DRAPERIES AND VALANCES. 179
If they are to hang straight they should be made upon buckram, but
if they are to festoon, the outer lining is sufficient. Get a wooden shelf
the size of the mantel, cover it, nail on the lambrequin and finish
round the edge with a cord to hide the tacks ; it is then slipped on the
mantel without any fastenings.
A more elegant one is of blue satin embroidered ten inches deep in
natural colored flowers, the dark leaves and bulrushes standing out in
relief ; the fringe of pale blue and gold colored silk. Another is of sage
green cloth embroidered in flowers the same depth and finished with a
very deep heavy lambrequin fringe.
The richest material for mantel lambrequins is sateen, velvet, plush
and Macrame lace made in wheels and lined with crimson velvet also
makes a very rich valance. An easier one to make is a straight curtain,
ten or twelve inches deep, which falls over a mantel-shelf ; on its dark
surface can be wrought a vine or border in loose Indian stitch, and the
edge finished with softly finished fringe to match. The corners which
drop down considerably lower than the curtains should be tacked in
position with a few stitches in sugar loaf shape and the end of a tassel
inserted so as to let the head hang below the fringe. This curtain will
have to be made deeper if the shelf is as wide, as it is to t?e spread on
the top and fastened to the shelf at extreme end. and corners. It can be
finished round the edge of the mantel with cord or gimp ; if cord, sew
on with crooked needle ; if gimp, use gimp tacks. If the goods are
plain, in place of embroidery, gimp or bands of velvet, plush or satin
can be used, feather-stitched on. If brocade, raw silk or embossed
velvets, all trimmings except fringe can be dispensed with.
If so wished, take a strip of goods twelve inches deep, line it and
finish it off with narrow fringe, tack it on the edge of the mantel, then
loop it up with cord and tassel making three festoons in the center of
the mantel, leaving the ends to droop straight down where it comes
against the wall. This makes a very handsome mantel lambrequin.
Bedroom lambrequins are made of cretonne, with mantel lambrequins
to match ; these are trimmed with the same kind of goods, cut in two,
or two and one-half inch deep strips ; pink both edges, make into nich-
ing and trim top and bottom. A narrow cord or gimp can be placed
in the center of the ruching. These are very pretty where the room is
furnished in cretonne.
An open fireplace in winter has hangings which are suspended
beneath the mantel by rings that slide upon a small rod concealed by
the mantel lambrequin. These hangings touch the hearth or floor, and
are finished to correspond with all the other draperies. In summer-
time the fireplace may be concealed completely. When a fire is required,
these hangings are drawn apart upon the rod, and then their fullness is
hung over an extended ornament like those which hold back the window
and door draperies. The effect thus produced is more charming than
180 HOUSE FURNISHING.
can be described. If the fabric is of a pale, delicate color, the rods and
borderings are richly tinted and darker ; but if dark, their accessories
are light, and suggestive of airiness.
CABINETS.
Page 159
Presented as published in 1886. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
[illustration: DRAPERIES AND VALANCES. 179]
If they are to hang straight they should be made upon buckram, but if they are to festoon, the outer lining is sufficient. Get a wooden shelf the size of the mantel, cover it, nail on the lambrequin and finish round the edge with a cord to hide the tacks ; it is then slipped on the mantel without any fastenings.
A more elegant one is of blue satin embroidered ten inches deep in natural colored flowers, the dark leaves and bulrushes standing out in relief ; the fringe of pale blue and gold colored silk. Another is of sage green cloth embroidered in flowers the same depth and finished with a very deep heavy lambrequin fringe.
The richest material for mantel lambrequins is sateen, velvet, plush and Macrame lace made in wheels and lined with crimson velvet also makes a very rich valance. An easier one to make is a straight curtain, ten or twelve inches deep, which falls over a mantel-shelf ; on its dark surface can be wrought a vine or border in loose Indian stitch, and the edge finished with softly finished fringe to match. The corners which drop down considerably lower than the curtains should be tacked in position with a few stitches in sugar loaf shape and the end of a tassel inserted so as to let the head hang below the fringe. This curtain will have to be made deeper if the shelf is as wide, as it is to be spread on the top and fastened to the shelf at extreme end. and corners. It can be finished round the edge of the mantel with cord or gimp ; if cord, sew on with crooked needle ; if gimp, use gimp tacks. If the goods are plain, in place of embroidery, gimp or bands of velvet, plush or satin can be used, feather-stitched on. If brocade, raw silk or embossed velvets, all trimmings except fringe can be dispensed with.
If so wished, take a strip of goods twelve inches deep, line it and finish it off with narrow fringe, tack it on the edge of the mantel, then loop it up with cord and tassel making three festoons in the center of the mantel, leaving the ends to droop straight down where it comes against the wall. This makes a very handsome mantel lambrequin. Bedroom lambrequins are made of cretonne, with mantel lambrequins to match ; these are trimmed with the same kind of goods, cut in two, or two and one-half inch deep strips ; pink both edges, make into niching and trim top and bottom. A narrow cord or gimp can be placed in the center of the ruching. These are very pretty where the room is furnished in cretonne.
An open fireplace in winter has hangings which are suspended beneath the mantel by rings that slide upon a small rod concealed by the mantel lambrequin. These hangings touch the hearth or floor, and are finished to correspond with all the other draperies. In summertime the fireplace may be concealed completely. When a fire is required, these hangings are drawn apart upon the rod, and then their fullness is hung over an extended ornament like those which hold back the window and door draperies. The effect thus produced is more charming than
can be described. If the fabric is of a pale, delicate color, the rods and borderings are richly tinted and darker ; but if dark, their accessories are light, and suggestive of airiness.
CABINETS.