MAKE YOUR OWN GARDENIA.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 229, 22 March 1928, Page 2

MAKE YOUR OWN GARDENIA.

As’ a buttonhole the gardenia never loses the affection of smart womankind. As chic in the lapel ot a severe tailormade as. in the folds- of a soft georgette gown, its pallid white or delicate pink petals always strike a note Of distinction.

To make your own gardenia from old white kid gloves, or a scrap of velours, is not a difficult matter. It is an art that is worth mastering since the little economy that it represents, will enable you to enjoy a relay of fresh buttonholes without being unduly extravagant. If you study a gardenia, you will notice that each of the outer petals has a distinct ridge or veining down the centre. .After you have cut a dozen petals, distinctly larger than the second dozen that will form the central group, lay them on the kitchen table over a piece of white paper, warm a knittingneedle before the fire, and draw it firmly several times down the centre of each. Where the ridge thus formed meets the edge, cut out a tiny Y-shaped piece. Then make the heart of the gardenia from three semi-circular pieces pleated like a fan and wired firmly together. Pierce the base with two strong pieces of wire that cross at right angles and are 1~-ng enough to form a firm stem. Next wire the smaller petals at even intervals all round, and stitch with thread the larger outer petals, so that they slightly overlap. With the back of a penknife, stroke these so that they take a downward curve at the edges, in contrast to rose petals which

should turn upwards. A bud may be made from a wad of material with tiny petals rolled tightly round it. The edge of each petal should be lightly notched. Bind the stems with green or brown wool.