New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-04
! HlOLD|Ss1 'N-N7

HOW TO UTILIZE THE LITTLE THINGS.
The art Of making use Of all materials at ones
hands and of turning all things to useful account Is
one in which the housekeeper must needs excel
unless she has the purse Of Fortunatus. 1t Is an
excellent plan to make a semi-year.y "rummage' OF
the premises previous to housecleaning
Sort out carefully every thing in the way OF fur-
niture Dishes clothing, and any belongings OF the
house, which are not in use. Do not attempt to
save anything that Is not worth 1t, but examine
everything carefully before you reject II as value
less.
O.d furniture which has become too much worn
to appear downstairs may frequently. after hav-
ing been scraped, mended well, and treated 10
coat of enamel, be made TO serve for some corner
upstairs in the bedrooms An old armchair that has
become hopelessly disabled may become thing or
beauty If properly mended, scraped and enameued
with some Of the new forest green shades, and
upholstered with gray-green velveteen or with
English chintz In one OF the mstletoe patterns
designed by Morris wonderful array of useful
footstoos may be made from common small pine
boxes with the cover fastened with hinges
These foostoos should be painted inside. and COW
cred on the outside with remnants Of decorative
stuffs.
The cover should be cushioned SO as to make
comfortable footrest. Remnants of chintz and
other materials in the house, or even of carpets
may be utilized in this way.
on hand until ores ingenuity Is tested. These box
fcotstools excellent receptacles for stockings
for dainty house shoes and other small things.
There always many articles OF furniture that
away for Slight repairs, and they are likely
to accumulate on ones hands IL one does not have
regular seasons for looking up such matters 1t Is
d great satisfaction to know that all such mendinS
has been attended to before housecleaning begins.
The most careful manager finds that there Is al
ways some cast-off clothing at the end of a season
that needs attention. What cannot be cleaned and
made over ii is often be dyed and begin u
Z, esh existence under another color. What Is too
much for clothing may be torn into
strips and woven into rugs or mats. These old
fashioned rag rugs are not only durable but II 4
little s taken In selecting effective soft colors
they may be very pretty. They make warm, COM
Portable rugs to use in the kitchen and in some
upper rooms
One of the most effective rugs the writer ever
saw In a bathroom was an old-fashioned rag rug, "
woven OF wool rags in soft subdued colors. II
possessed something of the richness Of tone seen in
the carpets Of old Persia
II you are beyond the need of economy remem;
Der that there are thousands who will be grateful
for made-over dresses and rag rugs" These peo-
pie often too busy to do this work themselves
Gifts of this doubly valuable to busy work.
Ing women, every moment OF whose time is occu-
pied In the struggle for existence There are al
ways places in large cities where rag carpets are
woven, and 1t takes comparatively short time to
prepare the rags" Exquisltely dainty porteres
are sometimes knit Of silk and velvet scarfs. and
may be made pretty enough for any one