The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-06-27
THURSDAY MORNING, JUNE "a.
From Harper's Bazar.l
Fancy-WOrk.

Ladies going into the country take with them
some articles of fancy-wor with which to
amuse and occupy themselves, especially on
rainy days. Something quaint and antique in
design is liked in this artistic needle-work, and
this ia found in the effective and easily done
crewel-work lately described in the Bazaar.
The English crewels used for this embroidery
are fine yarns more hardly twisted than the
zephyr woods. Gray, ecru or white linen of
thick quality is the fabric in which the work is
done. The bold designs, many of which are
copied from the Japanese, represent water
lilies, catkins, grasses, and storks; the sun.
flower is in especial favor, and is most effec.
lively used; fruits and nuts are wrought on
white linen tides; butterflies and bees are
represented on the wing, and in some instances
figures of Japanese women are introduced.
Sofa pillows are ornamented in this way, also
chair seats, chair stripes, tides and ottomans.
The square pieces, with the design begun and
material supplied for finishing, cost about so;
long stripes for chairs are 81 to $40. "A part of
the flower and foliage is wrought, aud the rest
of the design is outlined to be done in simple
stem stitching, which is made up of back
stitches taken closely together.
The gray linens are SO cool and pleasant to
the touch, and are so firm of body, that they
are used for various kinds of fancy-work.
Lam6requtns OF this linen are made for man.
tells, for windows, baskets and brackets, and are
ornamented with applique cloths cut out to
represent storks. grassboppers, butterflies and
characteristic Japanese figures. Persian colors
and designs, especially block patterns, are
used for this applique work. The linen dam
ask work is also used for square tides, for long
pieces for the backs of sofas, and for small
rugs to be placed in front of desk or a toilette
table. This simple but most effective work
consists in covering the small figures of the
zephyr is sufficiently heavy for this. When
used for rugs the damask is lined with Dutch
carpet made of cotton. The edges of the dam
ask are ravelled to form fringe.
Table covers that are both useful and orna-
mental are made of shaded damask-mixed
wool aud linen-in two shades of brown or of
blue. These are not ornamental in tbs middle
but there is wide border which is covered
Checked linen burlaps covers for tables have
also wide damask borders wrought over with
rich dark colors; the latter cost from SIS to Sc.
Burlaps rugs large enough to place before a
sofa or bed Are begun, and materials fur
nished Tor finishing; price from S6 to $13. The
handsomest large rugs are done on heavy can
vas known as double zephyr canvas; these are
wrought in quaint Persian and other Oriental
designs, with cross stitches of thick tapestry
WOOL These cost with materials for complet-
in stripes in all the hues of the prism, is done
in easy long diagonal stitches. Playing rugs
for infants have worked upon them the figures
of dolls, trumpets, fruits, rabbits and toys; the
background is to be filled in, and the rugs
softly wadded.
Fresh, clean looking mats for toilette tables
are of thick white linen wrought in English
crewels or in colored cottons that will wash.
The pretty designs, representing child riding
or butterfly, swans and Chinese pagodas, are
outlined, and are to be done in point Russo and
in stem stitch; $1.75 buys whole set of mats,
consisting OF four pieces.
New applique cloth flowers are not tutton-
hole stitched on the edges, but have each petal
stand up from the background in natural
fashion, and the only stitches taken are few
point Russo stitches in the centre that repre-.
sent the veins of the flowers, and at the same
time hold them in place. The flowers and
leaves are sold by the dozen at from 25 to 45
cents They trim small lambrequins for bas-
kets, boxes, Brackets etc.
A new Japanese canvas called bamboo is
ecru tinted, and as stiff as is made of the
fibre of bamboo: Mummy cloth, another new
fabric, is rough-threaded canvas for support
ing applique figures of cloth and of velvet.
The Turkish toweling, so popular now for en-
broiderng, costs from 81 to $125 yard, and
is three-fourths of yard wide. Burlaps can
vas is from 35 cents yard upward
Chair stripes are now made narrower than
when first introduced, and the newest have the
favorite sunfiower ornament and catkins done
In satin stitch on the canvas ready for filling
these are $23. Foot-rests of the same are Sc to
TO W. Light screens, small bannerets and the
larger banner screens are done in fade coloIs,
like those of the Gobelin tapestries, in petit
point and satin stitch, with silks and zephyr
woods; price $3.50 to IS for small sizes.
hTnl.ting is IN fashion again, and ladies buy
gentlemen. These silks come in pale blue
hesh-color. and dark brown balls that are 81
cents each; fivs balls are required for pair OF
socks. Crotcheted purses of the English are
also in favor for gifts In some of these gilt or
steel beads are wrought, and the trimmings of
clasp, rings, and tassels are sold to match.
Shopping bags and reticules for handkerchief
are also made of beads, Of velvet and of leather
and are worn suspended from the belt The
most popular bags are square and are made OF
black velvet edged with lace, or else they are
crOcheted with steel beads in the meshes