Mats For Bridge Parties

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 154, 25 March 1939, Page 3 (Supplement)

Mats For Bridge Parties

Or Cushions Can Be Made In These

Appropriate Shapes

(By Violet M. Williams)

JJERE is a set of mats which will be found useful on bridge afternoons and evenings. They may be carried out in almost any material which you may happen to have on hand, providing it is the necessary colours of black and red. The heart-shaped mats are cut out from red material, and so are the diamond ones, whilst the “spades” and “clubs” are black.

THE diagrams printed here give the shapes of the spade and club, and these are easily enlarged and transferred to your material by a simple process described later.

The diamond and heart motifs are not given. The major portion of the spade is used as a pattern for the heart, whilst ithe diamond shape is easily drawn out with the aid of a ruler.

The mats are made double, and each one measures about Gin. square when completed. The stitches used in conjunction with the work, these being backstitch and buttonhole stitch, are demonstrated in the diagrams.

First of all take four pieces of card, each measuring Gin. square. Divide these squares up into Un. squares, so that each looks like the printed diagrams, except that your squares are, of course, larger.

Now carefully copy the motifs on to your squares, arranging them us they are seen in the diagram. You will find it an easy matter to sketch out. perfect club and spado motifs to the correct size in this manner. Draw out the heart and diamond shapes on the cards also.

Next cut out each motif so that they may now be used as patterns. Place each upon its corresponding shade of material, and chalk around the outline. Next cut out each mat, allowing Jin. all round each one for turnings, and reriiembering to cut out two portions of material for each mat.

When all the parts are ready, take each one separately, and turn in and tack the edges for the Jin. allowed. Next press each mat before sewing the two portions of each together. Place the two corresponding portions

together and piu them around the edges. Next take three threads of stranded cotton and work buttonhole stitch around all the double edges, thus catching them together.

Use scarlet thread upon the black mats, and black upon the scarlet ones. Your initial may bo worked upon one portion of each mat before the pieces are attached if you wish. Backstitch should be used here in red or black accordingly.

To finish off press each mat and pull out all the tacking threads. The mats are useful to place upon a polished table to prevent wineglasses from marking, or they may be used upon the card tables themselves with charming effect instead of colths being spread. In this case, one mat should be provided for the cup and saucer, and another one for the plate. If the motifs are enlarged sufficiently a delightful set of cushions may be made. These look very smart placed upon the chairs ranged around the bridge table, and are simplicity itself to make.

Let each cushion measure about 12111. square, and sew the double portions of each together on the wrong side, taking care to leave an opening at the topmost portion of each card motif as the dotted line indicates in the designs. Turn the cases thus formed Io their right sides, run a tacking thread around the edges to keep them flat, and then press.

Next stuff the eases with kapok or other filling, and close ’the opening through which it has been inserted I sewing this up as neatly and invisibly as possible. See that the “tails" of the club and spade are well padded also. Velvet may be used here with very rich effect.

Cases of cotton may be made first in the same simple way and stuffed with the filling if you prefer, so that if washable materials are used for the covers they are easily removed.