The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-27
ono HiS APPRENnCE
Craftsmen for Most Part Still Come
From Foreign Lands-Manv Ply Arts
Handed Down From Father to Son
Through Many Generations

Is woven in Belgium, and Belgium is
not now in a position to supply this.
Many women have come up from the
rural districts there, entered munitions
and other factories, and do not intend
to go back to the tcids or their en-
broideries, and so the condition of this
market is very different from five or
six years ago. One large firm In New
York has said that when the present
supply they have on hand runs out
they may have to close up shop. How
ever, with the italian needlework art
lists beginning to produce in this coun-
try such catastrophe may be averted.
Many Poles and Hungarians in this
country are experts in very fine glass
blowing. Some had been employed in
such factories in Germany before COM
ing here. A couple of young men in
New York saw what the demand for
this work meant, investigated the mat
ter, got hold OF glass blowers Of this
special sort and set up shop to supply
Christmas tree ornaments.
How the Work Is Done.
There is more to blowing these
fragile ornaments than one thinks.
The glass comes in tubes from six
tn eight feet in length and about an
inch in diameter. The blowers sit at
a bench placed some Ave feet apart
In front of each man Is a gas blow
lamp. The RODS of glass are broken
i'll two foot lengths and the workers
melt it over the flame. When the
hight temperature is obtained they
pull the glass apart In the middle.
proceed to blow, manipulating the
glass tube so that ball is formed on
tho end Of 1t. These are set in racks
to dry, then filled with a solution to
coat the inside. This is poured out
and then they are dipped into steam
ing watts Of dye, set to dry and when
dry passed on to an expert. who nips
Off the ends of the tubes, grinds them
down and adjusts the metal caps by
which you hang them on the tree.
Some months ago the workers OF the
LenoX Hill Settlement House were
faced with serious problem among
their nelghborhood women. Rent and
living expenses having gone up many
Bohemian and Czecho- Slovak women
found 1t absolutely necessary to work.
Heretofore they had been able to stay
at home with their. children and keep
house, for the majority OF their men
folks worked in the cigar flctorles
and made good money.
A meeting was called and Miss Man
ming. head worker of the Settlement,
asked:
What can you do best?"
Make lace. Make needleworl<."
came the reply. One woman then ex-
planned that this was the work they all
knew best They were asked TO bring
samples to the Settlement, They did.
and the result is that now forty OF
these women, who were on the verge
OF having to go into factories, are pro-
ducing beautiful embrolderies for prl-
vate customers and exclusive shops.
Miss Carroll who is in charge. said:
"In their home countries this is the
thing that girls are brought up 20 do.
When through with a day on the farm.
or when the weather does not permit
field labor and in winter, they turn to
embroidery. Agents so through the
country, collect the work, paying the
girls as small an amount as they pos
sibly can, and sell II to importers. II
is then brought here and high price
paid.
ut is all q very pretty picture to
think of the peasant girl in her native
country sitting under Il tree or in some
quaint interior and plying her needle.
BI> eretts as the picture is. the ugly