big hank of yarn that
night. It was soaked and scoured the next morning, and in twenty-four
hours from the time the brother announced his loss he had a fine new
pair of double mittens. A pair of double hooked and pegged mittens would
last for years. Pegging, I am told, was heavy crocheting.

An elaborate and much-admired form of knitting was the bead bags and
purses which were so fashionable in the early years of this century,
though I have seen some knitted bags of colonial days.

Great variety and ingenuity were shown in these bags and purses. Some
bore landscapes and figures; others were memorials done in black and
white and purple beads, having so-called "mourning designs," such as
weeping willows, gravestones, urns, etc., with the name of the deceased
person and date of death. Beautiful bags were knitted to match
wedding-gowns. Knitted purses were a favorite token and gift from fair
hands to husband or lover. Watch chains were more unusual; they were
knit in a geometrical design, were about a yard long and about
three-eighths of an inch in diameter. One I saw had in tiny letters in
gilt beads the date and the words "Remember the Giver." In all these
knitted and crocheted bags the beads had to be strung by a rule in
advance; in an elaborate pattern of many colors it may easily be seen
that the mistake of a single bead in the stringing would spoil the
entire design. They were therefore never a cheap form of decorative
work. Five dollars was often paid for knitting a single bag. A varied
group from the collection of Mr. J. Howard Swift of Chicago is here
shown.

Netting was another decorative handiwork. Netted fringes for edging the
coverlets, curtains, testers, and valances of high-post bedsteads
were usually made of cotton thread or twine, and when tufted or
tasselled were a pretty finish. A finer silk or cotton netting was used
for trimming sacks and petticoats. A letter written by Mrs. Carrington
from Mount Vernon in 1799 says of Mrs. President Washington:--

"Her netting is a source of great amusement to her and is so neatly
done that all the younger part of the family are proud of trimming
their dresses with it, and have furnished me with a whole suit so
that I shall appear 'a la domestique' at the first party we have
when I get home."

Netted purses and work-bags also were made similar to the knitted ones.
A homelier and heavier netting of twine was often done at home for small
f