Smyrna times., 1877-03-14
MiSc eLLU21 OUS.
Suggestions about Spring Sewing
How to Make the Most Of Old Gar
mentS.

mentS.
With the spring cleaning, and scarcely
less to be dreaded, comes the spring sewing
with its twisting and turning of old gar
ments. If one only had money to 60
and buy new," sighs the careful mother as
she takes out one article after another from
the chest where they have been laid away,
and puzzles her brain as to the best disposi-
ton of each; remembering that "penny
saved is a penny gained"
Thanks to the present fashion of suits, it
is rarely the case that last years dresses
may not be made available for this, by re-
modelling and adding new material. If
nothing else can be done with it, the whole
dress may be turned into the skirt, and
pleatings and puffings do not show piecings!
The oldest black silk, sponged and darned,
may serve as a foundation for the new
grenadine which is to be the church and
street suit for the season; papas light over
coat, too short for the fashion, sent to the
dyers, can be remade into an overcoat for
Jamie, or a princess walking-coat for Sue,
and thus the prudent mother makes every
edge cut, and saves her husbands pocket
these hard times.
Pure wooden goods can be washed as
easily as cotton, and if treated after the
manner of hannels-washed in lukewarm
water and ironed while damp, will be no
worse for the cleansing. Black goods
alpacas, cashmeres, or merinos-shOuld be
rinsed, after washing, in indigo water,
deeply, darkly, desperately blue" in
order to give the blue black tinge so desira-
bic and counteract the brownish or reddish
blue which comes to black from wearing.
Spirits of ammonia will always restore
color taken out by an acid. Diluted with
water-a cupful OF water to u teaspOoniul OF
ammonia-It will be found excellent for
sponging black-cloth of any kind. The
glutinous preparation made by boiling an
old black-kid glove in a pint of water,
until the water is reduced one-half, will
restore to old black silks the body they
have lost, without rendering the fabric
stiff. Potato water, /. e., the water in which
Irish potatoes have been boiled after peel
ing, is also useful in renovating black silks
and cashmeres.
For black laces boraX water is used to re-
deem them from the limpness which long
wear produces, and the indigo water,
already described, to restore their color.
BOPaX water, or else a weak solution of
sugar Of lead, serves to set the color of
blue, or anything else which is apt to fade.
The French scourers and dyers do their
work so beautifully that if the material be
really good it pays to have it cleaned or
dyed; and in view OF this it is economy to
buy good article at first. Pure wool, for
instance, may be cleaned and dyed again
and again, and will look well to the last
while the cheaper cotton mixture its fresh
ness once departed, is hopeless case. We
have in mind a certain piece of soft twilled
material which has been in wear for half a
dozen years, and which in that time has
been made over again and again. 1t is
now doing duty as lower skirt, and still
looks well. But then it was first rate
quality to start with
1t is an excellent plan to keep bandboz
in which to throw all scraps of ribbons, lace
feathers, flowers, and velvets. Ribbons (al
silk dye we'll ostrich feathers can be re
curled and look good as new; and velve
can be steamed to restore its beauty
Mixed goods never dye well, and no dye
will warrant them. Even Irish poplir
rarely passes unscathed through the vat
it is apt to streak, and it always shrinks
However, we have seen some which pait
for the experiment, and made serviceabl
lower skirt and sleeves for new suit
Stripes and plaids also dye unevenly ant
show their original figures through the ney
color. Still they may be made of use a
foundations for new dresses. For instan
ces; light striped silk, dyed cardinal red
On the three front breadths was puffe,
cream cOlOred grenadine in graduated pei
pendicular puffings. Around the foo
were fiounces of grenadine bound with ne,
cardinal silk. Two straight breadths c
grenadine were puffed across the back i
three loop-like puffs, and the end formed
long square train. Puffed sleeves an
waist of grenadine, over which was worn
peasant bodice of cardinal silk. Thus. q
e
costly imported ball dress.
The Princess dress will be the fashionabl
style for the next six months at least, an
calicoes and percales, like everything els
will be made by this pattern. But
making calcoes, remember the washtu
and don't overtrim theml Flat trimming
bands, pipings, borders, and scant gaThere
founces are their legitimate trimming
The ribbons and fringes and many plea
ings seen on ginghams and percales at son
of our furnishing houses, may be pretty b
are wholly out of place.
Children grow discouragingly fast, and
the present cut of their garments it
difficult to allow for letting down and oil
1t will be found good plan to make CIR
dresses very long waisted-the fashion no
a-days-with deep hens and flounces
up on the dress this will permit lengthe
ing.
Boys trousers can be made longer
yokes set on at top. In patching kne
rip the seems of the leg and put piece /
~ pressing the seem across; it will show i
than regular patch. So, also, the sea
ripping and piecing is more satisfactC
than mending in any other way. AproI
OF boys pants, we called on a clever frie
OF ours the other day, and she had her bo
Knees done up in protectors like tn
worn by carpet men in putting do
carpets. She had taken stout pieces
cloth, stitched them together, and sew
on strings of skirtbraid. These she
tled on the youngster. "Now," she So
you see he can crawl on his knees
much as he likes and not rub CUT cit
his stockings or his trousers, and ! VIC
have holes TO mend r'-PhtLa. Times.