The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-12-10
CHRISTMAS GIFTS.

The time for cudgeling the brains
as to what and where, and counting
the hours and minutes, to say nothing
of the pennies, that may be devoted
to Christmas gifts, is at hand. Busy
fingers ale engaged in evolving pretty
and useful articles, and a few provi.
dent individuals. with wise fore
thought, have been planning and stor-
ing away, in odd minutes, various ar
ticls that will be likely to come In
handy just now. But more are ask.
ing in n serio-comic despair, What
shall 1 make or what can / get ?"
Notwithstanding the fact that maya
zines and papers contain innumerable
suggestions very many are impractical
and for such as will be momentarily
admired then cast aside because their
prettiness is faded and their useful
ness was either short-ljved or entirely
lacking. Ornamental match safes
that are never used, fancy articles
chosen hastily from the stores, that
drop to pieces or are only to be looked
at, are often hasty purchases at
the last moment. From search
among the various suggestions made
IN several magazies the following
/ practical suggestions are culled: =
The gift of shirt waist chosen
from the may pretty and inexpensive
materials of wash goods must always
be an acceptable present to a working
girl, for it is hardly possible to have
too many, OF the pretty cotton waist
ings, with the patterns now so easily
obtained, one can easily make a gift
! that is certain TO be appreciated in
as little time as it would take to make
sofa pillow or handkerchief case,
neither of which, however need be
despised as gift. Odds and ends of
silk or velvet with few beads or a
| bit of lace can be converted into
fetching pieces OF neokwear that en-
ables girl or woman to give fresh
touch even to a much worn waist.
1t is these little "fixins' that help
one to look we'll dressed and afford
frequent changes when the purse is
| slim and numerous waists not obtain
able. The writer was once the pleased
recipient of two pretty bed comfort
ers, or putfs, one thick and warm
with homely but good to-look at COW
ering, pieced in blocks from odds and
ends of calico that would otherwise
have gone to the rag-bag, principally
| in dark oolors; and the other of
challie, lighter in weight and tied
with colored worsted, the edge being
worked also in worsted. The former
suggested warmth and comfort. the
latter was pretty enough for an out
side covering and was used as such
for long time. The piecing can be
done by machine, less elaborate and
with less labor than in the good old
fashioned days. the blocks being cut
at odd moments; or even long strips
of new cloth may be used. Perhaps
this may seem time thrown away
| Nhcu pIobty quiltS Cdu 10 DOuBut 81
cheaply, and that would of course de-
pend upon circumstances. A pair OF
bed slippers are nice to put ON Tol
cold feet if one is obliged to retire il
cold room, which can be easily
slipped off when not needed, or put Oh
if one be hastily called in sickness OIL
to answer to the wants of the child
rem. These are made of pieces Of
canton oc outing flannel cut double
and bound with colored binding rib
bon or strips OF mercerized cottor
stitched, little bow of ribbon
makes them look prettier and affords
a useful and inexpensive gift. Gro
cheted or knit slippers cost little
more but are easily and quickly made,
especially the former. 1t is not nee
essary perhaps to speak Of the pretty
and warm orocheted shoulder capei
now, so much in vogue, only that oft
times one fails to think of the very
thing that afterward comes SO readily
to the mind and one suggestion leads
| IN othars