FABRICS & FASHIONS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 38, 8 November 1933, Page 5

FABRICS & FASHIONS

Shopping Suggestions

(By

“Jane.”)

This is the month during which we women, one aud all, awake to the fact of the inevitable passage of time, and realise that Christmas is once more almost upon us. There is still time for hand-serving, however, and I found this morning, on a wander through the shops, the most charming things of linen and crash ready stamped for embroidering. For anyone with time to spare for needlework, there are tray cloths and cushion covers with, designs simple enough to begin and finish in time to send overseas by the Christmas mail. Throw-overs, too, in organdie of the palest pastel tints, which would give a misty allure to any tea table. Their corners are appliqued in patterns ready for outlining in a heavy thread, and they are ready hem-stitched. I saw one with yellow poppies on an eau-de-nil ground, and another had an oranges-and-leaves design on pale lemon. Easily-posted Gifts. • AH these band-embroidered things are as easily posted as Christmas cards, and have the virtue of a personal touch that adds an untold value to the least of them. Among the tray cloths, lunch sets and so on, I found the most engaging “fireside gloves” of felt. They are mittenshaped, with amusing patterns appliqued on the back, and for using when fire-irons must be handled, or the hearth brushed up, at odd intervals during an afternoon or evening at home, they seem to meet the ease in the happiest way. People spending Christmas in the cold north countries would find one a pleasant surprise if it dropped out of a parcel bearing a New Zealand stamp. Before the Holidays. This is the moment for a brushingup of the house, so that when the Christmas visitors come all will be in order, and the mind of the housewife ■clear of any worries connected with the appearance of her dwelling. There are the most delightful cretonnes to be had, at a very low price, that would brighten up a porch-room, or give an entirely new look to a‘‘ kitchen in which the family congregates for breakfast. I saw some in the most attractive conventional designs, and good definite colour schemes that simply called aloud to be used. Orange, bright blue, green, yellow and black, all seemed to be collected against fawn or brown back-grounds, in squares and cubes and all the geometrical types of design in which we have grown interested, and which look so well in furnishings. I saw shadow tissues for summer coverings of sitting-room furniture, too, in cool, soft colours, and plain art silk rayon-taffetas in the loveliest shades that would work in with them for ■cushions and curtains. Fabries for bedspreads and bedroom curtains are in great variety. They include some most interesting hand-woven Indian cotton material, in stripes, which is dyed by the Hindu makers, is fadeless, and has something of the appearance of the striped raw silk scarves that come from the same source. For curtains and coverings in a living-room they would be charming, and, although they are said to wear well, they are not expensive. Fouudatiou Garments. The importance of the. proper foun-dation-garment is a subject that cannot be taken too seriously by the woman of to-day whose outer clothing must fit snugly, and without a wrinkle or a bulge anywhere to spoil the “princess” effect. There are many good makes of corset and corselet on the market nowadays, but the well-dressed woman relies on the advice of the expert before buying even the everyday “in-the-morning” pair. There is no doubt that corsetting has become a cult, and every daughter of Eve realises this, and spends time, and as much money as she finds necessary, on providing herself, under the direction of a professional fitter, with the garment she finds meets her particular requirements. Proper fitting is a modern necessity.