Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-20
HOMES.
Latest Suggestions as to Home
Made Christmas Gifts,
PRETTY AND DAINTY THINGS
That May Be Fashioned by Skillful Fingers
ut Comparatively Small Expense-Neat and
Useful Work Baskets and Travelling Cases
Attractive Articles in Leather.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
IN ONE WAY it pays to do ones Christmas
Aplanning and shopping early, for it conduces
to peace Of mind to know that provision has
been made in season and after that one may
rest on his oars as it were. There are also draw
backs to getting things long before the holidays,
too, for fresh installments Of goods are all the
time being received, and no matter what one
buys one is very apt to BEE the next day some
thing prettier and often cheaper among the
newer arrivals. At the china stores some of the
things intended for the holiday trade have just
been unpacked and very attractive they are,
too, with novelty both of form and decoration.
1t is the same in other lines of goods and fresh
articles fill up the gaps left by sales. with
maybe more to offer in the way Of attraction
than the first assortment.
MORE HOMEMADE SUGGESTIONS.
learn by hearsay that homemade Christ
mas gifts will largely prevail this season
especially, and 30 I will continue to give such
hints as am able for their manufacture. I
happened in at a friends today and spread out
was quite an array of small articles which she
had made and was assigning to their destined
owners. Among them were several little nov
elites which could even be accomplished be-
tween the issue Of The STAR and the fast ap-
different in style from the various ones have
seen for the same purpose and that was q shoe
button outfit. II everybody was such an adj
vocate OF patent .fastenings on shoes as am
the popularity of these little affairs would be
impaired, but some do not like them at all, 80
fortunately button sewing on bids fair to be
an occasional employment for some time to
come. The case / speak of is made of
ribbon, either satin. grOs grain or watered, as
one fancies-two and a half inches in width.
Three-quarters OF yard Of ribbon is folded
together, making a double strip Of three
eighths in length, and at the fold q spool of
coarse black linen thread is slipped in and then
the ribbon is sewed about it, letting it just roll
as the thread is unwOund. Above this-for the
strips like bag, with the spool at the bottom
the two ribbons are left unjoined for about
four inches and on one side six large needles
are evenly stuck, as on needle book. At the
top the two ribbons are Joined together two
inches below the ends to make a little bag for
the buttons and a hem around the very top has
narrow ribbon run in, which draws up the
it all up by and finish it prettily. A tiny eyelet
in the middle of the ribbon at the bottom Of
the spool has the linen thread passed through
it, after the manner of a Irvine ball, and thus
an end is always ready to thread.
USEFUL TRAVELLING CASE.
I have lately seen description of a little
article of which have always felt the need in
travelling. though the idea Of this travelling
jewel has never occurred to me. A piece of
plush Skis inches is the case itself, and this is
lined with elder down flannel with feather stitch
or crows feet on the edge az finish. A small
satin or surah bag is made with ribbon--or,
better yet soft cord or silk tape-draw strings.
and this is sewed on to the flannel lining near
one end for rings and bangles The bottom Of
the bag is toward the center Of the case as it
lies extended. At the other end are three leaves
OF fine flannel pinked and featherstitched to
correspond with the edges, while between the
two is space long enough to accommodate the
long pins of which one often has several in use,
including the pins for bonnet strings. When
completed the case is folded three times and
tied around with ribbon. On a sleeping car it
would be great convenience to have this
little case, that all these small articles could
be put compactly together ready for use again,
instead of being loosely together in box or
compartment of ones travelling bag.
SOME PRETTY WORK BASKETS.
OF course all kinds Of baskets, trimmed in all
kinds of ways, are among the many things pre-
pared by industrious fingers for distribution to
friends. Among them the shallow japanese
bowl baskets with a bag top of gay silk are
favorites. and they are very capacious. too. as
work baskets, but there seems to be dearth of
the baskets here just now, as one friend told
me she had hunted in vain of late. The pretty
little open work baskets with shirred silk lin
ing of soft tinted silk and the various little
conyeniences for stitch in time, always ap-
peal to woman's taste and are ever welcome
gifts. One can find now in the shops many of
the little fittings for work basket which
formerly had TO be homemade. have seen in
various places the tiny little strawberry emerys
in different colors. the wax in fanciful forms
and the pretty little tomato pincushions of
plush in soft coloring. Spool cases, beautifully
made Of kid. are very pretty and not high
priced, considering the workmanship.
ATTRACTIVE KID ARTICLES.
Most of the kid articles for sale are very at
tractive both as to coloring and finish. A
mouchoir case of brown dressed kid with
punches OF yellow flowers painted on it and
lined with tawny orange satin is very pretty
and it opens in such a way with accordion
pleats at the angles that it will hold a quantity
of handkerchiefs. beautiful sofa pillow is a
neighbor of the handkerchief case in the show
case where they are displayed. The pillow is Of
cream white mail cloth, one of the new en-
brOidery materials, and very handsome. 1t has
diagonal wave and looks like silk serge. The
pattern has large cactus-like flower in the
center and curving from that very graceful
leaves of a tropical form. The whole design is
worked in rope silk in gray-green shades, the
lightest just off white. The pillow is lined
with plush the same tone as the deepest shades
OF silk and heavy cord is around the edge
with q loop at each corner caught on to the
white silk Of the outside. 1t il as refined piece
of embroidery as have seen in q long time.
Another lovely pillow at another place has no
hand work about it, and yet it is charming with
its India silk covering Of copper tones in the
design of the silk and its very wide double
rutfie. A pretty book cover is a dull blue with
q motto in gold thread on one side. dainty
piece of embroidery is o square of fine fringed
linen with bunch of yellow-embroidered but
tercups in each corner, tied with q bow and
ends Of blue ribbon.
NEW PHOTOGRAPH CASES.
Photograph cases are SO numerous that one
might easily Overfill house with the variety of
pretty ones offered. The very --latest are
the standard frames for cabinet-sized pictures,
softly padded and covered with undressed Kid.
They are in soft chocolate brown, mouse gray
and frog green, the latter being especially
effective where the shade is admissible The
openings for the pictures are either square or
oval, the latter being revival this year:
HANDSOME WRITING PORTFOLIOS.
All the leather goods are "a irresitible as
usual when brought in odorous array before us
as at this season. A pretty Russia leather writ
ing portfolio and blotter has an addition in the
way Of a dictionary bound also in Russia
and very thin so it slips easily into the COM
partment for writing paper. The travelling
writing cases mounted in antelope skin and seal
are always in favor as Christmas presents and
little separate travelling inkstands in the same
material are very pretty. Calendars mounted
in leather, plain and silver tipped, also in the
green kid, are useful gifts, as well as memoran-
DUN tabiets and eugauement cards aimilarlv