Taking Stock of Odd Lengths - How Remnants of Silk and Canvas may be Utilised - A Suggestion for a Table-centre - Hydrangea as the Motif for a Charming Design - Daisies and

Buttercups n every household "odds and ends" are I apt to accumulate. These fragments often seem of no value, and are frequently consigned to the nearest waste-paper-basket.

Take, for instance, the pieces of ribbon used to tie up chocolate-boxes, pocket- handker-chiefs, and the fashionable Christmas card. Form a collection of these remnants, and even needlefuls of lustrine, embroidery silks, and wool; then one day turn them out, and you will be surprised at the practical value of your assets.

If you happen to haveanyremnants of canvas or loosely grained materials by you, it will be so much the better, and they will be useful in the working up of these oddments. If not, short lengths may be purchased for a few pence.

Mount the canvas foundation on cardboard with the centre cut out as described in the article on Braidwork (p. 4078, Vol. 6).

Section of table-centre of canvas worked in a floral design with odds and ends of narrow ribbons and silks. Four of these sections should be joined by insertion, and the whole edged with lace to match

A tasteful table-centre may be worked in four sections joined by an insertion which can be bought for a penny a yard. A floral design lends itself excellently to the working up of odd lengths of ribbon and silks. Mark the centres of your flowers, carefully measuring the distances; then take the ribbon, threading it with a tapestry needle, and work the petals as in ordinary ribbon-work. Some pieces of green ribbon serve to make most suitable stalks. Between the flowers may be inserted a conventional blossom, with oddments of pink and green ribbon, the petals decorated with a few stitches evolved from a yard or two of green lustrine, some French knots in brown forming the centres of the flowers.

An odd hemstitched canvas mat could be beautified in the same way. For the motif take the hydrangea, which lends itself to working out in true Japanese fashion with delicate tinted ribbon. The result is a medley of blue, pink, and lilac flowers after Nature, and yet tiny lengths of ribbon of only a few inches are sufficient to carry out this idea to perfection. The green leaves and stalks can be finished off with wool, lustrine, or floss silk.

Hemstitched mat worked with ribbon in the delicate hydrangea shades is artistic, and by no means difficult to arrange if short lengths of narrow ribbon are available

The hydrangea design carried out in the palest shades of pink, mauve, and blue with green ribbon for leaves and stems, may be utilised on a pincushion

This useful plant form may be also used to form the decoration of a very pretty pin-cushion. After mounting the canvas on its cardboard frame, mark the centre and four corners, working the former outwards in pink ribbon surrounded with four groups of three leaves. Four long stitches in a darker shade of green connect the corners with the central design. Work the centres of the flowers in French knots, and keep the petals and leaves uniform in size and even.

If the canvas has cut to waste, use any strips left over for serviette or table napkin rings. The usual length is from six to seven inches, and the breadth about two inches. After mounting the canvas on the tiny frame work three Michaelmas daisies in violet baby ribbon. Form the centres with woollen French knots. If this looks heavy, a few knots in light pink silk can be inserted. Conventional stalks may be threaded in long, narrow ribbon stitches to join the flowers. A full set of these rings make quite a nice present, suitable flowers would be daisies in different colours, buttercups, wild roses, or white jasmine on a dark ground.

The rings are best finished off with a narrow cord, and the pincushion with any kind of lace, or a frill.

Almost any useful article can be decorated with ribbon-designed flowers, shoe-bags, handkerchief-cases, scent-sachets, and sofacushions, to name only a few. In fact, there is no end to the useful purposes that can be carried out from the mere savings of the ragbag, or to the variety of useful presents costing little except time and labour.

An odd strip of canvas worked in baby ribbon might be arranged as a serviette ring. Daisies, buttercups, and roses are quickly worked flowers