Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-29
AVOID THE LATE RUSH
NOW Is THE TIME TO GET ALL
THE HARD PART UNDER WAY.
Welcome Articles That Can Be Made
in Leather and New Things
in Lace.

going to begin early in the season and make
a lot of them myself" So talks good reso-
lutions; but as our friend Mr.. Dooley says,
1t Is often another instance Of series Of
recoveries and relapses."
Just now is a fine time to begin the work
Of homemade gifts, for Christmas will seem
to come heap sooner than the date set
down on the calendar. A few weeks of Is
a long time to look forward to. but will
prove only too short work period. es-
pecially when it has to be snatched from
the regular routine of social. domestic or
business duties. Many of the following sug-
gestions will be found useful for other than
Christmas presents and will likewise appeal
to the more selfish instincts OF making
something smart and attractive for one 8
own personal adornment both before and
after the festive season.
Quite the latest and most stunning of the
small fads which have reached this side
from Paris lately is that of the embroidered
or painted suede and kid leather belts. The
fashioning of these Dliable feathers into
swagger girdles to encircle the waist of the
modern Venus, whose hour-glass proper
lions would be scorned by her De Milo
sister, is the smart work of the moment.
These belts are very expensive luxuries to
purchase and are to be found even then
only at the most exclusive shops and ex-
changes, but with little practice one may
IL.
The quality and tone of the leather are
important considerations. the soft pastel
shades making up smarter than black or
the more garish colors.
OIL paints are never used In decorating
the belt, as they have a "tacky," cheap ap-
pearance, but their place Is supplied by the
fresco or zinc colors, which are very cheap
and come put up in glass jars, or any guam
tity may be bought loose. When the leath-
er has been cut the right width and length
stencil patterns are the most satisfactory.
The design is drawn on heavy manila or
stencil paper which has first been rubbed
over with linseed oil to make 1t firm. and
the design is then cut out.
Takes Deft Touch.
This stencil pattern must be securely
placed on the leather with a number of
thumb tacks. Now the work of painting
over the design begins. The brush, to get
the best results, should be used with what
for better term one might call jabby,
rapid motion, and not drawn smoothly and
slowly across the stencil pattern. Differ
ent colored paints vary the design and add
to its beauty. The fresco paints are either
mixed with palette knife or with a pestle
in a mortar, and with diluted gum arabic
until they are about the consistency of wa
ter colors. Dull gold and silver stencil
designs are wonderfully smart and gray
suede belt worked out in silver, with tiny
blotches of mauves or oriental colors,
would be very fetching fastened with an
antique silver clasp or buckle. Many of
these belts are held together with a rosette
Of leather. under which is a large hook and
eye They are lined with silk, securely
stitched at the edges.
Cut-out leather bags, pocket books and
card cases are other charming develop
ments of the leather craze. They are cut
out in broderie anglaise patterns and back
ed with colored or self-toned silks and sa-
ms. Very dainty is a white kid set fooled
nd Cd on a
Louis brocade. Any one of the exquisite
dark tan shades backed with coque de
roche or old rose or with dull green leather
over clear gray silk Is extremely fetch
ing.
Decorating Chiffon.
The art of painting on silk, satin or chif-
fon lends itself to the adornment of the
present style of dress, and many fancy ar
ticles out of the beaten track may be
evolved from painted chiffon. A descrip-
ton of how chiffon may be managed with
very good results may be of use. Artistic
talent sufficient to elaborate design with
courage and boldness is necessary, for in
the case of chiffon there is no rubbing out,
and it is the most difficult of all materials
to handle. To begin with, the chiffon must
be of good quality, firm and fine. AS to
the selection of flowers for the design,
something without too large a petal is the
wiSest choice as the shading is less diff
cult. Wistaria and small banksia roses
make dainty designs when the color scheme
will admit of a background OF CLOUDY,
filmy shadings toning into the color of the
chiffon.
Something is needed on which to stretch
the chiffon, and an ordinary piece OF pic
ture canvas about 2@ by ~ feet Will serve
admirably for this purpose.
The design, after being drawn on piece
of cardboard, is kept close at hand as
guide, for, remember, there Is no going
over or rubbing out. A mahlstick is used
to keen the hand from resting on the fratl
material.
Materials Needed.
Water-color paints, a tube of Chinese
white and a bottle of a medium called
aquarella, which is used instead of water,
are the materials required. In painting 1t
must be kept in mind that Chinese white
should only be used for the parts that are
to stand out. The leaves and flowers in
shade should have less body color and de-
tail The body color fills the interstices of
the material and throws a shadow. In get
ting bright, tender greens bottle OF green
ink is of great benefit but 1T must always
be used with yellows from the paint box,
and Chinese white should be added for the
high lights. A little white of egg may be
used with the Chinese white when the
stems have to be strongly defined. 1t pre-
vents the heavy appearance OF dark shades
thickened alone with Chinese white. An
other hint worth storing up is that when
flowers which are intended to stand out are
in the design the surface should first have
painted all over it medium shade suffi-
GENTLY thickened with the white paint.
Then dry high lights may be added or
shadows put in. 1t is hardly necessary to
caution the artist that the chiffon is never
removed from the frame until perfectly dry.
Every woman loves lace-real lace, espe-
clally-but there are only a few for whom
this expensive luxury is possible.
There is legend that the first lace was
made by girl who preserved beautiful
bit OF seaweed by catching to a piece of
linen with fine thread the dainty parts of
the leaves and stems. Now, we all cannot
go to this length, but there is new French
lace embroidery which carries out this idea
in less poetic but very effective manner
Fine nainsook or French cambria, some net
and mercerized cotton take the place Of
seaweed and linen. The work Is suitable
for the elaborate collars so much worn and
for dainty handkerchief, but on coarser
fabrics, such as linen, it is equally effective
A French Lace.
Trace the design on the material used and
beneath 1t lightly tack Brussels net. Under
the net place piece of heavy cotton CLOTH
Pad the design where it will be most eff
fective with coarse mercerized thread
using much finer number for the actual
embroidery. In padding, the stitches must
always De the reverse of the way the en-
proiuery is TO be worked, and the embroid-
cry itselI IS done in satin stitch, always be-
toll arx..~ Hos