Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-18
Decorations for a Tree
Some Important After Christmas Suggestions, in
Addition to Those for Holiday Preparations, Are
Offered for the Busy American Householder.

! for some one else fully as much as
they did being surprised themselves.
and it will teach them the joy and
| grace of giving and will make the
| Christmas spirit no longer an empty
| phrase to them.
Between Christmas and New Year is
one of the jolliest times in the whole
year in which to entertain ones
| friends. for the Christmas tree lends
a gay spirit and also makes a suitable
decoration for any festivity, whether
1t be a luncheon, dinner, dance OF an
informal afternoon or evening party.
For the bride-to-be, Christmas
party is the very thing, for the tree
is an ideal place to hang the shower.
whether it be handkerchiefs or tim
ware.
Dolls.
There is a pretty legend to the Of
feet that dolls We're first recognized
in the branches Of the trees of the
Garden of Eden. The earliest anthem
tic records, however, seem to date
back to the days of the Romans,
when they made quaint, sphinx
like, jointed dolls from ivory. pat
terms which modern doll makers have
since copied. That the Roman chill
dren had their dolls, which they
offered up to Venus when they grew
older, was vouched for on one occasion
by the historian Macaulay. There is
ample evidence that the use of dolls
as an assistant TO the operations of
the young mind dates from the most
remote times.
Among the native tribes of Africa
il was the custom of n married woman
TO carry doll with her until she had
a child, when the doll was discarded.
Kings used TO play with dolls, and
talking and walking dolls, which,
even today, are regarded as novelties,
date back Il century. At Il French eN-
hibition held in 1928 dolls which could
say papa and mamma" were exhibit
ed, and three years later dolls which
could walk were shown in the shops.
1t was about the same time that dolls
added to their many accomplishments
the power to open and close their
eyes.
one mother is making for her little
girl a Wonderfully lfe-like black cat
out of the leg of an old black silk
stocking which shows what can be
done with inexpensive materials. She
first cut off the foot of the stocking,
which was much worn, while the leg
was perfectly good. Using the narrow
ankle portion for the head of the cat,
she followed out a space. leaving two
sharp points for the ears. She sewed
it and then stuffed it with which cot
ton. \ very stiff piece of cardboard
formed the bottom, the stocking be-
ing drawn smoothly over 1t and Sc
curely sewed at the back. A followed
out semicircle two inches in diameter,
of stiff cardboard was then slipped in
to start the tail and the long end of
the stocking seWed to it in folds with
h Thrp.;I
ing was twisted tightly and sewed
around and around. while the hem was
cut off so that kitty would have n
tail rtistically tapering. A bright red
ribbon marked the neck, two small
underwaiSt buttons Sewed on with
black thread were used for eyes, the
nose and whiskers were embroidered
with white mercerized darning cotton,
and the mouth with red.
Bedroom Sandals.
Attractive and useful sandals for
bedroom wear can easily be made by
any one who knows how to do plain
crochetinE. The materials needed are:
one ball of number 3 mercerized GRO
chet cotton, one pair of Satin-lined
SoleS. three eiChths of a yard of mum
Der Is satin ribbon, four brass rings,
and one amber crochet hook number l.
The crochet cotton and the soles can
be obtained in any color. The soles
should he one or two sizes larger than
the shoe usually worn. With the cot
ton make a chain of seven stitches.
First row: Draw the thread through
the first stitch from the hook, chain
one, and leave the loop on the hook.
Repeat this in each stitch of the chain.
which will make seven loops on the
hook
Second row: Work back to the be-
ginning by drawing the thread through
two loops at time.
Repeat these two rows until the
strip is about 8 inches long. The ex-
act length depends upon the size OF
the foot. Sew one end of the strip to
one side of the sole where it begins
to curve out for the heel, and the
other end to the opposite side of the
sole near the toe. Sew the second
strip on the sole exactly opposite the
first one, so that they will cross over
the top of the foot.
Cover two rings with single crochet
Of the mercerized cotton and join them
together so that they will tie evenly.
Draw an end of the ribbon through
one ring and over the point where the
two rings join, and down through the
other ring, to form buckle and
knot of ribbon. To keep the fastening
in place, sew 1t to the sandal where
the strips cross.