QURKENT FASHIONS. Ttis decidedly munch easier to tell what is pot fashionable, in the way of dress, than what 1s. A prominent Parisian authority says that there will be no so called fashionable eolor this coming gcason, but that soft tints will be p-e- ferred to harsh ores and that light shades will supersede dark onos when- ever possible. Another equally god anthority declares that brown and green are to be the leading colors; how- ever, as they are not ‘“nfallivle” it may be that we shail see quite an un- thought of color cceupying the first rank, If the statement of the French writer, Balzac, be true, i. e., “that a woman's character finds expression in her favorite color,” we shall undoubted- ly have posiiive fashionable colors which all will adopt, for no woman will be ready to label herself as quarrel- some by wearing her favorite color of orange, or as a coquette by adopting white. in many of the heavier woolen fab- ries, suitable for winter wear, is seen the crepon finish. ‘'hese goods are crinkled in stripes, with plain strijes between or else crepe all over, like | crepe oloth, Chevron, or V stripes of | bias lines coming from the selvages and | meeting in points in the middle of the | breadth, remain in as great favor as when first introduced. Narrow zigzag | stripes in wool fabrices are seen again | in all serviceable colors. Besides the figared wool goods, the prominent | feature of whiol is their roughness and which take the preference of plain | ones, embroidered cloth robes are | meeting with great favor. In these the | pew Persian border is embroidered in the true oriental colorings and the points of the design are sometimes eighteen inches de. p. Some of the cloth robes show ap- | pliqued borders in velvet and cloth of a beads. i Every store has its choice of robes | a dispogition, from the simple merino costume, ornamented with a few scrolls, fo the rich silken gown on which the most complicated designs are wronght in silk and beads, or glittering threads of gold and silver. There is broidered silk and satin, embroidered China crepe and nnn's veiling, broidered gmuze and net for entire toilettes or in combination with plain fabrics. Even the finest productions of the Lyon's loows ~tand second this seas nto plain, stiken fabrics, decorated by machine embioidery, a species of ornament that can be modified as oc- cohesion serves accor ing to the kind of dress it is intended to adorn and the | person who 1s to wear it i Fine cloth is especially adapted to | the fourreau and princesse dresses | which mold the form almost without a fold. The trimmings applied to them | are rich although somewhat heavy; em- | broidery holds the first rank which is | generally in tLe Renaissance style. i Passewenterie will serve the same | urpose although not so flat while for | 8 in great demand and will be used in | one broad band at the bottom of the | skirt or in several narrower bands, | alone or in combination with embroid- | ery. Dark lined fur, like sable, is | sometimes applied to light cloths but | it is considered more stylish this season | to choose a fur irimming tbat recalls | the tone of the cloth, There is no doubt but that the ten- depey at present is towards draped skirts, though as yet draperies are ouly | spplied to dressy gowns. The more simple costumes remain straight as | ever. The basqae, varied in form will | remain the lending style for bodices of | wool material, The most fashionable | dressmakers are cutting cloth gowns to | slear the floor, if for street wear, a style | which will be favored by all sensible | women, Skirts are box-plaited in the back and for stout figures the fashion of trimming the gored seams is gaining ound as it gives a taller and more der appearance. Fleeoy plaids are | handsomely trimmed with bands of far, or velvet bands snd a plain cloth vest | braided in black. The tea gown has a potent rival in the house dress, which has grown ont! of it. This is trained, brighter in color, snd richer in material than an orainary §oun for everyday wear, but closer | tting than the tea gown, and with no | suggestion of a neglige gown. Many | tea gowns can be worn without corsets | also em- €m- and are loose, but this is not the case | with the house gown which gives a good excuse for wearing bandsome | silks, veivets and woolen broeades, which with the present severe style of walking gowns have been given a sec- | ond place. A pretty house gown of brown serge has a ruche on the edge of the skirt lined wth pink surah, which $iows with every turn of the wearer. | No. 1288. The coat basque has a full frontof pink surah to match, with colar, cuffs and pockets of brown and pink shot velvet. ‘ancy velvets, silks and satin are used for these dresses in combination with wcol materials. Scroll patterns ares marked feature in the fancy velvets, pink, electric, or s-egg blue, which verges closely on green; the newest on a heliotrope, gray hopper green. For evening dresses