The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-14
CHRISTMAS FANCY WORK.
TIE gEis0N,s SoVELTTEs IN GIFTS
TO BE MADE AT MOME.

Nnta Tor wen nad Wonnen or All Ages-lbEe-
Btous. Pretty aud Useful De.iEns Easily Made
Just stopped in here for q rest. Except the
hall hour on tho train, I have not sat down
since breakfast"
THAT'S the way with me. I've been poking
around, looking Mt things, until I'm all used up.
How are your Sit down. and tho woman who
had secured tho big rocker In the store parlor
reached around and pulled up q chair for her
friord.
We'll bodily; distracted mentally" said tho
out.of.town shopper. whats the matteri
Why, Christmas OF course. Tvo set out to make
most Of tho things l give this year. YOU see. wo
have q housekoerer now, and I have moro time;
but I belicve I'm In lust No much OF a mudilo
about my gifts as ever. Have you any ideasl
You always seem to know Just what to do and
what to get. Tell me Of some materials to take
home to-day for a beginning. Time slips away
so fast and I have such n list of people to see to
I'm quite nervous over it."
"Nonsensel why, there never was a time
when things wcrc brought out with more direct
reference to handwork. There are things partly
begun, or half done, or wholly done, just rs you
will, and vet, there is your handwrouRht gift,
precisely MS though you had engineered It yoar-
sci, from the start"
tell me some." said the distracted one.
"well. first OF ali. IL you have anybody on
your list to whom q couch cushion Is acccpta-
bic, there are the canvas tops for cushions, with
the figures all worked, arms, faces. legs all com
plcte. and only the groundwork to be filed In,
with the regular old.time sampler stitch that q
child can do. The designs are pretty. too
shepherds and shophcrdesses, maidens bearing
water Jars, goddcssos, knights. and all that sort
of thing. Figures arc all the go low, and flow
ers and wreaths and 6lagree work are out"
"And the price Of q good.sized canvas ready
for workingf"
"They cost $3.50 for the largest size. That
will include the crewols and directions for tho
filling in II you need them. a canvas smaller.
more the size of a head rest, can be got for from
81 up. Then, IL you are really enterprising. you
can buy the plain, unworGed canvas by the yard
and work your own design on 1t for n wall ban
ner or for the front Of . paper rack or q unique
cushion cover"
Gould you get the design stamped on tho
plin canvasY r. asked tho novice at fancy work.
"No, you would have to get a book Of patterns
for tapestry and map ont the design yourself,
counting tho stitches from the middle and tho
sides, just as you do on perforated cardboard.
1t IL q tedious task, but all this canvas work 10
just q revival of the old style cushions and sam.
plies that our grandmothers did. 1t was intro
duced. Just q little, last winter. This winter
there is a flood Of 1t. 1t Is done on a frame, you
kuOWt tuu u WOulbu "oThlug az an CuiuToluory
frame Is always a pleasing picture in a drawing.
room or boudoir. The canvas work is likely to be
very popular. The Bulgarian work Is on a diff
ferent kind of canvas and with coarsor worsted
than tho ordinary, but you would have to sec
the two kinds to decide which you like best. II
there Is q man on your list whom you want to
make happy with a specimen OF your own work,
give him a pair of canvas slippers. They come
with the design all done. with only the ground.
work to be filled in. or you can get them plain
and do the design yourself. choosing his favorito
colors and ALL"
But then I must have them made UT. and
that costs a lot"
"You need not II you don't wish to. 1t would
DO just as appropriate to send them unmade;
besides he could then get them to At him better.
You might make him a tobacco pouch or a pipe
rack, both Of which give scope for pretty en-
broidery. or a cravat case. Crochet the tobacco
pouch out of fine silk, either hunters green or
black, with an emblem crochcted in the pattern,
the lsr Of the pouch Of olive green and
n band around the middle in Oriental colors."
I'm not q success at crochet; but | Ike the 2
have in mind is dearly fond of his pipe"
"Then make him a pouch out of tobacco rib
bons,. those orange-colored ribbons that come
now. such a bunch won't wear very long, but
drawn up with a cord at the top, and then I'm.
ished on at tho bottom with a tassel. make a
to soG sst a G piece Of rich fShht brown n" six for the TO" tohace CO
r. s;a,s sas e. IL, S{ss{ q s5 i; lid ND Si.sS ss,i sssiH f. and n!
pliqu6 should be worked at the edges with gold
colored silk. That would make a handsome
durable bag. Have you seen those cute little
boxes, with the sides and top, lace, ribbon. &c.
all ready to be put on 2 she added.
"Boxesi What kindf And how do you know
Just keep my eyes open while I'm going
ton boxes, 70 be covered with linen. hand EN-
broidered by the maker, and frilled round will
CONVENIENT adfiuncts to any toilet table, for th'
little studs and buttons are always slipping GU
q sight or getting mixed up with other things hi e,
and ali the necessary trimmings. The obloni
piece of linen for the top is stamped with al
ailk. You can get a ring box OF the same kind
or a hairpin holder. 1t would he pretty to CIV,
the whole set to one person, worked in a CORE
"PIHsushlons are of al sizes n,so and a., shapes pe,
forPP eS''y Of on three cats c%arsteiis the plant yo'
know, not the ANIMAL tied together with gree
satin ribbon. The pins were stuck into the wed
bacco-brown Jersey cloth OF the exact size an
shape of the tall PUSHES you gather on the rive
entirely new. The saline lady was making a
odd penwiper. She contrived a toadstool out 9
1 1Sss a tinxe 'i u y sihss i Ss'G Il: and ar ft tss s Tes
and fungns-looking under part she mad
s %.s . Of very sH HELMS Esll ioDkin sFs frog b DssfiG; up p9 e.
pinietpre umbrella. the frog being made ., {
yellow. The whole thing WAS stuck on som
real lichen. or course the wiper part, In thre
"How cutei To go to Nature for models. an
all that; but I am sure | could never mnde
take the frog. 1t would have to be labelled :
frog II I made It. though l think ! could MAJ
age the ~catstail cushion. Now; there's a s9ciet
could / give her 7"
"a card case. That is the newest wrinkl
in homemade things. 1t is made soft an
pp,iable so as to tnek inside the muf
genuine grandmothers ~brocade, the kind this
looks as though you could pick the fowel
off tho ground work. At the shops of q 70
dealers in antique goods perhaps you coul
pick up a piece; or from some ono With a
cade that the gift-store people use
ali other kinds OF Silk or satin look commoj
The mex best thing to It is the regular Frene
designs, The card case must be of convenieI
SnE cad n. pNaIy. pn1u 40 ranntrau Q ar