Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-20
ATTRACTIVE HOMES.
How Ladies May Utilize the Hot
Days of Summer.
WORK AND KEEP COOL.
Not Hard Work. but Embroidery or the
Making of Some Light, Pussy Things-A
Good Time to Plan House improvements
Some Practical Suggestions.
Written for The Evening Star.

Il
it is the most sensible one, and the surest of
| Willing away the days that come in June sooner
| or later-fortunately this year they were later.
BY keeping busy do not mean Of necessity
being active, and do not mean doing some-
thing in which one is interested. that part
being necessary to the success of the scheme
Many people who like to do pretty things for
| their homes, or as gifts for friends, are like
MARTHA" burdened with many cares, to the
exclusion Of such work ordinarily.
When, therefore, the weather grows so warm
that one feels justified in suspending all work,
and many only spend the dragging hours of a
hot day in bemoaning the general discomfort,
then say take up the attractive embroidery
that you have looked upon with longing eyes
and see how much shorter the day seems while
your interest never flags in your congenial en-
ployment Just the work for such a time are
the linen bureau or sdeboard scarfs, with sides
and ends already hemstitched and a design
stamped which is pretty enough to make one
want to do it, yet which may be done in quick
and simple outline if one wishes, and before
one realizes it another useful scarf Is added to
one store, the price being only so cents, for
the stamped linen brings it within the means
OF even slender purses.
SOME OF THE PUSSY THINGS.
pleasant on warm day. and in that case it is
good time to undertake some of the fussy things
that one has TO make time fort never comes
of itself-and which are absorbing enough to
make time pass quickly.
In such work may be classed photograph
frames, portfolios, for views either one 8 own
work or purchased, or even those old fashioned
things, scrap books, for 1 heard a woman the
other day declaring she meant to accomplish
one this summer.
All such work requires, besides the necessary
time, space on big table, where litter won't
Interfere with other things and the paste or
glue can be left without being molested.
A pretty suggestion for photograph frames.
by the way, Is 10 have two square ones with
acknowledged opening covered with white
linen on which little blue corniowers have
been embroidered or painted, the two frames
being hung on the wall one above the other,
connected with blue silk crocheted rings, and
suspended by either single ring or blue rib
bons.
A good thing to do for the baby is to make
Crawling blanket" a large square OF I'M
bieached cotton denim or any preferred goods
being the foundation, though something wash
able should be chosen. Ii the groundwork is
light tine ngures of animals which form the
decoration should be cut from some thing dark
and applied. If dark ground is Used white may
be the goods for the figures. The designs are
cut out ana applied with button-hOle stitch or
by machine, and the features and expression
can be given by etching ink or outline stitch.
Easier designs would be balls, cubes, &C., which
could be mingled with the others and would
amuse the child. The pattern may be scattered
over the spread or made border or as a
circle, either as large the square will con-
tain, OF made as center piece, according to
fancy.
PLAN HOUSE IMPROVEMENT.
Summer time is a good season to plan and, If
possible. carry out house improvements, and
one has plenty of time to think of what will be
pretty for some place or places about the
house which may not suit at present or that
have proved unnanageable hitherto.
Treatment OF single windows is beginning to
be very popular and often proves successful in
greatly improving the looks of a room. Ii
such a window has high sill drawers may be
put under IT. this being an especially good ar
rangement for bed room, three drawers with
brass handles making pretty addition.
Ii above this two slim urright-ike pillars
can be run up to the top of the window and
then one OF the arched fretwork panels put
across the front at the top. With "a simple band
OF fretwork at the sides, little alcove is
formed for the window, which can he made eff
fective by silk sash curtains looped back and
one or more palms other plants set on the
widened window sill made by the top of this
little chest of drawers Ii one fancies. narrow
book shelves may be made each side of the
window, the lower part beginning at the height
VA tAc tOp Va tAS TIC WluUOW gill, tuat
Is.
Where there is a single window in the dining
room o sideboard effect might be built around
ii, deep drawers In front OF il, with the arched
top, as N the other case and each side shall
low drawers for the same height. but narrower,
and over these open shelves for china and glass,
with an arched top like the window.
DECORATIVE PAINTING.
Decorative painting of all kinds is a resource
also for hot days, and if not too fine work SO as
to make it require too close attention may be
a real pleasure. The plain Madagascar cloth,
like fine mating and very pliable is suscepti-
bic of good effects in either lustra or oil paints
the latter being thinned with turpentine. The
porch cushions come covered with the plain
cloth of this kind and square cushion can be
painted with large single flowers outlined in
gold, one with dark green flowers being pretty
example.
A new style of summer chair is shown since
spring, with light wooden frame, sometimes
red, sometimes old OAK but with seat and back
OF wicker woven in one wicker bands holding
them to the frame work. These arc very
pretty, the wicker being finished in old oak
color with shellac. The price of the smallest
Is 50. and larger ones, with and without
rockers, is $3.50. Reasonable, for they are
roomy and strong.
ELASTIC PILLOW COVERS.
The elastic pillows are being put into covers
Of India silk, the ends being pulled into large
rosette in the center. These covers soon SOIL
but white linen or cotton duck ones with q
little embroidery on them, a casing and shirr
strings at each end to loosen for slipping off when
washed, would be admirable, and rosette of
white null put on at the ends could be easily
ripped off and sewed on and would give the
dainty touch necessary to their prettiness. In
this form they make good presents to friends
leaving town.
saw a pretty piece of linen embroidery
lately, intended for center piece. The linen
square with large lily and leaves in each
corner, the diagonal corner corresponding.
Ia two of the corners were ful-blown
lilies and in the others profile view
of the flower, it were. The petals
were worked in long and short stitch, in
white flo floss, with a heavy outlining Of a
lovely shade of old pink. The stamens and VEIN
ing we're also OF the pink, the pattern being
very graceful. the flower stems bending SO at
the corners az to turn them prettily while the
| leaves nearly meet on each side, making an
| elaborate piece OF work. The finishing of the
! fringe was pin stitch which continues the mos:
| attractive way ofheadinS a fringe. Old pink.
| by the way. is one of the most serviceable OF
shades. washing perfectly and looking like new
| when Numbered.
| saw also a small mat with very pretty design
| OF grapes and leaves worked in a deep shade OF
| this same color, with the legend intertwined,
| "Old Wine, Old Friends" and which has beer
| washed number OF times, yet looked exactly