter Eggs, a third way, 94. Easter Eggs, a fourth way, 94. Embroidery on Screens, 33. Embroidered Table-Covers, yj' Etching Stitch, 52. Fair Entertainments, 162. Fair Newspaper, 170. Fair Suggestions (Chap. XIII.), 162- 175- Fancy Aprons, 6. Fancy Work Sachet, 119. Fans, 180. Fan Brigade, 162. Fan Wall-Pocket, 140. Feeding Bib, 10. Felt Hat Baskets, 148. Felt Table-Mats, 87. Fender Stools, 39. Ferns for Ornament, 99. Finger-Plates for Doors, 49. Fish Pond, 170. Five O'Clock Tea-Cloths, 37. Flat-iron Wipers, 56. Flat-iron Pads, 56. Flat Pen-Wiper, yy Flower Stall, 173. INDEX. 203 Foot-Muff, 102. Foot-Muff, another, 103. Foot-Stool, 40. Foot-Stool, another, 41. Foreign Market-Placc, 169. French Purse, 83. "Friend in Need" Work-Case, 153, Fruit Tent, 173. Game-Bag, 23. Game-Bag, another, 24. Garden Cushions, 60. Gentlemen's Braces, 112. Gipsy Tent, 172. Glove Sachets, 116. Golden Wedding, 186. Grab-Bag, 171. Guest-Cards, 194. Handkerchief Apron, 5. Handkerchief Sachet, Checker- Board, 115. Handkerchief Work-Bag, 14. Handkerchief Bow, 107. Hair-Pin Cushion, 80. Hanging up Stockings for Christ- mas, 189. Harlequin Bag, 15. Harmony in Yellow and White, 192. Hat-Markers, 113. Hanging Shelves, 143. Head Wrap, in Crochet, 131. Hiding the Presents, 190. Hop Pillows, 36. Household (Chap. IV.), 29-57. House Linen, 181. House Ornaments, 178. Housewife, 148. Infant's Shoes, 107. Inkstand Splasher, 65. Iron Skillets, 68. Jabot Apron, 5. Jewelry for Wedding Present, 179. Key Rack, 56. Key Rack, another, 56. Knife Cases, 54. Knit Head Wrap, 132. Knit Smyrna Rug, 47. Long Black Lace Aprons, 6. Lady's Necessaire, 20. Lace, 180. Lady Doll, 88. Lamp Shades, 75. Lamp Shades of Silk and Lace, 77- Larun for a Hood, 130. Lawn Tennis Accessories (Chap. V.), 57-64. Lawn Tennis Bag, 63. Lawn Tennis Belts, 59. Lawn Tennis Nets, 63. Lawn Tennis Receptacle, 57. Lawn Tennis Tournament, 173. Leaf Pen- Wiper, 73. Leather Purse, 84. Letter Box, 142. Letter Pocket, 140. Library (Chap. VI.), 64-75. Library Steps, 64. Macrame Bag, 14. Madras Table-Cover, 38. Madras Aprons, 7. Mantel-Board, 29. Mantel-Curtains, 30. Match-Scratchers, 144. Magic Music, 196. Mediaeval Aprons, 4, Melon-Seed Necklace, 88. Memorandum-Book for Whist Play- ers, 96. 204 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. Memorandum-Case, 143. Milk Pails, 159. Milking Stools, 160. Mirror Drapery, 31. Miscellaneous (Chap. VII.), 75-102. Moth Sachet, 117. Motto Guest-Cards, 194. Music Portfolio, 92. Music-Stool, 42. Napkin for Corn, 54. Needle-Book, 151. Needle-Case, 151. Nest for Easter Eggs, 94. Night-Dress Sachets, 120. Nightingale, 106. Note Paper Sachets, 117. Odds and Ends for Curtains, etc., 158. Old Woman Doll, 89. Old Woman in Her Shoe, 171. Opera-Glass Bag, 21. Ornamental Bellows, 140. Ornament for Sachets, 118. Other Handkerchief Sachets, 116. Outlining Flowers and Leaves, 97. Pails for Work-Baskets, 160. Painted Bassinette Covers, 82. Palm Leaf Fan, 78. Paper-Knives, 180. Paper-Weight, 74. Paper- Weight, another, 74. Parasols Decorated, 107. Pattern for Foot-Muff, 104. Peach- Basket Work Stand, 146. Pen- Wipers, 70. Pen-Wipers, 1 ; round, 70. Pen-Wiper, 2; folded, 71. Pen-Wiper. 