THE JUBILEE EXHIBITION.

« THE HOME INDUSTRIES SECTION. THE EXHIBITS. NEEDLEWORK. From a woman's point of view, the most fascinating part of the Exhibition is undoubtedly the Court of Needlework, which occupies the left side of the section devoted to Home Industries. Here hours could be profitably spent in examining the many specimens of i-eally good needlework of every possible kind. Every part of the colony has contributed to this fine collection, which certainly would do credit to the women of an older country. Quality as well as quantity are alike noticeable ; indeed, as far as regards the latter, ib is evident that so large a number of exhibits shad not been expected, consequently they are a trifle crowded. Now that the electric lighting has been so greatly improved, however, the exhibits in this court can be seen to much greater advantage than has been the case until a day or two ago. PLAIN NEEDLEWORK. On entering the court, the plain sewing first arrests, attention. This comprises' ladies' and children's under-garments in calico or cambric, and the beautiful hand-work will at once be noticed here, tucks so fine and numerous that a lady cliaracterised it as " cruel work." The babies' robes, pinafores and children's slips include much of this fine work. One garment is trimmed with point lace edging and insertion made on purpose for the Exhibition, and a baby's robe has the front made of rosettes ci lace with a pearl in the centre of each. Passing on, * splendid 1 exhibition of needlework from the Christchurch Normal School meets the eye. It consists of samplers, that is, pieces of linen about six inches square, on which are worked specimens of button-holes, darning, patching, carpet and damask darning, stitching, gathering, knitting and herring-boning. When it is considered that only a few of these kinds of sewing can be introduced into the making of a single garment, which usually occupies ai girl the whole of a school year, the vast advantages to be gained from the sampler system will be at once understood, and it is to be hoped that it will be 'adopted by all sewing mistresses in the Fifth and Sixth Standards, at least. KNITTING AND SMOCKING. Some fascinating examples of smocking are to be seen close by, under glass. These are mostly children's dresses, and a very noticeable example is one of grass lawn smocked with shaded gold-coloured silk. Others of silk and brown bolland are pretty also. Among the knitted shawls, babies' caps and bootees, one might have expected a larger number of entries, but those shown are good examples of this fleecy work. The knitted stockings come next, and prove that the machine has not entirely displaced the knitting-needle as yet. Hanging, well-displayed, along the whole length of the Court, are a large number of knitted quilts, some of them being very large and handsome in design. Among them is. one worked by Mrs Redpath^ an old lady of eighty-two years of age, and made by. her expressly for the Jubilee Exhibition. SOFA CUSHIONS. These cosy details of a comfortable lounge or .armchair appear in a great variety of design, from the plain frilled silk one to the latest thing in rich silk stitchery kown as Mercina work. In velvet or silk patchwork, canvas work and silk embroidery they occupy glass cases on both sides of the court. Among the very choice ones are those of point lace displayed to immense advantage over coloured silk. A large cushion in rich handkerchief embroidery, with coloured silks, occupies a prominent position here also. LACE. 'It is the lace which is the chief feature of the fancy needlework, however. Every woman' who has essayed her skill at making point lace will find plenty of beautiful examples for study here. A well displayed specimen by. Mrs Frost merits admiration. It consists of two collars in Honiton lace, one of them being patterned in the rose, shamrock, and thistle, the other being simply roses and their foliage. With these is a miniature pillow, with a pattern, started and the bobbins ready for making Honiton lace. Mrs Hill senda some beautiful specimens *rom Napier, chief among these being a handsome fan in black lace. Collars in Honiton and point lace, doyleys, table centres and handkerchiefs of this beautiful needlework may be seen also, some of them as filmy as spider's web delicately patterned with a design which looks more like the frostwork tracery on window panes .than the work of human fingers. Two long flounces of rich Irish point merit special attention, as well as a large fan of Honiton lace, with ivory 'sticks, nor must the silk lace in colours be forgotten, as it is an example of a new kind of lace which is just beginning to be taken up by Continental lace-makers. DRAWN-THREAD AND MOUNT MKLLICK WORK. Scarcely less handsome is the drawnthread work that has divided favour with Mount Mellick work during the last decade or so. A good deal of originality is