November, 1917 
51 
mesh Italian and Spanish filet, is charming 
when combined with a loosely woven linen and 
used for a dining table cover. If possible, 
select an oblong piece which will do as a cen¬ 
ter table decoration and then add linen on the 
ends and sides, finishing off with a narrow 
lace edge and handsome tassels. This fur¬ 
nishes enough space for service dishes and 
silver being laid directly on the linen, and when 
the inevitable spotting happens, the linen, not 
the more valuable lace, suffers from scrubbing. 
Also this kind of cover is much less distract¬ 
ing than the usual cover of square and oblong 
and round inserts laid helter-skelter in the 
linen. One continually endeavors to make a 
geometric problem, of it. 
The sateen undercover for these cloths can 
be changed, of course, to suit the color of the 
dishes or table decorations. With a gold and 
white, or gold, blue and white dinner service, 
a soft sateen undercloth of yellow adds to the 
general richness, particularly if an amber col¬ 
ored glass compote is used as center decoration. 
The Cover as a Whole 
Not only should the linen be of a suitable 
color and texture for the lace, but the whole 
article should be appropriate to the room in 
which it is used. In a dainty bedroom soft 
Normandy lace covers are the loveliest pos¬ 
sible. The color is rich and the lace and em¬ 
broidery are delicate and refined. As a less 
expensive substitute, Cluny, fine filet, Torchon 
and fine Irish crochet may be used. Bureau 
and bedside table covers can be made with 
two filet oblongs inserted in either end of a 
piece of linen, and edged with narrow pointed 
filet. The undecorated central space will thus 
be left for the toilet articles. Pin-cushion 
covers, made so that they may be easily slipped 
off and laundered, give a touch of daintiness 
to a bedroom. Table and bureau covers should 
always be washable. For that reason silk or 
cretonne covers are inadvisable. Just as one 
can smarten up one’s toilette with a pair of 
white gloves, so can a bedroom be freshened 
by using well laundered linen and lace covers 
on the tables and dressers. 
Attractive bed spreads are being made from 
wide insertions of very heavy coarse crochet 
lace and strips of heavy, coarse linen. The 
linen should be of similar texture to the lace, 
and both preferably be deep ivory or ecru. 
Lace in combination with this heavy linen 
is effective as a library or living room table 
runner if made with old-fashioned macrame. 
It is heavy enough to suit tire furniture and 
conventional enough to have real style. The 
ends could be finished with long rich tassels, 
at the head of jvhich a quaint Italian “motto” 
bead would give a touch of color. Such small 
touches lift an accessory from the ordinary 
to the interesting and individual. Dark blue 
linen lace on ecru linen, with the additional 
touch of a few odd-patterned stitches makes an 
interesting and suitable cover for a dining 
room buffet or serving table, especially if the 
dining room is furnished in blue. 
Lace for Hanging 
An excellent use for a long filet scarf or an 
altar cloth, such as one picks up in antique 
shops abroad, is to stretch it across the mantel, 
letting it hang down, as it did originally on 
the altar. The pattern will be beautifully 
silhouetted, especially if the lace is mounted 
on a smoke valance. 
Beautiful lace scarfs may be hung as fabrics 
or tapestries are hung—purely as wall orna¬ 
ments. Personally, I feel that they should 
have a distinct decorative raison d’etre; that 
is, they should hang over a mantel as an over¬ 
mantel ornament similar to a mirror or picture, 
or over a table or desk. Hung on a plain wall 
space with no relation to their surroundings, 
they appear ridiculous. Moreover the lace 
must be of such interest or value as to justify 
this display. It must belong to the “objet 
d’art” class. If the lace itself seems thin and 
too light, a piece of plain velvet or damask 
edged with galloon will serve as background, 
adding color and acting as a frame for the lace. 
The addition of tassels to the lace will give 
it a sense of weight. For lace that is too fragile 
and old or too valuable to use as a table cover, 
this means of display is especially suitable. 
Curtains and Shades 
The lavish use of lace on curtains is gradual¬ 
ly becoming a thing of the past. Undercurtains 
are being made of simple striped net or scrim, 
fineness of quality being substituted for lace 
trimmings. There are, of course, opportunities 
in some formal houses to use undercurtains of 
filet inserts. In this case the window is en¬ 
riched by the silhouettes of the filet. For the 
heavy, elaborate overcurtains of lace, so greatly 
in vogue on the Continent, a soft rich damask 
or a crisp taffeta is substituted. In every case, 
with the possible exception of a simple 
trimmed dotted Swiss curtain, lace curtains 
should be cream or beige in tone. 
In the boudoir or for center dining table 
candles, lace shades give much charm and have 
the advantage of being kept fresh by launder¬ 
ing. Normandy or filet lace is particularly 
(Continued on page 68) 
Round cushion of heavy blue taffeta, 
yellow center; $5.50. Oblong, navy blue 
and white taffeta, blue taffeta ruching, 
blue silk tassels; $30 
Right, orange satin, yellow and gold 
stencilled- .silk covering, gold binding; 
$35. Other, rose, blue or gold Chinese 
silk, silk tassels; $3.50 
Dull blue taf- 
f et a, plaited 
ruffle and cen¬ 
ter. Cerise vel¬ 
vet between 
center and ruf¬ 
fle. Blue, rose 
and yellow 
French flow¬ 
ers; $13.50 
The names of 
shops where 
these cushions 
can be purchased 
can be learned 
from the Shop¬ 
ping Service, 19 
West 44tlt St., 
New York 
Center, rose, gold, blue or black taffeta, colored fruits at end; 
$6.50. Right, pink silk, colored flowers; $7.50. Left, rose taf¬ 
feta, blue velvet binding, bright flowers; $15 
Upper, tan and blue striped satin, blue cording; 50", $26.50. 
Right, rose, black or blue satin brocade; $5. Lower, black 
satin, gold brocade, gold and black cord and tassels; $37.50 
