The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-11-12
to coniine her selection to things that
are capable of being Numbered.

| chChuuSe, dIo WVllh tVoSiiDi'Si 40 ~
fording suggestion for Christmas gifts,
that being at this season the objective
point of most peoples handiwork. The
square for the center-or, more prop.
erly, the oblong-has an inch-wide h IN
headed by five or six rows of fancy
hem stitching done by machinery. 1t
is well to say here that drawing threads
for demonstrating on table centers, bu-
reau covers and similar things is an un-
necessary waste of eye-sight, for the
articles, of every length and width,
already hemmed, and supplied with
drawn work above the hem, are regular
articles of commerce, and the worker
need only embroider, in any way she
chooses, pattern that pleases her
fancy. Sometimes, at ordinary dry
goods stores where fancy work is not "A
specially, lot of these hem-stitched
articles with patterns stamped for work
ing are put down TO prices far below the
market value, and experienced shoppers
buy them lavishly, with the design Of
having the marked pattern washed off
| to make way for newer and more orig.
inal decoration.
In The set alluded to, the center
piece has a pattern of lotus flowers
or Nile lilies with buds and leaves.
The outlines of the flowers are covered
with narrow white serpentine braid
such as is sometimes introduced into
crocheted laces. The braid is basted
on lightly, and then secured by sewing
it down with green embroidery silk.
The sewing is done over and over the
braid, so that silk stitch or bar got S
across between each tiny wave of the
braid, with the deluding effect. when
the whole flower is finished, of quite
elaborate embroidery. The stems and
leaves are worked with lighter shade
of green, the former in stem stitch, the
latter in what is best known as long and
short stitch. The buds are worked SOL
idly in satin or laid stitch, with the
paler green. The design is irregular
and Struggling, but space enough is left
in the middle to accommodate a small
plate mirror or other central ornament.
The doilies, with a narrow hem aud
only single line of hemstitching. have
a single lotus on each, with curled
stem and no foliage, as the flower occu-
pies all the available space.
A table set, which is said to look bet
ter every time it is washed, has large
single daisies scattered over it. These
are worked in white silk, with French
knots filing the centcrs, and the petals
done with bricr or feather stitch, taken
irregularly to accommodate the crowd
ing of the lines. The blossom, when
done in this manner, resembles snow
ball, or some other fluffy flower, more
then daisy. The stem is worked in
the ordinary way. The edge is hem
stitched in rows, with spaces of mate
rial between the rows, about one-fifth
of an inch in width. These plain spaces
are covered with line of feather-stilch-
ing done with white silk. The same
edge is added to the doilies, which are
otherwise without decoration.
a pretty novelty for the lunch table
is the embroidered napkin. The ma
terial is plain linen or unfigured satin
damask. The same design is used on
each napkin, and is usually confined to
one corner, or else to two diagOnally
opposite corners. They should be folded
in a manner to display the embroidery,
and when laid by the plates they add to
the elegance of the table. The flowers
or foliage forming the pattern should
be massed together, and should be
worked in one shade OF silk. Those
designs shown at the stampcr's rs cor
ner patterns are appropriate for stamp
inc upon these napkins, which should
be half-yard squares, with fringe formed
by raveing the linen TO the depth Of
thrce.quarters of an inch. To prevent
further raveling, and to give a pretty
finish, a head of cross-stitch is worked
above the fringe with silk like that used
in the embroidery.
Upon polished uncovered tables Gus
tom sanctions the use of plate mats,
which may be only of a size to protect
the tables smooth surface from the
friction of the plate ring, CT they may
be of proportions generous enough to
accommodate the stools of the FEAST
as some one has agreeably classed knife,
fork and spoon. If of the larger siza,
these plate napkins demand decoration
by the needle. They should be twelve
or fourteen inches square, with fringed
border secured at the top in the manner
Just described, and embroidered in close
satin stitch. A scroll or geometric pat
tern an inch wide, following the edge,
may be worked in a single shade, or
lowering vine, with foliage green and
blossoms of characteristic color may be
put on in n large circle, leaving plain
place in the middle always to be covered
by the plate.
There is another style of plate na ats
that would be well received as Christ
mas gift, because they do not require
any particular care in washing, and are
durable enough TO use constantly. This
form of mat has a circular center of
plain linen for the plate to rest upon.
Sometimes the edge is made firm by
basting upon ii line of flat linen bob
bin. and overworking it with far-apart
button-hole stitch. An easier way is
to take the linen circles to a sewing
machine agency, and have their most
expert hand put narrow, cord-like
hem upon them by the special attach
ment that comes for the purpose. The
cost will be trifing, and hemming a cir
Gle smoothly is impossible to an mex
perienced hand.
After either edge is made, the circle
is bordered by netting done with linen