* * * * *

CANDLE LAMP MAT.

MATERIALS.—­Half-ounce each of stone-colour and shaded violet, 8-thread; half-ounce of shaded amber, 4-thread Berlin Wool; 4 yards of ordinary sized Blind or Skirt Cord; 77 small Curtain Rings, the size measuring across five-eighths of an inch; Nos. 1 and 2 Penelope Hook:  2 bunches No. 6 Steel Beads.

With No. 1 Hook, and drab Wool, work 11 stitches d.c., over the end of the cord; double in as small a circle as possible, unite, and work 2 stitches into every loop for three more rounds.

5th:  1 stitch into every loop.

6th:  Increase 1 stitch in every 2nd loop.  There must be 72 stitches in this round.

7th:  Place a pin in every 9th loop, and in this same 9th loop work with 8-thread violet, 1 stitch; then 9 stitches drab in the next 8 loops, that is, increasing 1 stitch in about the 4th loop; repeat this all round.

8th:  Work 3 stitches violet into the 1 violet stitch; then 9 stitches drab, working only 8 stitches in the last compartment, to commence next row.

9th:  In the last drab stitch that was not worked into, work 1 violet stitch; then 4 more violet; then 7 drab, increasing 1 in 4th stitch; in the last compartment make only 2 drab after the increased stitch, in order to make 8 violet in next round.

10th:  8 violet, the 1st to come before the 5th violet of last row, and the last to come after the 5th violet, but increasing 1 violet on the 5th stitch; then 7 drab, increasing 1 in the 4th drab stitch.

11th:  All violet, increasing 1 in every 5th stitch.

12th.  All violet, but without increasing, unless required.

The diameter of the mat should now measure 6 inches across, but should it be required larger, another row of cord, or even two, will give the increased size.

Now d.c. under all the rings, about 30 to 32 stitches for each ring is necessary; unite and tie the knot very neatly, and sew six of these rings round a 7th, sewing them with cotton the colour, and sewing them at the parts where each ring is joined, about 6 stitches in length; be careful that no stitches are seen on the right side; then sew steel beads round the centre ring, taking up 5 to 6 beads at a time on the needle; then place the needle between the joinings of the rings, take upon it about 35 beads, and draw the cotton across to the opposite point; repeat this twice more, the beads will then form as given in engraving; sew the circles of rings on to the mat by two of the rings, and sew the circles together by one ring.  Any other colour beside amber will do for the rings.  If the table cover is scarlet, green wool should be used; if blue, amber; or if green, scarlet or pink.

[Illustration:  CANDLE-LAMP MAT.]

* * * * *

HAND SCREEN, IN CROCHET.