Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-30
CHRISTMAS GIFTS.
Pretty Presents That Can be Made at
Home.


make for presents to our friends at the ap-
preaching fuletide. Prettiness, novelty, and
quick accomplishment-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 pa in tiers,
and there should not be few of these in DAYS
when art education is carried to a high pitch.
Many girls can decorate a. fan-leaf who could
not for their lives paint picture worth looking
at, and the art is fascinating as well as a prof
liable 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 shop
windows. Feathers, gauze, mixture of gauze
and lace, and the ever lovely old vellum are
tine fayorites of the hour: and of these the
gauze undoubtedly stands first az 1.-The fashion"
But the designs must show originality and the
latest craze Is for the outline of the decoration
to form the upper edge of the game mount
linen. also, the painting must be done in i'm
pressionist style; colors almost appear at first
! sight to be thrown on at random, but after a
\ moment we find reason in the madness" 1t
naturally follows that as the outline of the de-
sign cuts out the edge of the gauze there is no
uniformity OF contour. but this is the ''go"
now; to be artistic things must be irregular.
The entire leaf of one black gauze fan will be
formed OF huge butterfly; the body toward
the center, the 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 are a species of pantomimic but
terhles all flash and great deal of imagina-
tive beauty. Still they are pleasing. and hun
dreds of girls and young matrons w6uld be de-
lighted to receive one a present. The great
thlng Tor the artist to try for is to produce a
rich harmony of color. subdued and vet glow
ing. Dragon fiies-one or three-make q good
subject, but we object strongly to canaries and
parrots being chosen for the purpose; they are
lar too substantial and clumsy. Brown gauze
makes charming ground for painting butter
flies on. and 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
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
the shape of a circle. The sunfiowers and
leaves we consider quite against the canons of
art when the center of the flower is used as
space for landscape. No matter how well the
painting Is done. the idea is false, and the re-
suit must be inartistic
This paper on gifts must necessarily be
scarcely better than medley. for we wish to
meet the requirements of many. and to suit all
tastes, so We Will mention next the pretty, in
expensive bamboo work-baskets Just lately
brought out Three bamboos are crossed so
that soft plated straw, willow or cane basket
can rest on the top. This natty little standing
work-basket can find space in a corner of
small room, where larger one would be out
of the question. 1t can be trimmed in vari-
ETY. OF ways-with Liberty silk squares ribbon
bows, Spanish ball fringes and tassels, or
simply lined with Liberty silk. arranged so as
to form bag, with draw-strng and upstand-
ing frIll. The style of the affair does not allow
of any rich. expensive decoration, such as heavy
brocades. yelvets or thick silks. 1t is essentially
unpretending. and to be in keeping. the trim
ming should be so also. Another plan would be
to mt 1t up prettily a bonbonniere for Christ
mas. ornamenting a false top with artificial
flowers and ribbon bows, or with punches of
graceful grasses, among which a birds nest
shoulc be cozily tucked away, the birds being
perched about on lichen covered twigs In
any case the interior should be lined ready for
after use a work case. Bamboo square palm
stands may be utilized as work stands by plac-
ing on the top slab Chinese bowl-shaded
basket. lined and trimmed. The bamboo legs
are wound round with two shades of Liberty
SILK, such as chestnut and coral or shrimp-pink
and apple-green or apricot and silver gray, and
finished off with pompons. The lower shelf
Is titted with tray, lined with silk, either but
toned down or with first plain layer of silk
and then the four corners have half squares,
folded In plaits, laid across them, these, of
course, of contrasting colors.
A charming cushion is made with the same
kind of corners. The center is of velvet. with
arrasene embroidery; the corners are a little
difficult TO describe but easy to do. Take a
square of Indian silk and gather along one
side, first turning up two inches so as to make
double frill; 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 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 COW
cred; half Of edge of the cushion will then be
plain and half frilled. This gives an uncom-
mon appearance, and the result is extremely
satisfactory If good colors are selected
Photo frames composed entirely of narrow
velvet and silver braid are fashionable. We
should not advise readers living in London 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 produce a check pattern The
wooden frame, slightly rounded in 'front.' is
covered with this, then the back is neatly faced
with watered silk; and an easel support is
added.
Continuously novelties, in the shape of hand
kerchlef 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 it be telling"
Turn back the top about 3 inches. and repeat
the same design ON that, cutting out the edge
to correspond with the outline. Now cut ont
the back of the bag to fit the front piece. and
stitch it up, first inserting along the bottom a
leather fringe. Run cords for drawstrings. al
lowing the ornamental heading to fall over
outward. The fringe is made from a length of
leather 21z inches wide, slit up with scissors 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.
Sachets are still made of enormous size
Some of the most lovely are of shot satin
embroided with exquisite shades of silk. and
lined with white silk. The nightdress. hand
kerehief and glove sachets all correspond, and
together they form a very handsome present.
These are expensive to buy ready made, but
clever fingers can manufacture them at home
at half the cost The grand thing is to get
artistic shades of color; the ordinary pale pink
or blue are intolerable, and one is wearied of
the sight of them.
The Result of a Dream.
There was once mechanic at Bristol Eng,