BAD DESIGN IN WOMEN'S WORK.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 53, 26 November 1907, Page 3

BAD DESIGN IN WOMEN'S WORK.

Dealing with the specimens to be seen at the Exhibition of.Women's Work of the misuse of good materials through a meretricious or erroneous view of art, reference may' he mado (says our Melbourne correspondent) to the . "patriotic" design, the !'sentimental" design, and the "grotesque" design. As an oxample of'the last one I may ; quote a large, frieze, the lower part of the design of which is a most life-like and uncanny octopus', with open mouth-and leering eyes', and the upper part a branching seaweed—presumably it'is a seaweed —bearing the kind of fruit one might expect to get by crossing the pomegranate with the .tomato, and then, boiling it. This design might be used to please the inmates of a. lunatic asylum on a wet day, but for sane and happy people in a sunny clime it has no posible use". Another instance of tho grotesque design is that of, a somewhat lean and cadaverous duck with a very fat worm in hor mouth.' Possibly;: herL 1 condition will improve when she has swallowed the worm; but as an element of decoration for a liheri scone' cover she' seems a littlo out of place. Perhaps; she' is-a tabloid parable: Each one according to his tafcW. Of tho ."sentimental" design there is no dearth of examples, but the autograph counterpane will serve as well as any other. This is'made by enticing your friends to sign their names on a strip, of white linen tho size of a visiting card ; and when your friends have gone home, thinking you a rather extraordinary species of autograph collector, you proceed to work over with needle and coloured thread the marks which form their signature, and then sow the strips together to. form a counterpane. Thus your' friends are always with'you, and in. the hours of tho night you have, but to light your candle, andj thoro are the names around you and in front of you and all ; over you. To' such giddy heights does friendship attain in Australia I But the most gigantic instance of the "sentimental" design is a largo "carpet, some 12ft, square; made entirelylby the hand of a woman. The ground is-a dark myrtle green, and one might pass over the'border alternately geometric arid floral, were it not for the fact that-, the '.'eyes" of the flowers are picked out with large clear glass beads. Fancy glass beads included in the design of the carpct—' to be walked upon!' The centre of -this'- carpet is its chief triumph.:, it .is, a map of Australia ' in pale green/ and right 'across ..thij heart of its.desert are these words: "God bless our home;" A, home'planted- in such a spot is no doubt sadly in need of Divine aid', but Burqly there are better'ways of/seeking it;:' Finally, one instance rof the "patriotic'' design may'be given. This is a largo'crochet . counterpane 'in slate-coloured, cotton.' Its border, is .composed, of, the strange dovice': "Advance, Australia. Melbourne,- Victoria," Its centre- is . the' Southern Cross' and the Union Jack, its four coriiers are tho figures ■ 1-9-0-7, and, surmounting all, just'whefo this enchanting bod garment would be tucked round your chin'; aire'tho cabalistic' letters, . "E.R." •