A nice knife and fork case may be made of wash-leather and flan- nel or cashmere. For the inside, cut a piece of wash-leather twenty inches wide and twenty-four inches long, shaped at one end with the corners cut off; then cut a similar piece in cashmere or flannel and ornament with a cross-stitch border all round : bind the leather and cashmere together with a narrow ribbon. Sew a strip of embroidery down the centre of the inside, stitching it across at intervals to form loops through which to pass the knives, etc. The two pieces fold over the sides, and the case is fastened with a strap and button. Tobacco pouches are made of soft kid, cut in a circle and bound with ribbon, embroidered in colored silks with a floral design and monogram, or Panama or Russian canvas, lined with India-rubber cloth. Flat-bottomed chairs can be made to look nicely by first taking a strip of strong cloth as wide as the chair seat, and twice the length, pass it under the chair and sew it tightly together on the top ; then cut a pattern exactly fitting the chair and cover with rep, cretonne, or chintz. Finish with a border of the same about three inches wide. Very good covers can be pieced log-cabin style and finished with a valance of woollen goods pinked around the edge. A much-used room, where the wall-paper is likely to be marked by chair backs, etc., can be made neat and pretty by a dado of col- ored matting, which comes in a variety of block patterns and shades, and of various widths. Even the ordinary red and white matting makes a good finish tacked up to the wall, with brass, or silver, or invisible tacks; and there are larger delicate checks in greens, and yellow, and brown mattings that combine beautifully with pale wall- papers. Autumn leaves or ferns arranged on thin silk, and covered with transparent muslin with pinked edge, are lovely; and pretty shades are made of lace lined with colored silk and edged with fringe. An easy way to make zephyr balls is as follows: has any one ever 248 THE hearthstone; or, life at home. made worsted balls on a fork? It is a great deal easier and quicker way than cutting out pieces of card. Wind the worsted around the fork ; be sure and wind considerable, so as to have the ball full ; then tic tightly through the centre of the fork with the cord ; cut the worsted on two sides of the fork, then finish by trimming it to its proper shape. To make a pretty trimming of feather-edged braid take the braid and crochet a heading on one side, then a pretty edge of crochet on the other, making it wide or narrow, as you like, using medium-sized thread. The little Japanese parasols, which can be bought for four or five cents, make very pretty hair receivers. Open them about half their extent; if necessary to make them stay half open, catch them with a few stitches. Put a loop of ribbon around the handle and hang them up.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

A nice knife and fork case may be made of wash-leather and flannel or cashmere. For the inside, cut a piece of wash-leather twenty inches wide and twenty-four inches long, shaped at one end with the corners cut off; then cut a similar piece in cashmere or flannel and ornament with a cross-stitch border all round : bind the leather and cashmere together with a narrow ribbon. Sew a strip of embroidery down the centre of the inside, stitching it across at intervals to form loops through which to pass the knives, etc. The two pieces fold over the sides, and the case is fastened with a strap and button. Tobacco pouches are made of soft kid, cut in a circle and bound with ribbon, embroidered in colored silks with a floral design and monogram, or Panama or Russian canvas, lined with India-rubber cloth. Flat-bottomed chairs can be made to look nicely by first taking a strip of strong cloth as wide as the chair seat, and twice the length, pass it under the chair and sew it tightly together on the top ; then cut a pattern exactly fitting the chair and cover with rep, cretonne, or chintz. Finish with a border of the same about three inches wide. Very good covers can be pieced log-cabin style and finished with a valance of woollen goods pinked around the edge. A much-used room, where the wall-paper is likely to be marked by chair backs, etc., can be made neat and pretty by a dado of colored matting, which comes in a variety of block patterns and shades, and of various widths. Even the ordinary red and white matting makes a good finish tacked up to the wall, with brass, or silver, or invisible tacks; and there are larger delicate checks in greens, and yellow, and brown mattings that combine beautifully with pale wallpapers. Autumn leaves or ferns arranged on thin silk, and covered with transparent muslin with pinked edge, are lovely; and pretty shades are made of lace lined with colored silk and edged with fringe. An easy way to make zephyr balls is as follows: has any one ever 248 THE hearthstone; or, life at home. made worsted balls on a fork? It is a great deal easier and quicker way than cutting out pieces of card. Wind the worsted around the fork ; be sure and wind considerable, so as to have the ball full ; then tic tightly through the centre of the fork with the cord ; cut the worsted on two sides of the fork, then finish by trimming it to its proper shape. To make a pretty trimming of feather-edged braid take the braid and crochet a heading on one side, then a pretty edge of crochet on the other, making it wide or narrow, as you like, using medium-sized thread. The little Japanese parasols, which can be bought for four or five cents, make very pretty hair receivers. Open them about half their extent; if necessary to make them stay half open, catch them with a few stitches. Put a loop of ribbon around the handle and hang them up.

The hearthstone; or, Life at home