GODEY'S LADY'S BOOK
Philadelphia, November 1850

THE WORK TABLE

A NEW KIND OF WORK FOR THE FAIR SUBSCRIBERS TO "THE BOOK."

LEATHER WORK.

Directions for the Fashionable Leather Work.

THE leather used is sheep skin. The leaves from any given pattern are cut out with sharp scissors which cut firmly at the tips; curved scissors are useful, but not necessary for rounded leaves. As it is better not to pencil the leather, which gives a dark mark to the edge, those who are unaccustomed to draw or cut out by eye may place a natural leaf or paper pattern on the leather as a guide for the shape. The leaves, when cut, are laid for a few minutes in warm or cold water; the leather is soon softened, and, the water being squeezed out, they are pressed in a cloth. Observe that the color from the leather stains. Holding the leather leaf, thus rid of superfluous moisture, in the left hand, vein it with a blunt penknife, pressing it between the finger and thumb. Lay the leaves on card-board, and dry them thoroughly by the fire; they should then be dipped in warm size, and again dried as before. Directions for making the size will be given presently. Common glue is the best cement for fastening the leaves on the wood. Before they are attached, the wood should be thoroughly sized; the size not being made as liquid by heat as for dipping. Fine string, or coarse silk twisted over a wooden plate or bowl, about an inch apart at the edge, forms a good method of pressing the leaves firmly when glued at the backs, and slipped underneath. After a layer has been thus formed, they should be left for several hours to dry, and the remainder may be added and kept firmly in place with good-sized pins. When the pattern is complete and thoroughly dry, size as well several times; on this depends the perfection of the varnish. Several kinds of varnish may be used; but the one which gives the least trouble, perhaps, is the copal varnish used by painters, and it is very reasonable. Lay it on with a camel's-hair brush, taking care the size is quite dry.

DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING SIZE. - Put in glass, bits of parchment, or old kid gloves, which do as well when cut up, in cold water, and let it simmer gently; then strain the liquor off clear; about a handful of either will make half a pint of good size. It may be kept in a bottle and warmed by the fire when used. A hard brush is best, as the size may with it be used thicker than with a soft one. If it is thought necessary to color either wood, leather, or both, this is done best with common water-color from a paint-box, after the last coat of size is dry. As the shades of the leather will sometimes vary, and a little touching-up is necessary after varnishing, some of the oil-color in tube may be mixed very advantageously in a little varnish for the purpose.

INFANT'S SLIPPER.

Materials - Quarter of an ounce of shaded green Berlin wool, one yard of narrow green satin ribbons, and a pair of cork soles.

MAKE a chain of 11 loops, and work 1 row in double crochet, then work the remainder of the slipper in ribbed crochet. For the front, work until you have 9 ridges, increasing at each edge. For the sides, work 9 stitches until a sufficient length is worked; about 20 ridges will be required; then join this to the front, and work in double crochet all round, increasing 2 stitches at each corner of the instep; finish with a row of Victoria scallop, and draw with the ribbon. Sew on the sole on the wrong side. Make a strap the length required for the ankle by working two rows in double crochet, making 3 chain stitches at one end for the button-hole.

CROCHET FLOWER WORK.

SPIDER WORT.

(For directions, see March number.)

This flower is formed of three small petals, and requries two shades of violet Berlin wool; one rather deep, the other lighter, though it must not be too pale.

Take the lighest color, not split, and make a chain of three stitches; fasten off. Take the second shade, and work in the first loop of the chain one plam stitch, in the second loop one stitch of double crochet, and one plain stitch; then make a chain stitch, and begin the second round in double crochet, putting a wire in the edge. In this second round, you must increase one stitch in the first, third, and fifth long stitches of the preceding row. This round being completed, break off the wool, twist the ends of the wire together, and cut off one of them.

The stamens of this little flower are very beautiful - they are of violet color, with a top of the richest golden hue - and spring from a little tuft of silky violet threads. It would be better to buy them ready-made, if possible; but, if preferred, they can be made thus: take a bit of floss-silk, of a bright golden color, make a knot at the end of a piece of violet silk, or wool, insert the bit of gold-color silk in the knot, and tie it as tightly as possible; cut the end of the gold silk quite short. Make another knot about half an inch from the first, insert a bit of gold silk, tie it like the first. Cut short the violet and gold silk, and make another knot at the end of the latter; tip it with gold in the same manner; place your silk across the half-inch, tipped at both ends, and tie it in the middle, so as to make three stamens of equal length; place them in the middle of a little tuft of violet silk, or wool, and fix the whole in the middle of the flower. Cover the stem with green wool, split.

The spider wort grows on a long stem, without leaves, and generally with two or three flowers on one stalk. The leaves are always close to the bottom of the stalk; they have the appearance of a blade of grass, and are about a foot long, and an inch broad, and are of a very bright green color; but the little bunch of flowers will form a pretty ornament for mats, &c., without leaves or buds.