PRETTY PIANO DECORATIONS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1266, 4 June 1896, Page 14

PRETTY PIANO DECORATIONS.

The piano is always a favourite medium for tho display of fancy needlework, and fiotuc of my readers may be glad to know that pieces for the backs of cottage pianos may now be bought with charming designs ready traced for working. The material selected is usually art serge or some equally serviceable kind of woollen fabric, and consequently the price/, .arc very moderate; they cost from ;>s I Id each, and when worked with tapestry wool or filoselle, the effect is really excellent. I mention these piano-backs because I consider that they supply a deficiency long foil, for many people arc unable to originate and trace the huge designs required for this purpose, and it is not everyone who can afford to have their fancy work specially designed and traced for thorn. The long strip of needlework for the top of the piano (which is sometimes quaintly styled " the piano scarf") is very popular now, and in some cases really elaborate in its decoration. It is frequently made in the form of a loug narrow mat just to fit the top of the instrument; but the prettier and newer kinds are about two yards in length, which allows for ends to hang down on each side, and it is upon these ends that the skill of the embroideress is usually displayed. A charming one is made of heliotrope corded

silk, bordered all round with a narrow embroidered edging, worked in barker shades of heliotrope filoselle and fine chenille, while each end was ornamented wit.h a group of realistic irises. A close inspection revealed the fact that these flowers were in applique, cut out of white velvet, and most delicately tinted with handpainting, which produced a charmingly soft and pretty effect. Almost any kind of fancy work could be applied to the decoration of these pianocovers. Russian embroidery on coloured linen would look well, or a bold conventional design, simply worked in outline-stitch with Pearsail'a rope silk, would be effective, and "go quickly"; while lovers of cross-stitch or crochet might easily introduce their favourite fancy work. For instance, a handsome insertion in cross-stitch could be worked along the entire length ; or, if only decorated ends were required, some of the quaint medifeval designs with dragons and birds would look extremely well. The work would, of course, have to be arranged with Penelope canvas over cloth, or some suitable material, and, after working, the threads of the canvas would be cut away. A " piano scarf," with crocheted ends worked in creamy-white silk to represent old lace, would look pretty in some rooms if mounted upon a background of plush ; or the nnwer kind of crochet, which is worked over wooden moulds, would be effective if arranged to form medallions or a handsome edging. In some of the new crochet a little tinsel thread is Bometimesjintroduccd with very good results. Small wadded mats, for laying along the keyboards to prevent dust penetrating, are very useful, and may be made very pretty with a little taste and care expended on them. They are usually about forty-live inches in length by seven inches wide, and therefore can be cut from a yard and aquarter of silk or satin. Two or three layers of wadding should form the interlining; the top portion of the material affords scope for hand-painting, art neddlework, kc., and should be joined to the under-lining under a neat finish of silk cord. A pretty and distinctly original design consists of the opening bars of " Home, Sweet Home, ' embroidered in black filoselle on pink corded silk. Any other pretty air would be equally appropriate.— The Princess.