The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-06-10
tor 1Monaen

Inc direct path to a housewives heart
lies through her linen closet. Every
true woman has an instructive love for
linen; the beautiful fabric, with its hand
maiden embroidery. appeals to her do
nestle affections. It is identified with
the social functions of the home and the
sacred service of the church. A recent
bride, who received wedding gifts of
marvellous value. expressed herself as
being most interested in the present of a
complete service, in all sizes, of hem
stitched satin damask linen. Each article
bore in exquisite hand embroidery her
name, the date of her marriage, and a
shower" of orange flowers and lilies Of
the valley.
Linen may well lay claim to high con-
sideration. 1t is a textile aristocrat,
being the OLDEST woven fabric known.
Its origin is involved in mystery. but
pieces acknowledged to be over 1900 years
old are In existence. Who was the fair
one who discovered the possibilities of
the little blue-lowered pink plant, and
how did she spin her linen, since the
fabric antedates the spindle and the
distaff?
There are linens and linens. Every good
embroiderer should be well acquainted
with the textile value of the linen she
uses for her beautifui adjoining. She
need not, like the linen xpert, count
with the linen proven the number of
threads to the square inch, but she
should be familiar with the different
qualities and virtues of the linen accept
ed for embroidery, and be able to select
the special kind for each specific work.
aH
First, for the church:-Many a good
woman enthusiastically tolls with I'M
firing industry through the weeks of
Lent that Easter may see a new fair
linen set upon the altar, or a new sur
plice ana other priest1y linen wear in
the church wardrobe. Fine Irish linen
in both the round and fiat thread is used
for church work, and is especially named
'saltar linen" It is one yard wide, and
ranges from 70 cents to SIPS per yard.
Nine pieces compose a communion linen
service. The embroidery follows eccles-
iastical designs. SUPPLIES are frequent
ly made of linen cambria, forty-fve
inches wide, as it cuts to better advan-
tage. The center of the back, front and
end of sleeves are embroidered.
Household linen, consisting of sheets,
pillow slips, bolster cases. pillow hams
and towels, are generally in Irish or
German linen, and are duly embroidered
in special designs. In table linen are
countless v~arities, plain and damask,
with napkins to match in all sizes. Ire
land, France, Germany and Scotland all
contribute to the immense supply, each
country differing in textile peculiarities.
But it is conceded that the Irish linen
possesses the greatest number of ex-
c~ellencies. Those of France are exqusitely
beautiful and fine. The German and
Scotch linens are heavier in thread and
weave.
Table linen is frequently made more
Beautiful by drawn-work and hemstitch-
ing. Crests, names, monograms coats
of-arms, floral and conventional designs
are embroidered on the satin texture.
Many artistic and standard patterns in
the linen damasks lend themselves to
embroidery. and for their further orna-
mentation special designs should be
Drawn. One, for instance, is an exact
: bopy OF Queen Victoria's coronation
robe. and is a reproduction in linen of
!, THE brocade of that royal garment. The
Belgian round thread linen, fffty-four
inches wide and s1.g per yard. is gen.
orally selected for embroidering buffet
scarfs, centre pieces, tray covers, doilies,
ETC.; also for Battenberg and Honiton
iace-braid work. It comes besides in one
n two yard widths.
Od-beach linen is preferred for hem
stitching and FRAMEWORK; also for en-
broidered lingerie. Shirt bosom liner is
too closely woven for general embroid-
cry. For very fine and sheer work, Jap
anese or Chinese linen, with its beauti-
full silken surface, is selected. The col
ored wash linens, from 40 to Is cents
per yard. are a great boon to the art
embroiderer. They come in fast colored
blues, yellows, green's, pinks, mauve,
old rose. navy blue, tans, ecru and
browns. These art linens are adapted for
sofa pillows, table cloths, book covers,
picture frames and countless other pur-
poses. The exact college colors" will
soon be brought out in linens.
Syrian linen, heavy and broken thread,
dyed before woven, is best for table,
cloths. curtains and all heavy work. 1t
is adaptable to simple, bold designs in
outline and long and short stitch, is
forty inches wide and rs cents per yard.
Russian crash divides with colored art
linens the demand for piazza and ham
mock pillows and cushions. The fine
quality is admirable for book covers,
picture frames and nan other purposes.
Agra linens are also used for pillows.
Other embroidery textiles are butch
ers'. Bulgarian, birdseye linens, and
many linen and linen and silk uphol-
stery goods. Although this is purely a
linen textile article, as allied to en-
broidery, yet in closing it is well to add
that the best of linen may be ruined
with commonplace embroidery.
A fault of many a bride is to work up
until the last minute, and then. in spite
of all the time and thought expended and
the airy loneliness of white gown and
veil. she does not look her best just when
she wants to most, because she is drag
ged put. Another reason is that many
have a hairdresser arrange their hair
and veil in a style entirely foreign to
their accustomed way. This alters their
looks very much, and almost always is
not becoming.
It is well to arrange your hair as you
have always done, carefully and neatly,
taking plenty Of time to it, and then have
yollr veil and wreath pinned on SO Sc
a,,ra1v von cannot feel them. Have them