The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-17
ideas for Q6Mo1nen.

HreaI Is the needle. 1t is q great con-
nection with the family mendiris basket;
with the bewitching toque. In connec-
ton with the smart evening waist, which
she models upon an affair by Worth or
Paquin.
But the fact remains that many, many
women sew too much. Waste good hours
upon useless stitching which would be
better spent in the fresh, open air.
IF 1 had my time to go oyer again"
sighed a Philadelphia women yester-
day, II would save my eyes and my
health. I would let much Of my fancy
work CO.,
The dainty things which only feminine
fingers know how to coscoct do I'M
doubtedly give a homeliko air to tho,
house. And the dwelling which is en-
tirely without these little loving evidences
Is at best but half a home,
But there is a proper moderation in
all things. With hundreds OF women and
young girls the fancy work idea be-
comes little less than a passion. The
eyes are strained by porting for hours
over a bit of delicate lacework, not
three scant inches in diameter or some
embroidered article equally unnecessary.
Long, sunny forenoons, which should
be spent in the open air. in contact with
the busy world OF the streets; or in lee
ture rooms and discussion clubs, in or
der to gain new ideas-these are passed
in some window seat at home, sewing
upon some household trinket which
within a month or two will be out of
style.
Keep the fancy work for an idle hour
now and then. For the moment when
you feel too tired for reading, or that
your old friend drops in for a chat.
Then there is an other phase.
A wise woman gave as her opinion
yesterday that more feminines were sub
ject to the making over. mania than
to the craze for fancy work.
She declared that the feminine soul
revels in turning dress skirts, which,
when turned. will not pay for the cotton
sewed into them. In f~ashioning ruffles
for petticoats, which should long ago
have been consigned to the rag-bag.
1t is a matter of real wonder to the
unskilled one to note just what a clever
woman can accomplish in this matter OF
turning, r~earrangfng and planning worn
gowns and wraps. And in the family
where this talent exists hundreds of dol
lars have been saved per anntgn.
But beyond a certain point this re-
j~uvenation is poor economy. Where Is
the practical use in turning. cleansing
and reminding a skirt which, In the oper-
alton, will become too. short to be worn
with any degree Of comfort? Why stitch
away upon a silk undershirt which, be-
cause the fabric is old and decayed, must
soon split and waste your efforts?
Before attempting to renovate a gown
there are a number. of points to be
looked into. First of all, Is the material
good? Will you get sufficient wear out
of the dress to pay the bill at the steam
cleaning establishment? For the new
Innings, the silk spools, the whalebones
and the rest of the necessary p%arapher-
MALTA?
1t Is SO often we see a woman with a
mania upon the subject Of economy. I
have heard women discuss. time and
again, the possibility of r~enovating some
welI-worn garment-women who were
financially able to purchase two new
gowns per week without noticeable drain
upon the family purse.
III Ia paA AoE tae neddLn OF lAe IN
dividual-for the business and livelihood
of many. If 0 can afford a new gown
buy it without delay. and with a cheerful
heart. Dispense the DID ones to those
less fortunate.
Old bed-linen n table appointments
It is useless to- darn, once that they
have fairly strarted upon that downward
process which the housewife calls .'giv-
ing out all over"
When this sets In, buy freely of new
ones. and dispatch the worn affairs to
the charity hospitals for lint and band
ages.
To the uninitiated women who buy
their gowns on the principle of ."suf-
fcient unto the day is the evil thereof"
1t is useless to talk about spring and
summer fabrics in February. But to the
knowing ones. who take time by the
forelock and remember from year to
year that even overworked dressmakers
nave certain limits which they may not
pass. the first appearance Of cotton and
linen goods is their signal for an active
campaign. These thrifty buyers nave
found out that when the February ging-
hams first come to their respective coun-
tiers they are usually not the very new
est patterns for this season, but they
are entirely acceptable to all but the
nltra-fashionable shopper, and they are
to be had at such generous reductions
that they can scarcely be resisted. Here
they are. then, bright, fresh, suggestive
of summer time and limiting that 1t Is
not far of. Careful mothers with girls
ct school or college pick up the freshest,
daintiest ones at once and HE them
away to The dressmakers, who have time
to be interested now and leisure enough
to make them do their very best. In
a few weeks the yards of cool and corn
forting material will be transformed into
e chic and dainty gown that will make
even the most serious senior In the class
OF 81 dream for a moment Of those
eoming days when life is filed with ease
and fun and examinations and ..papers''
have been bidder away With the last
cold wave.
Then. by and by. when the sun has
climbed 80 much nearer to us and those
first hot days are at hand, how those
thrifty shoppers will sun themselves and
sndie upon their hurried, fretted friends
who waited until May to buy their ging-
ham gowns and then must tufne and fs
In heavy dresses or shirt waists until
the half-frenzied nodiste can crowd