THE WORKBASKET.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2543, 22 June 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE WORKBASKET.

A NOVEL SCENT SACHET. This is a particularly dainty little sachet if made of the materials described hero, though, indeed, so long as the colours are carefully chosen, they may bo left to individual taste. A round piece of cardboard about the size of the top of a tumbler, enough gold luce to make a frill round the edge, and narrow gold gimp to sot without fulness round the circle, are required ; also a yard or so of pale pink baby linen, and two small pieces of silk, one being pale green brocaded in a design of shamrock leaves, the other pink. For the inside of the sachet procure some cotton wool, or, better still, some wadding and two circles of white muslin the size of the cardboard. First, cutting the wadding into a circle a trifle smaller all round than the cardboard, split it open and thoroughly sprinkle it with sachet powder. Then put the wadding together again, end enclose it within the two circles of muslin, sewing them together neatly round the edge. Attach this to the cardboard circle with just enough glue to enable it to stick fast, so that it will not slip out of place. Take the circle of brocade next, gather it round the edges, and stretch it over the cardboard, drawing it up tightly and securing it firmly. Sew the gold lace frill round the edge and add the gold gimp to prevent the stitches which hold the lace in place from being conspicuous. Make up a full rosette of the baby ribbon and fasten it in the middle of the satchel, taking the stitches through ail the thickness of the stuffing and through the cardboard also. All that now remains is to line the book very neatly with the plain piece of pink silk, fastening it to the edge of the card with invisible stitches. PRETTY SLIPPERS. Take a piece of canvas, and mark upon it it: black wool the shape of the slipper. Then take a scrap of bright-coloured wool, and work, near the middle of the too, an irregular patch in ordinary cross-stitch, until your bit of wool is used up. Then take a harmonising colour and work another patch to the right of the first, but touching it. Continue to put patches all round, till the first is entirely enclosed. Make the shapes as uneven as you canlike more blots of colour, the mote fantastic the better—and the result will be similar to the crazy patchwork, which is so pretty and popular, and is made out of odds and ends of silk. Do not make any of the patches quite square, as that would look too formal, and would do away with the “ crazy " look so characteristic of the work, but bo careful to place next to each other colours that look well together. When your canvas is covered, take some dull gold-coloured silk and work round each patch in cross-stitch, thus framing them, and softening the junction of the colours. You will thus have to cover up a few of the worked stitches, but this is necessary, as the silk alone is apt to look thin on the canvas. This work will be found very effective, and will make nice cosy slippers for fathers and brothers, while costing only the price of the canvas and the ono skein of gold filoselle. (The latter should bo split into six-thread thickness for working.) Handsome footstools, kettle-holders and cushions can also bo made in the same way.