THE WORK CORNER.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XI, Issue 51, 23 December 1893, Page 550

THE WORK CORNER.

CHRISTMAS FAHCT-WSSK.

BY

M. M. UNDERHILL.

In these days of elaborate needlework it is often hard to find simple pieces that rome within the scope of youthful ability -. bat the following suggestions may be helpful, as the articles mentioned are easily made. It is a fashion nowadays to use small pincushions. A dainty and pretty one is made of a four or five inch square of Turkish embroidery, which need not roet very moch. Edge this with a laee ruffle, and pat it cat-a cornered on a easaion, which should be six inches square, and neatly covered with silk. Fasten on each corner of the cushion a butterfly bow made of silk like the cushion, and ravelled in fringe at rhe ends. The lace ruffle should fall over these bows. In buying the square pick out one in which the colour of the cushion you wish to use is predominant; sueh as a blue and olive square on a bine cushion, or a pink and green on a pink one. There are several attractive little things that ean be made by girls who have learned to embroider even in the simplest stitches. For instance, a useful gift for a gentleman is a poeket pin cushion. To make it, take two round piece:- of cardboard, each two and a half inches in diameter. Cover them with heavy white linen, aud on one embroider in Kensington stiteh a tiny wreath of blue forget-me-nots tied with a bow-knot of ribbon in outline stiteh- Overhand these round pieces together, and stick the whole edge thickly with pins. A dainty ease in which to lay handkerchiefs is a thirteen inch sqnare of white linen which has been neatly hemstitched. Turn over the four comers to meet in the "centre. In one of the corners embroider in outline stiteh the word ‘ Mouchoir : in each of the other three corners a bunch of flowers—rosebuds, clover, or bluets, using silks of natural colours. A simple table rover is made of blue, yellow or red butcher's linen, with a large effective pattern of dowers or foliage worked in white linen floss in the centre and corners, or else as a running border all around. These are very useful, as they ean be readily laundered without in ; uring them in the least. A little ease for holding grandmamma's eye-glasses is made by cutting two pieces of card-board the shape of a p-air of glasses. Cover them both neatly with chamois on either side. Then laee them together with fine silk cord, or with filoselle of aeoutrastiug colour leaving one end open to slip in tbe glasses. A dainty gift for a baby is a long-handled powder-puff thrust in a case. To make tbe case, eut a round piece of card scar: three and a half inches in diameter. Cover it neatly on both sides with a piece of ribbon to form the bottom of the case. Then take half a yard of ribbon of the same colour four inches wide, join the ends, gather one edge, and overhand it around the bottom piece. Half an inch from the top of the nbbon sew a casing of narrow ribbon, and run in a drawing-string of baby ribbon. A serviceable hat-brush ean be made of four strands of Manila rope, each three quarters of a yard long. Braiu them together, doable them, and tie with a bright ribbon The ends of rope are then fringed out and rubbed with beeswax to stiffen them.