TO ETCH ON JEAN OR SATIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10133, 16 May 1896, Page 4 (Supplement)

TO ETCH ON JEAN OR SATIN.

Choose the besb satin jean, stretch it whenever possible on a board with drawing pins or small tacks, lightly trace out the design with pencil, work upon the right way of the jean with a crow quill or a fine gilt etching pen in preference to steel, which makes the drawing rusty-looking after washing., Use either Bond's marking ink or Sydertype. Do the etching lightly. Remember that light and shade depend on the depth of the strokos. First dry tho jean by the sun or fire to secure the ink from running, and now and again as you proceed hold it to the fire, but not too closely. Have, too, a little water by your side, and dip the tip of the pen in from time to time to keep it clear and give light and shade. As soon as the drawing is completed turn it on the wrong side, or cover it with a piece of tissue paper, and iron with a fairly hot iron, otherwise the ink will turn brown when it first goes to the laundry. No preparation is needed for silk, which Jiust have a surface as smooth as possible, and bo well stretched on the board with a piece of cardboard between tho two. Satin is rather difficult to manage, us the surface does not take the Indian ink in bottles so easily, and i 3 apt to absorb it and make blots. Use fine crow quills, nnd work lightly to prevent the ink penetrating the silk more than is needed. Liquid cobalt or vandyke-brown looks as well as Ink. Clever artists etch on both sides, bub mere amateurs have generally to line their silk with thick Persian silk. Besides d'oyleys, half-mourning fans can be adorned in this way with a cliatelaino bag en suito. Aprons in some pale blue tint etched with flowers were once very fashionable. Tea cosies might be treated In a similar way.

DKESS AND FASHION. Silk is much worn by girls for dances and other festive occasions. Pale blue, deep yellow, pure wine, old rose, apple-green, and mauve figure conspicuously among the young folks' dresses at all evening parties. Nun's veiling and crepon are also much in favour, while here and there will stand prominently out a charming fairy-like dress, composed of tulle, silk, muslin, or grenadine. Those last-named materials are, however, far too expensive to be included as costumes in the wardrobe of those who have to keep within the ordinary rango of means. They are ill-adapted to hard wear. They quickly loso their dainty freshness, and after once or twice wearing these thin-tex-tured costumesare completely done for. Girls who have to make ono dress last a season will find it more economical and advantageous to havo their gowns made of silk, crfipon, etc. Sotno delightful and exceedingly low-priced crfipons and nun's veilings are now to be had.

The reign of the big puffed sleeve is, according to Parisian fashions, gradually neariog its end. The new sleeve is not. however, calculated to hasten the downfall of the balloon puff, for it goes too suddenly from one extreme to tho other. The now stylo clings closely to the arm from shoulder to wrist. Where chiffon or other thin material is used ib forms a sorb of closelyfitting wrinkled sleeves. The gathers or puckerings are strained across tho arm from shouldor to wrist.

A charming collar and jabob is made nut of three-eighths of a yard of petunia piece velvet, cut on the cross. A soft crush collar is first made the size of the nock, finishing at the back with a neat, tight butterfly bow of the velvet. This bow should be composod of four little ends, cut out to resemble a butterfly's wing, each side of velvet, and lined with stiff crinoline. Then two Byron-pointed tabs turned over on tho outside Are brought from each side to tho front; they uiuat also be lined with crinolir.o. From the centre of tho tabs there falls a breadth of accordion-pleated chiffon, black or white, as fancy may dictate. And on one side of this there is a jabot of chiffon, broad at the shoulders and tapering to a point at the waist, where it ends.

THE ANTI-DRESS LEAGUE. A ÜBFORM WHICH EMURACKS 00 WHS, BUT NOT COSTLY FCRS.

Londos, March Society has recently been much amused at the formation of the Anti-Dress League, of which Lady Algernon Lennox, daughter-in-law of tho Duke of Richmond, and the CounteßS of Warwick and other fashionable ladies who owe much to their olaborate costumes, are the primo movers. The league allows only two dresses for each season, one for day wear and ono tor the evening, in addition to a teagown. But the members of the league are allowed an unlimited number of furs, jewels, bicycle costumes, etc. The Countess of Warwick will be more generally remembered as the famous Lady Brooke, otherwise Babbling Brooke," a great friend of the Prince of Wales, who has been credited with having divulged the secret which led to the famous baccarat scandal; and the subsequent sensational trial, in which tho Prince of Wales was among the witnesses. The fact that the members of the AntiDress League are allowed »n unlimited number of furs, although they are greatly stinted in the number of dresses, recalls the story of Lady Brooke's £800 fur cloak, which was stolon in December, 1894, and which caused such a sensation at the time. This valuable cloak, by unkind people said to be a present from the Prince of Wales to the great beauty, was either lost or stolen, and its description placed in the hands of the police, the garment being valued by its owner at the sum mentioned. The Udual police notices were sent out, and naturally the affair found its way into the nowepapers, and some of thorn raised quite an outcry against the extravagance of the Prince of Wales' favourite at a time when so much distress existed in Great Britain.

" He stood at the top of the steps," she said, in telling about it afterward, " and I mustered up enough courage to say,' You know, this is leap year.'" " Yes. What then?" "Thenhe leaped, and I haven't Been him since.", "George," she said as sho looked up from her paper, "you were always telling me before marriage how much you loved me." "Yes." " And now you never mention it." "No." "It is because—bocause— " It's because I put it down in the cashbook now instead of telling you."