Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-02-16
"coME-powNs."


Grown Garments May be Utilized.
Very familiar Is this word to the
younger members of the family, and
nor edifying. Quite too frequently does
1t suggest to them visions of garments
no longer in their prestine state of
purity. But old garments aciH aceumu-
late with startling rapidity, and many
dollars can be saved when these can be
made to serve the same purpose as new
ones.
Economy should and often must be
practised, but it becomes extremely
painful when carried to such an extent
that the meanness of 1t enters into the
children's souls. Grown-up ones can
solace themselves with the hope of bet
ter things in the near future, and for
the present, knowing it to be the only
feasible course, they seek ways and
means to make the old things look pre-
sentable at least. But the children, al
ways peculiarly sensitive to what their
companions say about them, are only
too apt to feel the discomfort of the
''come-downs," and they naturally
smart under a sense of injustice when
they behold the few new garments that
can be purchased every season devoted
to their elders. 9
Calicoes, ginghams and lawns can be
purchased at low rates, and so few
yards are required of each that there
need scarcely ever be difficulty in pro-
viding each child with, at the least, two
new dresses every summer.
The ''come-downs," mostly woolens,
can then be utilized for winter service;
firstly, the children are more reconciled
to them, because at least one or two
dresses have but recently been newly
purchased for their own special use;
secondly, because of the warmth their
materials lend to the wearer; and lastly
because at that season the child's outer
wraps conceal discrepancies in the at
tire when on the street, and while
within-doors the'neat little apron gen
erously hides unavoidable shabby spots.
The box of remnants often serves the
home dress-mal1er right faithfully; as
an example of this note the following:
An old merino dress-brown, blue,
slate-color, green, or of any other
shade-1ies before you. Its basque
is hopelessly beyoud repair, the skirt is
so badly Worn at the foot that the last
chance Of redeeming it is utterly gone:
yet the stuff is good and comparatively
free from rents or spots, besides, it is
wide enough to allow of the cutting out
of these few blemishes. Still, all told,
there is not enough to make dress out
of for nine-year-old Mary, and it is al
most too dark for her younger sister.
The skirt comes out of the lower part
of the original skirt of course; but this
will T(TnuiIn 1nifh nr
sleeves nor the necessary waist length,
and camps are by no means admissible
| for winter school dresses.
But this upper piece is wide enough
to yield wide sleeves reaching to the ell.
bow. Deep cuffs are, of course. obtain
able, often q yoke, and the long, mar
row strip necessary to be joined to it.
a la Mother Hubbard. All very true
but, for all that, It is n very sombel
dress. Turn now to the remnants, anG
exhume a half-yard or SO of bright
plaid, or red, blue, green, or old-golc
material. Cut this into strips an incl
wide; turn under the edges, and herring
bone them to the yoke, cuffs and collar
either vertically, bias or in any Other
style that fancy indicates; these simu
late the very fashionable ribbon trim
mings now so frequently worn. o.
else the bright goods can serve fol
yoke, cuffs, and collar. and be trimmed
in the same manner with stripes of tn,
dress material.
Very presentable school coats can b,
contrived from old Newmarkets, anI
the spring cloals that the little girl
have outgrown can often be turned int
extremely serviccable Balmoral skirts
A very pretty frock, and quite cqua
to new, can be made up without cost o
any thing but time, by utilizing two
out-grown dresses, the colors of whicl
harmonic.
The material of o0e yields tn,
sleeves, the yoles, deep VS., or blous'
effect whichever seems most desira
ble), together with the broad insertion
necessary to lengthen the skirt of thu
other; tho sleeves, waist, and possibl.
the sash of the latter yield, in turn, TIN
front and back pieces needed to com
plete the yol1es or VS., or the plail
back and jacket fronts for the blouse
together with the requisite collar AM
cuffs.
Narrow gilt or silk cord, or plai
cording covered with the material, add
finish to the garment, and prevents tn
"patchiness" that visible seams newt
ably uggest.-Harper's Bazaar.