Evening star., 1915-02-19
BUTTONS AND BRAIDS
FOR SPRING WEAR

| Brass buttons continue to be used on
| military effects in waists call for the
use of an unusual amount of small
buttons, covering a wide assortment,
including brass and nickel. Color con-
| trasts will be much employed. such as
old gold. sand color, covert color, mill
! tary blue and jet.
Black and white effects are as popu-
lar as ever Among the novelties are
/ mushroom shaped buttons in blues.
! green's. browns. grays, etc, to match
! garment materials. Smart mottled ef-
! fects in pyroXylin and crystal are seen.
| as ven as raised. embossed and highly
| colored buttons. There are also plaids
and stripes in black and white.
Buttons, arrowheads, loops. orna-
| ments. saddles. straps and epaulette
novelties decorated with a touch of
gold are much in evidence. Some are
| embroidered in quaint Japanese and
Turkish designs. Hussar sets in braid.
i'll all black and in black and gold,
and olive-shaped military buttons with
loops outlined by thread of gold are
| among the other effects that are in
tended for the decoration of the shoul-
dcrs. pockets. backs and fronts of mill
! tary suits.
Soft hercules braids show delicate
| outlinings of gold. scarlet pipngs and
picot edges. Ra tine braids with deli
cately colored edges, both in cotton
and in silk. are used to trim wash
dresses. Soutache braids and metal
cords are again used for making en-
broidered designs on tailor made suits
and street dresses.
One Of the greatest stumbling blocks
to the unskilled braider seems to be
the difficulties encountered in laying
out and transferring the design to the
material. The least troublesome method
is, of course, to have the pattern
stamped, but as stamping establish
to nlr h.p,
marking can be done at home. First.
a paper design should be pinned on
carefully and It's outline marked on
the material with chalk or pencil In
continuing the tracing part of the
paper pattern should be laid over the
last corresponding part already traced.
thus forming an unbroken line. The
braid is then sewed on with running
stitches close to each edge, with the
center of the braid placed directly
over the tracing
In looking carefully over a series of
designs for braiding one soon recog
nizes the distinctive features which
mark the successful pattern. Perhaps
the most necessary point to observe is
that of having pattern which will
carry, that is, one in which the braid
may be sewed on in one continuous
line, without any, or, at least, but few,
breaks. Nothing is SO annoying to even
a skilled worker as to be obliged to
cut the braid at frequent intervals. for,
in order to make neat finish, 1t is
terial and put the end through to the
| wrong side, fastening it there with
needle and thread.
When much braiding is to be done it
expedites matters considerably if SOU
tache is put on by machine rather than
by hand. Use very fine silk and a loose
tension. and lay piece of heavy. but
not too stiff. paper under the material
and stitch through this. Pull the pa
per away when the braiding is entirely
fastening securely with needle and
thread any of the short curves or cor
ners which may have been skipped by
| the machine stitching. If the braid is
to be put on upright, that is, sewed
on on one edge, the work must neces-
hemming or slip stitches through the
edge of the braid and into the ma
terial.
wraps are trimmed with buttons of
self-material, ornamented with simple
or elaborate designs in braid of the
same shade. Narrow soutache braid is
the most satisfactory for the braiding
buttons. 1t is fine, pliable and incon-
spicuous. giving Just enough character
to the button to be decidedly modish
and attractive.
The wooden button molds most in
use measure one-half. threefourths
ameter. although there are various
between sizes and some even larger
To proceed, cut a circular piece Of the
material to be used. large enough to
tightly cover the wooden button mold.
1t will be found much easier to first
sew the braid design on to the circular
piece of material. Then cover the but
ton mold