Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-05-22

Seme Reflections Regarding WAraren6)
That May Be Fashioned ut Homo.

Sono Reflections Regarding WArdroHa
That May BE Fashioned ut Home.
The saying goes that 'home-bredl
youths have ever homely Wits" and ID
is often true that homemade clothes
have homely looks. With regard toI
children's clothes, this certainly need
not be the case if car and thought are
given to planning the little dresses.j
The economy of making them up al
home is apparent at a glance, as there
are few more expensive items than
ready-made children's dresses. II
pains are taken to get a good pattern,
there is no reason why children's
dresses made up at home should not
look as well as those that are bought
ready made, the chief difference being
that the home production will be SIM
pier in make and less trimmed than
the bought one. This, however, is an
advantage, both from an artistic and a
hygienic point of view, as the children
look better in plain dresses and the
weight of the trimmings that are put
on their frocks only make them heavy
and burdensome to wear without any
gain in warmth.
Good, strong, well-inished work is a
sine qua non with everything the little.
ones wear, and the ''stitch in time"
put in when making the garment will
save many after repairs when in use.
For morning and school room, the
stronger and palmer the frock the bet
ter; and for girls from six to twelve
years old, a good material is velveteen.
This fabric is now made so well thai it
will wear a long time and look good
until the last.
The easiest, and at the same time
prettiest, make of this description of
dress is with a yoke bodice, the skirt
gathered to form the waist-not a
long, but rather a short waist. This
simple frock takes five yards Of velvet-
cen and, with the addition of deep
lace collar and cuffs and a broad silk
sash, looks quite smart enoughfo after
noon wear and is at the same time pic
%turesque.
Older girls, for morning wear, want
a little more elaboration in the make
of their dresses. Serge and homespun
are good materials for them in the win-
ter, and cashmere or light tweed for
warmer weather. A suitable make for
them is a Killed skirt, a very simply
draped tunic and a gathered bodice,
with a short waist and a broad waist
band. This style takes from nine to
ten yards of stuff. 1t is pretty to in-
troduce a striped material into the
killings, and collar and cuff trim
mings.
Dark green with red stripes looks
well and green serge for the plain ma
terial. For growing girls the bodice
may be made with a plain back and
gathered front, the sleeve with a puff
at the top, to shorten the arm. which
from about twelve to sixteen looks such
an ungainly length.
Stocking %suspenders are better than
carriers, and once worn children will not
like any other way of keeping up their
stockings. Hats are easily trimmed at
at home, felt being now made in such
picturesque shapes; n yard of velvet
or plush will trim a large hat we'll.
Feathers dye, and cap be recurled
yer and over again; and if a feather
box is kept there viii be generally
some pretty tip or tuft to be found to
brighten up the hat. Tam O Shanters
are becoming common; they are easy
to make, and so are sailor hats to trim,
a little ribbon and q bunch Of peoples
being all that is necessary.
Children's clothes, if well made, will
wear with care for some time; but, as
they grow fast, it is better not to have
too many dresses at a time, but to have
fresh one ready just before the change
of the season, from winter to spring,
from summer to winter. The quantity
required is comparatively small, and if
the children's maid or nurse is a clever
workwoman a great saving of expense
may be effected by making up their
dresses at home.
Simplicity of make and taste in the
arrangement of the color worm to suit
the child will have a far better and
more effective appearance than dresses
which, in cut and make, are only bad
limitations of costumes worn by grown
up people. A child in a plain frock,
with a broad sash, falling hair cut
across the forehead and deep lace at
neck and wrists, will look picturesque,
when another child in q fussy, over
trimmed dress, will look like a bad
attempt at a French fashion plate.
Over-trimming is a fault Of the age;
but children should be simply and
neatly dressed. To do that well at
home is not beyond the power of most
women who have ideas; and, as in
many cases economy is an object, the
satisfaction of saving many dollars a
year on the little ones dresses will be-
great, and the children themselves will
look as well, if not better, than when
more deliberately dressed.-M. Y. Her.
AID.
The "knock Out System.