The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-28
Renoyating Half-Worn Dresses.


To sum up all the advantages Of the present
styles i'll few words, one can truthfully say
that everything is worn, and nothing is required
but certain amount of taste and discretion in
combining plain with figured wooden materials,
plain with broche silks and velvet with other va
rieties of the same fabric or those Of perfectly
different texture No haf-worn dress need be
thrown aside because part of it is unfit for
wear. If not able to give the good portion to
poorer person with material to combine and buy
a new dress for yourself, then purchase suitable
combination goods and make up neat aud USE
full costume. srst
There are various methods of refreshing differ
ent kinds of fabrics when they are slightly de-
faced or very much soed. Velvet and Arcadian
velveteen can have tao spots lightly washed
with clear water into which few drops of spir-
its of ammonia have been poured, and the pile
raised by passing the back Of the velveteen
over the face of hot iron over which very
damp cloth has been secured very much
soiled dress of Gilbert cloth was made to appear
like new, without taking it to pieces, by making
a lather of warm water and soap and allowing
the dress to soak in it for half hour; care was
taken to remove all the spots Of grease by soap
ing them before wetting the dress 1t was washed
well in two soapy waters and rinsed in another
in which the bar of soap had beer passed
through few times and then hung out to dry.
While still damp it was pulled in shape, and
without pressing it looked quite good enough to
be worn, and after cuffs Of velveteen with
collar TO match, were put on, the dress looked
quite as good as if the cloth was just cut from
tho piece
The English method is more troublesome. If
the dress to be remade is one of those formed
almost entirely of pleats, pufs and founces in
some WOODEN material of good texture and quail.
ty, the whole of it should be unpicked. the
breadths divided, the threads taken out aud each
piece carefully brushed. After this the whole
of the material may be plunged into "a pail of
cold water and moved about in it, without how
ever, rubbing, squeezing or wringing any part
of the material, which IS taken from this pail and
put at once into another one and also filled with
cold water, to which good glass full of vinegar
has been added If the pail is large one more
vinegar will DO required The effect
it has on the materials is to revive
the colors and make them fast All the
pieces of material are hung up to drain,
and before they are dry they are ironed on the
wrong side until the hot iron has dried them.
The ironing sheet must be changed as it becomes
damp-indeed, there should be two of them, at
least, that one may he drying in front of the fire
while the other is in use little dampness will
still remain i'll the material and, to prevent
creases or midew, all the pieces should be hung
out in the air or in warm room for two or three
hours.
Materials that have no right or wrong side
should be ironed on what was the right, so that
they may be turned in making up again Reps.
serge, cashmere Gilbert and bison cloth, also
merino in any and all shades, can be perfectly
cleaned, and to restore rough surface fabrics,
which have been fattened by the ironing to their
original appearance brush them with hard brush
when thoroughly dry.