Why Not Make Your Own Presents.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18644, 22 December 1928, Page 12

Why Not Make Your Own Presents.

Some Suggestions for Busy Fingers. JSF By IDA MELLER (Copyright) Most people, as Christmas approaches, are faced with the gift problem—of choosing the right thing for the right person—and, often, for one reason or another, the matter resolves itself into a question of home-made gifts, into which the personal touch can be so charmingly introduced. The following suggestions for presents, that are easily made, may possibly inspire ideas for just the right remembrance for this friend and that.

A Wall-pocket. A. very acceptable gift, especially for an invalid or elderly person, but for anybody, in fact, is a bed-pocket, to hang on the wall beside the bed and hold such thinks as a box of matches, a small flash lamp, spectacles, a magazine and other oddments. A bedpocket is easily made from a piece of stout strawboard, about llin by 84in, some flannel and silk or cretonne.

Cover the strawboard (the backing of the pocket) with flannel, then with cretonne or silk, and make and sew on a pocket of either material, to come about half way up, or rather less, threading the neck-hem with elastic and allowing a little frill to escape above the mouth. The illustration in the top left-hand corner of the first groupsketch gives an idea for the pocket. A strip of ribbon, or ribbon-elastic, stretched across the backing and stitched down, here and there, is useful for gripping letters and small, flat things, and a ribbon hanger, finished with rosette, should be sewn to the two top covers of the backing, the latter having an edging of braid. The second item in the group suggests how an ordinary cardboard pow-der-box might be transformed into a dainty little trinket box by covering the outside with gold mesh-net over silk, padding the lid, and sewing to it a cluster of silk flowers and floral-rib-bon edging. The Egyptian Hand-Bag. The Egyptian hand-bag sketched in the top right-hand corner is of pale blue kid, criss-crossed with stitching and trimmed on each side with a strap of kid cut up into a fringe, with a couple of yellow and white beads at each end. At the neck, the bag is slashed here and there and run through with two narrow bands of kid. united at the ends with large yellow beads, and at each top corner is a plated ring to which is attached a wrist-hanger of kid. The two sides of the bag are machined together, and marking might be used for the criss-cross stitches. Glazed kid and suede can be bought in small, useful sizes for making handbags, pochettes, and so on. Novrt Bathroom Slippers. A bright idea for a pair of bathroom slippers is suggested by the sketch immediately below the bed-pocket. The slipper pictured is made from a piece of smooth, Japanese matting, cut to the shape of an enlarged shoe-sole, with a roomy toe-piece added and an instepstrap of garter-elastic. The matting is painted on the outside and decorated with raffia. A pair of slippers of the kind would make a novel Yuletide gift. Sketched opposite the slipper is a draw-up work-bag—an ever-useful gift. Copy it in broche or tapestry, and it would be smart and durable. Below the slipper is the sketch of a shoe-bag, and what more delightful gift for a girl than a dainty little bag in which to carry her dancing shoes? It must be long-shaped, of course, and made of gold brocade, lined with soft silk and finished with a ribbon wriststrap, would be a lovely present.

A Dressing-Jacket and Boudoir Cap. The central picture reminds the present giver of what would undoubtedly be a very welcome gift, namely, a dress-ing-jacket. The one suggested is a simple all-in-one. Back and front are caught together at the sides with ribbon bows, the fronts are fastened together at the neck with ribbon, and marabout edges the little garment all round. Why not make as a Christmas gift to a favourite friend a similar little dressing-jacket and cut it from mauve or powder-blue velveteen ? A charming addition to the gift, or as a quite independent present, sufficient in itself, would be a practical little “ shingle cap,” as illustrated on the figure. The cap is made of coarse-mesh-ed net, trimmed at each side with a flat flower made of bebe ribbon in different colours (the flowers might be replaced by rosettes), and is run with ribbon tied in a bow at the right side.

