The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-14
nv ELEANOR mo,r BR,INERp.


-OR ono woman who wants adj
- vice about buying an imported
frock or having one copied 10y
an expensive dressmaker there
are ten thousand who are interested
in the making of simple cotton and
linen frucks. Requests for illustra-
tons Of such frocls are legion. and so
to-day three sketches are given that
show mudishncss in cotton reduced
to tho simplest terms.
But first q little about materials.
TUE SuN has ALREADY had good deal
to say about both domestic and i'm
portcd Cottons and linens; but each
week brings out new and pretty
things and the showing of tho inn
ported stuffs is no; yet complete uw-
ing to the necessary delays CntailCd
by war conditions abroad Hodicr,
upon whom reliance is placed for the
ma jority Of the highest class cotton
novelties that France sends us. has
done wonders against great odds.
Disorganized labor conditions, lack of
the German aniline dyes usually en-
ployed, destruction of the looms, none
of these hurdles baked Itodier.
French dyes were experimental with
successfully. work folk were re-
cruited, new looms were bought and
work went on. less smoothly and ON
q smaller scale than usual but sue
cessfully as over i'm matters OF quail
ity. originality and design.
Never has the firm turned out
Iovcler things than it has in the
mi,lst Of this storm and stress and one
feels inclined to take off ones hat to
the executive genius. whoever he may
be, really responsible for the way in
which the firm has met difficulties
that might easily have been found
overwhelming. OF course much Of
the cotton stuff now being shown for
spring and summer was off the looms
long before the war storm broke, but
much has been made since, is still BE-
ing made.
These imported COttOus are high
priced as compared with the domestic
goods. and for all ordinary tub frock
purposes il is perfectly possible to
find satisfactory things among the
American made materials. but prob
ably even the American manufacturers
themselves would he the first To- admit
that with the highest class of Boiler
cottons We cannot yet compete. This
year has seen n wonderful leap for
ward toward sHCh rivalry. Possibly
the impetus gained now will carry US
10 the goal later.
The imported Cottons of the highest
nuality are chiefly in fine vOiles and
rrepes. and the variety achieved is
amazing. Openwork effects are skill
fully introduced in myriad ways. eX-
finest of Crepes are woven with self
color designs that look like cobwebby
needlework tracery in gossamer
thread on ths surface.
=, Curious designs, some Of these.
quaint Chinese landscapes and figures,
queer little sketchy jungle pictures
IF palms and proving tigers and
trumpeting elephants and tall grasses.
Sounds dreadful, doesn't it? Well, It
isn't Dreadful. Remember that this
Ia all y one tone and the little figures
are settched in the finest possible
thread outline. one can hardly make
out more than a vague brOche de-
sign at distance, but close eXamina-
ton shows the design. Similar weaves
in less amusing designs have con-
ventionalizcd tree and flower and fruit
sprigs.
There are beautiful yellows and old
ivory tones. soft porcelain blues. grays.
cool gray greens. orchid shadings, rose
hues in these cottons, and there are
beautiful color combinations too. no.
'tably some effective buff yellows with
designs in delft blue.
The sheerest and softest OF delicate
pink or yellow or orchid crepes has
a border OF fine white traccry design.
with scallop edge, and this scallop and
tracery appears twice through the
wide material. running lenEthwisc. so
that one may obtain the appearance