for young girls, ight gray on orange, or dove on rose; also ing fine satin stripes, in the same color, they are edged throughout with fur, or have revers, collars and cuffs of fur. The old fashioned paletot is again re- vived for ontdoor wear, fitting at the back with stra*yht fronts. The eloth caps are warm and useful, with broad bairy stripes and astrachan collars. As the winter advances these o pes are to be worn with sealskin or astrachan yokes and collars The fashionable wrap cloak is made Of rough cloth, checked or plain, with a hood; others are in tweed, lined with ohecks or stripes, Boas are to be as much worn this year as last and the three quarter fur capes of fifty years ago. They fall much below th. wai-t and are rather high on the shou ders, Muffs will be larger than those of last season. Rouran Curren. 4 - 3, a Sa Ete ® Another silk mentioned in our Folienne diagonal which has stripes like ropes carried in | a slanting direction across the material in colors that are most exquisite, such as old rose, yellow and Chartreuse peach. Printed chiffon, the designs representing rosebuds, violets and other flowers in their natural colors on a white ground, make charming even- ing toilettes for the young people; this material is draped over sik founda. tiors, and for the neck and sleeve trim- ming the design is printed on either edge of the goods aud to match the wider fabric. match. No. 1280. Back viEw, No. 1787, Verver Wrar.— The ma- terials fc rthi ms ntle are black velvet, feathers and jet passementerie. ‘Lhe lain basqu~, supported at the waist ine and trimmed with the front of the sleeves, the edge of the fronts enllar, and open and in the back is heavily ¢m- ery of jet ornaments the sleeves of the mantle. ‘Ihe ends of the tabs NO. 1200. No. 1280 Silk blouses, which are now fashion. able and largely worn, are made of Or- plaits to the waist inclosed by a waist. | Others have a; af puflings of same sppearing on the sleeves, while many have the edge of the deep basque, loon. In this time of profuse garmiture, ing anything which does not offend or i want of harmony 1a color. Lace, either white, black or cream colored, has never been used to such an extent as during the fall seston and will without doubt Guipure, Renaissance, point de Venise and point de Bruges, are all! used. Guipure tritamiogs are employ- | ed for dresses of ladies’ cloth or other! woolen goods in the shape of plastrons, | revers, collars, hip skirts, eto, : Black net heavily covered with fine, ! cut-jet beads and nail heads is used for | plastrons, aod sleeves on jet-trimmed | gowns of black or colored milk, black | net, lace or velvet. Some Parisian modistes are even putting fur borders | on ball dresses of and gauze, | It will undoubtedly be what is called a fur winter whether a cold one or not. All kinds of fur trimmings will be worn; borders, caffs, hems of skirts, collars, bands on dresses, hats, bon. nets, elo, | The newest seal skin jackets are three quarters length and have a wide, collar which is capable of many as but most becoming with the cor: ners turned down in front. A new form of jacket is fastened on the left side and edged with a narrow border of Persian lamb. There are other special novelties, the Newmarket for example modelled on the ordinary ‘gar. ment of that name, and baving fi lib sleaves are no longer * Ag " ust safficien full to be il : y The Tudor fur eapes are made witha shoulder yoke edged with a double row of fur, from beneath which the oloak is fulled to a three quarter length, The tight fitting coats are all long reaching almost to the knee, double and the mantle is closed of the front with fancy clssps. afr 0. 1288. Prasreow,--Plastron of anaw colored surah to be worn within 00 open vest. It is formed of a high n lar and a plastron sarrounded by a osrrow edge of silk embroidery; it] pens in the centre under a puff of the same tissue attached to the collar by a knot of the surah. The top, at the peck, is pleated then spreads itself in the form of a loose chemise, No. 1291. A Coar ror 4 Lerrin The girl's cloak 1s Gmn's Croax. 1289, The back of the waist is cut plain the fronts wide | enough to permit pleats to be laid at | the neck, the fulness being shirred at | the waist line. The cape is out so the | stri form a border: is plain in the | back but pleated on the shoulders in front and back where it is ornamented by a box-pleated ruche of pinked cloth. Pointed belt of the stripes, No, 1290. The little boy's coat is made of dark blue serge and trimmed with marrow gilt braid on the milor collar and with two rows of brass bus- tons. Jer Brur.