Imperial Valley Press

New Trick Gives "Oomph To Crocheted Fashions
By EPSIE KINARD NEA Staff Writer

NEW YORK.-Thanks to a new construction trick, the newest crop of make-it-yourself crocheted hat, bag and belt ensembles have all the oomph and chic of fabulously priced custom-made matchmates.

That trick is to make a meshed-in effect as heavy as felt-and as easy to drape-out of cotton thread by carrying four strands all at the same time on your crochet hook.

This trick also wins huzzas from busy women because it cuts down considerably on the time it takes to whip up style tricks like those shown above.

Only a few evenings and eight balls of thread, for instance, are needed to crochet either one of the two ensembles pictured. So compactly meshed are the four-strand weaves that no millinery wiring is needed for either the beribboned beret pictured left or the chou-trimmed turban shown right. The same heavy-as-felt construction which builds good contours into toppers also gives the bags pictured-envelope at the left and collar bag at the right-their good handling qualities and eliminates the nuisance of having to back these accessories with a lot of extra linings and stiffeners

Even dickeys and belts which are ensembled' with hat and bag teams owe their ship-shape look and fashion appeal to the new four-strand construction, as witness the stomacher-type belt shown with the ensemble at the right, and the tie-on peplum (below right).

Although millinery wire gives a sailor its taut-brimmed look, which as you can see on the hat shown center is desirable, the new tightly-meshed crochet construction is frequently all that is needed to preserve the shape of softer-brimmed bonnets.