Fashion -- 19th century -- Periodicals; United States -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Women's periodicals, American
The "composite form," which we are now about to describe, admits of the
ornaments being made to match, or contrast with, or set off, any hue of
dress or complexion. In the making of composite rice shell-wreaths,
&c., various materials are brought into use, as floss-silk; fine
wire-chenil; Roman-pearl beads, and beads of a similar kind of coral
color, turquoise, pink, green, or yellow; flower-seeds; velvet or
satin, or silver leaves; and silver bullion.
To make a wreath, and a set of sprays for a bridal-dress, we should
use white floss-silk, white chenil, and silver bullion. The shells are
to be "wired," as directed in our former article; but, in making them
up into leaves and flowers, instead of using the fine wire, we use the
floss-silk to wind or bind them; and thus, instead of the wires being
all exposed, they are hidden, and the stems present a smooth silken
surface.
For making a simple, or single flower, we use the five shells as
before, but we cut half an inch of silver bullion, thread it on one of
the cut lengths of wire (of which we directed there should always be a
supply), fold it into a loop, twist the wire to keep the bullion firmly
in form and place, and put this in the centre of the flower, arranging
the five shells round it, and binding the stem with the silk.
[Illustration: DOUBLE FLOWER.]
In making the "double flower," we use twenty instead of the seventeen
shells before directed; viz. five for the flower, and fifteen for the
five leaflets of three shells each; in the centre of the five shells
we put the loop of bullion just described, and between the flower
and the leaflets we arrange five loops of fine wire-chenil at equal
distances, as in this cut, allowing each loop to project nearly half
an inch, and binding them on with the fine wire; the leaflets are then
arranged round the stem so that the centre shell of each one appears
between, and just beyond each two loops; the whole is bound together
with silk, and the stem covered to its extremity. The "bud" may either
have a loop of chenil standing up on each side of the shells of which
it is composed, or it may be formed solely of two or three loops of
chenil bound on to a stem of wire with floss-silk. When the flowers are
colored, by adding chenil and beads, or seeds to them, green leaves and
green buds have a very pretty effect.
The leaves for the bridal ornaments we were speaking of, may either be
composed of shells and wound with white silk or silver, or white satin
or velvet, or crêpe leaves may be used. We need scarcely add that silk
must be used to bind all the parts together.
Let us imagine, now, that a _brunette_ desires to dress her hair, and
decorate her snowy ball-dress with wreaths, and sprays, &c., of scarlet
or coral color.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account