Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-05-04
Your Old Dresses.

There were so many old worstnd dress
es about the house that we concluded to
make them into comforts for the beds
There is nothing that makes softer, lighter,
warmer comforts than this sort of goods
A gray cashmere was cut into strips, and
with beautiful blue empress cloth like
wise in narrow strips, the outside Of IL
handsome comfort was made with very
little trouble. We have always found one
fault in making this kind of bed wear the
seams would draw out, but we have over
come this by sewing in with the seam u
narrow strip of old muslin. All the good,
that would allow of making into strips
were made so, for the reason that the long
seams could be run up so easily on the
sewing machine. No matter if some OF
them were not the straight way of the
goods, for by the time they We're quilted
they would not draw, nor have the appear
ance of fulness.
A black alpaca worn until it was agrav
black without lusLre, appeared beautifully
black along side of red challie; the blue
empress dress frightened up dull slate,
for enough of il was left over from the gray
cashmere to make II third stripe in the
slate; figured brown worsted was very
pretty in with myrtle green basket cloth
making very dark comfort; a navy blue
English merino paired off with cinnamon
p plin; and Il figured wrapper went with
II black cashmere, and the result was II
very rich, pretty comfort. Then the odds
and ends were gathered up-the cores
and shirrings, and sleeves and backs and
rufllcs and collars, and these were cut into
some shape and pieced together Oemem-
boring the strip of muslin in the seam>),
and these were set together with squares
of black, and enough were looked up to
make the outsides of two comforts. We
felt rich, and we were richer yet for we
sent the girls down to the store to look
among the paper rags for some soft, fine
old worsed thing to help make out
border for the rug we had in the frames,
and they found two old dresses, out and
out worsted ones, not near worn out yet
They brought them home and we made
warm suds of COLI water soap, with a
little ammonia in it, and washed them out,
sweet and clean, and this helped 10 make
another comfort. MANY careless ex.
travagant woman will sell, or throw
away, or give away such dresses, when
they could be made to do great service.
Calico, costing five cents II yard. made
Innings for the new comforts, which were
quilted in checks about five inches square.
Merely knotting them is not sufficiently
strong The seams and hens and other
wise useless bits Of worste,ls are admirable
to wo, into rugs, and we saved all of
them for this purpose, Soft, fine, all wool
is the best for rugs; it wears well and
always appears well. Hafworn muslin
sheets make good quilt and comfort lin
ings, when the outside is not entirely new
They can be dyed with little trouble and
expense. nice gray, slate or stone color.
the same way that we dye old hose before
we cut them over for the children
For two pounds of goods take one fourth
of pound Of poor, cheap black tea; steep
it in an iron kettle, putting the tea in a
bag, loosely. When boiled add Il ten.
spoonful of copperas, boil and then put in
the goods; if a light color is desired do not
boil long, but if dark, leave it until the
color suits you, Rinse in clean, warm
water We forgot to say that very light
puffy, extra kind of batting for comforts
is made at wollen factories, out of poor
coarse wool, 1t is preferable to cotton
batting .-RoseLIa Rice, in HOusekeeper.