Photoplay (Jan 1921)

48 Photoplay Magazine a friend has asked to know what they would like to have, and suggesting that they send a list of at least five things. When the lists come back to the tactful woman at the shop who is playing the part of Christmas fairy she notifies you what they contain. When you select from the lists the articles you wish to give — you may do it over the telephone if you wish — she compiles the cost of the total. If you wish her to do so she will personally select the articles, see that they are wrapped with all the necessary holly and red ribbon and that they arrive at their destination the day before Christmas. Efficient? Well, rather! Of course, the ideal way is to make the gifts that you are going to present to your friends at Christmas time. It is really surprising what beautiful things may be made at a comparatively small outlay of time — and time seems to be the thing we have the least of in these strenuous days. Among the exquisite fabrics that are offered to the girl who is deft with her needle I think . the loveliest is batik. Personally, I like to use it for every purpose to which it lends itself and 1 have at least a dozen batik smocks. Perhaps you have seen me wear some of them in the pictures. If you do not wish your gift in this material to take the form of a smock you may use batik with equally good results in cushion tops, lamp shades, screens and table covers. By the way, the history of batik is most interesting. The art of producing the lovely batik designs originated in Java, and in the language of that little-known land it means "painting in wax." Specimens of it were brought to Europe for the first time in 1642, when the Dutch discoverers of Java realized the beauty of this kind of work. The art was, however, known and practiced in Eastern lands long before that time. Goods were made in Madras, by a combination of batik and block printing, as early as the fifteenth century. It is said that in the interior of Java there are some wonderful old ruins that are supposed to be at least twelve hundred years old. and that contain stone statues of Buddha clothed in the same kind of garments the Javanese people wear today and ornamented with batik in the patterns that are still fashionable with Javanese belles. Just think how comfortable things would be in this country if the styles only changed once in a couple of thousand years instead of changing — as they seem to do today — between luncheon and tea time! The principal garment worn by both men and women of Java is the sarong and the decorations of the sarong must be proof against both water (for the Javanese are very fond of bathing) and the rays of the fierce, tropic sun. For producing the designs, the process of "wax resist" is used. This mean= that before immersing the goods in the dye pot the patterns arc carefully drawn on the material with melted beeswax, Among the exquisite fabrics that deft with her needle. I think tl) many purposes, and have at applied with a tiny instrument called a tjanting. The tjanting is a copper cup with a fine spout through which the melted wax is applied to the fabric. If the background of the design is to be black or indigo all the surface except the background is covered with wax. After the first color is set, the wax is washed off with soap and boiling water and the wax again applied to the parts that are not to receive the next color. This process continues until the entire pattern is completed, then all the wax is removed by a hot bath of wood ashes and soap. It is the crackling of the wax while the process is going on that makes those beautiful wavy irregular lines that we see so frequently in batik materials. This "crackle" effect that we admire so much is considered by the Javanese a sign of poor workmanship and they try to avoid it by crumpling the cloth as little as possible when dyeing the goods. What romance there is in every bit of material we use in the fashioning of our Christmas gifts! Countless silk worms have spun the thread for our embroidery work, and the history of the brilliant colors we use so carelessly makes the most thrilling fiction pale in comparison. There is romance and mystery in the smallest things that we use every day so unthinkingly. Kipling recognized this truth and gave it voice in "The Miracle." In this matter of Christmas giving I hope you will not be too sensible. I am so sorry for the boy who gets a new cap for Christmas when his whole small soul has been yearning for skates. I knew a man once who bought his wife a sewing machine for Christmas! And when I heard about it I regretted that sewinc machines aren't the sort of things that one can throw at people's heads! On the other hand, there is a boy who buys his grandmother the most frivolous of Christmas gifts. I met him last year as he was negotiating the purchase of the gayest negligee, all lace and frills and pink rosebuds, and I know that she was one of the happiest grandmothers in New York on Christmas morning when she opened this box of vanity. Christmas is the time of magic; the time of good fairies: the time when dreams come true. Then why. oh, why. should we give "practical" things at this time? Every one should receive pretty things, the dainty things, the things that are too good to be true at any other time of the year. Mother would rather have roses and silk stockings than furniture or household linens. Perhaps father — bless his heart! — loves adventure tales. Then give them to him. and forget about bedroom slippers and neckties. There is a young couple I know who contrive to have Christmas all the year. They have a penny bank in which are placed all the fines for "doing the things they should not do and leaving undone those things they should do." This bank opens its doors for business — so (Continued on page no) are offered to the girl who is e loveliest is batik. I use it for least a dozen batik smocks.