uSiriet kx*i 3 S'lctariiicit ilome ftomjuartion. 
A COMFORTABLE SOFA. 
We give the design of a comfortable sofa to show 
how an old worn sofa may be repaired and renewed. 
Supposing the seat, arms and back have become-worn, 
procure sufficient material of whatever kind 
desired, and, measuring the size of each part 
accurately, fit-the cover over and tack firmly 
to the wooden frame. The arms will require 
the greatest care, and as the form varies so 
greatly it is impossible to give a particular 
pattern, but it is not a difficult matter to cut 
the shape of back and arms with front piece, 
as shown in the illustration; in our own 
family it is such a usual thing for us to re¬ 
cover our furniture, that it has come to be 
considered as simple a job as the making of 
a dress or shirt. 
Nothing helps the appearance of a sofa so 
much or imparts such an air of comfort as 
cushions. Where the depth will not admit 
of back-cushions, divide the covering of the back and 
tack it, so that when filled it will simulate cushions as 
in the illustration. The old-fashioned bolsters are 
again much esteemed, and give a quaint and cozy ap¬ 
pearance to the seat. After covering the sofa as de¬ 
scribed, finish off with cord or flat furniture gimp and 
fresh tassels; fringe around the bottom is very elegant 
if deep and heavy. 
size ”—perfectly plain but of good quality and neatly 
framed. Such a one can be purchased new for three 
or four dollars, and at second-hand, frequently for the 
half of that sum. 
Over the top of the glass is fastened a frame, similar 
to the one described for the bedstead, around which is 
draped a hanging made of Swiss (figured or plain) 
lined with rose-color, or other tint. First, a width 
The table-top is covered with a piece of the Swiss 
over a lining like the curtains, and a drapery arranged 
around the front, made with rings at the top, which 
slide on a wire beneath the narrow ruffle finishing the 
edge. This allows access to the shelves within. The 
wood-work of this beautiful table should be carefully 
polished and ornamented to correspond with the rest 
of the furniture, which may he ebonized, enameled in 
colors, embellished with marquetry, ivory¬ 
inlaying, Deealcomania, painting, bronzing 
and gilding, or enriched with carvings at 
pleasure. Any one of these methods of 
beautifying will he found elegant, and may 
be made perfect of its kind. C. S. J. 
A Comfortable Sofa. 
reaching from the top to within a few inches of the 
floor, is fastened to the upper hack-ends of the semi¬ 
circular tester, the ends finished with a deep ruffle of 
the same, then on the tester above this is arranged two 
pieces, made by tacking a width of the Swiss and lining 
two yards long, folding it diagonally from corner to 
ATT ELEGANT DRESSING-TABLE. 
We show on this page a dressing-table, which will 
he found quite ornamental and useful. 
It consists merely of a plain dry-goods box for the 
foundation ; in size, three feet in height, four in width, 
and two feet six inches in depth—or about these di¬ 
mensions—this has four blocks of wood 
one inch thick and four inches square 
nailed beneath each corner, to which 
castors are screwed. The box is placed 
with open side out, and this fitted with 
a shelf, or two of them, for containing 
various articles ; the whole interior 
should he neatly painted or papered and 
varnished. 
On each side (at the hack) of the top 
are fastened two long narrow boxes, 
which may be obtained generally, from 
the drug or dry-good stores. These 
should he about two feet long and one 
wide, and from eight to ten inches deep. 
By sawing pieces of lath to fit the sides, 
and tacking them on in proper position, 
shelves may he made that will he con¬ 
venient for holding various articles. 
The covers to the boxes fitted with 
small hinges will make doors, and the 
whole must he neatly finished with 
mouldings put on with small brads, and 
an ornamental top and base made of 
square hoards an inch or two deeper 
than the cases themselves. To these are 
screwed a pair of the iron brackets, 
which we can purchase for from 35 to 
50 cents, or for 75 cents to $1.00 fitted with lamps 
complete. 
These cases are screwed or nailed very securely on 
the top of the table, as they are to sustain the glass 
which as shown by the illustration is of “ comfortable 
USEFUL ARTICLES. 
POSTAL CARD-CASE. 
Take three pieces of pasteboard about 
seven inches long by five wide ; round off the 
corners of one end of each piece. Take 
bright-colored pictures— the largest for the 
bottom piece—and paste them neatly on the 
pieces of pasteboard with flour-paste. Bind 
each piece with blue worsted braid. Place the three 
pieces lengthwise, so that they will lap over each about 
half way. Tack them together and sew two pockets 
on the under side of the pasteboard. Put a blue wor¬ 
sted loop on it to hang it by, and it is done. The 
cards are to he slipped in from the outside. It is quite 
an ornament, and very useful. 
PRETTY WATCH-CASE. 
Cut the pasteboard in shape of a slipper ) cut pretty 
designs out of stiff paper, and baste on scarlet delaine, 
and work the patterns in white glass heads; also 
work your initials on the upper piece of the slipper. 
Cover the pasteboard smoothly with the ornamented 
pieces of delaine and line the hack of the case with 
white cambric. Make a heavy fringe 
an inch wide of beads for the lower part 
of the case, and for the sides and upper 
part, make only small loops of the heads, 
as fringe would not hang gracefully from 
the sides and top. Make a loop of a 
piece of scarlet velvet or ribbon with 
which to hang it by, and you have a 
beautiful little receptacle for your watch. 
Vickie Blue. 
An Elegant Dressing-Table. 
corner, cutting and trimming the two cut edges with 
ruffles of the same, and arranging 
them as shown in 
the illustration j around the top tack another ruffle 
made with an edge above the cord, which runs along 
the centre of all the ruffles. 
Rugs.—I make my braids small; I 
assort my colors and shade them in, if 
desired, by first taking one strand of 
the next shade and two of the present, 
then two to one, and lastly three. An¬ 
other rug is made cuhework, three 
shades so blending in as to look like a 
pile of boxes ; this is of heavy cloth and 
lined with a paper flour sack, and 
trimmed with scarlet and black pinking; 
but a much prettier one is a wreath of 
autumn leaves on a black ground. I 
cut them from patterns of the real, and 
of every shade from red to yellow, or 
green to brown, haste them on to suit 
my fancy in wreath or bouquet, then 
buttonhole stitch them around with shaded zephyr; 
one ounce of red and one of green will form a vari¬ 
ety, perhaps working a green leaf with the yellow 
shade, or a stem with the dark red, running in some 
strands to make the veinings. E. B. W. 
