Evening star., 1903-12-19
Suggestions to Those Who
Make Their Gifts.
BEWILDERING VARIETY
DEFT FINGERS AND TASTE WORK
THE WONDERS.
A Personal Touch That Makes Even
the Simplest Article
Enjoyed.

When the days are shortest the hours
must be spent so as to accomplish as much
as possible before daylight wanes, and the
holiday shoppers are seen hurrying to and
fro. while the workers on Christmas gifts
at home appreciate the bright. clear days
which December usually offers to the
dwellers in favored Washington. Shopping
excursions are best made in the morning,
If possible, both on account of good light
for selection Of goods and because the
many people in the departments have to
postpone buying, for the most part, until
after o'clock; so the shops are unpleas-
antly crowded after that hour
Much there is to tempt spread out before
the would-be purchaser, and ideas have to
be pretty well fixed before leaving home or
the fancy is led off by something quite diff
ferent from what had been decided upon,
and one finds oneself loaded down with
lot Of things pretty in themselves, but
intended gifts, and with no time or money
with which to revise matters.
Good Hints to Follow.
AS far as possible one should think out
something suitable and perhaps peculiarly
acceptable for each friend or relative. and
then keep to that resolve, let the other
wear and tear of nerves not to vary or to
be blown about by every wind of doc
trine.' After your choice is once made ad-
here to 1t if it is a possible thing, for this
holiday season has gotten to be a great
tax on the strength of women nowadays
and one needs to keep the nerves we'll in
hand not to be SO exhausted by the time
Christmas is here that all enjoyment of it
is out of the question.
There are comparatively few people even
q, fbacn fa1, faI Cfnfn ,I,N Inv oil
the money they want to buy presents for
the numerous friends who have come to be
on the list of those to be remembered, and
many lack ingenuity or skill to originate
ideas on the subject for themselves and
such are often helped by suggestions from
outside as to a decision in the matter.
Useful and Popular.
Pillows are. as usual, of many kinds and
very popular; all college colors and devices
may be found, both in woven material and
for hand embroidery. Among those all
ready to use some have satin coverings,
with bold designs. Many of shades of blue
or blue and green combined, very pretty,
too, with the pattern just filling the square
Others are of red and green in similar STYLE
and the filling, which seems like feathers,
almost like down, is of cotton batting cut In
small squares. I was reading not long ago
that cotton cut in this way and put in a
pan and set in a warm oven would become
very light and fluffy, so l suppose the fill
ing of these pillows has probably been
treated in this way. This is a very sanitary
filing, much more than second quality
down or feathers. Some gaily printed
cushion coverings have one thickness of
white net over them subd,fing the shades
and softened the outlines and seems to find
many admirers.
In Gray Linen.
Among the hand-worked pillow covers are
and tinted in colors. thus making the en-
broidering of them very simple, and very
effective they are considering the small
amount of labor necessary to do them.
These tinted linen designs are not con-
fined to pillows, but are used in many
ways. and perhaps are the most popular at
present of anything in that line. Large
round centerpieces for the dining table be-
tween meals are the medium most used per-
haps to show off this style of work, and the
patterns are generally floral. the flowers
often mammoth and in brilliant shades of
silk
really charming piece has baskets of
flowers. embroidered in soft almost pastel
shades of silk, many colors being used, but
all so subdued that the effect is not in the
least garish The work is so little COM
pared with ordinary embroidery that it is
not to be wondered at that these tinted de-
signs are in great demand. This same style
is used for many other things as we'll
blotters. covers for photograph books and
shaving cases all come with slammed and
colored design and cardboard founda ton
for covering with the finished embroidery.
ana II one does not care to make I'D the
work when finished the order can be given
for that part where the materials are
bought.
Pretty Stitches.
Hand embroidery is lavished so upon
ladies' garments of all kinds that any one
who Is at all proficient with her needle
need be at no loss to know what to give her
women or girl friends this year at least.
A collar or revers, with wide or narrow
cuffs. may be made for coat or jacket. or
for waist for indoors. Such q set NAV be
quite simple and quickly dones and vet so
effective as to give style to an entire gar
ment.
Separate collars of almost any material
may be made and presented with a GER
tainty that they can be used advantaeaous-
ly and will be acceptable
A Neat Design.
Such a collar has Just been finished for
Christmas gift, and is of dotted muslin
with scalloped edge and sprig at the end Of
each irregular scallop. The neck is SINH
larly scalloped and lies fat either Just be-
low high collar or it may be worn over a
low gown, giving the effect of a guimpe.
The shape is large. dropping over the
sleeves, with square tabs in 'front.' back
and over the shoulders. One might be
made more elaborately, using plain null
and embroidering a slight pattern all over
the surface. These are useful things now
especially, when cape collars are so fash
ionable, and for summer wear are par
ticularly good to use over the bare neck as
they are delightfully."- cool.
Shoulder Collars.
The French gowns have this winter intro
duced the fashion of big collars, worn over
low-necked waists, instead of the guimpe.
which has for so long been the means Al
Transforming low gown into high one.
Another form which hand work may take
is that Of embroidery in Persian effects.
These may be il small bits to put on a gar
ment in mere touches or they may be on a
larger scale, according to the will and en-
ergy of the worker. A Nanon collar me-
dallion for each cuff and tiny strip as a
vest finish, makes dainty gift and one
easily compassed by any one who can en-
broider at all.
In Satin Stitch.
The French embroidery laid work." or
satin stitch" IL also extremely popular,
and in white cotton or colored wash fab
rics or In silks ON wool or silk may be
fashioned into cha r5nipnr pifta