A Stencilled Pocket-case. On the right, an open pocket-case is sketched, and below it the case closed. This litle gift is intended for suede or satin, with a stencilled or embroidered floral design on the outside. The case is a simple ablong one that folds, and has no fastening. The ends are turned back to form pockets, and the raw edges everywhere are bound with narrow petersham ribbon or braid, stitched on by machine. Other gift-ideas are suggested in the hat-box—an ordinary cardboard one, neatly covered with a light, pretty chintz or wallpaper, put on with special paste or glue—mob-caps and bedroom slipper, grouped together below the central figure. The inpb-eap is a washing one of inns* lin, drawn up with lingerie-ribbon and decorated on the crown with a detach able bunch of small flowers. The shoe, which also bears a posy of flowers, is made from pale blue cloth, cut to shape from an old slipper-pattern and sewn

to a woolly sole, the top edge of the cloth having a cord finish. Cushion Cover and Nightdress Sachet. The cushion cover with check-board pattern on the top side offers another idea for a home-made Christmas gift. Make a cushion cover from two squares of orange or blue sateen, and cover the top side with interlaced, wide ribbons in orange and blue. Then join the squares together and face the seams with match-braid. Or make the cover of leather, with the squares stitched together. The remaining sketch in group represents a bolster-shaped nightdress sachet, with ribbon fringes at the ends. The sachet would be lovely in gold lame with a wide band of coloured embroidery or fancy ribbon across the middle. Under the ribbon is an opening through which a nightdress can be slipped, the ends of the ribbon closing over with snap fasteners.

An Evening Wrist-bag. The wrist-bag illustrated in the top left-hand corner of the second groupsketch, suggests a pretty gift for evening use. The girl who can paint might make her gift-bag of hand-painted satin, thus emphasising the personal touch; other girls could substitute hand embroidery for painting, or apply embroidered motifs to the satin. The bag should be lined with silk, stitched to an ivory or amber jaw-mount, with wrist-chain attached, and finished with crystal or gold fringe.

A Blotter and Other Things. The cami-petticoat sketched might be copied in pink crepe de chine, trimmed with ecru lace and ribbon bows (the Vandyke edge is a pretty feature) and would be an exquisite gift; while a very simple but useful one would be a dress-hanger, like the one that supports the cami-petticoat, made or rucked taffetas over a wooden mount covered with a “sachet” of perfumed wadding. An idea of an envelope pochette, or pocket-case, of gold-painted kid, with a novel arangement of wide ribbon on the front, is offered in the small sketch at top right-hand corner of group. The closing is arranged with a snap-fastener under the flap, and a souvenir of the kind is easily made. A blotter-pad for slip-in sheets of blotting-paper is sketched below the pochette. Cut a foundation of hard strawboard to the size of an ordinary blotter and cover this, on the front, with tapestry or Roman satin, providing a pocket at one end and two triangles of material at the opposite corners. Cut the cover an inch larger all round than the foundation, stretch it over the front of latter, turn over the edges to the back, and catch together with long stitches. Then sew material backing to the turned-over front and “whip-stitch” the edges on front side everywhere with floss silk. The' addition of a tiny strap of ribbon sewn to the pocket for a penholder, and of a worked initial would add to the charm of the gift.

Gilts for the Traveller. | On the left is sketched in closed and open form a “traveller’s toilet case.” This gives the clue to a really invaluable "companion.” Make the case from an oblong piece of oilsilk, or proofed silk of any kind, round off one end. provide two or three pockets, stretched across from side to side, to hold a tiny sponge and cake of soap, face-rag, cream-tube, etc., bind with half-inch ribbon, and finish off with a snap-fastening. Only a trifling gift, but a very acceptable one. Another gift-idea is a chiffon neckscarf, as illustrated, with ends handpainted or stencilled by the donor. The scarf itself, in plain form, might be a bought one. or the giver could make it herself from a length of chiffon, and faggot-stitch the hems. A second gift specially welcome to a traveller would be the little slipper case sketched, open and closed. The original is of pale tan-coloured cloth, cut to a convenient size to take a pair of soft slippers, and made up pocketwise, with press-stud fastenings. An original present is suggested in the back-puff illustrated. This is made from a long-handled wooden spoon, a flat puff, a large silk flower, some ribbon and flannel. The flannel is wound round the spoon and handle, and stitched down tightly, the puff is fixed to the front of the ladle, and the flower to the back, and both are sewn down securely on to the padding. Finally, ribbon is twisted around the handle to conceal the flannel, and the conclusion is a ribbon-bow. Of the two remaining gifts suggested, one is a lace-trimmed pillow-slip of pink handkerchief-linen, embroidered in rose and blue, one end folded back to make handkerchief pockets, and the other is a book-marker, made from a strip of leather with self-fingered ends. A small pocket for a calendar is arranged. at one end.