Birmingham state herald., 1897-02-26
Something that was never here before, a Carnival Book Parade, Friday, 2.p. m.
IN FABRIC DESIGNING.

 One Woman Hes Made Success by Be-
 ing Practical.
 New York Tribune.
 The field of fabric designing is ldttle oc- cupied by women There are classes in designing in the art departments of vari- ous educational institutions throughout the country notably Cooper institute, in New York, and Pratt institute in Brook lyn, and women are ardent students in these classes. Mrs. Frances Robertson Kieran, a graduate of Pratt institute i'm the class of '91, and now a resident of Fall River5 has taken up the work prac- tically. During a recent visit to New York she sand to a reporter:
 When I was young miss I was sent away to a boarding school. Whenever I had a spare moment or when it was possible for me to neglect my studies, drew designs. l didn't know what they were I only knew that I loved to origi- mate them, and wherever l saw pat tern in cloth, carpet, oilclloth or wall pa- per, it appealed to me very strongly. I wondered how it was made, and tried to initiate it My teacher, who became interested in my work, or rather my play, for such it was, said: You should take a special course in designing and so from her Influence it came to pass that went to Pratt institute.
 Since leaving there I have met with success in making practical designs and selling them. l saw that there was a place for me in the field if I could fill it. In order to render my work practical I went into the factory and learned to work at the loom, so that know at once, when I design a pattern, whether it is practical or mot. The pattern must lend itself to the hands of the weaver, or 1t ism good, no matter how pretty 1t may be. When submit design to manu- facturer he can see at once that I urlt derstand the application of designing to weaving. I do not claim anything very unusual about my designs. In fact they are decidedly simple, and I dare say that their simplicity is the very thing that recommends them.
 "In preparing them do not use color. I have llttle plan of making lines, dots and other signs in my patterns, all in black and white, and the manufactures knows at a glance what l mean. He puts such colors in them as hIe chooses, for he knows about oolor himself.
 "He often gives me a foreign design to adapt to our American looms. For ex- ample, he may give me piece of ele- gant French brocaded ribbon in which a pretty figure is wrought. I change the design all about, and perhaps arrange pattern prettier thanl the original
 Designing pays we'll. For good pat terns manufacturers pay from $20 to $40. Our Japanese importers frequently send my designs over to Japan to have them manufactured into silk 1 have learned to catch the spirit of the popular taste, and one great point is to learn to keep just abreast of the times. If youc designs are too original, or in ad- vanca of the times they are not so sal able as something more conventional. Paris and London lead. We can't expect to do anything but follow. A manu- facturer doesn't want to buy a design that is even a year or two years ahead of the times. He wants what the dsalers want The dealers are the ones he is striving to please.
 T have the reputation of being a good saleswoman of my own designs. This is because do not confins myself to one idea. If a pattern doesn't seem to be desirable for silk at the moment offer it, I suggest grenadipe, or maybe sell it for prints or for organdies or percales. try to supply patterns to suit the market.
 What do l think women require to make them good designers? They need to be more practical, not too artistic, and, most of all they should have a every thing as simpl- as daylight"
 Mrs. Kieran is the wife of Thomas Kieran, of Fall River. and she is the mother of two young children.
 ''I do not think 1 should allow myself to retrograde just because I am wife and mother" said this energ tic little woman who is not more than 26 years of age. T come down to New York for a few days every month just to keep in touch with the times, and then, when go home, I carry with me orders and idsas for designs that I speedily work out and bring with me on my next visit I also design carpets and wall papers. Thep rinciple is the same, however as in f.l ,rio .,1erior,iup