The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-06-14
STYLES IN LINEN.
The Latest Thing i'm Tea Cloths-The Del.
icate FayaI Work.

icate FayaI Work.
Art finds expression in table linen.
The skill of the embroideress and the
brush of the painter are called upon to
beautify it. Exquisite materials from
the famous looms of the world are con-
verted by their fingers into back
grounds for charming pictures. These
are mostly in flower designs, but so
delicately and perfectly executed as al
most to deceive the very blossoms from
which they are copied into the belief
that they are natural.
The finest of French lawn and bolt
ing silk are the stuffs employed for ele-
giant table coverings. The first ma
terial is SO fine that the threads cannot
be discovered except with a microscope,
and has sheen like heavy satin. Bolt
ing cloth is always lined with some
tinted silk, and has the effect of some
shimmering material half undecided
whether to be moonlight in hue or a
more decided color The boiling silk
is usually hand-painted and center
pieces, scarfs and doyies edged with
handsome lace.
A few women with pronounced ten
dency to elaboration have their after
noon tea cloths of decorated bolting
silk, lined with color, and lace trimmed.
The most elegant afternoon tea cloths
are the French linen, embroidered in
colors and finished with drawn-work
hems. A flower design the size of the
natural blossom is scattered all over
the cloth. Sometimes it is wide
opened, perfectly natural posy. Then
it is seen as a bud, a detached bit of
foliage, or single wind-blown petal.
Damask roses with rare golden GEN.
ters, the choice blossom of our grand
mothers gardens, are favorite design.
Another very popular one is tulips
done either in pink and white or yell
low and scarlet. Carnations are
adopted as the table linen flower by
many, and the colors employed are
either pink and white or blood red.
Women of ultra quiet tastes affect
the emblematic flower of unobtru-
siveness, the daisy.
One of the prettiest executionsin in en-
broidery seen recently is in wild white
roses. Nothing more delicate could
be imagined. The work is so true to
nature that one leans instinctively for
ward in the hope of catching the in
tangible, fieeting perfume of the wild
wood queen of flowers.
These embroidered designs are car
ried out in full dinner sets, scarfs, GEN.
ter-pieces, napkins, and doylies, as
well as in afternoon tea cloths. In
dinner sets the price ranges from $3.50
to $500. Afternoon tea cloths cost
from $40 to 500, center-pieces $15 to
$50, napkins $1S to $40 dozen, doylies
$15 to $50 dozen.
Elegant plain linen with hem-stitched
or drawn work finish is used by many.
The Fayal work is in great demand
and enough of it cannot be procured
to supply the market. 1t is a peculiar
Ornamentation, done by the natives of
the little island of Fayal. 1t consists
of drawing out from a strip of the ma
terial a portion of the thread and
an intricate design with the
as foundation. The work
is marvel of fineness and piece of
table linen of this sort lasts more
than one generation. A Boston
house controls the Fayal work, send
ing its linen in correct sizes to the is
land, where it is given out to the ma
tive women by agents. 1t finds chief
sale among the wealthiest and most
classes. An afternoon tea
cloth costs from $3.50 to $25, tray
cloths from Sc to $18. Finger-bowl
doylies are worth $12 to $18 dozen.
Russian embroidery has many adj
mirers. 1t is especially valued in side.
board scarfs, although some use it for
entire dinner sets. Sheen French fin
ger-bowl doylies with drawn work
are much used. They are as dainty as
zephyrs, and cost $22 dozen.
A revolution in the style of towels is
on the way. The coming towel will be
a plain bird's-eye diagonal or basket
pattern linen, finished at the ends with
a hem-stitched hem about an inch or
inch and half wide. They're to be
had at $15 dozen, and dealers don't
blush at asking that price for them.
French embroidered towels are crowds
ing them close for favor, but can't get
into the first rank they've assumed.
Some, who cannot all at once get used
to a towel devoid of all ornamentation
or color give the French embroideries
preference. German styles of towel
ling are quite out of date and are re-
garded as decidedly questionable.