The Portland daily press., 1897-09-17
E-HOM


ono proper receptacle lOr III anu Az 10 NV
always easy to get what is at once pretty
and useful large enough to hold WOODS
and half finished afghan and dainty
enough to bear close scrutiny. Aprons Oh
silk linen or muslin with large pocket
turned up at the foot are extremely USE
full and can be pretty if the maker SO
chooses. This form of work-bag is so
generally known that l need hardly ex
lain that they are aprons only in name
the ribbons at the waist only serving to
bold them in convenient steadiness while
use and to tie up the roll when the
work was dropped into the capacious
pocket and all compactly covered by this
nsible wrapper. However handsome they
my be, no matter how much beautiful
embroidery is lavished on the pockets
they are only used on the lap while work
ing. 1 have one of black lined with
Of silk embroidery in shades of lilac that
is very pretty.
l have recently heard of much i'm
proved way of making them. Instead of
the usual simple fold which forms the
catch-all for all the working materials
the apron is made yard and quarter
long and then piece of firm linen three
eighths deep is prepared with elastic loops
u various sizes small and large sheaths
various little pockets and all sorts OF de-
vices suited to the users special wants
which are stitched down neatly upon
this foundation. This prepared linen is
Ehan "a fa phad fo thn material nf the
ind the pocket turned up in the ordinary
way the linen acting as lining. The
sides are not seWed together but neatly
buttonad SO that when the apron is in use
the whole thing can lie out in a straight
piece ifdesired, and the scissors, bodkin,
needlesgistiietto, pins, silks, etc., be laid
in orderly readiness exactly after the
manner Of that invaluable division of a
dressing case. which contains in small
space the things one is sure to need and
almost equally sure to mislay. Ingenui-
ty and forethought ought to make this
arrangement very practical comfort.
The most charming workbaskets have
seen are made from straw hats. Pana-
mas are very nice because of the eep
crowns. Any pretty straw is available,
however, and it is not at all hard task
for an ingenious needlewoman to buy the
straw braid and make the shape just what
she chooses. The crown should be lined
as you would any work basket, and con-
tain pockets, or only q pretty vacant
place for your work as you prefer. Then
the brim should be lined daintily, and
here you can attach an armory of needle
books, pincushions and the like, If it
SO ms to you worth the delicate fitting
and sewing needful for these. To the
upper edge of the crown attach bag deep
enough to be in good proportion to the
b. i'm. Finally put band around the out
side of the crown, a firm masculine look
ing band, with a stiff stylish bow, or
loop through buckle, just as if it were
TO be worn. A hat of rough green straw,
with black bag and brim lining, the
inside of the bag and the Innings of the
needlebooks and all addenda being of
soft cherry red, makes a bewitching
looking scorfection,'' and is eminently
useful. = The crown allows your basket to
stand firlnly and make pretty ornament
wherever you put it down. Black
trough atid-feady" braid, lined with
scarlet, or open braids used SO that the
silk shows through, are very effective.
In travelling these baskets fit into your
bonnet boxes easily.
Convenient and very practical knitting
bags are made from squares of colored
canvas or linen; eighteen inches is O
good dimension, but they can be made
larger if desired A bold design marked
in the corners can be quickly worked in
outline stitch. White upon blue, and
moss green upon pink make good effects.
Stitch the two squares together, cut
circle six or eight inches in diameter
from the centre of the upper square; face
this with band two and a half inches
deep, SO that it stands up firmly, leaving
an opening large enough for big ball of
wool In this facing stitch double row
generous, half.inch from the base, for
drawing strings, and you have a roomy
knitting bag, with four deep points,
easily carried, easily washed, and very
convenient as it lies flat on your lap, with
your balls snugly tucked in the corners.
Another bag especially useful for knit
tiers of golf stockings, is in the form of
an enormous old fashioned purse. 1t is
more durable and prettier made of double
crochet from Germantown yarns than in
any other stitch or wool. You need to
set I'D enough stitches to measure half a
yard, join the ends, and proceed just as
you, would if knitting or crocheting a
purse Gray makes a useful ground col
or. and brighten this with Roman stripes
or any fanciful device in color. Having
made this end a quarter of yard deep,
change to an open elastic stitch, to serve
for the middle, and let this also be two
fingers long. This pliable strip should
be crocheted or knitted backward and
forward so as to leave an opening for the
entire length. Over this slip two ivory
rings, which you can obtain from the
harness shops, and then take up the orig
inal solid crochet, join the edges firmly
and repeat the pattern you put into the
end already done. When finished you
have two good sized and pretty bags, at
tached to each other by strong but
flexible strip, easy to hold. Gather the
ends tightly together, make a tassel of
all the combined colors, and add one to
each extremity. and you have quaint,
convenient stocking bag, very handy to
1Arow Cover your arm The opening in
the middle admits large balls of yarn,
the rings keep them in place, and know
no more convenient receptacle for this
special sort of knitting.
A very odd work basket, if one for lack
of a correct word may call it so, was
made from small parasol. Each fold
was stiffened at the edge with fine wire,
SO that it kept its place and stood out
sharply from the handle, and each gore
was fitted with either pockets or places
for holding implements and materials
1t was readily carried by its carved ham
die. and the owner declared it to be de-
Jightful invention. 1t was made of a
changeable crimson and black satin, and
all the little interior additions were