The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-12-11
THE HON E.
Dressmaking Points.

Dressmaking Points.
A mistake is made BY many "home
dressmakers" in putting on bone castings
drawn very tightly. They should be
left loose-even wrinkled-as the bones
when inserted will bring them to their
proper arching shape on the inside
Whalebones soaked in warm water an
hour before using render them more
pliable. Bsls ribbon should never be
sewed to the underarm seams. Bent
hooks should be chosen for fastenings,
setting on first hook and then an eye,
and so on alternately down the bodice.
and it will never unlock itself Waist
Innings are aus an inch longer than the
outside to allow for the stretching of the
outside material. The extra length is
taken up gradually in the seams. IN. E..
Farmer.
Cloth and Velvet.
Cloth, velvet and plush are alike In
their demands. They all have an up
and down" that should be assiduously
regarded as that of figured goods. All
the basting should he done from the top
downward, with fine needle and cot
ton, and the end of the thread should
have no knot. In removing the basting
each stitch should be cut separately
ana pulled outward, not lengthwise. In
basting velvet and plush silk takes the
place of cotton thread.
II it becomes necessary to rip any par
of the seams q very sharp penknife
should be used. Beginning ut the top,
the two sides should be drawn apart and
each stitch cut very carefully to avoid
soaring the goods.
The seams of all wooden goods may be
pressed very fiat, indeed rendered almost
invisible, il they are moistened little
on the wrong side. A small piece Of the
material should be dampened and
pressed first. however, to ascertain If
water will change the color. The fiat
iron must not be rubbed on the seam,
as that produces polish on the right
side. 1t must be simply pressed on and
allowed to remain until the moisture
has all evaporated.
1t will not do to iron velvet or plush
in the ordinary sense of the word. The
only way to press seams In these ma
terials is to stand the fiat iron on its
end, and holding the seam by the ends,
draw the wrong sids of il across the
point OF the iron, stretching the seam as
much as possible. Wrinkles and stitch
marks may be removed from velvet or
plush by holding the goods, drawn
tight, with the wrong side exposed to
steam. After the crushed pile has risen
again the wrong side of the material
may be drawn across the face of warm
iron.-New England Farmer
Palms In the House.
.. The florist will tell yoa that the life Of
the house palm, even the robust Lanta-
mia, is about seven years, but there are
many women who proudly display SPLEEN
did growths they have owned ten and a
dozen years. "A1l palm needs," says
one of these women, sis intelligent care.
To begin with, they should never be
suddenly chilled. Many palm owners
open the window directly on the plants
every day all winter, and wonder long
before spring why they have dropped
and rusted, if not died outright. They
need an even, warm temperature, with
plenty of sunlight and clear water given
regularly. They should stand near a
sunny window, but not where draughts
will strike them. Twice a week I'LL the
Jar from the earth to the brim with wat
err, and this inch of water is sufficient
moisture for the roots. Once week,
with equal regularity, spray the leaves.
Unless attacked by some insect, palms
thus looked after are sure to do well. Eff
orms come, florists aid must be
sought"
Hints to Honsekeepers.
Celery vinegar is very useful for flavor
%ing One quart of best cider vinegar
pauted >evsr one ou"ce Of oslery seeds,
d7iod and pounded. Shake every day for
two weeks. Then it Is ready to bottle
ID for use.
Ivory carvings that have become dis
alored can be restored by using fan
tel wes in turpentire. Put them in the
4urshine for three or four days after the
fig.t rubbing, and wet them again while
they arc in the sun.
On windy days, when the larger pieces
of linen are apt to snap and fray, it is a
good plan to pin the ed2es OF sheets and