The Hallway.

The physicists explain colour in terms of light, caused by a certain set of wave-lengths of varying frequencies and ranging from the unseen ultra-violet rays through the gamut of perceived colours to the unseen infra-red rays. Psychologists do not concern themselves with what colour is, but with what it does to us. Red excites or over-excites us; blue, green and violet (the colour background of nature) are cooling and soothing; yellow is a sunshine tonic.

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Our reactions to colour are so important to our mental well-being, that it is important to have our homes, where we spend so much of our time, suitably coloured according to aspect, size, and our own temperament. To the excitable “up-anddown” person an undue use of red in home decorating will put the nerves on edge, whereas blues and greens have a calming effect. Yellow is cheering, and can give a surprising impress of sunshine to the gloomiest room.

Claustrophobia, a fear of enclosed spaces, is present in more or less degree in many people. That is why we have a hatred of cluttered rooms. A clear floor-space is not only easy for the housekeeper, but pleasing to the eye and soothing to the nerves.

A narrow entrance-hall can give that prison feeling, after hours spent out of doors. Much can be done to minimise this effect by a judicious use of colour. A cool colour and light tints, especially blues, will tend to make the space look wider. Narrow spaces also seem to increase wall-height. Counteract this by painting the ceiling a warm colour which will seem to bring it closer; or the walls may be painted to eye-level in the chosen shade and a lighter colour above.

If blue or blue-green colours are used for the hallway, woodwork is best stained a light oak. A splash of colour may be provided by a bowl of orange flowers, orange pottery or an orange lamp-shade. Remember that yellow or orange light gives blue a greyish tint.

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For Summer Dance Frocks.
A Ribbon Pochette Six and a-half Inches by Four Inches.

Materials required:- 9 yds. half-inch ribbon. 1/4 yd. sateen. 1/4 yd. silk lining. Tailors' canvas or other stiffener.

The design sketched (on p. 58) was carried out in two shades of green ribbon. Cut an oblong of sateen 6 1/2in. by 11in. and tack stiffener to it. Cut thirteen strips of pale - green ribbon 11in. long, and twenty-two strips of mid-green 6 1/2in. long. Tack the strips of palegreen to one end of the sateen and the strips of mid-green to one side. Machine stitch them to position. Weave the strip of mid-green next the stitched end over and under the pale-green strips and pin at the opposite edge. Continue to weave the page 58 strips across until all are pinned in position. Now pull the pale-green strips firmly into position and tack. Machine stitch the remaining two edges of oblong and press.

One end of the oblong must be cut to a curve or point for the flap of the bag. Machine ribbon firmly to sateen just within where you intend to cut. Cut bias strips from the lining silk and bias bind the oblong. Fold the oblong at four inch intervals to form the pochette. The sides should be machine stitched at the inner edge of the binding. Make up the silk lining separately and attach to pochette. If desired, a tiny pocket with domed flap may be attached to the lining and serve as a purse Lingerie braid makes a dainty finish to the lining inside the flap.

A plaited pochette of the same material as a frock may be made. Printed taffeta would be very suitable. Have a sufficient amount of material hemstitched in half-inch widths, and cut to form picot-edged “ribbons.”

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