ILLUSTRATED FASHIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2373, 24 August 1899, Page 52

ILLUSTRATED FASHIONS.

Dear Emmeline, — Very few people take the time and trouble to recover their own umbrellas and parasols, and certainly if one has no need to think of such trifling expense as that charged by someone else for doing it for one, it is not worth the while. But many of us must and do think of expense an, I to those I address myself, and say, '"Recover thon yourselves." It is quite an ea-y matier ; ior I have done many, and for a small cxpen Jnuro you can make for yourself a parasol fit, for a

Queen. The first thing to do is to remove \he old cover very carefully. If it is fastened at th© end by a little ring of iron you will find that this is easily removed by taking out the nails that hold it, and with the same nails as easily replaced. The next thing to do is to choose the panel the least damaged, and carefully unpick it from the others. This will serve as your pattern. Now take the silk you are going to utilise, and very carefully cut out eight of these panels, being sure to have the straight of the silk running up the centre of eaoh panel in the manner I have indicated in the little diagram. In this way you wabte no silk, and the selvedge if strong will form the hem ; if not strong, hem and run a tiny cord in for additional strength. Of course before you hem, you must machine up each seam ; the neatest way is to sew up first on the right side and then on the wrong. When this and the hem are finished, cut a small round of silk about the size of the top of a wine glass, and gather it up as a tiny finish to the top, as you will see many others are completed. Now put on your cover; fix at the top, tying some cord tightly round the eight slender little joining points, place on your gathered finish, and then proceed to firmly pull down and sew to the end of each steel wand, in which you will find a hole, your .eight corners, and give another stitch all round at the joint half way up each wand. And now I think you will find you have achieved a plain cover either to umbrella or parasol quite successfully. The only thing to be careful about is exactitude. In my picture I give you three modes of adorning parasols. The first is of white silk. At the top is a little gathered puff of chiffon, and round the hem is a double frill of chiffon, one longer than the other, headed by three little rows of chiffon ruching. This is quite easy to do, as the chiffon merely wants frilling on when your cover is finished, and the ruching can be bought ready made by the yard. The secend parasol is bordered by a. band of appiiqued lace insertion, and needs no instructions, whilst the third is either painted on satin or silk, or embroidered, according to its maker's especial gift. Both are equally fa-

shionable this year. Another late style of adornment is a spray of flowers work id ip'ih tulle, using the tulle in the same way a? jj) ribbon work, save that it is not carried through the material, but merely laid on. And now we must get to other subjects, Icr parasols are not the only important trifles of the season ! For one thing the wants of the small people are great just now, what with white pique and muslin pelisses for the baby and dainty washing frocks for the wee girls. The design I have for you here is exceedingly pretty made up and easy to make. Say the material is a striped pink and white zephyr, a very deep yoke is made by a piece of muslin insertion, bought by the broad flouncing width obtainable with little strips of pink and white zephyr, cut on the bias and set into a couple ot tucks laid on between the rows of insertion at intervals, or of course narrow insertion can be used, put on between the rows of tucks. The bottom of the skirt is trimmed in the

snme way. The little dress is charming in all washing materials. The child \ve?v- niv of those pretty muslin and straw hats, with a brim of pleated muslin frills. Very wee 1 , do the London babies look in their snowy cotton pelisses and sun hats and bonnets. Muslin pelisses are greatly worn, sometimes o\er a coloured slip, and tlie openwork bonupl-. are often lined with a colour too. DelichlfiV coloured linen coats are made for liny l)oy^- ; I must try and draw you the design next wer>l> . Baby clothes are richer in embroidery aiit! more delicate in hand-stitching every day; in them is an artful and a costly simpliciiy peculiarly attractive to those mothers who love to see their children prettily dressed. Dresses do not make a wide range in materials, for voiles and muslins really Ivive it all their own way, soft fine cloths and Frcrch batistes making the next lead. Rever* and fancy muslin collar have a great popularity, and are worn again outside the coats. Af for blouses, each one surpasses another in daintiness of printed muslin and lace, but the c c are only to be obtained at the very best place--. The ordinary shop blouse is generally machinemade and horrid. The dress I have sketched for you this week shows you the prevailing fancy for gowns of delicate materials. Tbi<is of cream-colured very transparent a oikover silk of the same colour. Fine laco brii«i'> the skirt, and piece laco of the same pattern

forms a bolero. The waist-band, strap across the front, and collar are of a mauve chiffon, a.nd the hat is of fine chip (sunburnt colour) with clumps of roses either side, and a twist of mauve chiffon crossed in the centre. — Yours truly, COQUETTE.