The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-12-10
4 IDEAS for lMomen


Palm-leaf fans are excellent material
from which to evolve Christmas gifts,
and q friend who ~rejofces in the posses
sion of a country house will appreciate
wall for her cool-tinted
rooms. The fan can be purchased IN a
variety of shapes. TIL fresh, smooth
surface is almost as easy to paint on as
canvas.
Newspapers accumulate with frightful
and disorderly rapidity. Invariably some
of them must be kept for future refer
encc. and for these a receptacle made of
three palm-leaf fans is convenient. To
make it three large fans OF equal size
are needed. The handles of two of them
should be cut off cleanly as close to the
fan as possible. and gold or silver tinsel
cord should be sewed around the edges in
a series Of fancy loops.
The cord on the two upper fans need
be carried only partially around as more
than half of the fans are hidden. The
lower one is decorated all around with the
cord and with a fringe of crescents and
sequins also. The three fans are placed
one above the other. One is arranged
with the handle at the top. another is
joined to it by a strong lacking along
the edge of the top fan. forming a sort
of pocket. the bottom fan beng attached
to the centre one in the same way.
odd workbags are made by joining two
palm-leaf fans by a putting of silk around
the edges.
The Japanese fan is more decorative
to employ in fancy work than the palm
leaf. 1t can be obtained in exceedingly
pretty designs, even when paper covered.
When the rivet that holds the sticks to-
gether at the bottom is removed, the fan
twirled around in cornucopia shape. a
little pointed bag of silk, fastened inside
to prevent scraps from Sitting through
the sticks. the japanese fan makes a
pretty ornament to hang at the side OF
desk or dressing table.
Slipper holders are made by joining q
large fan and two small ones. the small
fans serving as pockets for my lady's
dainty shoon. The rivets Of the small
fan are taken out and the side stick
of one is removed where it is joined to
the other at the centre and both side
sticks are removed where the smaller
fans arc Joined to the larger at the
sides. The joining is done with strong
thread. The small fans must be left
partially closed. so as to make roomy
pockets for the slippers. To the large
fans are attached ribbons by which to
hang it on the wall. Made of smaller
fans a contrivance of this kind would
be useful over ones desk to hold letters
or as a photograph receptacle.
$50
Even the maiden of very limited means
may. by the use of a little f~orethought,
make a very good appearance with the ex-
penditure of a very small amount OF
money.
First of all, engage a woman with good
taste, and who is an expert with her
needle, to come to you for several days.
These l~ressmakers may be had for sums
ranging from a dollar and a quarter to
two dollars and a half, and they will take
an interest in making over dresses that
a more hurried dressmaker cannot pos
sibly take. Before it is time for the dress
maker to come to you take account of
stock. and rip and press all material that
is at all presentable, steam all pieces of
velvet, and carefully brush and rub all
pieces OF passementerie; then lay your
material in its refreshed condition before
the arbiter of your fate. If there is any
thing at all worth using, you may rest
assured that your wardrobe viii be great
ly benefited by the means you have taken.
Take a dress thai to you appears almost
hopeless from being badly worn under the
arms and frayed out under the skirt. Rip
out the large sleeves and from the pieces
taken from them make entirely new SIDE
bodies TO take the place of the worn ones,
and out of pieces of velvet make tiny
jackets. Trim the jackets with any pieces
of passementerie that you may chance to
have; make a velvet collar refresh the
skirt; put a new binding on, and you will
be surprised to find h magic a little
pressing and renovating has wrought.
II you have a cloth dress that you have
worn until you are tired of it, carefully
rip it. remove the Innings, then haste the
seams carefully together; take it to the
dyers. and he will tell you which colors
will be best taken by the goods. From
these eolors make your selection and for
two dollars. or two and a half, behold,
bright and fresh, the material for a best
Sunday gown. In selecting the color for
the dress bear in mind any pieces of good
velvet, silk or other trimming you may
chance to have, and by this means the
entire dress may be made without the
expenditure of any money, except that
paid for the dyeing.
Should you not wish to use the broad
cloth for a dress, an exceedingly hand
some COdl may QG lidGC lEOII II, dfiQ tie
skirt of an old silk dress used for the
lining. An interiining Of flannel will be
necessary to make it warm enough for
severe weather.
Should you happen to have one of the
old empire coats of a few seasons ago,
you are ready for this winters fashions,
for a Russian blouse may be made from it
without trouble. Here again the dyer may
come TO your assistance, and if your
coat is, by any happy chance of the light
tan. SO fashionable a few years ago, your
new winter coat may be Of any color that
best suits your street gown.
Do not for a moment think that the well
dressed girls that you see on the prone
made have spent large sums of money for
their outfits Oh, no. The well dressed
girl is frequently she, who by careful
thought, rather than by the large expendi-
ture of money, is enabled to hold her
place in the society for which she is well
fitted.
IF there is one day in the year which
rightly belongs to the young it is Christ
mas Day" writes Edward W.. Box in the
Christmas Ladies' Home Journal ut