The Washington times., 1906-01-14
Dainty Opera Bags
Are inexpensive

for less than a dollar And
any woman who can make them
| at home and then embroider and
paint them will have artistic ones for a
very small sum OF money 1t takes from
a half to three-quarters Of a yard TO
make bag and the same amount for
lining. or if made of heavy material.
they VIII be sufficiently stiff to look well
without an inner coating OF some sheer
SILK. The tops Of metal in perfectly plain
bands with round clasps or with elabo-
rate decorations may be purchased for
from twenty-five cents up to as many
dollars as woman wishes 10 spend on
either gold or silver and with as many
jewels as are desired. For cheap bag,
however. the palmer the tops the better
for harmony and good taste
As silk bags in Dresden designs are
popular this season for theaters and the
operas. woman who is going 20 make
her own should either buy this kind OF
silk or else get plain white, cream, or
any light colored ribbon and decorate ie
with Dresdenlike embroidered flowers or
/ in water colors of the same pattern. SILK
by the yard is cheaper than the ribbon,
though the latter IS more satisfactory.
and as the smartest bags are being made
of Dresden ribbon IT is most desirable.
This ribbon Is wide enough TO make an
ordinary size bag for il Is from d quar-
ter to three-eighths OF a yard in width,
| Selling at twenty-Ihree cents a yard and
up the entire bag. with a twenty-cent-a-
yard lining of white or figured silk.
would not cost more than forty-five
cents, while a bag that any woman
would be proud to carry could be made
| at home for a dollar.
paqrz arc 81 rIFgE, in, q, .-1,feex- Of eE-ar.as
this season. ObIong round. square. and
fancy shapes are being carried more
this season than ever before. Some
women try 10 buy them in a shape that
! corresponds with the cut of the gown.
while others select them TO harmonic
only with the color. The woman who
makes hers at home has a decided ad-
vantage for she can fashion them out
OF the same material as her gown. and
having plenty of pieces left over can
make them any fancy shape that viii
carry out the lines in her gown. or,
if she likes contrast there is the rib
bon bag. etc. Then, too, she can have
bag Tor each OF the dresses she wears
10 the theater. because they cost her
such small sum and take little time
in making.
The shape Of the bag depends some
what or the metal top that is to be
used. and as gilt or silver ones are ia
demand this year, few women like 10
make those with draw strings or with
silk covered rings. If a round top of
plain gilt metal has been selected the
silk should be cut on q circle and the
ends seWed to the round holes IN the
edge OF the top. Both the lining and
the outer silk should be caught into
these tiny openings at the same time.
not only TO save time and labor but TO
make them more secure.
II the silk is TO be decorated with
flowers or a pastoral love scene it should
be painted on after the material has
been cut and before il is sewed 10 the
top. II embroidery Is TO be worked then
it too should be finished before the bag
is attached.
The style of the embroidery, whether
scroll designs or flowers OF q delicate
color. may be worked in with silk or
ribbon which is much used just now.
4 woman who can paint on silk can
could desire With either kind OF orna-
mentattOn she can carry out the design
In the gown, whether il is a vivid pat
tern or delicate tracery Of vines and
flowers.
The most difficult kind of decoration
Is in painting a scene on a bag that is
appropriate. for the space is so small
that To make the figures distinct and
get IN sufficient background a woman
must be sure OF her ability 10 carry out
the design A scene of a gallant in
court costume handing a bunch Of vi0-
lets 10 q woman IN trailing robes and
high ruff as she steps from her carriage.
evidently on her way TO the theateF is
one pretty subject that, II well executed
viii make 5o-cent bag worth from $40
up. These bags decorated al home have
originality that those bought in shops
lack, and fer that reason are most de-
slrable
The square top bag is entirely new.
When closed il looks like any other, but
when open the TWO hinges in the cen
ter beneath the clasp twist and the top
is square.
These round and square tops come II.
plain metal with scroll designs or with
Jewels. The perfectly plain tops are
much decoration on the SILK. for wide
or much adorned top detracts from the
work on the silk
There are tops OF metal strips. plain
OF with jewels al the ends. that are
sewed to the bag. When these are used
the sides must De finished with a head
ing Of at least an inch. through which
the ribbons that draw the edges to-
EetheT are run. These tops are rarely
plain, round or fat rods though they
may be bought. but most OF them have
floral designs with rose vines, or scroll
patterns GU through the metal so that
the silk sd 'sTs. An imitation emerald
OF ruby AT &llHEE Gfu makes them very
pretty. Another way of finishing these
bags that are usually cut on straight
lines is by filling in a rufde OF chiffon
at the top TO match either the material
or the decorations.
When rings are used the bags are
made in about the same way. though
the ribbon is run through the rings
that are covered with silk instead OF
through beading. Finished this way.
even If the silk is heavy, the bag must
be lined with some kind of material. and
il should not be as sheer as that put IN
the bags used with metal tops, or the
opera glass holder VIII lack body.
Few velvet ones are being carried and
only an occasional one OF satin.
Cut on square lines they are easy to
make and the smartest ones are square
with the ends folded over ana tacked
to the seams Just high enough from the
bottom Tor grace.