124 
KERAMIC STUDIO 
THE LINEN PAGE. 
JETTA EHLERS 
Editor 
328 Belmont Avenue, Newark, N. J. 
A LINEN PIECE FROM MEXICO 
AT various times pieces of needlework from foreign 
countries have been illustrated on the linen page. 
As has been said before, it is of the greatest help to us in 
our work to study these specimens of foreign handicraft. 
They are invariably full of suggestions and each piece has 
some distinctive feature or quality. 
This month your attention is called to a table scarf or 
runner made by a Mexican Indian woman. To many the 
term Mexican work means the drawn-work with which we 
are all familiar. They do however a great deal of the 
crochet of which this is a fine specimen. 
One sees much filet crochet that is ordinary and com- 
monplace but I think you will agree with me that this piece 
does not come under that heading. The curious fullness 
of the material is due to the fact that instead of linen, this 
poor woman used cotton goods for the plain strips, linen 
being beyond the limit of her scanty purse. The owner of 
this cloth, long a resident of Mexico, told me it was prob- 
ably made for the master of the house. The wife being 
so inferior to him because of her Indian blood did not sit 
at table with him but occupied a place at another and 
more humble board. Evidently the 'new woman" idea had 
not yet percolated to her part of the country. At first 
glance one might object to the fullness of the material, but 
it lies very nicely on the table, and after all, to take that 
away would be to destroy its peasant like quality, which 
is the charm of it and the thing which makes it "different." 
I made its acquaintance at a luncheon served a la Mexican. 
Quaint candlesticks of Mexican pottery were used with it, 
and lovely bowls and odd dishes of native ware decorated 
by the Mexican Indians. Of course, good things to eat in 
the style of the country, not forgetting peppers, which they 
use so much in their cooking. There is a tradition, I be- 
lieve, that the buzzards won't eat a dead Mexican because 
he is so full of pepper. 
The hostess was good enough to let me have the cloth 
photographed, and so here it is for us to study. The piece 
is so beautifully planned, the big important decoration in 
the center, the 'bands subordinated to it, and to make more 
variety, the ends finished in deep points. It is put together 
with exquisite neatness, the stitches being minute. The row 
of dot-like figures across the top of the center section makes 
an interesting note, and if you look closely you will see 
how irregular the groups of the same figure are in the end 
pieces. This all adds to the picturesqueness of it. 
There is such a thing as a piece of work being too 
perfect. There is a certain "rigid" quality about work of 
that sort that is sometimes absolutely irritating. Like the 
people who are always so perfectly correct, they are usually 
bores. Personally I like the kind with a few common human 
faults better. In striving after technical perfection many 
workers in ceramics have missed a something in their work 
which is more than wire-like outline or perfectly smooth 
enamel. Do not misunderstand this as a plea in excuse of 
sloppy technicque. The next time you have an opportunity 
to study the fine old Chinese porcelains, notice the freedom 
with which the decoration is executed. The enamels are 
so uneven, but what a wonderful vibration of color is the 
result. There is something of that freedom in the execu- 
tion of this piece of Mexican needlework, and that is one 
of the reasons it was chosen for our linen chat. We have 
previously illustrated the Italian filet which is made on a 
frame. This piece shows the more common variety, the 
filet crochet. The whole thing is more elaborate than this 
page usually stands sponsor for, but one needs variety in 
the linen chest, and, there is always the feast day. Perhaps 
the feast days are not very numerous just now, what with 
Hooverizing, and the spare moments filled with Red Cross 
work, and our hearts full of anxiety for our lads "over 
there." Some day, God grant it be soon, we will settle 
down into peaceful ways of living again. In the meantime, 
the women of the land have to "carry on" the home life, 
so let's do it with as much cheer as we can. 
BASKET MOTIF FOR INVALID SET (Color Study) 
Leah Rodman Tubby 
ONE fire in enamels on Belleek china, unoutlined. Bands 
and baskets in Violet Gray Enamel. Large flowers 
and dots in mixture of Orange enamel and white. Use ^4 
White enamel with O'Hara's Orange Enamel. Small 
flowers in Lemon Yellow enamel. 
(See also pages 118 and 119) 
