THE WAR

Otago Witness, Issue 3396, 16 April 1919, Page 55

THE WAR

LATENT TALENT. (Fkom Oub Own Cobbbspondbnt.) LONDON, January 24. Apart from its tragedy, the occurrence, of the war has produced quite a number of interesting sequelse, most of which were entirely unthought of before its outbreak. Latent talent has been developed in many and varied directions. Perhaps one of the most surprising and complete is the entrancing hold that fancy needlework has taken upon the men lying wounded and ill, often unable to take interest in their surroundings, which, however comfortable, are apt to become monotonous. Before the war these same men would have scorned to attempt embroideries on silk and satin, declaring it effeminate and a waste of time. What will be their view later on return to civil life the future only will tell. Suffice it for the moment to say that the excellence of the fancy work which is collected from hospitals, all done by the men themselves, is an eye-opener to the average woman. The men seem to excel with their embroideries, and they d 6 not hestiate to tackle the most elaborate of designs, all of which require artistio skill in the blending of colours and the production of light and shade, to say nothing of the need for patience. The men make cushion squares, sideboard slips, sachets, table centres, dainty bedroom slippers, and all manner of things, useful aiKhluxurious such as the housewife delights to possess. In addition to their skill with the embroidery needle, the men manipulate strands of rafia into the most attractive baskets —ornamental and useful, large and small, colours mingling to a nicety. Some of the baskets are sensible for shopping, some axe so shaped that they make '. good covers for earthenware fernpots. Others of the men delight in threading 1 beads, and many of them now make their own " beads" from strips of wall-paper, and the results are surprisingly effectivo. Largo in size, necklaces of these "beads" are light v to wear, and their appearance is enhanced by the judicious introduction at stated intervals of sparkling discs of glass. Paper " beads" also make good window-curtains, threaded on to'.string, and again interspersed at intervals with shapes of glittering crystal. One of the latest exhibitions of needlework and basket work done by men in hospital was held yesterday at the rooms of the New Contingent, in Southampton row, when excellent specimens were to be seen collected from the New Zealand hospitals at Mount Felix, Oatlands, Codf ord, and Broekenhurst. The cushion square is first

favourite, and the regimental badge is very often the selected design. And one cannot imagine anything more striking than the badge of the Rifle Brigade, worked in black on a back of cream, each corner being finished with a different shaped patch. Here and there one comes across a man who has chosen to tackle a very proud peacock, with spreading colours properly graded; or a pair of gaily coloured birds within easy reach of luscious-looking bunches of purple grapes. The man with a knowledge of housekeeping knows how useful and acceptable is a tea-cosy —every self-respecting home must have at any rate one to show on special occasions. One of the finest pieces of work on show yesterday was half a cosy, the worker having returned to New Zealand taking with him the other half, and the section- remaining here will follow him in due course. Worked on brown satin was a fine iarge 'butterfly with spreading wings of varying golden hues, and the stitching work was not suggestive of that of an amateur. Satin bedroom slippers for dainty little feet have fascinated many a man, and there was a good show of these, always worked in patterns of raised flowers. In any case one marvels at the skill and excellence of the finished work, but one is lost in amazement to find that so much of it has been done under severe disabilities—by men lying flat on the back, often in pain; or by men with only a left hand or a right hand available to carry it out. Girls in New Zealand should see to "it that the " boys" do not lose the skill which has been brought .out of them by lady visitors at the different hospitals, whoso motive has always been v c> provide interest for a man temporarily '"*- capacitated.