The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-13
HOMEMADE GIFTS FOR MEN.

HOMEMADE GIFTS FOR MEN.
The womdn who can successfully en-.
gineer a Christmas campaign to pleas
ant end. keeping both nerves and temper
calm meanwhile, is a genius; she who
makes all he's. gifts for her men friends
as the bachelor girl terms then' ana SUI
perforns the aforementioned feats, de-
serves 10 be canonized 70 rher courage
and skill She certainly deserves all the
assistance she can obtain, ana perhaps
few ideas may offer her a welcome trifle.
To begin with there are several ne"
things which, women can make for men
this year. among these articles are the
wooden bookcovers. These are made OF
plain. smooth white wood, pear-wood for
preference, and are cut out an eighth or
an inch larger than the book they are in
tended To cover. If the exact size cannot
be- obtained make the covers to hit any
Of the standard magazines. After the
wood has been cut to the correct size,
smooth the edges nicely. using any of the
small. light fools which are wrought
especially fos women's use, and sand
paper the waole until the wood is like
satin. With in tiny gimlet or an anvil
large. strong Knitting pin has been known
to serve upon an occasion-bore series
Of small holes all around both covers
very close to The edges, and a5our third
of an inch apart. Now take Il strip OF
brown leatheif-Russia, book calf or plain
and cut it jsst wide and long enough 10
serve as a BACK. Now. with knitting silk
or twist, matching the leather in color,
and rather coarse. fasten the covers and
the back together by means of large
needle Down through corresponding
holes in leather and wood pass needle and
silk up through the next two, and so on
until all have been gone over. Then.
with hot chisel. small poker or pair of
scissors, burn d pretty tracery all around
the edges and .holes making small circles
or scrolls aropnd the latter if possible,
and add monogram, initial or charac-
teristic sketch=on the upper cover. SINH
lar strips Of leather are laced to the outer
edges to serve as fold-covers. A pyro-
graphy outfit will do the work with less
trouble, of coarse but just as pretty
work in this li.le was done before the ad-
vent Of the la5or-saying tools as is done
now.
Pipe racks, holders for whisk and velvet
brooms, shelves for photographs, picture
frames, book cAses--of the small kind
which rest upon table, foot-stools and
a host OF other=pretty things for men may
be made in this way. The wood is not
expensive, the work will not hurt the
daintest hands and the articles. when
finished, are worth having, according to
masculine opinIon They will be much
more appreciated than the regulation
atin-and-embrsidery trifies usually con-
sidered scarce to the Christmas season.
Book covers ara made in a hundred ways.
and are always acceptable. For men, the
-plainer the better. The strong, service
able linens. COMMON designs of plain leath-
or covers will suit the average man far
better than thsae which are fancifully
embroidered Isitials, titles or names APP
piled on smoothly and cut from dark
feathers look especially neat and mascu-
line. SO do the. channels skin covers fin
ished with sepia work.
Boxes, strongly made and ready for real
use. are also aIhong the newer gifts for
men. Strong cardboard Bristol or aca-
DENY board. or thin wood-as a private
hint cigar boxes are excellent as founda-
tions-form the basis of these pretty aud
useful articles They are firmly glued to-
gether, connecting the different pieces by
means of strips of strong paper, parch-
ment or court plaster, and covered in the
same way. Great care must be taken that
the linen, silk Or leather which covers
them is cut large enough to come well
over the inside edges. The silk or satin
lining is glued into place, with a thin
| layer of cotton Stating or wadding be-
tween if the box is to hold jewelry or
such-like articles, and the whole opera
ton of making takes but little time
with clever worker There are two
| methods of coveriAg the boxes; one way
is TO fold the covering material precisely
as a grocery man or bookseller wraps
a parcel, and glue 20 position. The other
is to cut the pieces the correct shape, us
ing the cardboard box as foundation,
and overland firmly ON the right side
The first way does gery we'll for linen or
silk; for leather or velvet the latter must
be used When the boxes are made Of
linen or leather a stitched strap of the
material buckles down from the lid to the
box below, and answers both the pur-
pose Of fastening ana to lift the lid; when
silk is used, a ribbon. bow is best, unless
the strap is stiffened with buckram or
heavy crinoiine, and fiery carefully stitch
ed around. The boxes may be made for
neckties, handkerchiefs. jewelry, studs
collars and cuffs, or "a dozen other uses.
A suitable design or iword is worked on
top Of each Most fnen welcome plain
boxes as gladly as they do the fancy ar
ticles Of like nature.
80 q
or wall pockets, no man, be he married
or single, ever had enough Papers and
books will accumulate. and there seems
no place in the ordinary room or house in
which to hide them. Pockets OF burned
wood, strong linen, tea-matting, netted
rope and hundred other materials are
going to be given to mer in great numbers
this year. In every case let the pocket be