A FLOWER STAND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVI, Issue VIII, 22 February 1896, Page 218

A FLOWER STAND.

Now that our houses are being flooded with beautiful autumn blooms we have to resort to all sorts of devices fortheirreception. Theaccompanyingsketchgives a very good idea of how to turn three ordinary broomhandles to very excellent advantage; they are placed in the position you see, after a piece has been cut out where they intersect, and form an admirable foundation on which the halves of cocoanuts may be hurg by small chains, and either growing ferns or cut flowers may be placed in them, in the latter case tin linings are to be recommended. Bamboos look very pretty treated in this fashion, and the cocoanuts can be used jnst the same, but a more completely Japanese effect is produced if they are carefully covered with the outside of Japanese lanterns, these giving a very pretty, light effect.

The design that I give here for a long-shaped sofa cushion is one that would be by no means out of place if executed in leather, but in this case the material used is Java canvas of a dull tan coloured shade. The pattern is traced on and then cut out like old-fashioned Madeira embroidery, with a very sharp-pointed pair of scissors, and button-holed round with gold-coloured silk. Old

rose flax thread is run in and out the canvas all over, until a uniform effect of darning is produced. It is then ‘ backed ’ with pale green silk, which, of course, shows through completely in the cut out part, and finished off with tassels, in which gold, old rose, tan colour, and green are all combined. This kind of work possesses the merit of cleaning exceedingly well.