The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-10-28
ideas for lWomeu


A keen Interest In the linen closet is no
longer considered aa out-ef-date virtue,
for Nine. la Mode has now turned her
attention very seriously toward table
danask and It's decoration. As a species
of fancy work, the embroidery OF table
linen has been for many years a favorits
form of dainty needlework: but for the
last decade * has been limited almost
exclusively to center-pieces. while the Ia
bile cloth itself has been nearly concealed
beneath the silk earysanJhemums. violets
and ferns that have been a conspicuous
feature of the dinner table. These are
often very pretty and artistic. but if the
same time and labor were spent in en-
broidering handsome initials or mono
grams on rich damask tablecloths and
napkins, thhe result would be more per
rnanently satisfactory. One fastidious.
hostess. whose New York and Newport
dinners areApnrivaaed in style and outlay.
never permits any silk upon her table, not
even in the embroidery OF the linen She
has held firmly to this code throughout
the epidemic OF ribbon bows, satin coy
ers and silk embroideries, and at last
she sees the rendfllum of approval swing
ing back to her standpoint; for damask
unadorned. except with initials, mono
grams and erests, has been restored to
its high colonial rank.
Yet there is very old authority for elab-
crate ornamentation of the tabiecloth. In
the early stages of its existence. the din
ing table was rarely left covered, and
soon after the Middle Ages these cover
ings assumed the most sumptuous char
acter, in accordance with the love of
color hat there. then prevailed. Turkey
carpets were most in use, and were OF
such great value they were often pro-
vided with other cloths TO protect the
table carpets themselves A tablecloth
at Hampton Court. recorded in 1892 by a
French visitor, was garnished with gold,
pearls and other precious stones. Per-
haps this was in Shakespeare's mind
when he wrote, in Tanning of the
Shrew,"
Fine linen,
Turkey cushions, 'bcss'd with pearl.
Nalenee of Venice, gold in needlework-"
The covering for these table carpets
was of linen, embroidered and fringed
with great magniffcence. and to them we
trace the exquisite tablecloths of the
present day. While ours are not edged
with Venice gold' or "'boss'd with
pearls they are sometimes inlaid with
satiny spots that might well be COM
pared to pearls. and they are of damask
SO rich and glossy il makes the plainest
dinner seem a feast.
1t is true economy to purchase the best
quality of table linen. Not only are the
patterns more beautiful. but it wears bet
ter. But the new designs of the more
ordinary grades, are very handsome and
of great variety. Stripes and checks and
zigzag streaks are less in demand since
the old patterns have been revived.
Among these is the pride of the past gen.
Grafton, shower of pearls Diane di
Poictiers,F single ff~eur7de-lis, .Jardin
d'ete,'' punches of flowers knotted with
ribbons, prairie pattern. small wild
flowers.
Luncheon cloths are shown in plain
damask, made round to suit round tables,
with a border of deep. heavy lace. They
are NOT so much admired, however, as
those of the usual square shape that are
hemstitched and inserted with two rows
OF the very strong Venetian or Russian
lace. Again, the lace may be inlaid,
which means that the linen follows the
flowers and leaves of the pattern. To do
this the lace is firmly basted over the
damask and fastened ~ the edges of the
pattern with a b~uttonhole stitch. Then
the OVERLAPPING edges of the insertion are
neatly clipped off and the damask under
meath is cut away.
There is a wealth of imagination in the
newest rablecloths. The designs are very
large; lotus leaves. realistic in size, gigan-
tic pansies and magnificent peoples. A
distinct novelty in damask patterns is
Le $40 la- oarnc frar1 rho looms
this season that is perfectly charming-a
bunch of long temme roses thrown df-
agonaliy across the cloth. Crescents,
checks, sea shells and other such strik-
ing designs may please the fancy of the
moment, but the linen that defes time
and fashion. that is worthy TO become an
heirloom for granddaughter brides to
value, is the fine double damask woven
in wild roses, clover blossoms. morning
glories-the flowers that have been loved
always.
Many families whose wealth is of long
standing have their table linen of one
pattern throughout generations. The
RothschiIds are a notable example of this
faithfulness; an .'all over pattern of
field riowers, with large daisies forming
tliC poiQNis u tAS CAiy oHS ~
them.. The leading linen house of New
York has furnished TO a distinguished
Knickerbocker family the same pattern
during more than half a century-sprays
of wheat and feathery grasses.
In W~ashington's day it was the outh
ern custom to have the family crest wo-
ven In the centre CT tableciotfi and nap
kins. but when hotels adopted that idea
20 the extent of name or initials it lost
favor in private life.
A coat-of-arnns, a crest, a monogram or
initials telicately embroidered in white or
colored cottons are the ornamentation
considered quite desirable now. Mono
grams and initials may be large or small,
broad and trailing, OF arranged to have
a square effect, according to personal
taste; but as it Is customary to let them
follow the style for stationery, this year
they are small and placed within a frame
like circle. On the tablecloth they should
be near the center. though not so near
as 10. be hidden by the flowers; on the
napkins they SHOULD be in 4 corner, not
TOO Tar from the edge.
10 crafty a fondness for color, a COM
binatiop OF rose, pale blue and deep pur-
lovely shades are furnished in embroid-
cry cottons that will not fade under the
most vigorous washing.
4ar5Ien al a*
Ella Norris Kretschmar has this to say
ahouf 7pfpca MES in the November "WO-