Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-10-16
GOSSIP ABOUT HoUsK DECORATION

A new and very handsome style of ar
needle.work is coming into vogue. Tn,
raised designs upon Indian scarfs and Per
sian wraps are cut out and appliqued on tt
| plush or velvet to serve as screens, DOR
there's, etc. The effect is really beautiful
| the designs themselves are so fanciful anC
form most graceful combinations, lookin.
even better upon the deep tones of tn,
plush or velvet backgrounds than they dC
on the lighter Eastern fabrics,
1t Is no longer the fashion to light ur
large rooms with central chandeliers or
the contrary, light is now provided from
the corners of the room by means of up
right pillars with extending branches from
which gaslights CLEAN brilliantly. The
electric light has not yet made much head
way In private houses.
Economy prevails to such an extent in
Swiss households that the outside leaves oil
caopages and the shells OF peas are never
thrown away. The former are chopped W
and stewed until tender, then eaten with
vinegar, while the latter are used for soup.
After many hours boiling they are rubbed
through sieve into weak stock, and with
the addition of chopped onions and little
mint make dish which is much approved
by the thrifty housekeeper.
Painting upon mirrors is brought to
great perfection by lady artists, and is
much used now in decoration. In the Lon.
don residence of the artist Broughton a
beautiful Gala lily seems to spring from
the frame across the glass. It was in.
geniously painted there by the artist him.
self to conceal a flaw in the glass.
The patchwork upon which our grand
mothers exercised so much ingenuity is the
subject of a revival, or, we ought rather to
say, OF new departure. This novel patch.
work is made by cutting foundation squares
OF muslin, all the same size, and arranging
upon them odds and ends OF silk or ribbon,
plush or velvet, in any way the maker
pleases, basting them in position and then
joining them together with feather stitch
in gold-colored fileselle. The squares when
completed are joined together in the same
way, and the result is harmonious con-
fusion of colors which has quite an Eastern
effect.
Tides, those misnamed articles of draw
mgr room adornment, are to be abolished !;
IN their stead small squares of lace or mus
lin, or even of darker material, are fitted
into the backs of chairs and securely fast.
ened in position.
A very strange material has been pressed
into service for chair coverings, being
nothing less than the addle.bags used by
travellers in crossing the great desert. The
rough wooden ma terial which forms the out.
side covers the front of the chair, while
that which is the lining of the saddle-bag
provides material for the back of the fur.
niture. In appearance they are very quaint
and handsome.
Alligator skin, which has for some time
been used for bindings and slippers,
is now the fashion for ladies' reticules and
handbags. 1t is handsome in appearance,
but as it takes very few colors there is no
possibility of much decoration or the ex-
ercise of taste in trimming, etc. But, if
not particularly striking, bags made of this
material are extremely durable, and will
last until their owners are tired of them.
Fashions in every department of in.
dustry change SO rapidly now that even
in carpets, what ia the thing one season
is old.fashioned before the next comes
round. Formerly design, if it was fash.
ionably received, has run in the factories
for eight or nine years, wheress-soT a
new one is substituted for IN almost as
many weeks,
A Japanese laGbfequin is a great sue
cess. 1t is pade of the fancy squares sold
IN Jspansse stores, which are cut into sharp
dlaIh0nd-shaped pieces, one point in each
being attached to corresponding point in
another, while, in the interstices between
small stars of colored cloths are inserted
and caught to the two upper and lower
points. Each of the lower points is finished
off with colored tassel, and the effect is
very good indeed.
There is likely to be revolution in
chinaware if new process recently pat.
ented is successful. This is for printing
designs in colors upon china and glass, and
it will lessen the expense of decorating
china very considerably. The principle
is the same as that OF printing upon
other materials, but hitherto painting
upon eaina has been all done by hand. and
has needed trained colorers as we'll as
designers. By the new method the mo-.
elaborate designs can be printed off by
young girls, and any number can be pro.
duced in fac smile,