BBA 
the safeguarding of their goods during transit, is by far 
the best for drapery purposes, owing to its open weave and 
consequent lighter and more transparent effect; it is also 
more pliable than the ordinary burlap; its price, too, is 
absurdly low—about eight or nine cents a yard, and at 
that rate my curtains have cost twenty-five cents per window. 
The finished article can, however, be made as costly as 
desired by the addition of suitable needlework; that branch 
of the craft called ‘“‘drawn-work” seems most suitable for 
this material, giving it an appearance of elegant simplicity; 
even the simplest hemstitching 
never looks cheap, but has a 
refinement peculiarly its own. 
The method of making the 
first pillow will be apparent to 
anyone familiar with this kind 
of work. The squares are 
marked off in their required 
places by accurately counting 
the number of threads in and 
between them, using a_ soft 
crayon or pencil; then with 
mercerized cotton and a num- 
ber 18 embroidery needle put 
the diagonal and_ diametric 
stitches across the square; the 
intervening spaces may again 
be divided, although for a 
small square the four intersecting lines will prove sufhcient. 
As the darning stitch which partly fills the center with 
the circular form requires an uneven number of spokes in 
the wheel in order to be continuous, one extra stitch or 
spoke must be added wherever the ensuing irregularity will 
be least conspicuous; the darning is begun in the center of 
the square, filling in as much or as little space as desired. 
After finishing the center, outline the square with button- 
hole stitch, the finished edge inward, 
then cut away the material back of 
the wheel design. 
The squares may be arranged in 
any form desired, and connected by 
long lines of double hemstitching 
or slip-stitching. 
The mercerized cotton should be 
of a contrasting color and the entire 
design backed by some brilliant ma- 
terial to add a touch of color to 
contrast with the neutral tones of 
the material. 
The library table-scarf of which 
one end is shown in the illustration 
is decorated with two rows of Mex- 
ican drawn-work, one wide and one 
narrow, and finished with a deep 
hem. 
The first step in doing the drawn- 
work is to carefully pull out as many 
threads from the fabric as the width 
of the pattern requires; this meas- 
urement is optional, of course. Hem- 
stitch both edges, and then tie the 
threads in the center in groups of five or six. The design 
consists of intersecting wave lines forming a number of 
ellipses, one inside the other, the number varying with the 
width of the pattern. At every intersection of one thread 
with another a slip-knot is made to keep the line in its 
proper place. 
The geometrical sun-ray design used in decoration of the 
davenport pillow is one of the most easily made and 
effective stitches. The squares can be arranged in any geo- 
metrical grouping desired, all the squares to be of equal 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
Davenport pillow-cover 
Curtain for hall or living-room 
September, 1911 
size and enough threads drawn out around the squares to 
give a good openwork effect. A stitch to hold the thread 
is taken under the square, then the needle brought down to 
the edge of the square, three or four threads picked up and 
a hemstitch made, after which the thread is carried to the 
center of the square and brought under for the next hem- 
stitch on the edge. Continue this till all four sides of the 
square is stitched, and a beautiful radiating design will be 
the result. Silk mercerized cotton or worsted of contrast- 
ing color should be used. For portieres this design done 
with rafha will make a most 
satisfactory decoration. 
The butterfly design for the 
living-room curtains is worked 
very much in the same way as 
the square design on “‘Fireside- 
Chair” pillow; the squares, 
however, are _ considerably 
larger, in order to admit light, 
giving more airiness to the 
comparatively opaque material. 
The number and size of the 
squares should be regulated by 
the location of the room, 
whether sunny or on the north 
side of the house. Variety of 
design may be achieved by 
having groups of squares con- 
taining one large and two small ones. Groups of five 
squares are also very decorative. As for the butterflies 
themselves, the center forming the body is darned back and 
forth to give a long form instead of round, as in the first 
pattern. Care should be taken not to make the body too 
large in proportion to the wings. The more spoke stitches 
there are put into the squares at the beginning the better; it 
will admit of making the wings larger and of a finer weave. 
The wings are: darned back and 
forth in the opposite direction from 
the stitches in the body. Care should 
be taken not to pull the thread 
too tight. The color of the body 
might be black, and the wings golden 
brown, peacock green and _ black. 
Another attractive combination is 
orange and black. 
The square should be buttonholed 
in the medium shade where three col- 
ors are used, otherwise in golden 
brown. 
Among the more expensive ma- 
terials of this type of goods we find 
Caracas cloth—about fifty inches 
wide, costing sixty cents per yard. It 
has a sort of square weave, giving 
the “‘basket” effect, and is suitable 
for portieres and heavy curtains; it 
comes in a charming ‘‘natural” 
color, more on a gray shade; besides 
being adaptable for drawn-work, it 
can be embroidered with heavy D. 
M. C. mercerized cotton, which can 
be had in all colors, or rafha may be used; the latter, with 
the addition of some large Indian beads, judiciously 
arranged, makes a very artistic draping. 
Then there is Philippine cloth, which is more sheer than 
burlap and could be used to advantage on smaller windows, 
for which the other materials might be too cumbersome. 
Philippine cloth costs about forty cents per yard. 
In order to have the floor covering in harmony with the 
rest of the furnishings a heavy cotton filler can be had which 
comes in solid colors and two-tone effects. 
RERARAL ALIAS 
Thies 
