A Dahlia Spray In Stencilling Design

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 318, 31 March 1928, Page 21

A Dahlia Spray In Stencilling Design

(.Specially written for THE SUH by Hosine Henderson.)

JN our modern life, in which every moment is precious, we have not sufficient time to devote ourselves to the long and dreary art-work of our grandmothers. However, we like beautiful things as much as they did, and we df-e always seeking for some attractive adornment of our garments or of our homes. Stencilling is a device which has satisfied the caprice of thousands, as a simple form of decoration. It is a simple means of reproducing a design as many times as necessary. Take a piece of thin cardboard, and on it draw the design and cut out the portion of cardboard enclosed by the design. Then place the cardboard on the cloth to be decorated, and with a stencilling brush and colour paint the cloth exposed in the holes. The motif given in tins article is “The Dahlias.” It can he stencilled in any colour purple, red, rose, orange, legion, or gold, and the leaves soft or dark green or black, or gold.

But where to place this motif is the question—and the ideas given here may help you. First, what do you think of this lampshade. Fig. I—made1 —made of parchment paper—charming for a studio or a hall. The yellowish tone of the paper would agree well with red dahlias and black leaves, and with a border of red wooden beads as a finishing touch. Then the little morning handbag shown in Fig. 2 can be made of poplin of the same shade as your dress. On this, the motif can be stencilled and the border made with a back-stitch of floss, or of stranded silk. The little spots in the centre can be made of knots in orange colour. Now that the scarf is almost a part of oneself you may consider making one of lrght crepe de chine finished with a spray of dahlias in autumn

shades. Fig. 3 suggests an arrangement. Lastly, why not use one of your felt hats to go with the purse and the scarf? Just place on it a large ribbon of velvet of a tone darker than the felt, and on it arrange the dahlias as a posy. This should not be stencilled but executed in “applique,” for it is possible to use the stencilling design for applique. To do this, draw the flower on the velvet, cut it out, not too close to the design, place it on the hat, tack it, and then fix it, following the line of the design with a buttonhole stitch of stranded silk. Fig 4 is a suggestion. You will find welcome, ideas which enable you to add to the smartness of your garments and articles in your home, at the same time giving you the satisfaction of being yourself the artist. !