The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-02-18
WOMAN AND HER HOME.
Some Very Valuable Hints About the
Care OF Beds and Bed
ding.
How tho Young Wife. Buying
First House Furnishings,
Can Save Money
Airing the BEDROOM aud The nedeioihes-
Would " ear Corsets n They
Had 60 strike.

The young housewife who when huying
her first honse furnishings can afford n liz
lie additional outlay for slip coverings for
pillows, holsters and mattresses viii save
herself much tiresome labor and eventual
~ considerable expense. These slips for
mattresses mrs the most satisfactory when
made OF cheap grade Of blue and white
ticking-that which retails for about 10
cents. Being light and thin, Il washes eas-
lily and Is still heavy enough 10 serve the
purpose Of keeping the mattress clean.
When making pillows and holsters, It Is
better TO use muslin TO contain the feath-
ers, or down, having a good quality OF
feather ticking outside, which can easily
be removed and Numbered when soiled
without the necessity Of emptying the
feathers as our mothers and grandmother
used 60 do
l remember once calling on young
housekeeper, whom l found on a side
porch gingerly dipping feathers with her
hands out OF pillow tick into a barrel.
Her gray flannel dress and pretty bangs
were fluffy with down, and altogether IL
seemed that il she had prepared for the oc-
casion she could hardly have made matters
worse.
We were old friends, so took the liber-
~ Of Offering assistance. Picking up the
remaining unopened pillow, / asked for
the case that had been on it and needle
and thread. After shaking the feathers
into the end Of the tick opposite the end to
be opened ran basting thread all along
about two inches from the latter, ripped
the seam and basted the ripped edges all
around the open end Of the pilowcase
Then drew out the first bastinR thread,
shook the feathers out Of the tick into the
pillowcase, basted the latter across the
end and cut the stitches which united the
two, when the tick was ready for the laun-
dry with scarcely any waste or mussinR.
Where slip coverings are not used, this Is
the easiest method Of preparing pillow
ticks fOr'the wash
When finishing bed comfortables, they
should always have a half yard strip of
cheesecloth-the back breadths Of worn
Bingham dresses Of pretty light shade
would do nicely-basted across the ends TO
keep them neat and fresh as long as posi-
bic. IL is question whether comfortables
are really n cheaper bed covering than
blankets, though ! believe that delusion
still exists with most housekeepers. The
latter make the ideal covering for cool
weather, because of lightness and loose
texture, which admits a free passage of
Of the ease and thoroughness with which
they can be frequently cleansed. or late
years there has been a white, heavily
fleeced cotton flannel blanket put upon the
market which makes a desirable substi-
tute for quilts in summer weather. These
retail at from 90 cents to 81 so pair.
They are also TO be had I'm soft shades Of
gray, just the thing for schoolboys and
farm help. One defect Is their meaQer di-
mansions. In order to remedy this have
sometimes torn one blanket in two and
sewed the two halves on the ends OF two
other blankets, using the sewing machine
for the work and telling down the rough
edges OF courss the blankets thus pieced
were used croeswise the bed instead OF
lengthwise, as before.
Bedding in constant use should daily be
exposed for several hours to a current of
fresh air and TO the sunlight as often as
possible. Once a week hang on the clothes
line for the Minneapolis House
keeper.