Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-18
Lenten dlework

T ENIT is the season Of the sewing circle.
partly because the gaycties of the
- winter have waned sufficiently to
make Il possible for the busiest of women to
give little time to sewing and partly be
cause tradition has made II 50. Il was at one
time considered the proper thing for Len
ten sewing classes TO devote their time TO
embroidering altar cloths and vestments for
favorIte pastors. to making clothes for the
poor or 10 sewing on dolls clothes for
children's hospitals and orphan homes.
But that idea has changed to some extent.
Perhaps all the favorite pastors have been
sufficiently supplied with ves.ments. The
poor. ii has come to be understood, may
not be given clothes without danger OF
pauperization and the doll has largely gone
out as a necessary feature OF child train
ing. For these reasons, perhaps, or maybe
because all fashions change with the years,
it has come to be quite correct to devote
ones Icnten needlework to the ornamental
ton Of ones own garments or household
furnishings or to the making OF elaborate
articles Of nccdtework for gifts for brides,
layettes. etc.
It IS coming 10 be almost as much the.
fashion for young women to do fine needle
work. embroidery and fine sewing and 70
De NeTSeQ IN the manipulation OF ustlCAtS
linen and lace as Il was in the time of our
Observation-Disclosures. The modern young
EomGU does none OF the atrociouS fancy
work for which her mamma has been, and
is even today SO justly Infamous She de-
votes her time to the most skilifu embro!d-
cry, hemstitching lace trimming of fine
linen, which may he put 10 the most prac-
teal uses, both in her own wardrobe and
or the house and for gifts TO friends Inc
passion FOR hand embroidery and Stitchery
Of all kinds which now rules the feminine
world and IS TO be seen equally in per-
sonaI and household equipment makes this
fad OF The hour Tor fine needlework most
practical one. since the making of these
articles by the women OF the family de-
creases the cost OF their wardrobe and
household furnishings many hundreds and
even thousands Of dollars In the course OF
"a year. Since no woman IS really content
nowadays without some handmade things
In her wardrobe, the value OF the ability
10 do this hand work is evident.
Some of the delicate embroidered
things which are particularly occupying the
attention Of the sewing classes this Lent
are the sets of undersleeves and double
collars which are just beg inning TO come
from Paris and which will undoubtedly be
a very important feature of the spring and
summer wardrobe These sets are made OF
the very finest linen and exquisitely en-
broidered In the French style and after old
fashioned designs. The undersieeves are
quite close fitting. rounded to the arm.
narrowing deiicaJely down toward the wrist
and then widening slightly There are no
hands about the wrist and fullness In
the undorsleeves. which are meant 10 be
Just a nice. easy nt for the lower arm. Al
inost all of them. besides the embroidery.
are edged with narrow Valeneiennes
The collars which so with them are in a
variety of shapes. bGt all plain without
fullness and almost all double. the upper
collar being considerably more shallow than