Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-02-04
THE REVIVAL OF MENDlNG.
An Art That Has Econ Too Long Neg.
lected Is Now Being Cultivated.

An Art That Has Econ Too Long Neg
lected Is Now Being Cultivated.
As ready made clothing becomes better
and more moderate in price one not infre-
quently hears women say, "Oh, it doesn't
pay to mand very much when new hose,
new undelharmeuts, and rev gowns are to
be bought so cheaply" 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, bat
either cannot or does not like to mend.
In regard to the first class. wcnen who
wear good clothing know That only cberp
material, poorly shaped and made, is sold
at very low prices, and that it does not pay
TO mend hose, fine flannel underwear and
other garments, except such as. like the
one hoes 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
daruiug, which once dealt with rents and
holes in way that made it difficult to de-
text. Things we're made "as good as Row"
Since the revival of neodlework mending
and darning are once more becoming inter
esting. and instruction in 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 work basket contains
many materials for fine mending unknown
to our arandmothers. There are the
braided skeins OF fac silks in many coloIs
and cut in needle lengths that are to be
had for less than quarter OF a dollar, and
the skeins Of fine thread, in tans, grays
and other shades, for glove mending For
stockings there are yarns OF cashmere alld
OF cotton, in colors and in fadeless black,
and Balbriggsn 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 fax thread
that comes by the skein The cashmere
yarn is suitable for nending colored fan
heis. Rolls of silk tape may also he had
for binding over underwear, or some Of the
firm narrow ribbons that are often sold for
from three to five cents n yard Cotton
tape OF good quality is often less bunging
to set under a spot where a button has
been torn away than "A small patch OF
cloth. For lace mending, small ball oil
lace Thread" is kept in the basket and is
used to initiate the broken stitches of the
lace as closely as possible, the piece OF lace
to be mended first being basted on dark
leather kept Tor the purpose Fer patching
or putting new parts into ordinary cotton
garments, a piece Of lightweight muslin
that has been washed and ironed should he
kept at hand and used with a needle and
lhresd of medium iineness, as coarse thread
tears the cid fabric.
rs an incentive to keep the buttons
Sawed on her shoes, little maiden was
2;yen Japaneae boy doll fitted out with
inen thread, buttons needless thimhle and
scl ,9o,a. The ske;n OF thread is disposed
Of as Z cue, the buttons are kept in a small
pocket in his robe, the thlablc like the
card of All Sin, is in one sleeve and the
needles in the other. On a narrow ribbon
about the neck are hung the SCISSORS
NpM NOiE Post.