News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-12-27
THE HANDY HOUSEWIFE.
How Plain Apartments are Made Cheerful
Hints About Curtains and Carpets.

| Hints About Curtains and Carpets.
A little time and money will trans
form bare, cold-looking bedroom into
a pretty boudoir. No bedroom should
be without curtains, as well as shades.
There are several pretty and inexpen-
sive materials from which curtains may
be made For two ordinary-sized win
dows-double curtains--it will require
twelve yards. When the material is
wide enough to go across the window,
single curtains are pretty and not so ex-
pensive.
Canton flannel curtains of dark Grim
son are warm and tasteful. "A band of
old gold Canton flannel about eight
inches wide should trim the top and
bottom. This material costs about 25
cents a yard. Cheaper curtains and as
pretty ones, may be made out of un-
bleached muslin and trimmed with
bands of blue, crimson or yellow mus
lin, as the fancy dictates.
The daintiest curtains for bedroom
are white ones, and any thin material of
null, lawn, Swiss, either plain or dotted,
is suitable. One OF two old white dresses
that are fit for nothing else will serve the
purpose. Even if thin and frail, they
will last for some time if carefully
washed. The curtains should be fin
ished by a narrow rufle of the material
or frilling of lace. When looped back
with ribbons to correspond with the fn-
niture the effect is very good.
Many kinds of lambrequins may be
made at home, but oftentimes the win
dows look better without any. Flowered
chintz is one of the best materials for
this purpose, and handsome ones may be
made out of an old broche shawl or
merino dress. Straight lambrequins are
fashionable and are finished with fringe.
White curtains should be covered with
white lambrequins of the material or of
lace
Portieres for the closets and doors,
and also for the windows, if desired, can
be made out Of any Persian material,
in woolen or cotton goods. The colors
should be dark. Of course the bars and
brass rings will cost little money, but
considerable may be saved by buying
the bars of plain pine wood and varnish-
ing with shellac. Portieres are greatly
beautifed if trimmed with bands of vel
vet, velveteen or plush. Dark red or
brown is the best color, and an old skirt
or Jacket will look well if utilized in this
way.
Carpets are always expensive, and very
often not pretty. If you have not car
pet for a bedroom, do not waste money
buying one, unless the flooring is in very
bad condition. Have the floor scrubbed
very clean, and then paint deep brown
and varnish. The paint can be pur-
chased all ready to apply, and twenty
! five cents worth will do q room.
Mats or rugs to place about the floor
aan be made ont OF a variety of materials
Squares of pretty carpet, lined with some
thiak wooden goods and bOrdered with
scarlet or blue braids are serviceable.
Patchwork mats of calico, wOolen or silk
goods, lined and bOrdered with crimson
pinked flannel or silk are also cheap and
dainty.
Several mats and rugs should be
placed in bedroom, one on either side
of the bed, one in front of the dressing
table, wash-stand and window. The
room can be kept much sweeter and
cleaner without a carpet.
A dressing table or bureau without
cover or mats is a gloomy and unhand-
some article, and soon becomes soiled
and stained. Cottage furniture should
be draped with white-dotted Swiss.
The bureau should have two curtains
of the material coming from the top and
caught back at the sides by clusters OF
ribbon. A cover OF the same material,
lined with pink, blue or scarlet Silesla
should cover the writing table and
wash-stand.
One of the loveliest fancy bed-covers
can be made out of white muslin. Cut
the material in circles about four inches
in diameter, then gather the edge, turn
ing in, with strong white linen thread.
When a quantity of these are made, sew
them together, leaving little diamond
open space between each one. When
sufficiently large to cover a bed, finish
by fringe on each end circle, and put
spread of pink or blue cambria under
meath. Pillow ,shams should be made
in the same way. Such a spread will
keep clean for a long time, and does not
require ironing after washing.