Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 262, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 November 1911 — Fancy Bags [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Fancy Bags

A fad for fancy bags Is developing at such a rate that we may expect it to become a furore by the time the holidays arrive. These bags have every claim 4 to popularity and are a, pleasing change from the leather bags which have been so universally worn for many years. They are made of all sorts of materials, especially millinery fabrics, arid “a bag to match the hat” is the latest word from fashion centers. The most brilliant embroideries, heavy laces, gold and silver ndts, velvet, satin, silk and tapestries, fancy bands and braids, linen, hand embroidery and brocaded ribbons provide materials from which these' bags are made. They vary in shape from perfectly round to square. Nearly all of them are made on the model of an envelope' and the flap fastens with a cord loop over a covered button. Gold and silver laces, nets and cord play a conspicuous part in their construction and the tarnißhed effects are more effective then the bright gold. These bags are not difficult to make. As holiday gifts they will without doubt be in excellent demand. A foundation is cut from canvas or a heavy rice-net, and consists in the majority of cases of a single strip two and a half times as long as the finished bag. This foundation strip is covered with a thin sheet ot wadding and with the materials with which the bag is to be covered and lined. Plain Jr ,

or figured taffeta or plain satin is the usual lining fabric. Small pockets are shirred or sewed on plain, on the lining. Allowing for the flap, the remainder of the covered strip is turned up to form the bag, and the sides slipstitched or machine stitched together. The flap is fastened down with a loop made of cord sewed to the flap. This slips over a button made by covering a button'mold with a bit of the material used in the bag. On some bags clasps are used such as those that fasten gloves.. All are suspended with silk or tinßel cords,' which are long enough in nearly all cases to be worn over the shoulder. It is the fashion just now to knot the cord and carry the bag by it, in the hand. Hand crocheted bags are very popular, also others made of heavy laces. They are lined with silk and suspended by crocheted cords finished with tassels. Crocheted balls decorate the bottoms of many of them. They are drawn up at the top with the cord. Embroidered motifs, in silk of many brilliant colors, decorate velvet bags and cools are applied as a part of the decoration, in many cases. But the, most popular of all decorations are those made of bands of tinsel with woven-in figures of colored silk. Tinsel or silk tassels, borders of fur, chenille and silk fringes and the fashionable trimming of* small balls, all are requisitioned in the making of the fancy bag.