shown in the numerous examples of this effective work, which is eminently suitable for linen bed spreads, tray-cloths, pillow shams, sachets and similar articles, and, at the same time may be appropriately combined with Mount Mellick embroidery. This, consisting, as it does of raised embroidery in white cotton, is well represented in. the Home Industries Court. A set of pillow cases, with a large design of brier-roses and berries in thick satin stitch, represents a typical specimen, but a large bed quilt, entirely covered with heavy white stitchery, is an equally fino piece of work. TheTO are not many examples of darned net, but one pretty set of sachets in this work laid, over yellow satin may be seen in thei glass case near the drawnthread work. PATCH-WORK, RUGS, AND OTHER ARTICLES. The visitor wonders at the patience and industry that must have been required to piece together the large patchwork quilts displayed along the wall. One, not far from the door, must include thousands of tiny pieces of silk, while another, of velvet and brocade in diamond-shaped pieces, has each lozenge lined with wadding. Another is of pieces of plush in different colours, each ,of which is in strips about three inches long, and these surround a crown of yellow velvet, outlined with silk .cord. Many of the quilts are of simpler make and texture, among these being one of white, laid over a Paisley cotton, the work of Mrs Redpath, who has already been mentioned. An interesting exhibit consists of the mats and hearthrugs, in which excellent effcct3 have been obtained with such simple materials us cuttings of cloth or dress materials. These small pieces ere drawn through canvas with a. hooked needle, and are then trimmed to an even surface on the right side. Most of the rugs shown axe worked in a distinct pattern, and are very good imitations of a heavy piled carpet. So'vie very been Li:';; I cc:.bs.v..'t-c-il vestments, lent by tho Ciiristcisurch Convent, occupy tho glass case on ilic right-hand sicle of tho Court. Several of theso are over ,10Q yga T .s.pidi yet; are j& /perfec.t pxesery.a^

tion, and comprise some really exquisite needlework. Prom Sfc Mary's Guild, Timaru, comes a handsome linen bedspread, with a. broad border of drawn-thread' work and Mount Mellick emibroidery, with lace butterflies inserted in the corners. The pillow-slips that go with it are similarly embroidered. The Sydenham branch . of the Girls' Friendly Society shows a particularly good, though small, collection of children's smocked frocks, plain needlework, Berlin andl canvas cross-stich, as well as a doll's cloak and a modish little macintosh. , The Samaritan Home exhibit cannot fail to attract attention by reason, of the handsome wool rug in rich tones of crimson and pale green. Here, too, is an excellent specimen of plain book-binding and a serviceable door-mat of cocoanut fibre, some crochet lace, and a rug mat, all made by the inmates of the Home. . Among the pieces of framed needlework on the walls may be noted a wool picture representing the heads of thr«e horses finely and very naturally worked in appropriate colours, as are seme carrots and turnips andi the pigeon standing near. Another canvas, representing the s.s. Riimitaka, has been, very realistically worked in Berlin wools by a boy thirteen and a half years of age, recently a pupil in one of the Auckland public schools. Not far off is a girl's original dress in white and gold, designed byi'a, young girl, and made convertible for winter, summer, day or evening wear by simply changing the under-bodice. DOLLS. A group of dolls representing the wedding party of a "gentleman in kharkr" occupies a prominent place in a glass case, and the bride, in her white tucked satin dress, trimmed with Brussels applique lace and satin ribbon, a tulle veil and bouquet of orange blossom, is dressed with great care and attention to detail. So, too, are the two bridesmaids in their pretty dresses of white brocaded silk, trimmed witn lace and pink ribbon, and with tie fashionable black "velvet hats trimmed with white and black feathers. The two flower-girls in pink glace accordion-pleated dresses are, perhaps, the prettiest of the group, with their little bonnets of pink drawn chiffon and bebe ribbon. The Rough Rider wears a uniform of kharki/ with brass buttons. The bride in a smaller wedding group wears a white satin dress, trimmed with pearls. A dainty little lady representing Buttercups, in t>alo yellcnv satin bodice, and white silk skirt trimmed with buttercups, is another pretty doll. The baby dolls show that a good deal of care has been spent in their dressing, and among these is a specially interesting one with) a cap, shawl, and dress knitted by an old lady of eighty-one years. A Red! Cross nurse and a hospital nurse remind the visitor of recent history, and a shepherdess in Watteau costume strikes one as being very well dressed also.