Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-12-13
HoM EMfDE XMAS GIFTS.
A Few Hints for Those Possessing CIeve
Fingers.

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A Few Hints for Those Possessing Clever
. Fingers.
Philadelphia Record.
Very novel, and vet really practicable
and convenient, are the receptaoles for
hat pins that form one of the favorite
homemade gifts of the holidays. For
very little very narrow bottle is
bought at a drug store. Then a square
Of white net about the size of hand
kerchief is edged with narrow imita-
tion Valenoiennes lace tput on plain)
and lined with parti .colored China silk
up, to the inner edge OF the lace. The
bottle is then put in the centre of this
square ard tied around the neck with
bebe ribbon to match the lining. A
long loop, with Cow at the end finishes
this ribbon tie, SO the little holder may
be easily suspended from the gas fixture,
mirror pivot, &c. The corners Of the
square hang down, forming an effective
frill, and disclose the mouth of the
bottle in which the pins are kept.
Work and scrap baskets for travelling,
made Of small blocks of cardboard,
machine stitched closely all around be-
| tween two pieces OF silk, make q most
acceptable Christians present, easily
made at home. Patterns in cardboard
all eady out. consisting of bottom and
four sides, may be bought for 10 cents
| the set. These are placed between the
| two pieces of silk and CLOSELY machine
stitched all around, lying fiat with a
small SPACE left at the bottom and sides
of each side piece to act as hinges.
| The upper edge is finished as desired,
bound, ruohed, frilled, or as you will.
| Eight tiny rings are sewed inside about
a half inch from the upper edge,
| through which is run tiny gold braid.
The baskets will lie perfectly flat when
| SO desired, or may be drawn up into
shape by pulling tight the draw-string
| through the rings and knotting it the
| proper size
A man will be well pleased with a
shaving paper ball made of innumerable
circles of colored Tissue paper caught
| in the centre, lightly drawn through
the hand, and strung OF a wire until
| they form a large ball. This is sus-
pended by ribbon loop and bow, and
| one piece III pulled out when required
for shaving. Hung near where his
| other shaving things are, il is great
| convenience to have the paper always
at hand and of proper siAe. 1t costs
next to nothing to make, too; Just a
little ribbon and few sheets of tissue
paper.
These few hints are for the, economi-
| cally disposed, whose lists are large, or
| for those who prefer to give Christmas
offerings prepared with loving thought
and labor. New ideas succeed each
other with each recurring Christmas.
This year chiffon ties, either in white
or black, with Renaissance ends, arc
quite the rage for gift giving. Pat
terms for these ends may be obtained
in the shops for a tritiing sum, and the
small amount of material required in
creases the cost very little. Chiffon is
SO wide, the width makes the length Of
the tie, SO that only the width neces-
| sary to fit the ends need be purchased.
This makes a very SNOWY present and
looks great deal more than 1t really
costs.
Little Renaissance turn overs are
popular, too. but not SO new as the
soft tie ends.
Beaded chatelaine bags and small
coin purses are another OF the most
favored ideas for this years Christmas
giving. OF course, the amount of money,
time aud labor to be expended is much
more in the case of the chatleaine bag
than of the purse. However, they are
really much more quickly and easily
made after one is In the know than one
would suppose from oursory inspec
ton. Very explicit directions for MAX
ing them may te purchased for few
cents at many of the shops, and are to
be found in several of the current
numbers of the fancy work magazines.
Black, headed in jet, and gray adorned
with cut steel beads, are the most
fashionable kinds although great
variety OF combinations arc seen.
Colors. beade in steel or gilt, black,
with steel, and gray with jet are a few
of the fancies. Separate mountings in
nickel, gun metal, silver plate and
sterling silver may be had as expense
dictates.
The purses are usually made in two
shapes, either similar to the chatelaiue
bag or in fiat, round shape, mounted
with large, round, fiat, p!atelike
mount
For the household where there is
tiny master or Miss Baby, an mex
pensive trifie that Is being made by
many women this season is case for
pins OF all sorts and conditions for the
baby Is basket. A blonde, china headed
doll forms the foundation, dressed in
long clothes in two strips Of any pre-
ferred shade of No. l6 satin ribbon.
This Is tied around the waist with
baby ribbon, and il not tied together
at tho bottom is fringed for a finish.
Several strips of white flannel with
niched or Pink edges form the under
skirt, and into these the Fins are
fastened. As the baby gets little
older his little fancy is not only a con-
yenieut pin receptacle, but also serves
as amusement for the restless little
mite of humanity.