Year: 1875

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cheap ones can be made of S%iss
muslin, figured or dotted. and
edged with Auted ruffies. They
look quite rs well after they are
washed and new rnffies are seWed
on. A woman with n spirit OF in
genuity in her right hand can cas-
lily make lambrequins to match
her neutrality-suspicious. for the
same being sold by those who deal
in garment patterns. Nevcrthe-
less, with a neat cornice lainbre-
quins are not necessary. Beauti-
full hanging curtains may also be
made Of soft, wide, inexpensive
wooden material, OF some neuter
self-color, and trimmed with a plain
strip Of the same material, but Of
another color, sewed on near the
edge, or a velvet strip may be used
with good effect. For bedroom
windows make curtains of un-
bleached muslin, trimmed with a
fold Of blue cotton or turkey red,
about four inches wide, run on
about two inches from the edge.
These ought to be made complete
by a fat cornice Of pine, covered
with the muslin and trimmed with
narrow strips of color, and further
by q scant fiounce half yard deep
OF the muslin, also trimmed with
the color and depending like a
lamberqnin from the cornice.-
These curtains are sometimes made
to take on a still more Oriental
effect by being striped at regular
intervals with the red or blue.
Dress stuff of elaborate floral pat
terms in silk or foulard which have
gone out of fashion can often be
bought very cheaply and make ex


quisite draperies-


There is one foolhardy thing
that young housekeepers should
never attempt, and that is the
manufacture Of cheap decorations
and furnishings recommendedsome
times by feminine writers of ques-
tionable taste. A. woman with
clever fingers may make her own
curtains and dressing tables. cover
divans and chairs of simple shape,
and, if she likes, may waste her
time in embroidering screens and
cushions; but it is folly to try any
of the more ambitious decorations,
which only the strength, training,
and experience OF the upholsterer
can arrange in perfection. Nor
should she meddle with pine-cone
picture frames and raveled basket
and nonsensical combinations of
beads and silver wire. All these
things are at best very ugly. If
you have a dollar to spare, Madam,
buy q clever book with it, or keep
it until you can save enough to
give yourself a fine engraving or
beautiful Turkish rug. If you
have leisure, buy one of the com
Portable, inexpensive lounging (hot
extcnsion chairs, made of stats
of oak or walnut, and occupy your
self with cushioning it on back and
seat and arms in any material you
prefer, stuffed thinly with cotton
batting or excelsior. These cush-
ions are not to be tackled on the
char, but made separately and
tied on. One of these easy chairs
cushioned with handsome material,
q large, soft sofa cushion, and a
divan at the pleasantest window,
covered with the same material,
make wonderfully pretty additions
to the ordinary furniture when
they harmonize with i: in color,
Divans may be made of old packing
boxes, a well-stuffed cushion being
fastened on the top, and the ma
terial with which it is covered
brought smoothly, but not too
tightly, around the sides Fringe
makes a tasteful finish for the
low edge of this part of the cover,
but 1t is not necessary TO use it.
Another piece of furniture which
may be made beautiful by q little
labor is an old round table. The
standard should be carefully
cleaned and polished or rvanished-
made, in short, to look like new.
Then stretch smoothly over the
top of piece of reps like the fur
niture, covering, and tack it tightly
around the edges, SO that there
will be not the slightest wrinkle
on the surface. Then tack around
the table covering these new edges
n handsome upholsterer's fringe
of the same color as the reps.
Gilt headed tacks are sometimes
used for fastening the fringe. This
centerable has real beauty
warm and cosy look which none
OF the usual handicapped mon
strosities can have. War should
be waged against these marble
topped tables and cabinets. which
are always suggestive of grave
stones, and which help to give its
cold and dismal air to the average


modern parlor. The most elabOr-
ate OF these is less effective than
an old table covered with q richly
colored cloth, whose tint Of Grim
son or scarlet or blue glows and
brightens under gas or lamplight-
Severe uniformity is rarely beauti-
full, and a sitting room or parlor
furnished only with a complete set
Of any sort of wood and cloth com
bination cannot be inviting. A
room can be charmingly fitted up
with 'odds and ends" so long as
they have some harmony of con
struction. and color. The fewer
stiff, straight-backed chairs one
buys the better. An easy chair
or two, a lounging chair, a luxu-
rious ottoman, are always prefer
able for comfort and beauty alike.
If she can afford it, one Of Joan's
first purchases for her parlor
should be q handsome bookcase
with glass doors-for books large
ly help to make q cheerful room,
and the case which holds them, if
we'll made, is an attractive piece
OF furniture. If she cannot buy
one of so expensive a kind, she
can order from the nearest cabinet
maker case of excellent plain