402 
an ‘“‘end.”’ Over this a drapery can be 
thrown extending over the foot and head 
of the bed, and reaching to the bottom 
of the valence. ‘This is particularly at- 
tractive when used in conjunction with 
an old-fashioned painted or stained 
wooden bedstead, and can be draped to 
match the dressing-table. 
Three and a half yards of fifteen-cent 
chintz, a couple of peach baskets and a 
wooden lid can be made either into a 
small table or into a work basket, ac- 
cording to the use for which it is in- 
tended. The two peach baskets must be 
nailed securely together; three widths of 
material are then put on a drawstring 
and fastened firmly inside the top basket, 
which has first been lined with sateen 
and fitted with pockets to hold the 
requisites for the week’s mending. A 
round wooden lid is next made, which 
is first lined with sateen and covered on 
the top with chintz. This can have four 
elastic loops sewn to the lining of the 
lid, with corresponding buttons on the 
peach basket. The lid should extend 
two inches beyond the top of the basket, 
and can be neatly finished off with a small ball fringe. This 
makes a convenient and handy table and workbasket com- 
bined for the bedroom, and is so light that it can easily be car- 
ried on to the porch when full of stockings. The loose lid 
can be quickly put on top whenever the owner wishes to 
leave her work for a time. 
Things wear out quickly in the country, and sometimes a 
chair that has seen better days is too shabby to warrant the 
expense of a new rush seat. In this case weaving can be 
resorted to, which may consist either of woolen cloth of two 
colors, or of rags such as would be used for rag carpet weav- 
ing. After winding one color from back to front of the 
chair, the contrasting color is woven in and out with a large 
needle, when it will have the appearance of weaving. If 
AERO 
Stas ates 
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1 3 
PSs 
A Kitchen Table Converted into a Washstand by Covering 
it with Plain White Dimity 
AMERICAN HOMES AND  CGCARDENs 
An Old Bed Post Converted into a Bootjack 
eet tll 
e 
i, 
An Improvised Dressing-Table_ 
this is done carefully and with strong material, the chair 
will take a new lease of life, after having been first repainted 
or stained. 
An old-fashioned wooden bed was turned into a bootjack 
by a young man of resource. The posts were used as they 
were, after having been shortened to about thirty-six inches. 
The top of another post was utilized to rest on the bootjack. 
The brace at the top in the center, and the legs of the boot- 
jack are all parts of the posts. 
There are many other uses to which bed posts are put. 
One post can be used in a bedroom for a clothes tree, by add- 
ing a base, and a peg at the top for the clothes. They are 
sometimes used for newel posts, and could be utilized to 
ornament a mahogany bookcase by placing one at either 
side of the bookcase, in front of the shelves, allowing the 
top and bottom shelves to extend beyond the posts. Two 
very solid ones could be used for a mahogany matelpiece. 
The cost of some of the articles here described is ap- 
pended : 
The dimity washstand could be made for the following 
prices: 
Av large secondhand! kitchen) tableis.....-.e-scccseceresceeseeceerete $1.00 
4 yards! dimity? at 25ucents,av yard). .cts-cstesccres seeeceeeeaeseeneeeear 1.00 
Coversfor top) two yards dimitycs:..+e-eesce-t ceeceaseceeee ance ee 50 
6 yards of ball fringe for trimming cover at 10 cents............ 60 
$3.10 
If the washstand was covered with lining, with white 
Swiss, it would be less. 
Table ims tesa taccanascisacinesateteneter stones secereen nee tere emacs $1.00 
Ssyardsycolored: liming atell0icentsise-.c.n--seeasmecereeceteee ees eee 50 
fl pairetrilledtSwiss*curtaimsjucsesseeseceee reece eee eee cee eee 1.00 
$2.50 
This would leave enough Swiss for a gathered piece for 
splash back over the lining. 
The workbasket made from peach baskets can be made 
from— 
3) yards ichintz atm) cents ayyatdlen.escneesneeeeanecees ieee eeercieee tert: $0.45 
i, yards of lining. ate0cents|tasseees eee eae caer eee ee eect erences allo 
1 yard!of elastic for pockets cnswerccecceees «ae eee eres meee eee 07 
30.67 
If a member of the family can not make the lid, the prob- 
able cost of carpenter’s time would be eighty cents. 