—No. 1291, illustrates = fashionable pointed jet belt lower finis with a may be used No. 1292. No. 1203. Dress ror a Yousa Orr, —{iray wool checked with a narrow blue velvet stripe is the materisl em- ployed for this plain but stylish dress, of blue velvet. of plain gray cloth; a girdle of passe. menterie is placed at the bottom of the and a knot with back. High, straight collar of blue velvet and sleeves of the striped goods, No. 1203, A Woman's Wit, Many of the firet settlers of Illinols were rude im speech and rough in man- ner. Money was scarce with them, and service was paid for in produce. Governor B. used to illustrate these incidents of frontier life Ly the fol- lowing anecdote: One day whem he was a Justice of the Peace there came to his office 8 young man, accompanied by a young woman. “Be you the squire?’ manly youth. “Yes, sir.” “Can you tie the knot for us right away?’ “Yes, sir.” “How much do you charge?’ “One dollar is the legal fee, sir.” “Will yon take your fee in bees wax? “Yes, if you can't pay cash.” “Well, go ahead and tie the knot, and I'll fetch in the wax.” “No,” said the squire, thinking there woe a chance for a little fun: “bring in the beeswax first, and ther I'll marry you.” Reluctantly the vouth went out to where was hitched the horse upon which, Darby and Joan fashion, the pair had ridden, and brought the wax in a sack. On being weighed, its value wus found to be only about half a dol- ar, “Wal,” said the saaxious groom, “tie the knot, and I'll fetch more wax next week.” “No sir; I don’t trust; that's against the rales of this office. Slowly the pointed youth ng: “Come, Sal; let's go.” “1 say, Mister,” answered Sal, with 8 woman's wi, ‘can’t you marry us as far as the wax will go “Yes, I can, and will,” replied the “squire,” laughing; and he did. It is sald that there are five citizens asked the FANCY WORK. HINTS FOR CHRISTMAS, Father 1'me jogs steadily on and | waits for no man, It seems only a few | weeks ago that we were in the midst of | Christmas gaieties, and now if we woul | not be caught vapping, we, who | esnnnot afford to buy the many Christ. | mas gifts designed for our friends, | must turn our thonghts aud attention | to planning these ‘love gifts.” And surely thev are rightly named “love | gifts”, for 1t is only love which prompts ; the spending of time, that in some | cases one can lly afford, in order fo make them, And does not a gift, no matter how simple, if made by the hands of a friend touch a chord in your | beart that no bought gift ever did? I remémber one bright Christmas not long since when a little mat made of zypher, knit in a ronnd chain by means of an empty spool and pins, was placed in my hands by a little rageed mite of humanity who at the same time wished me “A Merry Chri tmas,” It was all she had to give, for she was oply a “wail,” apd it was made of odds and ends whish had been given to that little gift was more precious to me than the elaborately embroidered toilet | se: besides which I placed it, for I knew that it was the material expression | of the warm, heart-felt love of a young ohild, while the more expensive git was nothing more than & passing cour- | tesy. In this ad seversl succeeding numbers of our paper we propose to give our readers not only suitable de- | signs with descriptions for Christmas gifts but also now and then hints simple, useful and practical which each one can elaborate according to her own fancy. ‘ A pretty gift and one that will be apprecisted is a crocheted muff, which can be made of black or soft gray wool, bright colored silk or eatin. For this mske a foundation chain of 78 stitches. 1st row.-De, Ich the row, 2d row.-One the take O03 up i iGO take makes ap the } loops Batne sRIne the hn to the d e; in the back part o as before, Repe t the 2d is wide e Pp Again, OK: COL end of remeni- 4 i the on WAY row, 3d Plain ber 10 work Tow, and 3d rows until the ough for the mat. For | up the mufl a sheet of wadding, rit the color of tLe silk which vou may select for the lin- itself, which be a third larger than the ero- | piece, are necessary. Cover | side of the wadding with dark canvas cloth; turn down on the sides of | the silk, which will form the sides of making on, should be run, | through which ribbon is drawn. Draw up the ribbon til: your silk is of | the same rize an the crocheted piece, then sew it up, slso the erocheted picce and draw it 0 er the wadded that the milk side will form the inside of the mufl: fasten the edges neatly and fini-h with pretty bows Pretty book-marks can ips of narrow ribl eut lengths, Taste i ne Sli BO made of won of differ- ned together sat the top with a flat steel ornsment, the lower ends torned to form a point and ornamented with a cross, anchor, etc, also formed of s eel. If one is too far be wents are sold, the ends of the ribbon may be fringed and just above a tiny , little tag made of some pretty contrast- ing colored silk, just the width of the ribbon and filled with fine white sand, neatly fasteved on. | Twirie bags are very scoeptable to a | housckeeper and may be made very | ornamental. They can be crocheted of ecclored cord, or made of strips of narrow picot edged ribbom or colored flash. 