The Washington times., 1915-06-29
Christmas Buying-Why
Not NOzU?
BY THE SHOPPER.

saucy yellow centers. Edged with
lace and finished with ribbons, such
a set makes a gift that could not
be duplicated at speciality shops for
less than IS.
Centcrpieces need not always be
embroidered in shaded colors. In
deed, the more conventional designs
are proving much more effective and
harmon!ze better with the simpler
style of home decoration now in
Wallachian embroidery do not take
long to make especially when the
Lazy Daisy stitch Is used for a
heavy. mission table with q brass
lamp having a red and amber shade.
one woman made a centerpiece Of
natural tan linen scalloped in green
and gay with scarlet sumac and
green leaves. The sumac was done
in the Lazy Daisy" stitch. and was
most effective. repeating the exact
color of the ruby glass.
Popular Bath Towels.
Bath towels are becoming nearly
as popular az the smaller guest
towels for Christmas presentation.
They may be stamped in scallops.
with, o. without a scroll of daisies
OF some other flower. Initials may
be worked on the toweling itself.
a crocheted cotton border about an
inch and n half wide with one
last row of pink, blue or some other
color, is as attractive as embroidery
would be, and only little more work
The Swedish weaving stitches are
pretty for guest towels. For this
threads are drawn as for hemstitch-
ing and various designs are worked
in color and white, gathering the
threads up in various patterns. A
~ !, Oh arh 4
sign in pink and white. blue and
white, green and white, lavender
and white and yellow and white
woven at each end. makes a most
acceptable gift for some favored
friend. while one or two may be
given where an elaborate present Is
not desired.
Other Useful Gifts.
Rat-tail braid may be combined
with embroidery in working daisy
designs for towels and separate
belts and washable materials. Cross
stitching is easy and rapid and SIM
PIE scallops and monograms are
not to be despised
Remnants from summer dresses,
too small to be saved, may be
utilized for all sorts of useful gifts.
One pretty work-bag had the lower
balf of green ramie linen, with coin
spots in white stitch and the upper
half Of oyster-white ramie. The bag
was lined with washable silk in the
same cool green and had green rib
bons With the exception of the
lining and ribbons. the materials
were left-overs from summer gown
of the woman who made it. Another
woman made dainty sewing-bag
from some pale blue silk poplin she
had LETT over from an evening dress.
This was gathered on a circle of
card d-board at the bottom and an extra
circle was attached to serve as
needlo-case. The bag was ruffled at
the top and tied with broad blue
ribbons.
Many of the upholstery shops in
the department stores are having
special sales during the midsummer
to close out their stocks of goods be-
fore the fall. Hence, bargains In
cretonnes and chintzes are many.
Laundry sets of cretonne are prac-
teal, yet need not clash with the
other appointments of a bedroom.
The sets comprise a generous hand
kerchlef bag made to hang from an
oval hoop and laundry bag of am
pie size. One such set was made
from cretonne sprinkled with blush
roses. The ruffie at the top of the
laundry bag and about eight inches
of the inner portion of the handker-
chief bag were lined with rose-col-
Ored sateen. Substantial white cords
for hanging completed an outfit that
could be easily washed and came out
from the tub each time looking good
as new.
Cretonne may also be made up into
gardening aprons, as the shops show.
II 1t Is possible to get any balsam
this summer, 1t may be made into
pillows covered with coarse burlap
or cretonne in bold designs, with a
cotton interlining 10 keep the needles
from working through.
or course all these ideas are un-
questions bly, feminine, but women ap-
preciate the value of handiwork much
more than men do. II four or Ave
Christmas presents are made now,
the day itself will be all the mer-
Tier because OF the absence Of the
last-minute worry that may over
shadow even this greatest Of holl-
dayA