271. Shrinking Dress Goods
Before making the white linen dress skirt, or
any material that is liable to shrink, fold the goods carefully and place
it in a tub and cover with water. Let it get thoroughly wet, stretch the
clothes line as tightly as possible, hang the goods through the center,
and pin perfectly straight on the line. When dry, let two persons stretch
the goods as curtains are stretched, fold it with the wrong side of the
material out and iron double with the seam running through the center of
the goods on the length of the material. In shrinking colored prints add
turpentine to the water, and it will set the color. A teaspoonful is used
to a gallon of water.
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256. Finger Bowl
A finger bowel should always have a few flowers or a leaf floating around on the surface. ... 257. Raw Oysters
Raw oysters are further improved by sections of lemon or sprigs of mint among the cracked ice. ... 258. Cheerfulness at Meals
Meals should be something more than the consumption of food. All work stops at those times and people meet together. Nothing that can be done should be omitted to make it an occasion of agreeable interchange of thought and conversation, and when this i... 259. To Keep a Rug from Curling
The edge of the heavy rug will not curl if treated to a coat of shellac on the under side. ... 26. Sweep Stairs with Paint Brush
My mother uses a paint brush with long bristles for sweeping her stairs. With its use the work is more quickly and thoroughly done than by the old way, because the bristles reach every corner and crack as a cloth cannot do. ... 260. Grease Stains on Silk
For grease stains on silk, rub the silk with French chalk or magnesia, and then hold it to the fire. Thus the grease will be absorbed by the powder, which may then be brushed off. ... 261. Ironing Centerpieces
When ironing centerpieces of tablecloths, see that the iron moves with the straight grain of the cloth. If this method is followed the circular edge will take its true line. ... 262. Tucking Children's Dresses
When hand tucks are to be used on children's dresses, they should be very carefully made, and the first one kept perfectly straight to use as a guide for the others. A good way to do this is to loosen one thread, not to pull out but sufficiently draw it... 263. A Neat Way to Mend Table Linen
A neat way to mend table linen is to darn it with linen threads off an older tablecloth. It will look much neater than a patch sewed on. It is advisable to keep a piece of a discarded tablecloth in the mending basket for that purpose. ... 264. A Good Substitute for a Toaster
If the toaster is suddenly lost, you can find a very good substitute in the popcorn popper. It can be held over the gas or before the coal fire, and the bread will toast in a few minutes. ... 265. To Prepare Cauliflower
To prepare cauliflower remove all the large green leaves and greater part of stalk. Soak in cold water, to which has been added one teaspoonful of vinegar and a half teaspoonful of salt to each quart. ... 266. Preserving Dress Patterns
Some women, after they have used a pattern, just roll it up and tuck it away wherever it happens, and when they want to use it the next time, it curls up and acts so that there is no doing anything with it. If they would just lay the patterns out flat ... 267. Lace on Centerpieces
Lace that is used on centerpieces is not fulled, but is just held in enough to lie flat. The best way to get this flatness is to draw the thread of the lace and fasten one end to the linen, leaving enough to make a neat seam, and then to adjust fullness... 268. Uses of Mop Handles
Most women have found the mop handle with the handy clasp, a general utility tool. There is a great deal of unnecessary bending of the knees to the household gods. It is a painful attitude, and work that can be done just as well in a standing position, ... 269. Iron Holders Made from Asbestos
Iron holders made from a piece of asbestos the desired size, and covered with drilling or heavy unbleached muslin are light and keep out the heat. There should be a ring or loop sewed to one corner to hang up the holder. ... 27. Washing Hair Brushes
To wash hair brushes take a piece of washing soda, dissolve it in warm water, and stand the brush in it, taking care that the water covers only the bristles. It will almost instantly become clean and white. Place it in the air to dry, bristles downward,... 270. Washing Quilts
To wash quilts a housekeeper gives the following directions: Dissolve a bar of white soap in a cupful of water. Run into your bath-tub sufficient water to cover one quilt; make a good suds, and put in the quilt, and let it soak for a few minutes. Do not... 271. Shrinking Dress Goods
Before making the white linen dress skirt, or any material that is liable to shrink, fold the goods carefully and place it in a tub and cover with water. Let it get thoroughly wet, stretch the clothes line as tightly as possible, hang the goods through ... 272. Fixing Worn Corsets
For stitching over worn corset stays, a wide white tape is unequaled. ... 273. Cooking Breakfast Food
Don't leave the tin lid on the saucepan if you start the cereal in the evening for breakfast. It will rust and the moisture drip into the food. ... 274. Tough Meat to Make Tender
Tough meat can be made tender by adding a teacupful of lemon juice to the water in which it is boiled. ... 275. To Preserve Pineapple
To preserve pineapple allow only three-quarters of a pound of sugar to each pound of pineapple. ... 276. Hemstitching Underclothing
Hemstitching forms a dainty finish for the household linen and underclothing, but the busy woman often will not undertake it because of the difficulty of drawing the threads. If a piece of white soap be rubbed on the underside of the cloth, where the h... 277. To Boil Eggs Without Cracking Them
To boil eggs without the risk of cracking, hold them in a spoonful of boiling water before immersing them. ... 278. Save the Basting Thread
Basting threads, when saved, should be wound on a spool, otherwise they get hopelessly tangled and are not used again. ... 279. Threading Needles
Thread will knot less easily, if the end that is broken from the spool is run through the eye of the needle. ... 28. Loops on Towels
Always have a loop on each end of the kitchen towel, where a roller is not used. Otherwise all the soil and the wear come on the lower end. ... 280. Measuring Dress Goods
Do not measure dress goods and laces with a tape line, as it stretches the material. Use a yardstick. ... 281. Do Not Use Coarse Thread
An expert needlewoman says that the reason why so much embroidery does not look attractive is that too coarse a thread is used for the work. It is not a bad rule to use a cotton a number or two finer than is recommended, unless the advice comes from one... 282. Putting in a Temporary Hem
The hem of a dress that must be lengthened after it is laundered should be turned perfectly straight and stitched with number one hundred thread. It can be easily ripped and the fine threads will not leave the usual stitched lines that one often sees w... 283. Serviceable Child's Dress
A quaint little frock that will be serviceable, can be made from a remnant of demi flouncing hemstitched on the embroidered edge. This placed at the hem, of course, and the top is gathered in Mother Hubbard style into a neck band edged with a little fr... 284. Convenience for the Sewing Room
A good sized waste basket should be continually close to every sewing machine. Then it is easy to form the habit of dropping all scraps into it just as the scissors make them, instead of leaving them to litter about the floor. ... 285. Buttons for Future Use
When buttons are removed from a dress for future use they should be loosely strung on a thread before being put in the button box. This is a time-saver as well as keeps the buttons from getting lost or several of a set from being used. ... 286. Basting Long Seams
When basting long seams, if the edge of the material is slipped under the machine needle and the needle is lowered it firmly holds the two pieces, and one can more quickly do the work. ...