WORK COLUMN.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXI, Issue XII, 17 September 1898, Page 386

WORK COLUMN.

For the making of the very pretty workbasket in my illustration two large pieces of pasteboard, four quite ordinary walkingsticks, two yards and a half of velvet or velveteen, three yards of fringe, two yards of galloon passementerie, from three to four yards of satin for lining, ami about four yards of ribbon, are all that is required. The first thing to be done, of course, is to work the two panels after the fashion given in the detail. The original was worked on bright Gobelin blue cloth in

black, white, and vermilion silks. The velvet used was black, edged with gold fringe. The lining was of bright vermilion satin, and this was also used to tie up the feet of the sticks after the fashion indicated in the sketch. This consists in putting them into little wadded bags, covered in the first place with holland, and then puckered satin, edged round the top with a bit of gold fringe. The ribbon was of black, white, ami red skilfully intermixed, ami the galloon edging the top of the fulled sides of black velvet was studded with jewel embroidery, repeating these three colours. After the panel has lieen worked, it must lie stretched tightly over the pasteboard, and quite neatly lined with the satin at the back. This is then joiner! to the two fulled sides, and finished off with bows at the top of the

walking-sticks. The walking-sticks have to lie fastened very tightly together with wire where they cross, so that they cannot possibly slip, and the parts of these sticks that show should lie either enamelled or gilded, as the maker pleases.

I wonder if it lias ever occurred to girls who go out a good deal what pretty things they can make of their old fan skeletons, for the sticks usually outlast the gauzy material stretched over them. I give a drawing here indicating the way in which foliage fans m i g h t be in a n u f a etured. The leaves can lie lioughtby the dozen at any florist’s, and with a little strong glue, a certain amount of patience, and

some artistic

taste in their arrangement, the resultmay be very pretty. 1 know a girl who used to use all her slats up by deeoiating them in this fashion. She glued pretty little Christmas cards upon the ends, choosing them all as near in size as possible, and these she despatched to the Children's Hospital. You may be sure that the opening and shnttingof these picture fanshel] ed to pass away many a weary hour.