3; circular, 71. Pen Wiper, 4; doll, 71. Pen- Wiper, 5 ; flower, 72. Pen-Wiper, 6; fez, 72. Pen-Wiper, 7 ; shell, 73. Pen-Wiper, 8; roll, y^. Perforated Paper Mats, 87. Perfume Sachet, 119. Personal (Chap. VIII.), 102-123. Pewter Wedding, 183. Philopaena Presents, 3. Photograph Fan, yS. Photograph (Cabinet) Case, 95. Piece Bag, 24. Pillow-Shams, 38. Pillow-Sham Scarf, 39. Pique Sachet, 122. Pine-Needle Pillows, 36. Plush Pillow, 35. Plush Wall-Pocket, 138. Pocket Pencil and Pen Case, 66. Pocket Pincushions, 157. Pocket Writing-Case, 133. Pompadour; bag, 13. Pompadour; doll, 89. Portieres, 32. Post-Office, 171. Post-Office Savings Bank, 172. Pot-Pourri, 92. Pot-Pourri, another, 92. Punch and Judy, 173. Purses, 83, 84. Ribbon Bag, 18. Riddle Fan, 136. Red Cross Nurse Doll, 89. Red Riding Hood Doll, 89. Roman Apron, 10. Rugs ; home-made, 43. Rugs; knotted, 45. Rugs of rags, 44. Rug-Making Machine, 45. Rustic Stand, 43. Rustic Wheelbarrows, 43. INDEX. 205 Sachets (Chap. IX.), n 5-123. Sachet for Gentlemen's Ties, No. 1, 122. Sachet for Gentlemen's Ties, No. 2, 122. Sachet of Japanese Square, 119. Sachet for Lace, 119. Sailor Doll, 89. Santa Claus, 197. Sateen Work Aprons, 7. School Bags, 18. Scissors Case, 154. Scrap-Books, 86. Screens, 32, ^y Sermon Case, 113. Shawl-Case, 123. Shawl Strap Pen-Wiper jy Shaving Cloths, 114. Shell Guest-Cards, 194. Shell Pen-Wiper yy Shell Pincushions, 156. Shopping Bag, 11. Shopping Bag, another, 12. Skate Bag, 22. Silver Tripods, 42. Silver Wedding, 184, 185. Silver for Weddings, 177. Slipper Work-Case, 155. Smoking Cap, 112. Smoking Coat, 112. Soap Bag, 26. Song of the Broom Brigade, 167. Spanish Alforca, 128. Spectacle Cleaners, 107. Splasher, 140. Sponge Bag, 27. Sponge Box, 27. Sponge Holder, 26. Suggestions for Pen-Wipers, 73. Sun-Flower Lamp Shade, 76. Sun-Flower Pincushion, 155. Sweeping-Cap, 50. Sweeping-Cap, another, 51. Sweet Fern Pillow, 36. Swing, 173. Syrian Muslin Aprons, 7. Table-Cloths with Pockets, 70. Table Decoration, 193. Tambourines, 69. Tea-Cosies, 54. Tea-Pot Holder, 53. Tennis Apron, 59. Tennis Apron, another, 59. Tennis Ball Boxes, 62. Tennis Mats, 60. Tent for Dwarf, 172. Thanksgiving and Christmas Din- ners, 191. Tin Wedding, 183. Tobacco Pouch, 108. Tobacco Pouch, another, no. Tobacco Pouch in Crochet, no. Toilet Bag, 21. Toilet Box, 78. Toilet Pincushion, 147. Toilet Wall-Pocket, 139. Towel Apron, 9. Travelling Conveniences (Chap. X.), 123-138. Travelling Minstrels, 172. Travelling Pillow, 128. Travelling Toilet Case, 123. Travelling Work-Box, 126. Triple Button Bag, 25. Umbrella Case, 134. Umbrella Stand, 49. Umbrella Tents, 58. Vases made of Bottles, 101. Violin Bag, 23. Violin Blanket, 23. Velvet Muff, 105. 