New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-03-24
The Vogue of Handmade
Things Has Brought Fort.
unes to Some Women.
BY Mary Marshall.
CHAPTER XVIII.


In these days when machines have been
invented to make everything from a table
cloth to a carved tea table there is great
demand for handmade things In tact' the
vogue for hand work was never greater
than at the present season. Hand-hlaue
nottery. handmade jewelry handmade
ha skets. hand. made leather goods ana manu-
woven fabrics are all In high favor. They
carry with them. just because they are Tree
from the faint Of the machine, a peculiar
merit that persons who have money TO-
spend are willing to pay for. 1t IS RAD
q craze, perhaps, this popularity OF manu-
wrought things, but whatever it is II mas
opened up a new and delightful profession
for women.
tn he sure. women have always maze
things with their hands. There Is nothing
reU or necessarily delightful about that
but the new body Of handlcraft workers-a
large majorlty Of whom are women-are
reopIe who cannot only make things, weave
h,gxets bind books make jewelry, win
tbeir hands. but they arc people VINO can
snbodv I'm the things they make a certain
mote 81 artistic excellence not usually founu
IN the machine-made articles OF commerce
/
craft. In fact, anything made by manu-
comes under the head OF TINS term ou' !"
General tho term is used to include various
sorts Of woodcarving and consuuct,o"
metal work and jewelry making, leather
work, bookbinding, pottery making pasNet
work, beadwork and artistic heeu'e"o'N
and weaving. .o.
! Il would be hard TO md Vocatioh tho'
! offers more delightful occupation thah 'NS.
, When you talk with women VINO nav
IIsken I'D one OF the handicratts eltneI d.
| , vocation or as an avocation, you can
holm hut he struck with the Joy they get
out of their work. But there is always
! Mace where the shoe pinches, and IN inns
vocation the pinch seems to come IN man
ing II 20 financially This isn't oecauSe
there isn't the possibility Of making goou
nroits n handicrafts. The fact that many
| r,or,en have made and still are making 900"
ircon,os from handicraft work OF various
yo,ts e proof of this. II you have priced
apv If the articles on sale i'm the hand'-
craft .ilesrooms you no doubt know Tor
voursolr that The prices demanded TOT
handlcraft products arc big enough 10 pay
an ample profit TO the maker
There Is lot OF money to be maze III
! handicrat work said tho young woman
who has charge Of the salesroom OF a larse
! handfcraft cluo in one Of the big cIt!eS'
/ But II takes more than artistic aolhty 10
Irnake.it It takes something that, for some
reason. many people who have artisuc ana
/ constructive ability lack that Is, business
esrsc Handicrart work usually involves a
| Considerable outlay I'm materials and i'm
moments. and the woman who expects 10
make a good living at 1t should be goou
business woman She should kno" no" 70
hwy and what sort of things people VINO
have money to spend want TO buy ""e
SHOULD keep track OF the changing fads ana
seasons There are. however, many would
h. bardycrafts women who never learn that
mere artistic ability won't eventually BRING
them satisfactory monetary rewards.
The parent who thinks Of fitting his
daughter for work In handicrat neeo not
concern himself about the first instruction
in tire profession. The girl who is cut out
for one Of the handicrafts will begin 10
make things when she is first able 70 tod-
do Il will be as natural for her 20 use
her hands TO construct toys out or paper
,uIrs string and cardboard as it is for
duck to take 20 water. In klhdergarteh' III
school. in play. she will show decided
liking for construction II she is the type
who will later make good hand'crah
worker.
As 10 the immediate training for the
handicrafts woman, the training tnat l.
IN send her off on the way Of her future
career. there are the usual three modes OF
getting 1.-THE special school seIt-teach-
ing and practical work
There ars many schools where sood
band,crart training is given. For instance
the Pratt Institute Of Brooklyn, New YORK
and the various schools Of applied design
IN the large cities offer courses not only
in the artistic principles that underhe all
bandicraft work but in the practical work
of wood working, metal and iewelry con-
structIon, leather work. bookbinding, pot
terry. basketry. etc. The Young Women
Christian Association. too is justly proud
OF it's course I'm applied art and handicrats'
offered i'm many OF It's branches.
Besides these large schools there are
various special schools and studios where
any one OF the handcraft branches may