NEW IDEAS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 276, 20 November 1926, Page 26

NEW IDEAS.

HOME-MADE GIFTS. The gift season is fast approaching, and many women are wondering what they can make or buy in the form of little gifts that will pleaae their friends. It is also the bazaar season, and many of us are called on to help to stock stalls. One of the newest ideas, and also a '• very attractive one, takes the form of dusters. These may not seem very exj citing, but there are dusters and dusters, ' and the gift variety are charming and most attractive. They make a specially delightful gift to the girl who looks after her own room herself, and likes jto keep her tools handy. I They are feather dusters really, but I are "dressed up" in such a frivolous fashion that it is quite hard to realise how useful they are. You must choose enough feathers to make a thick whisk about eight inches long, bound round tightly at. its lower edge so that at the top the feathers spray out into a fan shape. The whisk is then fastened on to a twelve-inch wooden handle, which femes some way up the centre of the feathers, so that they may be joined to it firmly. Wire or very firm string are most suitable for this purpose. There you have the useful part of the duster, and now you come to the trimming up. i

You will need some stiff silk material or corded ribbon, and some of this can be used to cover the handle, and the rest can be made into a sheath for the feathers. The piece of material should be about four inches wide, at the top it should be left plain, but at its lower edge it is gathered in closely and fastened to the top of the handle. In this way the lower part of the whisk is protected by a fan-shape sheath, which only leaves about three inches of the feathers uncovered at the top. The edges of this sheath may be finished with a narrow flower trimming, and at the end of the handle a loop of ribbon for hanging purposes should be shown. Shoe trees always make a useful present. Instead of covering them all with silk ribbon, bind some with raffia but-ton-holing. The ends, of course, should be painted with goH paint.