The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-01-25
REVIVAL OF MENDING.
An Art That Has Long Been
Neglected.
DO ONE THING AT A TIME.
Somebody Wants to Know Are Women
Rude When shopping "A Discussion
of What Women should Read-The
Cause and Cure for Wrinkles.

AS ready made clothing becomes better
and more moderate in price one not infre-
quently hears women say, "Oh, it doesn't
pay TO mend very much when new hose,
new undergarments and new gowns are 10
be bought SO cheaplyl'' A more frequent
excuse for the neglect of 'the stitch in
time" is that made by the woman who says
that she likes To make new garments, but
either cannot or does not like to mend.
In regard TO the first class. women who
wear good clothing know that only cheap
material. poorly shaped and made, is sold
at very low prices, and that 1t does not pay
20 mend hose. fine flannel underwear and
other garments, except such as, like the
one boss shay, go TO pieces all at once.
Probably the reason is TO be found in the
decay of the fine art Of mending and OF
darning, which once dealt with rents and
holes in a way that made it difficult to de-
tect. Things were made "as good as new"
Since the revival of needlework mending
and darning are once more becoming inter
esting, and instruction i'm these branches is
as eagerly sought by those who have not
the talent as a knowledge of the newest
stitch in embroidery. The mending class
may yet become as popular as that in
china painting or cookery, and certainly
presents AN opportunity to a woman skilled
in such uses OF her needles.
The well stocked workbasket contains
many materials for fine mending unknown
TO our grandmothers There are the
braided skeins OF fine silks in many colors
and cut In needle lengths that are to be
had for less than a quarter of dollar, and
the skeins of fine thread, in tans, grays,
and other shades, for glove mending. For
stockings there are yarns OF cashmere and
of cotton, in colors and in fadeless black,
and Balbriggan cotton for unbleached hose,
underwear and towels. The latter cotton
comes in skeins of deep cream color, and is
UNFINISHED. so that one or several threads
may be used.
For bleached towels of fine quality and
for table linen there is white flax thread
that comes by the sls~n. The cashmere
yarn is suitable for mending colored fan
nels. Rolls of silk tape may also be had
for binding over underwear, or some of the
firm narrow ribbons that are often sold for
from three to five cents yard. Cotton
tape of good quality is often less bungling
TO set under spot where a button has
been torn away than a small patch OF
cloth. For lace mending, small ball of
'lace thread" is kept in the basket and is
used 10 initiate the broken stitches of the
lace az closely as possible, the piece of lace
TO be mended first being basted on dark
leather kept for the purpose. For patching
or putting new parts into ordinary cotton
garments, piece of lightweight muslin
that has be- washed and ironed should be
kept at hand and used with needle and
thread of medium hneness, as coarse thread
tears the old fabric.
AS an incentive to keep the buttons
sewed on her shoes, little maiden was
given a Japanese boy doll fitted out with
linen thread, buttons, needles, thimble and
scissors. The skein of thread is disposed
of as a cue. the buttons are kept in small
pocket in his robe, the thimble, like the
card of Ah Sin, is in one sleeve and the
needles in the other. On narrow ribbon
about the neck are hung the scissors
New York Post.