The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-04
CHRISTMAS GIFTS.
Some Pretty Presents that Can be
Made at Homo.

I II
we shall make for presents to cur friends at
| the approaching Yuletide. Prettiness, nov
| city and quick omplishment-these are
the three chief points to be attained. With
these ends in view we will describe a few
articles that take our fancy, and that we
| hope will please and be useful to others.
First, for the fan painters, and there should
! not be few of these in days when art edu-
cation is carried to a high pitch. MANY
| girls can decorate a fan-leaf who could
not for their lives paint a picture worth
| looking at, and the art is fascinating S
we'll as q profitable one. Silk and satin fan
leaves are at present quite out of count, and
little wonder, when we look back and think
of the vulgar atrocities that have been seen
in many shopwindows. Feathers, gauze, a
mixture of gauze and lace, and the ever
lovely old velium, are the favorites of the
hour, and of these the gauze undoubtedly
stands first as "the fashion" But the de-
signs must show originality, and the latest
craze is for the outline of the decoration TO
form the upper edge of the gauze mount
Then, also, the painting must be done in
appear at first sight to be
thrown on at random, but after a
moment we find treason in the madness.
! II naturally follows that as the outline Of
the design cuts out the edge Of the gauze
| there is no uniformity of contour, but this
is the Ego" now to be artistic things must
be irregular. The entire leaf of one black
gauze fan will be formed of huge butter
| fly, the body toward the center, tie wings
spread out on both sides. No attempt is
made to produce an imitation of the texture
| of the wings, or of their true colorlng; they
a e a species of pantomimic butterflies, all
fash and a great deal of imaginative
beauty. Still they are pleasing, and hun
dreds OF girls and young matrons would be
delighted to receive one as a present The
great thing for the artist to try for is to
produce a rich harmony of color, sub
dued and yet glowing. Dragon fiies-one
or three-make a good subject, but we
object strongly to canaries ana parrots
being chosen for the purpoe; they are
far too substantial and clumsy. Brown
gauze makes a charming ground for paint
ing butterflies on, and a little gliding Is
allowable to throw up the cOlors. Hand
screens are formed in the shape Of chestnut
leaves, with a graceful tassel of the flowers
introduced. One large leaf is arranged on
the right side, and a small leaf and the
bunch of flowers fall to the left. A slight
sketch on paper will show how irregular,
perforce, must be the edge of the screen,
but the design is so managed as to make
somewhat tue shape of a circle. The sun
flowers and leaves we consider quite against
the canons Of art when the center of the
flower is used as space for a landscape. No
matter how well the painting is done, the
idea is false, and the result must be mart
istic
This paper on gifts must necessarily be
scarcely better than a medley, for we wish
to meet the requirements of many, and to
suit all tastes, so we will mention next the
pretty, inexpe sive bamboo work baskets
just lately brought out Three bamboos
are crossed, so that a soft plated straw,
willow Or cane basket can rest on the top
This natty little standing work basket can
find space in corner Of a small room,
where larger one would be- out of the
question. 1t can be trimmed in a variety
Of ways-with liberty silk squares, ribbon
bows, Spanish ball fringes and tass ais, or
simply lined with liberty silk, arranged so
as to form bag. with draw-striug and up
standing frlll. The style of the affair does
not allow OF any rich, expensive decoration,
such as heavy broc des, velvets or thick
silks 1t is essentially unpretending. and 10
be in keeping the trimming should be so
also. Another plan would be to TT II up
prettily as a bonbonniere for Christmas,
crnamenting Il false top with artificial
flowers and ribbon bows, or with punches
of graceful grasses, among which birds
rest should be cozily tucked away,
the birds being perched about on
lichen covered twiss. In a',y case
the interior should be lined ready fer
after use as a work case. Bamboo square
palm stand, may be utilized as work stands
by placing on the top slab Chinese bowl
shap d basket, lined AMI trimmed. The
bamboo legs are wound round with two
shades of liberty silk. such as che itnut and
coral or shrimp-pink and apple-green or
apricot and silver gray, and finished with
pompons. The lower shelf is fitted with a
tray, lined with silk, either budO.ed down
OF with first plain layer of silk, and then
hax~ nalf fol- n1
in plaits, laid acr S. them, these, of course,
of contrasting colors.
A charming cushion is made with the
same kind of corners. The center is Of vel
vet, with arraseue embroidery; the corners
are a little difficult to describe but easy to
do. Take square of Indian silk aid gather
along one side, first turning up two inches
so as to make a double frll; the gathering
thread should be as long as half one side of
the cushion. Next gather the opposite side
Of the square in the same way, but draw
the thread tight. Fasten the loose gather
ing half way along the edge of the cushion,
where the join of the front and back comes
leaving the frill beyond. Draw the silk
over the corner to the middle of the next
side, and tie round that gathering thread
with fine cord, finished with silky pompons,
letting that heading compose a sort of full
rosette. Repeat until all four corners are
covered; half of edge of the cushion will
then be plain and half frilled. This gives
an uncommon appearance, and the result is
extremely satisfactory if good colors are
selected.
Photo frames composed entirely of mar
row velvet and silver braid are fashionable
We should not advise readers living in Lon
don to set about making these, but many
who con our columns weekly are far away
from shops where such fancy goods are sold.
Velvet ribbons half an inch wide are crossed
by silver braid, plated in and out TO pro-
duce check pattern. The wooden frame,
slightly rounded in front, is covered with
this, then the back is neatly faced with
watered silk, and an easle support is added
Continuously novelties, in the shape of
handkerchief sachets are being brought out
The latest we have noticed is a leathern bag.
1t is made as follows; Take an oblong piece
of wash leather, paint across the bottom
some quaint design quite roughly, but let il
be telling" Turn back the top about
inches, and repeat the same design on that,
cutting out the edge TO correspond with the
outline Now cut out the back of the bag
to fit the front piece. and stitch it up, first
inserting along the bottom leather fringe.
Run cords for drawstrings, allowing the
ornamental heading TO fall over outward.
The fringe is made from length of
leather q inches wide, slit up with sciss ors
at short, regular intervals. A line from
one OF the poets is painted roughly in across
the bag. the design carrying out the idea of
the Quotation. Satchets are still made of
NI,,