Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-06-07
Styles IN LINEN.
The Latest Thing in Tea CI0tE.s-Tlle Del
icate Fayal Work.

1LES IN LINEN.
The Latest Thing IN Tea CIoths-Tle Del
icate Fayal 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 rs 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 q 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 doylies edged with
handsome lace.
A few women with pronounced ten
dency 50 elaboration have their after
noon tea cloths of decorated boiling
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
hens. 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, detached bit of
foliage, or a single WinG-blown petal.
Damask roses with rare golden cen
tiers, the choice blossom of our grand
mothers gardens, are a 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 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 instinctiveiy for
ward in the hope of catching the in
tangible, ieeting perfume Of the wild
wood queen Of flowers.
These embroidered designs are car
ried out in full dinner sets, scarfs, cen
! ter-pieces, napkins, and dOylies, as
well as in afternoon tea cloths. In
| dinner. sets the price ranges from $40
to $500. Afternoon tea cloths cost
| from $40 to 800, center-pieces $15 tC
$50, napkins $18 to $40 dozen, doyIies
! $15 to $50 a 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 peculiar
characterization, 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
crocheting an intricate design with the
remainder rs a foundation. The work
is q marvel of finencss and a piece Of
| table linen Of this sort lasts more
! than one generation. \ Boston
house controls the Fayal work, send
! inc its linen in correct sizes to the IS
land, where it is given out to the ma
tive women by agents. 1t finds CHEF
sale among the wealthiest and most
substantial classes. An afternoon tea
! cloth costs from $3.50 to $50, tray
cloths from Sc to $18. Finger-bowl
doylies are worth $f2 to $18 4 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 Il dozen.
\ revolution in the style of towels is
I,on the way. The coming towel viii be
a plain bird's-eye diagonal or basket
pattern linen, finished at the ends with
a hem-stitched hem about an inch Of
Zach and g half wide. They're to be
had at SIS dozen, and dealers don't
blush at asking that price for them.
French embroidered towels are crowd
inc them close for favor, but can't get
into the first rank they've assumed.
| Some. who cannot all at once get used
/ to 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-
| gardeG rs decidedly questionable.