Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 309, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1913 — INEXPENSIVE CHRISTMAS GIFTS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

INEXPENSIVE CHRISTMAS GIFTS

certainly you promised I Ml yourself last Christmas that Lhm;4 your future ChristirfaS remembranee would be completed in ample time, and under no circumstances wofild the next Cbrlatmas season find you in a rush end bustle, planning and finishing belated Christmas gifts. What an idle dream that was. for here it is Christmas time approaching again, and you are racking your brain and attempting to decide wlrat to give at the eleventh hour, in a great hurry and turmoil. Isn’t It so? ~ What not to give, would be a more appropriate phrase. For in the selection of your gifts some regard has to be given to the adaptability and the utility of the present A wise idea is to spend more time than money in thinking what would be suitable and practicable for , each Individual. Your gift would be all the more appreciated if it expresses something of and shows that your own personal thoughts have been bestowed upon a selection of the tokens. The real essence of the Christmas Spirit is not expenditure. How easy ft is to purchase gorgeous gifts if one has a well filled purse! But if the recipient can buy the same article with little effort, the gift idea will not be remembered for very long. Let your gifts be expressions of love and thoughtfulness. The thought and time you put in gifts of your own handiwork will mean much more than if you simply give something for the sake of giving. The cost of homemade gifts is generally small. A multitude of gifts can be contrived of materials you have at tband, and of odd pieces of linen, ribbons and silk. Clever fingers <can fashion charming novelties. Gladness is the keynote of the Yuletide season. Go at your tasks in a cheerful, blitheome manner, and you will find your workone of joy. The following suggestions may provide you with numerous ideas for attractive gifts, which may be made inexpensively. With little effort dainty ,sachets perfume your friends’ gowns •'may be . made at a very small cost. Make six sachets in pastel shades of satin ribbon about two inches square. Fill with soft cotton dusted with some fragrant sachet powder. Place the sachets one on top of the other and tie with narrow gauze ribbon. Gilt safety pins are attached to each sachet so the bags can be pinned on the different frocks. One distinct novelty is a colonial pin cushion. For this .unique cushion you will nave to purchase a glass candlestick a simple design. Cover one side of a four-inch square'of cardboard with some pretty silk which harmonizes with the color scheme of your friends’ bedrooms. Form a mound-like cushion of cotton on the other side and cover with the silk. The cushion is the candlestick by fine wires or thread. Around the edge of the cushion sew a beaded fringe about three inches long. Another pin cushion has for the foundation a four-inch wire tea strainer. The back is fitted with a disk of cotton covered in cretonne. • The wire part is lined with flowered cretonne and filled with cotton. Wind the han-

die with narrow ribbon and finish with a_pretty bow. , Theffirl away at college would surely beifverjoyed with a shoe bag, which she can hang inside her closet door. The shoe bag should be half the length of the door with compartments for shoes, slippers and rubbers and a long'compartment on one side for an umbrella, and on the other for books not in use. The materials used should be heavy denim with the combound in tape. A pleasing notion would be to make any articles for the girls away fft college in their college colors. A piece of gay colored cretonne bound all aroffnd with a pretty braid would also be acceptable as a trunk cover. Dear to every girl's heart are pretty dress accessories. The new Robespierre collars with jabots of frilly lace certainly will be a welcome addition to your friends’ wardrobes. The 'collars are Usually made of black satin with the ruffles of lace about two inches wide. Chic boudoir caps are made of circles of shadow lace 18 inches wide with’ soft ruffles of narrow lace alound the crown. The xujiles should be fl|ase in the back wider than in the ifroht to give the effect of a Dutch bonnet. The cap is decorated with little pink rosebuds and a band of pink ribbon. Exquisite La France roses are made out of folded satin ribbon in threednch lengths. Turn the ends back at the corners jto form the petals. Group the petals together and join to a wire stem which has been twisted with narrow green satin. A natural looking, bunch of violets is formed of tiny bows of twisted violet ribbon tied with green silk wire. Hat pins, collar pins and buckles are wonderfully effective when covered with ribbon roses made of narrow folded ribbon grouped closely together. If you prefer you can use satin cherries made of tiny circles of satin filled with cotton, with petals of green ribbon. The girl who dances will find much pleasure in receiving a prettyAair of beaded satin slipper bows to match her party slippers. For the traveler a small cretonne pillow with pockets on one side for magazines and newspapers would be a convenience. A set of envelopes of white linen to hold the necessary articles, would also be a useful gift. If you have time you could buttonhole the flap in scallops. One envelope for handkerchiefs, one for the night dress, one lined in rubber for the toilet articles, and one large one for the extra waist. The pieces you have left of the linen you can utilize for napkin rings, scalloped and finished with a monogram, or for boudoir lamp shades, which are much admired when inserted with medaljfcns of fine lace. For the invalid a thoughtful little gift would be a cover for the drinking glass. A glass circle the size of the top of the ordinary glass is required; crochet a cover over the glass in a simple stitch in two colors of mercerized cotton. In the center sew a crocheted ring for a handle. A tray with a narrow wooden border and brass handles could have a pretty piece of embroidered linen under the glass. ,

