November, 1909 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
437 
Bedroom with Java print curtains 
and comes in admirably for covering furniture, especially 
for high-back winged chairs. With such a voyant design, 
it is essential that the walls are plain, and these could either 
be yellow, blue or écru. A delicate stripe, devoid of pattern, 
could also be used in conjunction with such a cretonne. It 
can be used for slip-covers, for sitting-rooms, its strong, rich 
coloring blending with the Oriental rugs, when the striped 
Holland slip-covers would give a dreary unfurnished appear- 
ance to the room. 
There are several good cretonnes of this character to be 
found this season. ‘The trouble is, we are apt to overlook 
them and select something in their place entirely without 
character. 
Madras curtains need no introduction, but they are not 
sufficiently used, considering their artistic qualities. They 
fall in such soft folds and yet possess the richness of color of 
a heavy-lined curtain. The madras illustrated shows a 
blue and green design on a coffee-colored ground, not a 
common combination of coloring. Such curtains could be 
used in bedrooms or in sitting-rooms in the country. They 
are admirably adapted for curtaining long hall windows, 
and give the effect of stained-glass without the glare of the 
uncovered window. ‘They can be purchased by the pair, and 
the designs are almost always of the best. In country homes 
we often have opportunity for a daring color-scheme, and, 
while there are numerous wall-papers of strong design, there 
are very few draperies that can be used in conjunction with 
them. 
The conventional thistle in striped effect is one of the 
new cretonnes and could be converted into an appliqué for 
a plain curtain. It comes in several color-schemes, but each 
A novel curtain 
one is strong and dominant. One of the outside stripes 
could be run down the side of each curtain, and the cross- 
bar with the thistle across, and above it, could be used on 
the bottom of the curtain after they had been cut out from 
the background. 
A group of five thistle-heads could be used for a chair- 
seat, or for a pillow, by cutting them out of the cretonne 
and not altering the design, but retaining the connecting- 
stems and cross-bar. The outline must be held in place by 
embroidery, which would act as a much better foil than the 
tiresome background of the cretonne. 
Bobinet is another unfailing standby, but is ‘“‘rehashed”’ 
each year with something new. One of the late arrivals 
shows the bobinet with an appliqué of cretonne and braid. 
The cretonne rose has been cut out and applied to the 
bobinet, and all is held in place by a narrow appliqué cord 
applied with the sewing machine. Strength is given to the 
edge by the braid border. Such a curtain could be used in 
practically any room, and yet is inexpensive when the labor 
of making them is taken into consideration. 
The same idea has been carried out in the cheap striped 
muslin curtain. The cretonne rose and stripe has been 
applied to the muslin and is held in place by a narrow white 
cord. The curtain is bound at the edge by a braid of crochet 
effect. Such a pair of curtains can be bought for less than 
$3.00 and yet would add a distinctive touch to any bedroom. 
The idea could be carried out at home by buying a striped 
cretonne that harmonizes with the wall-paper and would be 
pleasant and easy to make. Braid is very much in evidence 
in the new curtains. ‘They are not difficult to launder and 
have excellent wearing qualities. : 
