WORK COLUMN.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue IX, 29 August 1896, Page 286

WORK COLUMN.

T

MAY seem strange on the face of it to give a handkerchief sachet as anything approaching the faintest degrre of novelty, as it would appear that every form of decorating this useful and occasionally really beautiful article is so common and consequently impossible to find any new treatment, nevertheless, a handkerchief sachet, such as is drawn in my first illustration this week.

claims for itself a certain newness ofitsown. This ‘broderierococo,’ as it is called in Paris, its birthplace, has attained a wonderful degree of nicety in the way it reproduces not only the ordinary resemblance to the conventional flower, but is able to differentiate even between various foliage and to render exquisite details with any amount of individual characteristic, especially when one comes to consider what an excessively difficult material ribbon, however narrow and flexible it may be, is to manipulate into any degree of expression. Take, for instance, these delicate little heath sprays executed in bebe ribbon of the faintest blush pink deepening into a stronger tone where the trefoil tips are worked in even

narrower ribbon still, ahd this fern branch with one of its fronds worked in palest green and the other striking a more autumnal note in a ribbon shot with green and brown. It requires very special designs, this sort of work, for it must always be remembered that circles or even half circles can only be accomplished by radiating the ribbons from a given point. The border of the sachet is worked, in the first place, in gold thread, introducing a variety of the beautiful lattice-work pattern that became so decorative a feature during the reign of Louis Seize. The material is white satin ; in fact, everything is kept pure white, bows, lining, and all, so that the colours used in working these floral sprays stand up in very strong relief. Of course, this kind of decoration is eminently suitable for all furnishing purposes. There is a strength about its appearance which renders it par-

ticularly artistic for such uses. If properly finished off it passes unscathed through the cleaner’s bands, which, in these days of chemicals and machinery, is no small proof of the powers of endurance.

Another example of this decorative ribbon work will be found in my second sketch. Here the design is not so elaborate, but the making of the article considerably more complicated. All it really requires is to pay extreme attention to the details which I am about to set forth, and to carry them out with the nicest exactitude. The sections, it will be noticed, considerably resemble those of a melon, and the first thing to be done is to bend these forms out of fine millinery wire, they will then need covering with book muslin, and in the centre of each section a piece of whalebone or horn is fastened. This must be free from any casing, and only sewn in two or three places. Then a piece of satin must be cut a little larger than the section to be covered and embroidered with one of the designs, in various coloured ribbons ; this again is wadded lightly on the inside and lined with some soft silk, after which it is neatly oversewn to its next door neighbour, a fine cord being carefully sewn on to hide the. stitches. On the inside of one of the sections, before it is made up, some loops of ribbon are firmly secured, and through these is passed a neatly-made needle case, a bodkin, scissors, and as many little implements of needlework as there is room for, when the two ends of the melon be pressed together. The one side that is left open will expand itself sufficiently to allow of little odds and ends of fine lace work and such matters to find a place therein. And now a word as to colouring. A deep orange satin with a lining of pale gold is very effective, and in this case the ribbon ornamentation should be kept as neutral as possible, in shades of brown and fawn, with a few touches of black. Light green lining, with melon pink, is also charming when it is advisable to keep the foliage of the design as far as possible to its natural tints, and in using other colours for the flowers, white, pale pink, or a very delicate yellow will be best. This will be found a very pretty gift and one that will sell well at bazaars.