WE often find our correspondents writing, "Are there any new patterns for underclothes?" "Can you send me a good night-cap pattern?" etc. etc. This has suggested to us the plan of publishing designs for plain as well as ornamental needlework, and we commence the present month by two selected from the large establishment of Madame Demorest, late of Canal Street, now of 375 Broadway, New York. Besides the infinite variety of outer garments, children's clothing, etc., to which we have before alluded, Madame Demorest has patterns of everything for a lady's under wardrobe, in sets or singly, so arranged as to look exactly like the garment itself; and, as they can be sent by mail, there is thus an end to the necessity of begging and borrowing in every direction through a country neighborhood.

An article of practical instructions in the art of plain-sewing, for it is, indeed, an art, will be given from time to time. It is a great pity that this knowledge has, in most cases, to be acquired by the married woman. We think it should be considered an essential part of the education of the daughter. All the pages of instruction that may be written or read upon the subject, can never give that aptitude and ease in the performance of this very necessary household duty, which would be acquired by seeing how others do it, and being taught while young to take a part in the operation. A young mother who is not a dressmaker or seamstress by profession, but who can quietly cut out and make any article of dress that may be wanted, is looked upon by her companions as a sort of marvellous prodigy. "Oh, how can you do it?" "Well, I never had any genius that way!" are their exclamations. And why have they no genius that way? In most cases, it is simply because they have been taught at some "seminary for young ladies" to despise such employments as mean and vulgar. Those who have genius enough to knit fancy patterns, or work bunches of flowers upon canvas, are quite capable of learning how to employ their needle for useful household purposes. But express a wish to those who by profession undertake the education of girls, that your children should learn to employ the needle usefully, and you will most likely be told, "Oh, we really have not time to attend to that; there is so much else that must be learned, we cannot undertake plain needlework." And what does all that is learned tend to? Frequently, to little more than a smattering of this and that, by which the learner hopes to gain admiration, and eventually a husband. Even the few years that are sometimes spent at home, between school-days and marriage, are wasted in visiting and frivolity and gaining a husband. How to fulfil those duties which such an acquisition brings upon her, seems to be a problem which may be answered by the assertion, "Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof." In many respects, those children who are taught in public schools are really better educated for domestic life than the children of the classes a rank or two higher, who are brought up in boarding-schools or day schools for young ladies. However, pages and volumes might usefully be written on the inappropriate mode of bringing up the daughters of families, who have nothing or little beside their own exertions to look to for their maintenance; but this is not our present object. Many there are who would willingly exchange the frivolities learned at school for a knowledge how to make out and plan the clothes of their families; and, for the benefit of such, we will endeavor, as far as paper and print can do it, to teach them.

The present models are—

Fig. 1.—A night-dress with plaited front and full sleeves, an extremely neat and excellent pattern, designed and furnished by Madame Demorest. The back may be either full in a yoke, or of a sacque form.

Fig. 2 is also one of Madame Demorest's designs, a chemise, plaited front, and highly ornamented yoke, as is the present style. The embroidery is with linen floss, and will wear as long as the garment, a great matter in trimming. The shape combines neatness and ease, and will be found extremely comfortable.