Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-20
HOW TO "Do UP" A SHIRT.


Hne-Directions for the Home Launoress.
From the Philsdelphia Inquirer.
Most men front fortune with a much better
grace full panoplied in stiff and shining linen,
without spot or blemish, than when a smeary,
crumpied breastplate procIaims aloud the In
competence Of the home laundry.
Shirts, cuffs, collars-anything, in fact, that
needs to be stiffened and polished-should be
washed perfectly clean and allowed to dry
thoroughly before they are starched.
Let them soak before washing in blood warm
water long enough to thoroughly soften the old
starch. Take care not to bend the stiff parts
sharply back or forth until gentle rubbing has
made them pliable, for stiff starched linen is
almost as frangible cardboard, even when
new and sound Of fiber. Especially is it 20
with the fine qualities used for dress shirts
When shirts are ready for the line be sure to
hang them on 1t properly-:hst is. with the
shoulders lightly laid over it, the bosom hang
Ing smooth anG straight between.
If a shirt bosom dries dragging slantwise the
several thicknesses pulling apart no after effort
VIII achieve quite the proper smoothness and
solidty.
With cuffs and collars it is much the same.
Snap them out straight and hang them so that
warp and wool pull true.
TRIES, all these-some. no doubt. feel in
c.ned TO saw. They are such tribes as make
the difference between good work and bad
To make starch for Shirts mix smooth two
tablespoonfuls of dry starch with little cold
water and stir it into a quart of clear water.
boiling IN an earthen or a black tin saucepan.
Let 1t boil for one minute, stirring all the time
Then add a bit of white wax the size of a nut
meg, one teaspoonful of fine salt and two table
spoonfuls of clear, thick gum water.
To make this gum water choose the best
white gum arabic. throwing out all the colored
bits Pour pint of boiling water upon an
ounce of the dry Jumps and let it stand a day
and night, then pour carefully away from the
sediment and bottle il for use.
Cook the starch one minute longer taking
care not 10 scorch it,
1t should not be free of Jumps. Strain il
through a thin cloth and then stir in as much
bluing as YOU like.
JUST HOW TO STARCH A SHIRT BOSOM
Now take shirt, fold the bosom lengthwise
along the middle line, dip il into the starch aud
rub and knead it with both hands until YOU are
certain the stiffening has penetrated all the
hbers. Wiring very dry and hang on the line
with the same as at first.
After i; is in place lcok the bosom carefully
over. If there is anywhere a drop or smear
OF ooZing starch wipe it Of with a soft damp
cloth. See to it that there are no air bubbles
betwixt the plies Of linen and backing
Treat collars and cuffs the same way, taking
especial pains TO pull them in shape on the line.
For ironing Won need "a bosom board smoothly
covered with double flannel, some good steel
faced irons, polishing iron. a bit of white
wax tied up In clean cloth, a wooden tray Of
fine salt and a bowl OF very weak raw starch
First fold the shirt lengthwise down the mid
die of the back and iron the body smooth.
leaving the bosom untouched. The shirt has
Of course, been sprinkled down long enough 10
be damp through and through. When the body
Is finished fold a sleeve along the sloped seam;
lay It fiat and iron 1t. first through the middle
then holding the cuff or the shoulder in the left
hand to keep ii taut; with the right hand urge
the iron in among the gathers.
Take care always to iron straight with the
warp threads, and SO TO lay what is ironed that
warp and wool stand at an exact right angie
When both sleeves are ironed on both sides
open wristbaud. lay il fat, right side down
and press it hard and dry. Turn and press on
the right side. Do t. same with the neckband
and yoke.
Now fasten the neckband together and spread
the shirt fiat on the table, bosom upward. Slip
the bosom board inside. under it, and with the
two hands smooth il out as smooth and straight
as possible. With a clean. thin cloth wet the
surface lightly with the raw starch, rubbing it
well In so as not TO have a sticky surface. Now
take an iron just hot enough to yellow white
cloth II left standing ten seconds and press
hard and firmly lengthwise up and down the
middle of the bosom, beginning at the bottom
anu holdlnS the neck tight with the other hand
Indeed, more depends on the left hand than on
the right. The knack Of pulling properly is
one to he learned only by practice
Before the iron touches the garment rub its
face well with the wax in the cloth, then run il,
rapidly over the salt tray
IL by chance You press the bosom into a
wrinkle or into one of those warps known TO
laundresses as ''cat faces" wet the spot with
clear water. stretch it smooth and begin the
ironing over again.
When the bosom is smooth and white. but
still a trife damp. take your polishing 'front.'
must be quiteas hot as the other-rub the face
o. II with either wax or white soap, and press
the BOSCH hard until it shines to suit your
taste
Cuffs and collars must be likewise ironed on
the hannel-covered boards. having been
dampened with weak starch water Press then,
first upon the wrong side. then turn aud make
the right ilawlessiy smooth. After the polish
ing iron has done Its work even them into
shape and press dry upon the wrong side.
MARTHA MCCrlrocu Wrrr.rs