The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-12-14

mas handiwork is a coverlet or short comfort of
this same blue jeans, which, though inexpen-
sive, is very artistic. Take square of the jeans
somewhat larger than the desired size to lay
across the centre of the coverlet, select the
wrong or lighter side of the material aud turn
up broad border all around and fasten down
with catstitch in white. In the centre embroi-
der conventional design in white linen floss
and the effect is beautiful.
SOME OTHER CABINET PRESENTS.
Mrs. Miller is not alone in her possession of
talent for making home attractive, as many of
the ladies of the Cabinet circle find time in the
midst of their absorbing obligations to concoct
pretty pieces of Christmas fancy work. In fact,
their drawing-rooms are beautified by them.
Mrs Norton Mrs. Blaine, and Mrs. Noble each
show marked talent in this line, and numerous
pieces of embroidery and painting upon silk, the
work OF Mrs. Harrison, are still to be met with
She made these while she was in the Garfield
Hospital Sewing Society at the time of her hus-
bands term in the Senate, and she often speaks
regretfuly of her lack of time, under her changed
circumstances, to keep up her interest in such
matters Notwithstanding the difficulties in her
way, Mrs. Harrison has persevered in her porce-
lain painting, and she will give some paintings
away this Christmas
MRS. MARSHAL WILSON'S BABY-CARRrAGE BAND
Few Washington hostesses possess more
marked talent for tasteful fancy work than Mrs
Albert A. Wilson, wife of the ex-Marshal of the
District, to which fact her attractive home on G
street gives ample testimony, When l called
one morning not long since Mrs. Wilson had
just completed handsome array of Christmas
presents to send to friends at a distance One
of the latest novelties in the list was rattle
made of an embroidery hoop, covered with blue
ribbon about an inch wide, satin edged, wound
round and round the wood until completely hid
den, two bands ofthe same being stretched face
to face across the centre, each piece hung with
six tiny sleigh bells that tinkled with every
movement. On one side was fastened bow and
ends. Another of Mrs. Wilson'S presents is
baby-csrriage band made of strip of gros grain
ribbon with picot edge Upon this is embroi-
dered rosebuds, daisies, or violets, as fancy may
dictate, in colored silks, narrow piece of white
ribbon about half yard in length being fast
ened on either end to attach it to the carriage
and the connection hidden with big rosettes of
the same color Mrs. Wilson also showed me
lovely tea cloth of white linen, with broad in
sertion set just within two inches of the edge,
III the form of diamond There was a wide
edge of duchesse lace, and on each of the four
corners, between the insertion and the hem was
worked leaf designs in linen thread in the long
and-short stitch. This can be used either as a
tea cloth or flower doyly for the centre of the
mahogany, with smaller ones for the finger
bowls. Mrs. Wilson designed and embroidered
beautiful tea set of doylies for her daughters
trosseau last spring, which she carried away with
her upon her departure for her new home at
Fort Leavenworth. These doyies were greatly
admired by all who saw them. They were in
the form of large grape leaves, drawn first upon
fine damask and then embroidered in outline
with the long. and-short stitch forming heavy
edge with the veining over the surface When
this was completed the leaf was cut out, the
work on the edge being finished in buttonhole
stitch to prevent fringing.
A CHRISTMAS WORK BAG.
Another simple and pretty arrangement for a
work bag is to take one yard of china silk. cut
off just enough of the length of the material to
cover two double pieces of circular pasteboard,
the size of small tea plate Place two and
two together like a pocket pin-cushion, having
previously gathered each end of the silk on to
the wrong side of the board in the form of a
long bolster case sewed together to within q
quarter of yard of the centre, which is left
open, and after overstitching the two edges of
the cald board ornament each with full loon
of wide satin ribbon, on one side finishing off
with stylish bow of the same When held to-
gether by the loops the centre falls in soft
putf, which is very effective and will hold any
amount of worstcd work
HANDSOME HOMEMADE TABLE CLOTH.
To make handsome cloth for small, round
table Mrs. Wilson took yard of chamois skin
cut square; fringed the edge all around bv cut
ting the skin in strips. Upon the centre she
first sketched and then painted clusters of dog
wood blossoms in their natural delicate purple
tint, and cut out the intervening spaces so as
to throw the flowers into bold relief narrow
band of purple heading the fringe You have
no idea what rich effect is thus Droduced
She gives me also the following:
"Io make pretty umbrella shade for a tall
lamp cover the frame with some silky material
like fine satteen, then cover the whole by drap,
ing yard lengths of white or light-blue china
SILK, finished with a putting at the top and
edged with fall of deep lace.n
San effective cover for an upright piano ),
she says "can be formed by one long strip of
white china silk, with broad border of yellow
or crimson plush across the bottom and care
lessiy caught up little to one side and held
down by some ornament or handsome vase"
CHRISTMAS CARDS.
| asked one of the leading booksellers in the
West End whether the sale of Christmas cards
was not decreasing with each successive season
and was informed that on the contrary the de-
mand for small cards was never so great as now.
The large frlnged cards and elaborate designs at
high prices meet with small sale in comparison
with former years. and books and other illus
trated prints seem to have entirely superseded
the more expensive cards as holiday gifts Few
OF the statloners have as yet displayed their as
sortment IN this line as the rush is usually SO
great at first for the selection of the freshest
novelties that often the stock is exhausted be-
fore holiday week, and many whose means will
not permit of an early choice are thus deprived
OF chance TO indulge the fancy.
A dainty novelty in the way of a Christmas
giit which some young girls are making, is a
white silk cravat crOcheted in crazy stitch with
heavy white silk These craVats are made in the
style of the popular "four-in-hand," and were
in high favor with the Bar Harbor beaux last
summer, where they were sold for three dollars
each. They are especially suited for summer
wear with white flannel boating suits, being