The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-04-15
THE WORK BASKET.
EXQUISITE AFFAIRS TO HOLD THE
SEWING OF THE RICH.

Dainty CONNECTIONS in Straw and Satin That
Are Used by Fashionable New York
women-Take Them Along When They
Meet to Work for Charity.
To sit on a cushion and sew a fine
seam for charity's sake is one of the
ways for killing two birds with one
stone in the season of propriety and
penitence. The fine seams, of course,
are laid by the bejeweled fingers Of
fashionable femininity in the simplest
garments, meant for humble wearers,
but for fear those lowly tasks might
weary the lively seamstresses every
hostess who calls a sewing-class meet
ing at her house provides music, rec
itations, jugglers' exploits, along with
a dainty luncheon for the gathered
members. These last are no new fea-
lures, and the particular topic of Cos
sip among the smart needlewomen is
the sort of sewing basket suitable for
slowing away ones needle and the
splendid little utensils of the task.
More emphasis, indeed, is placed on
ones work receptacle than on the
apron one wears to stitch in, or the
given amount of labor accomplished in
one hour. The day class meets every
woman drives up to the door Of the
hostess. who is willing to temporarily
turn her drawing room into model
sweatshop, and out she gets with her
basket under her arm. Sometimes it
is so big an affair that it must be car
ried for her into the workroom, and
when the whole class is busy the room
presents the appearance of luxurious
basket fair. With few exceptions they
are stately tall things of the prettiest
and most expensive materials imagi-
nable. Satin straws of exquisite pale
greens and blues, pinks and yellows
are the foundation material of which
they are made, while satin lace and
brocade form the lavish decoration.
Mrs. Theodore Havemeyer, who
leads one of the largest classes of
smart Catholic seamstresses in New
York city, keeps her rough bingham
and cotton subjects for stitching in
huge hat of pale lavender straw,
mounted on three gilded legs, set like
the crossed sticks from which a gypsy
kettle hangs. Within the hat is lined
with pale blue satin, and the open
crown is covered by a full bag of the
same material, drawn up with laven-
der silk cords. Inside this capacious
nest is the most charming set of an
tique silver sewing tools. An old
Dutch thimble, pair of exquisite
slender scissors, said to have once
laine, quaint grindstone for sharpen
ing needles ard a set of old silver reels
for thread from Germany. Among all
these curiosities is pocket that holds
small silver mounted figure, carved
from black bog oak, and representing
little saint, who in Ireland is be-
lieved to bless this work baskets Of
the industrious with strong, graceful
and swift seams.
Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, at the head
of one of the generous Baptist ladies'
sewing guilds, uses big fiat green,
y CllOW anu leu Udob CT Vi luuldu WEAVE,
scorns all the fripperies of lace and
tufting, puts her needle in an honest
red-f1annel book, and is capable of
making anything from a bingham
apron to the most elaborate christen-
ing robe.
Mrs. Elbridge Gerry entertains the
Episcopal Decreases at her house and
gives out the work herself from an
ample double-decked basket, woven of
white satin straw, tufted in pink and
white brocaded satin, while without
the basket is draped with white and
rose-colored scarfs of liberty gauze
The upper deck is the basket proper,
holding sewing outfit complete in
gold, while in the under part large
sachet bag contains the various gar
ments in process of making. Mrs.
Gerry's basket is not unique in shape
or decoration, as the Powered gauze
scarfs are used lavishly for draping
the rather awkward long strawbound
or gilded legs and frivolous bows of
Powered ribbon flutter from handles
and lids. One and all, in the tufted
Innings of the sewing stands deiicately
perfumed sachet cotton is used, and q
very great deal of emphasis is laid on
the coquettish gold thimble bearing
the owners name in jewels about the
bottom, the small gold scissors, with
red or blue enameled handles, the tint
ed leather needle-books, bound and in
itialed in gold and the emerys to
match the prevailing color of the bas-
ket, and showing gold rope.