By PEGGY POWERS

Ribbon bedroom slippers are especially new and nothing could be simpler to make. Sheer flowered ribbon to soft lamb’s wool, draw an elastic through a lacing on the upper edge, leaving a heading about an inch wide. Make full rosettes of ribbon and place one on each instep. A doily case will delight the heart of any housewife. They can be made in different sizes. • Figured cretonne may be used in making one case with the inside lined in white material. Cover two circles of pasteboard with the material and finish neatly with a pretty wash braid. Use ribbon to keep the doilies in place. A set of nolders for handling hot dishes are made six inches square, of some pretty chintz. These are attached to an apron to match the material. A set of boxes covered with a pretty pattern of wall paper would be most useful and acceptable to keep in the bureau drawers. These must he pasted neatly and the covers\qttached to the box. Another novelty is a chest of draws for trinkets, hair pins or jewelry. Cover the box with cretonne and fit three smaller boxes into it. The bpxes are covered with the same material and have little brass rings sewed oni the center of each box, so* they can be pulled out like drawers. Aprons are always charming gifts. There are numberless suggestions for aprons. Fascinating aprons are made of sheer lawn with butterflies embroidered on them. The bottom is finished in three deep scallops edged with a fancy stitch and lace. The two end scallops form pockets for the sewing articles. The belt is formed of ribbon trimmed with jaunty little bows. Then there are chafing dish aprons, overall aprons, and many aprons you can devise with a little Ingenuity. We see bags here, there and everywhere. Bags of all sorts and sizes, from the elaborate affairs made of strips of Japanese embroidery like those shown in Chinatown, to those of the simplest design. Sewing bags, opera bags, laundry bags, shoe bags, slipper bags, corset bags, vanity bags, made of ribbon and fitted out with a small mirror and a tiny powder puff. Manicure bags may b« fitted with the smaller size manicure articles, and for the children you can make marble bags, school bags, bean bags and pencil bags. A useful receptacle for sewing materials is a lantern bag made of plain and flowered ribbon 4 , or you could utilize any material you have. For the bottom of the bag cover a cardboard circle three inches and a half in diameter. Gather the flowered ribbon to this and hem the outside. Run an embroidery' hoop four inches In diameter around the upper edge. Join the plain material to this and about eight inches from this place another hoop about four inches In diameter. This is the top of bag and is sheered over hoop. A round cover piece of cardboard is used as a cover and a heavy cord is used to carry It over the arm. Another original bag for threads and needles is made of two circles of cretonne with satin. These are joined at intervals, leaving spaces for the spools. In the center is a little pin cushion. A ribbon drawn through the different, sections draws this littlfe bag together. Use a pretty piece of ribbon thteequarters of a yard in length for an other sewing contrivance. Turn up one end to form a pocket for thespools of thread, and the other,, end

for the thimble and small scissors, which is attached with a narrow ribbon. In the center have squares, of white flannel for the needles and pins. When not in use this case can be rolled up and fastened neatly with a loop and button. I it is a rsffher perplexing question what to give a man. Men always like something that adds to their comfort and personal convenience. If you can knit there is not much difficulty in deciding what to give. Knitted silk neckties are much in vogue. Good, warm, fleecy mufflers are liked by the man who motors, and bed room slippers are also every welcome. A telephone memorandum with a pencil attached would be a dally reminder of the giver. Cover a piece of cardboard with tan linen embroidered in pink roses. Buy a small pad of white paper and paste it on the linen. Men invariably are pleased with personal gifts, such as handkerchiefs with the monogram embroidered in the corner. A rather good idea is to present your friend with his monogram embroidered heavily in black satin ribbon. These monograms will be of service to sew in his overcoat, so that he can easily distinguish his coat from another’s in a crowded place. Then there are whisk broom hold 1 ers covered in linen, and collar bags made on a circular form of card board covered with rose-colored brocade and edged with old gold braid. For the man who shaves himself, a shaving pad IS useful. Cover two squares of cardboard with any material you desire. Work the monogram on the center of the upper one, insert leaves of tissue paper and tie together with a silk cord. There are plenty of adorable gifts one can make for the baby. An Ingenious idea is to cover an ordinary scale with pink ribbon and slit it down the center, neatly finishing the edges so mother can see every day how much the new baby is gaining. Use narrow ribbon to hang up the scale. Also a cute little water bag covered In soft pretty flannel will be an acceptable gift for his majesty. Darling little bibs are made of huck toweling with curious shaped animals cross-stitched In red thread across the border. A carriage strap which affords much amusement to the infant is made of elastic with satin ribbon in pink or blue sheered over It. To this strap, by means of a narrow ribbon, a celluloid whistle, a rubber doll and a teething ring are attached. An enchanting, little nightingale la made out of a square of cashmere, crocheted on the edge with silk or bound with wash ribbon. Satin ribbons are run through a casing to fit the head. For the child that Is a little older you can make a screen covered In snowy plain material and decorated with pictures cut from magazines and books. One section for flowers, one for animals, and one for birds, would be much appreciated. A scrap book made of dark gray lining pasted with pictures, is also a gift a child can derive milch pleasure from. After you have your presenti completed, be careful that Uvy are wrapped 8 d that they have a t-ule tide look about them. Use plenty of green and white tissue paper. Se-’ai the package with holly ribbon or gold cord and don't forget to tuck a spray of holly or mistletoe among the wrsp -pings -*• (Copyright, by W. Q- phanman.-)

1— Apron. 2 Lantern Bag. 3 Cretonne Pillow. 4 Doily Bag. 5 Sewing Roll.

6 Colonial Pin Cushion. 7 Chest of Drawers. 8— Collar *Bag. 9 Robespierre Collar. 10—Telephone Memorandum.