Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-12-19
ART In THE HOUSEHOLD.
A Chapter on Fancy Work, Work Baskets
and Embroidery

AM In HE HVUSEHULDs
A Chapter on Fancy Work, Work Baskets
and Embroidery.
As Christmas approaches loving
hearts and fingers are busily devising and
fashioning pretty gifts for dear ones in COM
memoration of the era of Peace and good
will" 1t is indeed a stolid nature that does
not respond intuitiYely to the sentiment
that prompts gift which is the work of
ones own hands every stitch of which is
interviewer with the fondest of good wishes.
1t is undoubtedly owing to this happy
quality in humanity that inspired by
thoughts tender and true, the custom of
giving pretty trifies at Christmas-time is be-
coming more and more popular Reckon
ing the value of present in dollars and
cents despOils it OF its intent and is a direct
violation of the proverb which bids us
never to look gift-horse in the mouth. In
these days OF art-work even trifiing things
need not lack in beauty. If utility be COM
bined with beauty, so much the better
Indeed, every article in everyday use NAV
and should be beautiful The cheapest and
commenest thing need not be ugly, and the
artistic does not of necessity imply lavish
expenditure.
Vitruyius says: The perfection of all
works depends on their fitness to answer
the end proposed; and the ancients ap-
proved only those which, by stIict analogy
were borne out by appearance of utility"
This is wise principle to remember in all
manner of decoration. 1t may be cheap
and still be artistic, and it may be artistic
| and still be comfortable. TIE one condi-
ton is not Incompatible with the other.
Almost every woman is nowadays more
or less occupied with some sort of art
| ma In orb
holding it is necessity. and it should be a
thing apart from the commedious work
basket, with its tape, and needles, and
thread and buttons. A pretty conceit for
the fancy work is an easel of plush on
which bag is fixed. The easel should be
about fourteen inches III hight and neatly
covered with plush the bag is of the same
material, lined with a contrasting color OF
silk or satin. A high frill is left above the
drawing-cord, which allows piece of the
lining to show. The bag is fastened only
to the outer portions of the easel. the third
being left free to open outward so that it
! may stand upright on the table. Another
is tripod made of three sticks of equal
length upon which child's straw hat with
brim is fixed with wire. which is after
ward hidden with a ribbon. Hat and
sticks are gilded or silvered, the hat is
lined and fitted with bag drawn up at the
top, and the work is complete. A hat with
a somewhat wider brim may be easily con-
yerted into work-bag to hang against the
wall, and will be found very useful in ones
bedroom to hold the articles requisite for
/ repairing accidental ravages in ones ward
robe. A basket with covers opening each
way to%ard the central handle may be
made thing of beauty by lining it with
anything that suits the fancy, and trim
ming the handle with harmonious tints of
ribbon. Still another convenient work-bag
may be made of pasteboard shaped like a
boat. covered with painted or embroidered
velvet or plush and fitted with the indis-
peusable bag drawn up at the top. The
footstool may be made to serve q double
purpose by having its padded and covered
top adjusted by means of hinges, the
round or octagonal frame upon which it is
mounted being very useful as work box
1t will be seen that none of these are ex-
pensive, either in time or money; neither
do they require any special skill in their
manufacture, while they are sure to be
warmly appreciated and to recall the fair
donor often TO mind.
One of the latest fancies in the way of
decorative work is the German embroid-
cry, done in linen hOsses and washable en-
broidery silks and cottons The designs
are quaint arabesques. scrolls and an inter
mingling of conventional flower forms. 1t
Is applet chiefly to table-scarfs. buffet
spreads, tea-cloths, and may even extend
to pillow and sheet-shams and bedroom
drapery. The material used for this sort of
work are Fayal and Italian towels, Swedish
linen, monte cloth and cream and ecru
embroidery linens and crashes. The de-
sign Is first worked in outline the scrolls
or arabesqueS are next worked within and
close TO the outline, with button hole
stitches in white linen floss, or they NAV
be fitted in with white linen floss couch
ings or any of the devices employed for
variety. Misunderstanding will answer for
the foliage forms, tapestry stitches within
the flower-petal outlines, and French knots
where they are desirable The effect is
more or less rich or simple according to the
stitches and combinations used, and the
work is applicable to many uses.
Darned embroidery still holds its popu-
larity, and by it the most delicate effects
are attainable, especially in the matter of
color, different effects being given N differ
ent lights. Its principle is practically the
reverse of other kinds OF embroidery in
that the design is simply outlined, and the
background filled in, leaving the pattern in
dictated by the material alone Where the
background is very fully worked the effect
Is almost the same as applique. The stitch
is the same as that employed in the homely
work of mending stockings. A great num-
Der of patterns may be produced, depend
ing upon the order in which the stitches
are arranged, but perhaps none is more sat
isfactory than irregular darning. which
produces q soft background with broken
lights. 1t may be done on any kind Of ma
terial, but soft silk linen is best. ms
sore, or Nagpore silk, darned with filo-foss
is especially beautiful, since the most deli,
cate. coloring, almost equaling the broad
washes Q! water-co1or painting, can be
given. The softness Of the ground-coloring,
showing through the stitches, produces
wonderful effects. Materials woven in the
same way as huckaback toweling are very
suitable for darning The thread can be
run through the raised part of the weaving
without trouble of marking lines O. count
ing stitches. Charming and comfortable
afghans for the sofa may be easily made of
honey-comb cloth with darned embroidery
II is likewise suitable to the same infinity
of uses to which any embroidery may be
applied, and with due exercise of taste in
the selection of colors perhaps more arts
tic results may be attained by this simple
stitch than with any other Philadelphia
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