Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-04-03
OLD CLOTHES MADE NEW.
Restoring to their Former Freshness Gar
mcnts Worse for Wear.

N"'S 'FOAse HOE W ear.
From Harpers Bazar.l
The time for looking over partly worn
clothes with view of renovating them so
that they Will have a semblance of their
former freshness, is an anxious one for the
busy woman who is forced by the state of
her purse to turn TO account every available
piece OF material.
1t Is surprising what can be accomplished
-7''-s the ways and means are understood.
v.,. garments which have been spending a
longer or shorter leave of absence in the re-
tlrement of the boxes and chests of store
room and garnet, 9nder the manipulation
OF slulliul fingers can be made to take on
freshness which any one not versed in the
art OF restoration would not believe posi-
BILE
BY laying in a good stock Of patience and
perseverance, and taking for a motto the
cheerful assurance that there is nothing
so old that it cannot be made to look bet
ter, wonders may be accomplished by
means of careful cleaning, judicious dyeing
and persistent steaming.
The first thing to be done to a garment
that Is TO be made over is TO rip il to pieces
pick out the threads and brush it thor
oughly. If you know Just how il is TO be
made again, select only the pieces needed,
so as not to waste any unnecessary labor
III cleaning what will not be used If the
material IS woolen but little worn and not
much, if any, soiled, good brushing and
pressing is all that will be needed. Put the
pieces on an ironing-Iable and brush thor
oughly, first across the goods, then length
wise,
If the gathers and wrinkles to be pressed
out are few and not deeply made, but little
moisture need be used Wiring a cloth out
of clean water until it is entirely drained,
al - Il i.
cloth until it is perfectly dry. Wiring out
the cloth again and go over all the goods in
the same way. When one piece must be
moistened and pressed it is necessary that
all the rest should receive the same treat
ment.
One reason why made-over garments so
frequently have an unpleasant and botched
look is because too little attention is paid TO
such small items. If the work must be
done, ii is surely worth while to do it well,
so that one will feel repaid for ones labor
in the end, and view the completed work
with satisfaction.
If the stuff is much soiled thorough
brushing is also the first step in the clean
ing process. A few kinds of goods and a
few colors will stand washing in warm
soap-suds if followed by a careful rinsing
in clear water and still more careful drv-
ing.
Much the best plan is to use some kind
of cleaning fluid for the objections to
washing are many. Some colors fade
badly; even black turns rusty. The stuff
must not be wrung, or even squeezed hard,
TO take out the water as ii will be full OF
wrinkles which refuse to be pressed out If
the stuff is of delicate color and is hung up
To let the water drain, it is apt TO have a
decidedly streaked appearance, which the
most careful rinsing cannot prevent.
After brushing, the next thing is to take
out all the grease and other spots Grease
spots may be eradicated from black goods
by rubbing with sponge dipped in tur-
pentine, having first laid the stuff over a
wooden cloth folded three or four times.
Grease spots can be taken from material of
any color by covering the place with pipe
clay. Powder the clay, and moisten it
with water to the consistency of thick
cream; spread it over the spot and let it dry.
4 fter it has been on several hours scrape it
of with the blunt edge of knife, and
dust off all the fine powder with soft
brush.
To remove paint spots apply turpentine
until the paint is Softened. Then sponge
repeatedly with alcohol Oil, wax and
resinouS substances may also hc removed
by first applying turpentine, then alcohol
Spots made by rust and some kinds OF
ink may be removed from woolens by APP
plying citric acid This acid cannot be
used on some colors without changing
them to a very ugly shade, so it is well TO
try what effect it has on the color of the
goods to be cleaned by putting some on a
waste bit before attacking the spot 1t is
always well TO be on the safe side and TO be
sure that you will not make matters worse
while trying TO Improve them. In these
days of many shades and colors it is not
safe to say that what will act as well as could
be desired on one shade will not behave in
an exactly opposite manner on a different
shade of the same color.
After the most conspicuous spots have
been removed the stuff is to be sponged off
with some cleaning fluid. The following
mixture will be found a very good prepare
tioR for sponging all kinds of wooden
goods; Two ounces of white CASTLE soap.
cut ia small bits and dissolved in one quart
of warm water; after the soap is entirely
dissolved add four ounces of ammonia, four
ounces of alcohol, two ounces of ether, one
oupce OF glycerine and three quarts of soft
" - Mix and bottle. The fluid should
be kept in bottles with glass or rubber stop
pers.
Pour a quantity of the fluid into an
earthen dish lay the goods on an ironing
table covered with a rubber blanket; apply
the fluid with a sponge, using enough to
wet the stuff thoroughly, and drawing the
sponge over it always in one direction. As
each piece becomes nearly dry press ii with
O hot iron, laying piece of muslin over
the goods. If the stuff is light-colored the
cloth must be white, but if black or dark