Page:Australian enquiry book of household and general information.djvu/133

 one corner, cover the patchwork with a running pattern in the tinsel. Most of my patches were very small, some not an inch across either way, so there are a good many of them and of many colours. The tinsel is silver, and I finished with a silver fringe, but any fringe will do. When making a bed spread or quilt, it must be lined with some substantial material and finished with either a fringe or lace.

Mat for the Floor.—Several people to whom I have given the directions for making this mat have said "Oh, but where can I get the scraps of cloth? And I can say from almost any tailor in the town, or indeed any of the big shops where tweeds and cloths are sold, if you ask they will save you the snippings. I made my mat from the patterns of tweed and cloth sent by the different shops for several years. I merely saved all I got, for when in the bush I used to send down to the shops for patterns of tweeds suitable for boys' clothes. You may send to three or four different places, and by these means get enough scraps to make a good sized mat. For a foundation, a bag or sack is best, open it down one side and the end and then it will make a big square. Cut or tear your patterns if too wide, about half an inch in width will do. Nick them round with the scissors and then double in half, and sew them securely to the sack with a strong needle and thread, or a packing needle. Don't have the pieces too long or they will be inconvenient. When the bag is all covered take a common red or blue blanket, an old one will do, Vandyke and work button hole stitch all round. Place the mat in the centre and sew securely at each corner and you will have a very handsome mat. Another way is to crazy work the pieces on to the sack and feather stitch them with coarse fingering.

A Tea Cosy.—Take a newspaper and cut out a large circle by laying a wash hand basin or a large plate upon it, mark with a pencil and then cut it out. Fold in half and divide, and one half will make a very good pattern for your cosy. Silk cloth, plush, velvet, anything will do to make it, and it can be made either on the bias or on the straight of the material. Having cut pieces for the outside, join them round the circular edges on the wrong side. They may be braided, worked in crewels, or embroidered in any way fancied. Now take a piece of sateen or flannel for lining and fold in the same way, and cut about an inch wider on the straight side than the outside cover, on the flannel or sateen lining place one or two thicknesses of wadding and tack and quilt it. The lining is cut larger to allow of quilting. Place the lining inside the cover so that the wadding is in the middle. Firmly tack the circular seam of the cover to that of the lining, neatly turn in and sew the outside to the inside round the bottom. Sew a cord or else pipe along the bottom to cover the join and it should also be sewn over the circular seam, put two or three loops of cord at the top of the cosy and it is finished. They are very pretty made with white jean or duck with ferns in splash work done on it.

Stocking for a Boy, 12 or 13.—Material required: four or five ounces of fingering, any colour preferred, and two ounces a little finer. Four pins, No. 15, and two No. 16. Cast on 96 stitches with fine wool on three pins No. 15. Knit two purl, one plain alternately for three inches, which will be about 35 rounds. Now with the other wool continue as before until you have worked the sixteenth stitch of the third pin, pick up one stitch for the seam that is the loop lying between the sixteenth and seventeenth stitches, purl this stitch in every succeeding round. To mark it, it is as well to tie a piece of white thread through it. Work off as before to the end of the rounds. Work 11 more rounds in the coarser wool. Then with the finer wool work one round. Second round increase one stitch on each side of the seam by picking it up as described for the seam stitch and working it to continue the rib. Work five rounds