LADIES' COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 8986, 25 February 1888, Page 4 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

JOTTINGS ON FASHIONABLE FANCY WORK.

Fancy workers need never be idle at the present day, for embroidery of every description is in vogue, and fair fingers can be kept constantly employed. The braiding and embroidering of winter will occupy many of industrious habits, as ornamentation or this description promises to be very popular. Embroidery is by no means conlined to dress, for the elaborate handiwork now expended upon house linen is something wonderful. Embroidering sheets is a very fashionable employment for ladies who are fond of plying their needle, and some of the designs which are worked are as intricate as they are beautiful. The top edge of the sheet which folds back over the bed is the portion on which so much labour is expended. It is embroidered in satin stich to the depth of about a foot or 14 inches, white linen thread being employed for the execution of the design. Colour is sometimes used with good effect, but as a rule the plain white is preferred. The design should be a bold one, and the embroidery thick and handsome. It is of course a great set off to a bed to have the upper sheet adorned in this manner, and if the work is tedious, it has the merit of wearing and washing well, and is in every way superior to the fashion of sham sheets which was lately in vogue. Quilts are also the object of much decorative needlework, and are consequently intended principally for day wear and not for use at night. One of the newest quilts (or " day spreads," as they are called in America) of this description is made of a large square of some light material of a dark colour, as, for instance, Turkey twill or fine crimson cashmere, taking care to choose a shade which will harmonise with the general tono of the room. As these ornamental quilts are intended to be spread on top of the ordinary white ones, they are not made the full size. Joins in the material cannot be avoided, but if carefully done they will never show. When the square is made the desired size, a piece of Turkish towelling (white or brown) should be tacked on perfectly flat, and a border and four, corner designs traced on it. The design is then followed out in very coarse knitting cotton, either white or coloured, whichever may be preferred. The cotton must, however, be sewn on with flourishing thread, after the manner of cord. When the pattern has been followed out in this manner and firmly fastened down, the towelling is to be cut out inside the design with a pair of sharp scissors. The worker may add all sorts of finishing touches which her ingenuity can devise, in the way of tendrils, leaves,etc. Brown towelling is very effective made up with Turkey twill, and has the advantage of not being easily soiled, and if finished off with a cotton tassel fringe, combining the two colours, is really very uncommon and pretty. Bed curtains, and even toilet covers, are often made to correspond, for the day has gone by when bedrooms were draped in spotless white. The greatest novelty in the way of fancy work which has made its appearance in England of late is raised embroidery. It is, of course, most effective, but requires the neatest of fingers and a great deal of patience. Plush is generally the groundwork for this work, and cushions and screens are especially suited for showing up such work. Figures are the most general design carried out in this manner, and the Watteau style is the favourite. The figures are traced on the foundation and then covered with cotton wool. This is a process which requires more than ordinary care, as the lack of neatness means signal failure. The piece of wool which forms the face must be quite distinct from that which composes the body, otherwise the contour of the figure will be spoiled. Then the next thing to be done is to carefully cover this outline with satin to correspond with the different parts of the dress, skirts being put on in pleats. The faces are formed of pink sticking-plaister with the features drawn in ink. The hair may be imitated most naturally with black or brown filoselle or line wool, loose French knots presenting the appearance of curls. When the figure is completed, those portions which are of satin must be edged with fine cord to give them a neat apjiearence. Another manner of doing this work, and one which appears to be simpler, is to make the figures first of all 011 cardboard, gumming the satin onaiul turningthe edges over, and sewing the figures, when complete, on to the plush foundation. Sachet powder, sprinkled 011 the wadding which forms the stuffing, is of course a great improvement. Another new style of work is done in outline with Japanese tinsels of a very fine quality. Satin cushion covers aro adorned in this manner with good effect. Leaves are about the most suitable designs for this kind of work, as the veins and tendrils look very well followed out in tinsel,'and cobwebs are often introduced among the foliage, fine silk being employed ad libitum. In describing this fashionable work, one of the home journals suggests as a pretty and uncommon present for a bride, a handkerchief, glove and nightgown sachet, en suite, of cream satin embroidered thus with golden leaves and lined with a very pale and delicate shade of blue or pink.—lris, in the Leader.

QUEEN AND POPE. A correspondent of the New York Herald, writing 011 January 8, says:—The old ladies of England have been in a panic. Some of them have scarcely slept for a week past. The cause of this misery is the Pope. Not only is Mr. Gladstone going tomeot His Holiness but, far worse, the Queen has been receiving messages from him. So great was the uneasiness excited by the statement that the Duke of Norfolk was to return with a reply that it was deemed necessary to issue an official contradiction. The agitation will be again increased by the report —which I believe unfounded—that the Queen is going to Florence and thence to Rome. It is horrible, indeed, that the Queen should be carrying on a sort of political flirtation with the Pope. Dust will fly out of many a pulpit cushion to-morrow, and the Pope will be banged around without mercy. The whole outcry is ridiculous. The Government wishes, no doubt, to renew diplomatic relations with the Vatican, and this will shortly be done, despite Exeter Hall and its bray. The Queen has not interfered in the matter, her gift to the Pope being merely a recognition of his present to her at her Jubilee. A little bit of civility, which in private life would be thought morely graceful and courteous, is being drummed up into a political agitation. There would be abundance of profitable occupation in England just now for a good vigorous foolkiller.

A leading jeweller in Philadelphia says he has become a hopeless cynic, after thirteen years' experience in his business. ( It has, he says, been for some time a favourite fad with young men in society when one becomes engaged to present his Jiancee with a jewelled bracelet, which the jeweller rivets on the wrist so that it cannot bo slipped off. This is supposed to be a token of the eternal bondage of the wearer to the donor, and a perpetual reminder of fidelity. But in a day or two the lady receives a note from the jeweller requesting her to call. When she does so, she is shown a secret spring, whereby she can put aside the bond at will. "And I have observed," added the jeweller, "that although the fair lady protests against making use of the spring, she is delighted to find the secret of it." The casket of African ivory which was presented to the Queen from Kimbcrley is twenty-two inches long and nine inches wide. At each corner it has a solid gold Corinthian column, the base being crocidalite. In the centre of each of the four sides is a crocidalite tablet, surmounted by a gold shield, having the words "Loyalty," "Unity," "Love," "Devotion," in blue enamel. On the base of the front of the casket is the royal coat of arms in gold and enamel, in each corner the letter " V," surmounted with the Imperial Crown in gold, the space between being studded with small gold beads. At the back are two ostriches in gold, supporting the coat of arms of the Borough Council of Kimberley. On the lid are the rose, shamrock, and thistle, set with over two hundred pink, brown, yellow, and white uncut diamonds, and the Irish harp, set with eighteen pure white cut brilliants, the whole being held together by a band enamelled in the national colours. The casket is lined with white ostrich feathers, and the whole is enclosed in a case covered with crocodile hide. It was the work of Mr. W. Schuller, of Poland-street, W. Housewife (to new domestic): " There is one thing I wish to say to you. The last girl had a habit of coming into the parlour and playing the piano occasionally. You never play the piano, do you?" New domestic: " Yis, mum, I plays; bub I'll hev to charge yer a dollar a week aixtry if I'm to furnish music for the family."