Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-11-01
FASHIONS IN DRAPERE.
Pretty Things That May Be Utilized
to Make Home Attractive.
roo MANY WORSE THAN TOO FEW.
New Textures and CoIors That Are BEING
Largely Used Just Now BY Women
Of Good Taste.

There never was a time when drapery OF
some sort or other was considered so neces-
sary, even In the most modest Of homes.
All windows must have drapery, and there
are very few doors that remain undraped.
One of the most important things in fur
nishing our homes is the curtainlng and
draping Of the windows.
The present fashion is for simplicity in
drapery, and anything that is fussy or
elaborate is not in good taste. Straight
Valances and severely simple curtains have
been the style for some time. and give
greater elegance to a room than those dra-
peries that are elaborately festooned and
draped.
The curtains in a drawing room and ths
porteres as well are among the most i'm
portant items In the apartment. and not
only attract the attention at once, but they
very frequently make or mar the whole
effect.
The foolish fashion Of draping every pic
ture, chair. piece Of statuary, table and
shelf with some wondrous piece Of fancy
work Is over with and now one seldom
sees drapery except on shelves or at the
windows and doors.
II Is every woman's ambition to have some
decorations entirely unlike her neighb0rs.
10 compass this 1t Is not necessary to always
purchase expensive materials, as some OF
the prettiest draperies are comparatively in
expensive.
great latitude is at present allowed as 10
the materials for curtain drapery and 30 long
as the colors blend we'll with the rest Of the
room the effect is harmonious and artistic.
Inere Is no end to the pretty materials
that are used and the prices suit almost any
one
All the Japanese fabrics are satisfactory,
As sun does not change the colors to any
great extent. Hechima crepe is very artis-
TIC Tor any drapery and comes In all manner
of quaint patterns, generally In dark blue
On white ground. 1t is very inexpensive,
only costing 80 cents per yard.
Another most pretty crepe comes In the
shades OF gold. green, old pink, old blue,
and has struggling conventionalized pat
tern in gold lines all over the fabric. This
Is about 80 cents per yard.
China and India silks are perhaps the
prettiest Of all materials for light drapery.
Some Of the new silks have the most strik-
ng Egyptian designs on dark grounds.
The poppy pattern is also new and can be
had in great variety Of colors. One of
The prettiest Is a dark red poppy on q
cream ground.
Shifu cloth is a very effective fabric. II
Is shot with irregular dashes Of color upon
.olor in two-toned effects. The threads Of
the wool are heavier than those Of the warp
and give 1t corded effect. Gold or silver
threads are woven across at irregular inter-
vals.
Silk ginghams have been used for dra-
oeries and come in delicate colors with
pretty floral patterns in natural colors
thrown over the brocaded ground.
Madras drapes gracefully and comes In
dIf1l
and olive. Another pretty fabric is India
print. The patterns are copied from trop-
lcal plants of luxurious growth, the great
leaves buds and flowers being In their
natural colors.l
There is no end to the pretty lace cyr-
tains that can be bought at all prices. Some
of the new designs in heavy guipure are
most handsome.
One pretty way Of arranging the lace
curtains is to have a width of silk draped
over the tops Of the curtains, letting one
end hang half way to the floor at the side.
while the other is quite short. Over plain
tabrics the silk can be figured and over
figured curtains can be plain.
Sash curtains are generally the full length
of the window and come next to It; inside
toward the room. is the shade; and out
side o. that are the full drapery curtains.
Sometimes there are two sets Of these, plush
Or brocatelle in addition to those Of lace.
For the full sash curtains the latest style
s tamboured Swiss, finished on the edge
and across the bottom with a ruffle, also
embroidered. Some very pretty ones are
made of polka-dotted muslin. The pref
srence is for white, and these are generally
tied back with white ribbons. although
some are tied back with ribbon of the pre-
vailing color IN the room. Some most
handsome sash curtains are of Irish point,
Venetian guipure and other rich and ex-
pensive laces. Often these are slightly
wider than the window, hanging down
straight with but scant fullness, and not
lied back.
Half sash curtains are made in a variety
,f materials, among them being scrim, Ma
iras, dotted Swiss. silkoline, crepe cloth
and plain oil figured India silks. For silk
curtains, yellows and yellow greens are
The most stylish. These curtains are often
made in one piece, quite full, and hang
rom brass rod fastened to the top of the
over sash.
Some very dainty sash curtains are made
II cream white net. which comes three
yards wide These are cut one yard In
width, leaving one yard to be cut In rufiies,
which, when whipped on to the edge, Is all
hat is required. An addition to these cur
:ains is to run a pretty design in colored
,ilk on the border and on the edge of the |
-ufie. A running floral design is very
pretty when made in the natural colors.
In buying curtains 1t is well to study the
room and the exposure Of the windows be- |
lore purchasing; 1t 10 such temptation to
purchase that which pleases the fancy with |
but regard to all the necessary details to |
be remembered. Sometimes all good effect |
s lost by buying that which is most pleas |
ing. A little study of the effect Of color |
will obviate this dificulty.
So many Of our rooms have the cold north |
light that they must be frightened up and |
warmed. The sash curtain goes q good |
way to bring this brightness, and to do |
this, yellow. or a material with a large |
amount of yellow in it. lis preferable to any |
other. Another material is the rainbow |
silk. The groundwork OF this is cream |
white with the colors Of the rainbow |
floating through 1t in the most mysterious
way. Old rose and light green also bring |
ight and warmth, but not the sunlight; |
that is only brought by the Use of yellow.
A southern or western window needs an |
entirely different treatment, and some color
must be used that will soften the light |
md look cool. Blue and white Is as cool |
1 combination as one can have. There are |
also the shadow silks, showing vines and |
leaves. with the shadow thrown behind
hem in a darker shade of the same color.
For elegant curtains the delicate but
trong bolting cloth is often used, and is
fry effective when painted. Yellow shad- |
kg to golden brown In the different parts |
II a conventional design down the front |
nd across the bottom brightens up a room. |
sprays Of trumpet vine or wild roses or |
yiolets, or any flower that is suitable for
decorative purposes, add to the beauty Of |
hese curtains. Plain white sash curtains
.hould always have on them in northern
light warm light. giving color. as white
lone Is too cold in itself.