HOLIDAY SOWING.

NZ Truth, Issue 881, 14 October 1922, Page 14

HOLIDAY SOWING.

Even on the nicest holidays, and our holidays are getting beautifully near now, it is well to have some sewing m reserve. At the moment the confirmed knitter, who has not the courage to tackle socks and is wearying of making jumpers which do not fit, is busy making chemise vests. These are knitted of Shetland wool m two straight strips sewn together at each side and require 80 stitches for each strip on needles size six or seven. Each strip must be knitted long enough to reach to the knee, as it will be much shorter m wear, and finished with a few inche.s of knitted lace. Or it is cast off and some crochet insertion made and sewn on. Shoulder straps of sarsenet or good satin ribbon are added, and m fixing these it is well to put the back ones much closer together than the front ones, as this helps to keep the straps from slipping off the shoulders. A good form of "work"' that does not fade or soil with many foldings is broderie anglaise — a form of industry a man described as "cutting boles just to sew round them." It is most fascinating to do, and m the form of tray cloths, mats, tea cloths, or sheet "shams" of good linen it will last a lifetime and always launder perfectly. Whilst embroidering it is ,well to keep a piece of "toile eire" (a sort of pliable patent leather) over the fingers under the work ..to protect the skin and also to show black through the cut which is being worked round. Another charming way of adorning house linen is working formal designs of birds, flowers, animals* etc., m colored cross-stitch. To do this sew a piece of loosely- woven canvas absolutely straight across the article to be worked, select a design from a book of modern cross-stitch patterns; and carry it' out by stitching across the canvas where the two lines of the "grain" meet, taking care not to sew into the canvas, as when finished the canvas is all pulled out by drawing the threads one by one. A good amusement for a party of grown-ups is to make flowers of bright ? ly- colored Berlin wool. It is a chance to exhibit one's originality, and. many men are quite enthusiastic about sewing. The flowers are made by sewing over discs of buckram m the way wool is wound round circles for making woollen balls, but the centre is left solid and plain for. a wire to. be w inserted arid then covered with .colored paper ' or a smaller circle covered m wood. The flowers are jolly as decoration on long-/ stalks,, with some green ones if they are allowed wool and a really big needle, for leaves, or with leaves of a lojig strip of crepe paper screwed together at the base lilce tulip leaves. Without stalks they can be grouped to trim hats, waste-paper baskets, etc., and are especially effective as garlands round the bolster- type of sofa cushion.