655. _Patchwork._--Many improvements may be made in patchwork that most of us have been accustomed to see for years. It is a kind of needlework very interesting for little girls; and old ladies frequently resort to this for amusement by their cosy firesides, during the long winter evenings, when tired of reading. 656. _Of the Materials._--_The materials_ necessary for patchwork are such portions of wearing apparel, whether cloth, calico, linen, holland, silk, velvet, cotton, &c., such as would otherwise be thrown away, or saved for the rag-man. No matter how small the portion, every scrap has its use. The next necessary article is some stiff paper--old envelopes, backs of letters, brown paper, &c., to form the shapes; lastly, the design--shapes, cut out in _tin_, and the designs themselves. The materials should be arranged into shades and qualities. After having been cut to required sizes, and the irregularities of the edges neatly repaired, they are ready for use. 657. _Patterns._--The _patterns_ may be varied _ad infinitum_, if the person possesses the least talent for drawing; but for the sake of those who may not be able to do this, we submit the following simple and effective designs to be executed in any of the materials. 658. _To make the Patchwork._--The pattern should be placed before the person, and the shades being selected, the several pieces arranged so as to form the design, and the edges then neatly sewed together; after which they are either pressed, or ironed, the papers removed, and the lining proceeded with. When silks and velvets are employed, it improves the effect to combine the two, taking the silk for the lighter, and the velvet for the darker shades; or, as in figures 5, 6, 8, and 11, to have silk for the lighter shades, and two velvets for the others, shaded to pattern. A very pretty effect is produced by combining Holland and calico, silk and satin, silk or satin and velvet, and rough and fine cloth. _The various articles_ that may be manufactured, are quilts in colored and white calico; anti-macassars in silks; ottomans in silks and velvets, silks and cloth; table-covers in silks and cloth; cushions for chairs or sofas, in silks; and mats, rugs, and carpets, in cloth. We have seen many useful white quilts for children's cots, made from the cuttings remaining after shirt making. The centre might be of Holland and calico, pattern 10, fig. 5, and then fig. 7, with a fringe border, knitted. Numerous rugs might be made in colored cloths, to look equal to carpets, for poor people, and wear much better. [Illustration: Figs. 1-6] [Illustration: Figs. 7-11] [Illustration: AN ELEGANT MUSNUD FOR A SOFA.] 659. _The materials_ required, consist of braid of various hues, purse-silk of different shades, bed-ticking, feathers, down, horse-hair, or worsted ends; the design-shapes, some cord for pipings, the various colored cloths, silks, &c., and a curtain-ring or a piece of cardboard for the centre.