1f crocheted use the the well nown shell stitch; begin with a chain of 4 stitches whioh fasten in a ring then use single crochet for 5 rows after which change to shell stitch, widening as often as pecesaary till you have a circle the size of your ball of twine, knit » picoe without wideaing to cover the ball well, finish off with an edge and draw the top together by running narrow ribbon through the meshes after you bave inserted the ball. The lower part should be finished either with a bow of ribbon or with a fine cord aud tassel made of the same cord that is used for the ball cover. When made of plash cut the plush in the form of an envelope, shaping the four flaps to resemble chestant leaves, Have a little brass eye inserted at the top of each leaf through which green cord or ribbon should be drawn and formed into long loops for hanging the holder, Era. ———— ID AIS UROOHETED EDGING. —1hia design 1s very effective and makes a prefty trim- wing for a buresnu scarf or for other purposes. It is worked in the length. gin with the upper line of circles: First Row. ~FEleven chain, join, 13 a. ¢. under the ring * 11 chain, join to the first of 11 chain with 1 slip-stiteh, which must be worked very tightly, so | tbat the circle joins very evenly; work 14 a eo. under the cobain at the | lower side, so that the singles in this | row all lie on the same side; repeat from * for the length required. Second Row. Under the other half of chain work 7 singles, 6 chain, 1. 8 a | into the second, 9 chaip, 1 8. ¢. into the fifth, 2 chain, 7 4, ¢. under the chain, join to first (ingle or circle, worked in Inst 10w with 1 slip-stiteh worked very tightly; repeat from the beginning of Third Row.-—~Work another row of circles as follows: 11 chain, 7s eo. ander the chain, 1 slip-stiteh into the centre of chain between two picots of Fourth Row, Fourteen s. ¢. unde each of the three fir.t circles of chain, 7 8. ¢. under vext eirele; turn, and work back, 14 chain, 1 8. ¢. into the ninth 2 chain, | slip-stitch into the fifth single of next eircle, 4 chain, 1s. e. into the third, 2 chain, 1slip-stitch into the seventh of 14 chain, 18 chain, 1 8, ¢ into the fourteenth, 2 chain; pass over three singles of scallop; 1 a. e. into the rext, 7 chain, 1 a e. into the third, 2 chain, 1 8. ¢. into the twelfth of 18 chain, 8 chain, 1 slip-stiteh into centre of next circle; turn, work 11 a. ¢. under the eight chain, 14 5, eo, under the mext chain and 11 8. ¢. under the nexy; work 7 mingles under the circle last worked wader, and 7s ec zader the next; turn, and work back: 14 chain, 18 ec into the tenth, 2 chain, 1 6. ¢. into the next scall p of mingles, 7 chain, 1s ec. into the third, 2 chain, 1 8c into eighth of 14 chain, * 16 chain, 18. ¢. into the eleventh, 3 chain, 1 8. ¢. 1uto the depth be ween two seal- lope, 8 ebain, 1 s, c. into the fourth, 2 chain, 1 8. ¢. into the ninth of 16 chain: chain, 1 8. c. into the tenth, 2 chain, 1 £. ©. into the next scallop of singles, 7 chain, 1 a. ¢. into the third, 2 chain, 1 8. ¢ into the eighth of 14 chain, 7 chain, 1 &. c. nto centre of next cirele; turn, 13 8 ¢. under cach of three first loops of chun, 17 8. c. nnder next loop, 13 8. ¢; under cach of three next loops, i 8 eo, under last circle worked under; repeat from the beginning of the row, For the heading, which is done on the upper edge of the first row of cir. cles, was as follows: — 1st row. into each of three slugies, © chain; repeat, «i row.-—One d. ¢. nto = chain; skip 2 stitches, and One 8, c. first stitch, repeat, Crsmion ror ax Easy Cuan —This handsome cushion cover 15 made of strips of olive green silk plush put on full, and a strip of rich embroidery worke ! on beige congress canvas, For this embroidery any bandsome« design may be chosen, worked in different faney stitches or even in the old fash- jioned eross-stitch. ‘I'he band of em- broilery should be edged with a thick cord of and silk in the same colors ss those used to work the band, snd monnted on a fouadstion ocorre- color witu the plush. the cushion should be s oolor which harmonizes with the plash, x 1 chenille sponding In be back of fared with Exrrrinoe Bao. — This knitting bag of Christmas gift for an old lady. It ocon- sists of an oblong piece of heliotrope broeche silk sixteen inches wide and twenty-four deep, with a lining of old- gold satin, The edge all around is finished with milk cord, the sides re- maining nnjoined. Along both ends, at two inches and a half from the edge, five brass rings are sewed on st inter- vels of four inches; the piece is folded through the middle, and the end rings on both sides are tacked together. A ribbon drawing-string ispassed through the rings and tied in bows at the sides, and loops of ribbon are affixed at the corners for handles. ‘The front is ornamented with ascroll design or a large monogram worked in silks and gola thread. Less expensive materials and a more simple design could be used in making one of these bags, Evvcoarion is all right, just so does not leave its victim too smart
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