Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-10
ATTRACTIVE HOMES:
How Ones Experience May Be Ben
efcial to Others.
INGENIOUS AND ARTISTIC.
Suggestions That will Prove Valuable to
Those Who Seek to Economic Space and
Make Their Rooms BeautifuI-Not Much
Expense Involved in Carrying Them Out.
Written for The Evening Star.

written Tor Inc Evening star.
TT IS WELL FOR THE BRIGHT IDEAS
l. of individuals to be diffused for the benefit
of many, and fortunately people are not averse
to impartins the knowledge they may have
gained by experience, neither are the means
wanting, with papers and magazines inviting
such condolences all hands The thought Of
| encouraging and helping other people in any
way is a comforting one. and many a woman in
| telling what she herself has done is far N ore
interesting and convincing than person with
better literary style, but who can only say
such and such things might be done. Such
advice lacks the reality of the other and is less
attractive in proportion. Any account of
| original ideas carried out interests at once
from its practicability. From useful little
paper gather such an idea, which recommends
itself.
FOR An INvALIDs USE.
By an invalid's bed table of some kind gen.
| orally stands. the cover of which may be made
into catch-all for the sick persons comfort
by turning up the end nearest the bed thus
making several pockets. into which work,
books. letters and what not may be kept. Even
II the illness is temporary this would be worth
while for the convalescent stage and the ar
rangcment might be temporary also. though If
one did not care to Use a nice table cover in
this way one Of cretonne might be made and
kept for just such occasions, which are all too
apt to recur in families. There seems little
really new to be seen as the autumn advances
only variations of fancies already presented.
Many pretty things are to be seen. as is usual.
| however. when the shops are busy and all that
is attractive is set forth for insp lection.
PRETTY sAcHEr.
pretty sachet of the large ornamented kind
| is of lemon yellow surah with puff of satin
| around the edge and netw ork of golden brown
| cord falling over it. Across the top is a dag
onai band outlined i'll brown dye paint, with a
cluster OF lovely brown pansies painted upon it.
| Beyond the band on either side the s,irah is
| painted with the d ye golden brown. the work
being all very beautifully done. Violet is still
| favorlte color for ornamenting articles of va
| nous kinds. An engagement card, long and
narrow, for hanging upon the wall-six by
| eighteen inches, 1 should say--has a stiff foun-
dalton covered with white silk which has the
letters for the days of the week painted in
shades OF violet and the space adjoining in the
| same shading. while the edges are left white.
and on them wlsterla blossoms droop below the
solid violet color of the text spaces. This is
| hung like banneret, with violet ribbons, and
like the sachet. is we'll made. A center piece
for a table. with finger bowl doilies to match
has violet for the color, combined with white.
|iolets in a large bunch are in each corner tied
| with ribbon bow anu ends. The flowers are
| white. with a shading OF violet in the center.
while the ribbon Is worked soiidly in rather
light tone of violet, the flo floss giving the
| effect OF more than one shade Bow knots are
fully as popular last season for all decora-
| tions, while they also appear as the motif in
silk, brocaded bengahnes and other dress
goods.
DESIGNS IN WALL PAPER.
Very much the same designs appear at once
| in wall paper, India silk and expensive bro
| caded silk a design in which shepherdess hat.
| musical instruments. flowers and bow knots of
ribbon all appear. | have also seen the same
thing on a charming little Dresden china clock.
With the cool days comes the need of house
comforts. among the greatest Of which s the
couch. divan or lounge-all of the same nature.
When these are already in the house il is we'll,
| but even then when the summer covering is
| taken off some shabbiness is apt to be revealed
(which makes a new cover desirable. The fash
| ion Of loose covers saves many an upholsterers'
| bill, for SO many pretty rugs and portleres can
| be utilized at small cost that home fingers can
| adjust
SUGGESTIONS FOR COMFORT.
Ingram art squares excellent for this pur-
| pose being both cheap and durable Bagdad cur
tains are well established as fayorites for looks
| and wear both. Jute portieres are extremely
pretty this year in dull oriental coloring and
| would look well for couch cover. but for hard
wear jute Is scarcely TO be recommended AS il is
liable to split. Jute by the yard is un Us ualy good
| in coloring aud design also this season, some
OF 1t being in soft old tapestry colors which are
| very pleasing. IL one has no couch already
| and wishes cheap affair. there is the cot with
wire mattress and hair mattress over. or the
| hair mattress laid on box, either of which
| with pretty cover will answer the purpose
quite satisfactorily. Ii the corners of the couch
| drapery drag, needle with strong thread will
catch them into position, while the tullness
| drawn up can be maze to look some thing like
| rOsette thus making "A finish
UTILIZING CORNER SPACE.
simple arrangement for table space in a
small room has lately been carried out; the
| only vacant place was corner, and as corner
tables are difficult to find two shelves were
| fitted into the angles of the walls One was
the height OF table top, the other three inches
above the base board. Cleats we're fastened to
| the wall and the three -cornered shelves were
just laid upon them, where they rested Sc
| curely. The shelves were implanted pine;
when they were fitted each was taken out and
folded in square of white cotton cloth, which
was brought together on the two sides and
| Sewed with long stitches and strong cotton. the
| front edge being covered without a seam by the
bias of the cloth as it was drawn tightly over.
Outer covers for the shelves were then made
| of dotted muslin, like those spoken of some
| weeks ago i'll Attractive Homes only the nine
inch frlll was of the same instead of plain null.
| Though the dotted is not so soft DIS plain null,
| 1t Will hang very well, twice the length being
| allowed for fullness
| NICE PIECE OF WORK.
| 1t was found to be rather nice piece of work
to put the ruffie across the bias edge of the
| three-cornered piece of muslin, but little care
did it successfully. After both the covers were
finished and pressed they were lightly tackled
to the cotton covering on all three sides to pre-
vent their slipping out of place or being pulled
OF. as the deep rutde dragged little. being
1 heavier than the top part. The shelves were
then set on the cleats and the few ornaments
| and books used on bedside table adjusted. A
three-fold silk photograph frame just fitted the
corner of the upper shelf. while candlestick,
| pretty box for bOnbons and vase for flowers
| filled up the rest of the space. leaving the
lower shelf entirely for books, Of which q
number could be- accommodated. When the
| room is being cleaned the articles can be re-
moved and the shelves taken ont entire and
put out OF the way of dust until order is restored
OF course when the dotted muslin needs wash
ing it must be ripped from each shelf and re-
basted when lsundered.
This little contriyance il voted . success in
| looks and really adds great deal to the some
| what contracted comfort of the room. The
dotted muslin was chosen. there Was already
considerable Of it in the room, but silkoline or
cretnnne with lace fall or figured satin would
l b. ftxyo tfat,l