WORK COLUMN.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIX, Issue X, 28 August 1897, Page 318

WORK COLUMN.

There is nothing that a child loves so much as a chair of its own ; and. apart from this predilection, it is greatly conducive to the general tidiness of the room when a child has a chair to itself. The restless little mortals like nothing better than to slip to the edge of the chair, carrying with them the loose covering, and then to get back to their original position, regardless of the crumpling of the cover, until the chair looks as though it has been doing hard work for years instead of having been sat upon occasionally. But there is no reason why a child's property in the shape of a chair should not be thoroughly ornamental, provided only that everything is secured tightly. A simple little wickerwork or rush

chair answers the purpose exceedingly well, and no doubt some devoted aunt or elder sister may be found trilling to expend a little time and ingenuity in making it as pretty as possible. Art serge, velveteen, dark shades of linen, and Roman satin are all suitable backgrounds, though for quite little children serge is apt to be somewhat ‘ scrubby.’ I personally think Roman satin is best for drawing-room use. Some flowers, lightly outlined in coloured silks, will be quite sufficiently decorative ; and then a little frill of some pale, contrasting colour should be added, and the cushions tied firmlv into the seat and the back of the chair with ribbon bows, as is indicated in the accompanying sketch. Near by in the same illustration will be seen a waste-paper basket, which I have had drawn for the special purpose of showing my readers how they can use up strips of em broidery, satin, or brocade, of which everyone in these days of sales finds themsel.es possessed. These Indian baskets can be obtained almost anywhere for a very low sum, and if the panels be neatly inserted, alternating with the strings of coloured pompoms, the effect is exceedingly pretty. A little row of loops of ribbon should be tacked round the top and finished off by two or three bows according to the amount of ribbon you happen to have. Anyone who is asked by her friends to contribute to a bazaar had better begin at once to collect good shaped and perfect cardboard boxes, though anyone clever with

their fingers is not to be put off by corners being broken and matters of that kind. I have seen them very neatly repaired times without number, with strips of canvas or postage stamp borders. Having once got your cardboard boxes the next thing is to make little cushions which will fit the bottom and the sides quite perfectly ; these should be gummed on to firm paper or a cardboard background, and then these in turn gummed

to the box. The outside can be managed in the same wav, but it is not necessary always to wad it. If it be intended to add cords to hide the seams, these can be oversewn very neatly to the lining and to each other. These in the sketch are lined with pale coral-coloured silk, the outside of the smaller box is a bit of farnitnre brocade of Louis XV. design, and it is further ornamented by having little fanciful rings—such as are often used for millinery purposes — tied with a bow of bebe ribbon and sewn on to each side. The top has an upstanding ring through which a bow of ribbon is tied, and a very tiny frill of silk runs all the way round the lid. The feet can be formed by large white-headed hat pins being run np the corners. The outside of the handkerchief box is of two materials, the lid being covered with chine silk pattened with roses on a white background, and the lower part with a scrap of patterned miroir velvet in shades of green. Green and pink beb£ ribbons are blended together apparently tieing the lid up, ending in rosettes at each corner, and pink bebe ribbon being run through the lace.