206 THREE HUNDRED PRESENTS. Walnut-Shell Pincushion, 157. Wall-Pockets, etc. (Chap. XL), 13S -146. Waste-Paper Baskets, 69. Watch and Ring Case, 144. Watch Cases, other, 145. Weddings (Chap. XIV.), 176-187. Wedding Presents, 2, 29, 1 76-181. Window Curtains, 175. Window Ornament, 97. Wooden Bowls, 68. Wooden Pails, 70. Wooden Wedding, 183. Woollen Ends Rug, 46. Work Apron, 8. Work Bag, 11. Work Table (Chap XII.), 146-162. Writing Pad, 67. Yellow Satin and Lace Aprons, 6. Instructions in Painting WITH OIL AND WATER-COLORS On Silk, Satin, Plush, Linen, Wood, &c, &c. ; Landscape Painting with Oil and Water Colors, Hammered Brass, China and Pottery Painting, Tapestry Painting, Etching, Illumination, Ori- ental and Grecian Painting, Amateur Photography, How to make Christmas and Birth- day Cards, Crayon and Charcoal Drawing, Bronzing and Gilding, Stencilling, Poonah Painting, Moulding Fruit in Wax and Plaster, Fresco Painting, Chromo Photography, Leather Work, Photograph Painting with Oil and Water Colors, hesicles many other kinds of Decorative Art Work which we have not space to mention here. It also contains designs for various kinds of Ornamental Work. Sent by Mail, postpaid, on recrint of price, .92.00, bn S. W. TILTON & CO., 333 Washington St. (up one flight) BOSTON, MASS* BULFINCH'S MYTHOLOGY. -L JBzL -Hi AGE OF FABLE CONTAINING THE STORIES OF THE GODS AND HEROES, Which form the subjects of by far the greater portion of the ANCIENT PAINTINGS AND STATUARY to be found in the ART MUSEUMS of the Old and New Worlds. By THOMAS BULFINCH. An Enlarged Edition, printed from entirely new type, with over One Hundred New Illustrations from Ancient Paintings and Statuary. Edited by Rev. E. E. HALE. Without a knowlege of Mythology much of the elegant literature of our own language cannot be understood and appreciated. In this volume the stories of Mythology are told in such a manner as to make them a source of amusement and to give our work the charm of a story book, yet by means of it to impart a knowledge of an important branch of education. In the new edition the publishers have added very largely to the value of the book, as well as to its beauty, by the numerous illustrations from the very best classical source?. The reader will see that these illustrations, in reproducing the master- pieces of ancient art, give the best idea whicn we can have of the conceptions which Greek and Roman had of the sacred beings in their Mythology. We trust our young readers will find it a source of entertainment; those more advanced, a useful companion in their reading; those who travel and visit museums and galleries of art, an interpreter of paintings and sculptures; and those who min- gle in cultivated society, a key to allusions which are occasionally made. The book has been so widely and so successfully used in schools that it seems proper to add that this new edition is considerably enlarged. S c W. T8LTON & CO., Publishers. Sold at our Chambers, 333 WASHINGTON STREET, Boston, or sent by mail to any address on receipt of price, $2.50. NK9100 .H32 "i- uu-inrv Mm man I U lb Ha ?,' 1 .m^. < r. r ,^ ia P-^hree hundred decorati 3 1962 00079 0182 ■■_ i<