her own, taking them for “pick-up” work.  Small fringed napkins are also used in the same way, and for tray covers, but fringe soon grows to look “dog-eared,” and mats in the laundering.  Still another dressing for the bare table is the long hemstitched linen strip, 12 inches wide, which runs the length of the table, hanging over the end, and is crossed at the middle by a second strip extending over the sides, two strips thus seating four people.  When six are to be seated the cross-piece is moved to one side and a third corresponding strip placed about 18 inches from it.

The list of table linen is incomplete without a damask carving cloth to match each tablecloth, which it protects from spatterings from the platter.  This also may be fashioned of plain linen, should be about three-quarters of a yard wide and a yard long, and either hemstitched or scalloped—­embroidered, too, if one cares to put that much energy into work which will show so little.  And then there must be some doilies to overlay the Canton-flannel-covered asbestos mats for use under hot dishes.

CENTERPIECES

Styles in centerpieces are fleeting; just now all-white holds sway, and of a surety there is nothing daintier.  Although pretty centers can be purchased all the way up from $1, here again the mistress’s industrious fingers come into play, for there is a certain unbuyable satisfaction in working a little of one’s very self into the table adornment, and really handsome centerpieces are quite expensive.  They run in sizes from 12 to 45 inches.  The center with doilies to match is pretty and desirable.  It is quite as easy to arrange them in this way as to gather in an ill-assorted, mismated collection.  Those for daily use should be rather simple and of a quality which will not suffer from frequent intercourse with the washtub.

MONOGRAMS

The fashion of embroidering monograms on table linen must be handled with care; the working over-and-over of the padded letters with fine cotton thread is a nice task which requires experience and skill.  The cloth monograms are from 2 to 3 inches high and are placed at one side of the center, toward the corner.  Either the full monogram or an initial is appropriate in the corner of the napkin, and to be in the best taste should never be more than an inch high.  These letters are either plain, in circlets, or surrounded with running vines, and add that distinction to the napery which handwork always imparts.

CARE OF TABLE LINEN