Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1891-11-09
SUSAN j. IVES, IreaSu
Affairs of the Household.

Velvet cloth, or ''antique velours" as it
is called in some of the shops, is the latest
cart CLOTH" In reality, the fabric is our
old friend and standby Canton flannel,
scorched by some special process until it
has a soft velvety brown surface, in color
resembling a mushroom. 1t is used for
pillows, head rests, hangings, and lambre-
quins, and is wrought with snowy flowers
in art stitches.
A laundry-bag made from this cloth is
decorated with network made from the
Kensington Irvine used for crochet work.
TIE Irvine is to be had in all the art
shades, and is used for coarse crocheted
laces for edging bed-spreads.
Among the novelties seen at a shop that
deals in art needle work are some pretty
little cushions that may be fashioned at
home. They are made to represent small
sunf1owers, and have for the rather fiat
rounded cushion that forms the center of
the flower piece Of pasteboard, overlaid
with padding of hair or bran. This
piece is covered with dark brown plush.
orange broadcloth or billiard cloth, and
set round the cushion in a double row.
Some pretty little watch pockets are
made of two round pieces of chamois cut
as large as a good-sized watch. The
pieces are set together with puff of rib
bon or silk. One side of the is deco
rated with an owl painted in the center.
Above the bird is painted in large stray
Cling letters, ''You sleep" Beneath is
lettered, ''I'll watch"
Other pretty trifes for Christmas gifts
are small boxes for postage-stamps, comb
iugs, hair-pins, powder-puff collar-but-
tons, etc. They are covered either with
channels, kid or celluloid, and painted
with flowers, tiny handicapped or figures.
Just now figures and heads seem to be
the most popular decoration for many
hand painted articles though the fashion
calls for more talent than flower painting
If bad, a head may be more glaringly,
positively bad than painted flower. To
make stamp-box, select a strong paste
board box from two to three inches
square and about an inch high. The COW
er of the box should be 30 deep as entirely
to conceal the box itself Such boxes may
often be found at druggists, jewellers or
Fit piece of chamois to the top of the
| box, making it large enough to extend q
| triie over the edge. Paint tiny flowers,
such as forget me-nots or violets, on the
| leather, and, when dry, sew or paste it to
| GQe DOA. ATOuuu Lie SlOeS Vi bu6 DOA
| fasten band of satin ribbon that will
conceal the edge of the channels and cover
| the entire depth. If you cannot paint
| flowers, letter the box with fancy letters
and touch the edges of the letters with
| gold A pretty box of this kind lately
seen was covered with white kid and
| painted with small spray OF chrysanthe-
| NUNS. The tinted chamois in mouse col
or or light brown is good background fol
the painting, and does not show use as
easily as white leather.
| dainty puff-box has painted ON the
cover pretty maiden in sailor hat and
blue street gown, and is lettered, "For 6
| tailor-made girl" A second box for the
same purpose is decorated with pink and
| blue dressing table. with graceful CIR
before it adding blush to her cheek. A
| box for collar-buttons is ornamented with
| the head of youth conspicuous for his
| high collar and Derby hat.
| Some cases for wells, cravats or handker.
| chiefs that designer of novel fancy arti
| cles is about to send out are made from 6
round piece of chamois about the size of &
large dinner-plate. For the different
cases the chamois is variously tinted Oh
dyed fawn color, old red, light cadet
blue, etc. The channels is folded once
upon itself, and upon the upper half
| circle is painted with much skill spray
| of beautiful flowers. The light blue case
is painted with bachelor-butt the one
of fawn with glowing cluster of ragged
chrysanthemums. The case is lined with
heavy white linen, cut the same size as
the channels outside, and tho lining and
leather are laced around the edge with g
small cord of silk passed through eyelet
holes. An interlining of pasteooard is
put in the center. Three sets of narrow
ribbons are fastened across each half OF
the case at equal distances apart to keep
the contents of the case from slipping GU,
| of place.