San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-09-26
FLOWERS ON TABLE LINEN.
Fashions I'm Napery for the Coming
Season.


Fashions fn Napery for the Coming
Season.
In table linen for next season the
preference appears to be for floral de-
signs, and the figures are larger and
more pronounced than ever. Instead
of the single bud or medium-sized
blossom, with an occasional leaf or
sprig of foliage, found on table linen
heretofore, the damasks for the coming
season display entire plants or huge
branches laden with both leaves and
lowers.
The newest and most stylish cloths
have plain centers, not satin damask,
but plain linen, with deep floral Dor
ders extending from the hem. In one
design of this sort, which is especial
" artistic and beautiful, great punches
Of peoples, apparently pulled up by the
roots, spring from their bed of leaves
and grasses just above the hem and ex-
tend toward the center OF the cloth,
covering 1t with blossoms and buds on
their own graceful stems. The nap
kins and doylies to match this cloth
have border of intertwined long
stemmed peoples with an uprooted
poisoning plant In the center. An
other beautiful pattern has the golden
rod arranged in similar style on the
cloth, while on the doylies and nap
kins, from bunch of roots in the cen
ter the long, feathery blossoms reach
toward the hem. In a lilac design the
borders of the cloth and napkins are
formed by four long branches laden
with blossoms and leaves, the stems
crossing in the corners.
On cloths especially designed for
round tables, the cosmos and pansy ap-
pear to be the fashionable flowers.
Sometimes entire plants are used to
form a double border, with plain
linen center and plain strip between.
In other patterns the blossoms are
used with their stems and leaves to
form festoons above the hem. or are
scattered loosely over the entire cloth.
All table linen, when not lace trimmed,
must be marked with embroidered In
itials. For napkins the letters
should be ~ inches long, while
for cloths the accepted size is 1h
inches. These initials should be
tntertwined, but should not be In
the old-fashioned monogram.
For lace-trimmed table linen, which
will be even more fashionable than last
season, there are three new laces. One
is a French lace which is very like
elaborate patterns Of heavy linen
torchon, another is Russian lace that
has close meshes and lumsy-looking
figures, and third Is fine duchess
lace. The last is the finest lace ever
used for table decoration. 1t is COM
bined with linen SO sheer as to almost
resemble muslin, and is used principal
ly for tea and luncheon cloths and for
center pieces and tray covers. OF
course there are always plate and fin
ger-bowl doylies to match. Batten-
burg and Renaissance laces will still be
fashionable If combined with linen;
but silk and satin for the table are
tabooed, though the linens used with
these laces are so smooth and glossy as
10 impress a casual observer that they
are made of silk.
Fayal drawn work Is the latest for
bordering small cloths, napkins and
ioylies. It is made of the finest linen
ind, more than anything else, resem-
bles beautiful needlework. Even un-
Ter the closest inspection there is not
the slightest resemblance to the old
fashioned drawn or Mexican work.
There are neither blocks nor wheels.
All the threads running one way being
drawn, elaborate and graceful designs
are worked with the needle. The old
fashioned drawn work will be sold next
season for less than half it's former
price. The reason for the reduction, &C
,ording to the dealers. is not so much
because it has ceased to be fashionable
rs because the work is now done In
Japan. After the cloths and doylies
are woven, and in many instances
hemmed, they are sent to japan with
the desired patterns to have the drawn
work put in. The japanese labor cost
ing SO much less, the work can be sold
for half IT'S former price and still yield
a fair profit to the dealers.
Colored cloths and doylies are styles
of the past, as are center pieces en-
broidered in colors. Satin and silk
scarfs have also had their day, and in
their places, for those housekeepers
fond of displaying their own handi-
work on their tables, have come
crochet mats, center pieces and plate
and finger bowl doylies. These may
be solid pieces of crochet or linen CEN
tiers with crochet borders more or less
elaborate to suit the taste of the own
er.-N. Y. Sun.