Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-02
Written for THE EVENING STAR
ATTRACTIVE HOMES.
Pretty and inexpensive Effects In Bed
Furnishings.

Furnishings.
HOW SLEEPING APARTMENTS MAY BE MADE INvIr-
ING IN APPEARANcE-CHEAP MATERIALS FROM
WHICH TASTEFUL coUSTERPANEs CAN BE
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. SPREADS,
While the majority of women cling to the
pea spread OF white Marseilles bought at the
store ready to be applied without further
trouble, or to the still simpler 'Alendales."
SO hight IN weight and easy to launder a con-
siderable number sigh for elaboration. With
the DAINTY furnishing OF guest room. for in
stance, something more attractive than the
usual dead white Counterpart may we'll be de-
sired This is recognized by the manufacturers
and colorlng Is introduced with good effect
with white In some handsome spreads. The
coiored Marseilles counterpanes wash we'll and
wear Tor years. The buff and white are
specially pretty and not so common as the red.
PINK and blue combinations. There is a bed
spread still prettier and saited to adorn a bed
III room decorated with wall paper in
the delicate coloring of what we call
French" style. This has white
ground with border and center piece of CAV
flowers, all in soft tones. however. very charm
ing as well as durable, and SO cheap III the end,
thought rather expensive at first All these |
nave mentioned have one drawback. and that
is lack of individuality. Some women like
their house or single room, as the case may be-
TO have an air of originality-to look different
from other houses. Perhaps 1t may be less
fine than many of their friends may have but
there Is no trace of the professional uphol-
sterer about 1t, and it is attractive and people
remark on its charm. A bed spread of hand
work and home manufacture is not such a
great undertaking at first it might seem.
Nor Is 1t OF necessity an expensive whim, for
many cheap materials may be SO manipulated
as to present i'll the end much richer appear
ance than their beginning would have indi-
Gated. SO much is white paint used in bed
room ornamentation that description of deco
ration suitable for that finish may be useful to
some of our readers.
COARSE LINEN sHEETINa,
with large design cut from gold-colored sateen
would make striking covering for a brass
bed for instance. The design is traced on the
sateen, cut out and basted on the sheeting
The edges of the sateen are finished with
COUGHING OF heavy flax thread several shades
deeper than the sateen Itself. The leaves are
veined with COUGHING of the thread. while a
few long stitches or a cluster of French knots
may give expression to the centers of the
flowers. broad band of the sateen may be
added as border all around. Such a spread
would look well a long time without washing.
if removed at night, as a decorative spread
should always be. 1t would probably launder
with care when soiled. A white Allendale
spread under the fancy one is good idea, as
when that Is removed at night il leaves the bed
looking tidy and neat. If the ornamental
spread is thin one a white one under
meath Is almost necessity. There is Madras
curtain stuff that comes sixty inches wide which
makes very airy and delicate bed covering
This looks well for a long time and will wash
well also when needed. In buff or turquoise
blue 1t makes charming spread. The sixty
inches will give enough width to tuck in bit
at the foot, letting the top selvedge come under
the bed scarf at the top. Two and a half yards
will give enough length to tuck i'll we'll at the
sides on wide bed or hang loose, as the brass
beds are generally finished. A lace or a tassel
fringe can then be added as trimming on the
hanging edges.
A counterpart may be made of coarse
brown blanket or of heavy serge with either a
large design applied or worked directly on the
material in fax thread. 1t would not be a
tedious piece of work at all and very effective
when finished.
BOLTON sHEETISa
has been chosen quite extensively for use in
bed decoration, and very successfully. The
white Is generally preferred. and its creamy
ground and firm quality make it very suscept-
BILE OF ornamentation. A pattern may be drawn
on free hand or it may be transferred by the
worker herself and SO adapted as to seem al
most original or it may be stamped at the store
and SO be hopelessly copy of many others.
perhaps, but still pretty. Rope silk and flax
thread may either be well used in the embroid-
cry. White is very lovely when just outlined
with color to give it emphasis. The large
flowers are done in feather or ''long-and-short"
stitch. with lace or fancy stitches put in
wherever they will look pretty. Tapestry dyes
can be used in connection with embroidery,
but, though beautiful appearance at first may
be accomplished, the dyes would be unreliable
in the washing that must inc vitality come where
an articly of household use is concerned. Col
ored bolton sheeting might be used in shades
to tone in with a room and lightened with en-
broidery in paler tones than the ground work.
AN EFFECTIVE COUNTERPART.
Blue denim wherever it would be suitable
would make an effective Counterpart. 1t
should be embroidered in cream-white fax
thread and if the sides are to hang loosely they
would look best trimmed with cream lace. So
many beautiful laces are shown now in the
heavy Florentine and Van Dyke patterns that
wide choice is offered for ornamenting var-
Gus articles for decorating homes. Pale blue
embroidery on the deep blue of the denim
would also be very pretty in blue room.
In room where French cretonne is used an
effective bed spread was made of the same ma
terial, two widths being sewed overland to-
gether, the seam going across the bed, where
after pressing 1t was quite upnoticeable. Five
yards of the cretOnne made the spread, it being
two and a half yards long when finished and
tucking in at the sides. This is easily removed
at night, which keeps it fresh. 1t has been in
use some time already and shows no signs OF
wear and will probably launder perfectly well,
as the French cretonnes are fast colors
OF course lace bed spreads Of various kinds
have been in use for some years past, but to
look handsome the lace must be comparatively
fine and consequently expensive. These are
put over a color to correspond with the tone Of
the room, yellow being especially pretty under
the lace. Some time ago the making of an
tique lace was quite popular among ladies and
was pretty and pleasant work to do, though
rather slow. Still, with industry one could
accomplish an amount of it that seemed won
derful to the uninitiated. bed spread and
pillow covers were the results of one lady's
leisure hours, and very beautiful they were,
and highly priced by the fortunate friend on
whom they were bestowed.
UNBLEACHED sHEETING
has been recommended by some art papers as
good foundation for counterpanes. The firm,
creamy fabric is an excellent ground for en-
broidery, either on the material or applied.
simple outline pattern, say all-over ara
besque worked in fax thread, would be quickly
done and pretty in effect. 1t would launder
almost easily as a sheet, and look pretty and
attractive on a bed in a room furnished in an
inexpensive way. Dark blue outlining would
be as effective as anything where it would suit
the room it was intended for. Old pink or yell
low would be also very pretty on an unbleached
groundwork. Lace stitches introduced here
No. h. g.