WORK COLUMN.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXV, Issue XV, 13 October 1900, Page 707

WORK COLUMN.

I give here a very pretty French design which may lie used, as the two little sketches show, either for ornaTEA COSY.

TWO WAYS OF USING THE SAME DESIGN. menting a tea cosy or for a serviette for a cake plate. The design is not only very pretty in itself, but in its adaptation to different purposes is very suggestive to us of ways in which we might utilise other designs when in their first intention they do not

quite suit our pur|H>ses of the moment. The material used for the cosy is white cloth, and that for the serviette is white damask. The border is carried out in rococo work, that is to say, in very fine ribbon work, each loop of ribbon forming a petal, the centre of the marguerites being tilled up with French knots in yellow silk. The tiny forget-me-not blossoms scattered over the design are. ol course, worked in blue. To tie a bow successfully seems to be either an inborn faculty or an accomplishment that most people are unable to acquire, but the present bows, or dusters of ribbon, with which hats are trimmed do not require so much artistic taste as neatness in manipulation and accurate following

out of instructions given. Now, take, for instance, this bow in my sketch, known in France as the chon colimaeon. otherwise “snail bow.” A piece of velvet or silk is cut on the bias graduating from an inch in width to about-

four inches. On one side a wire is liybtly run. the bow lieing 1 bound with a contrasting- colour in the same or different material. It is then wound round on the tinker until the shape is obtained that 1 have illustrated. This is then combined with a smaller bow. not more than half the size .of the first, and both are placed in an upright position against the crown of the hat. r l’his is an excellent bow for a cycling or evervdav hat, as it looks and wears well. o o o o o 1 was calling the other day uj>on a friend of mine, the mother of a large family, for whom, both for herself ami family. I have the greatest respect, for I have ever looked u]>on her as a pattern mother, whilst the conduct of the children is more than exemplary. So while taking tea with her 1 l>egged her to tell me how she managed to keep the children so cpiiet when she wanted the house silent without injury to their naturally high spirits. •*My dear.” she replied, “I always keep them amused and interested. I never allow them to have nothing to do, and when not playing, instead of teasing Tommy or quarrelling with Bertha, or arguing with nurse over some trifle, I find some light, amusing, and at the same time instructive employment for their ringers. For instance, you see those butterfly fern pot cases on the table? Well, they were all made l>y the children." I expressed my surprise and admiration at the work of such small hands, and my friend, seeing that I was really interested, gave me the following directions for making them: In the first place you take a large sheet of fairly thick paper (cartridge paper is as good as any). This you cut into three butterflies, as shown in the diagram in my sketch, taking great care that that they are ail cut in one piece. The centre is cut away altogether. 'l'hen give the children a box of paints and the coloured

picture of a butterfly, which they copy on to the blank sha|>e. alternating the colour of the butterflies, making one blue, another sulphur yellow,

while a third may be of the “Painted Lady" tribe. When the painting- is accomplished thechildren then take the flat piece of paper and bend up the sides, as shown in the sketch of the completed article, and for further embellishment they ornament the top of each corner with a tiny bow of ribbon.