The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-09-06
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come back from the seashore or mountain
in a greater or less state Of collapse, says
the New York Tribune
TT is too early yet, said one Of these
women of faculty, ITO get a felt hat. but
when some one in the family is skillful in
fixing up things a little work suffices to
keep a wardrobe in good order. Take this
fine black straw, for instance. You
wouldn't believe to look at it now, how
disgraeefully dirty it was when mother
came home with it from Boston. She had
worn 1t for a travelling hat all summer,
and it was gray with dust. Now, let
me tell you what / did and what you can
do under similar circumstances.
First unpick all trimmings, lining and
wire from the hat, and see that all the
ends of cotton are taken out, as they
would spoil the appearance of the hat it
left. Then brush well with a cloth brush
the surface dust. AS this will not quite
remove all the dust. rub the hat next
with a damp cloth, or. il very dirty, use
a small cheap nail brush and clean water.
Then iron to improve the shape and dry
the straw. Begin ironing the top of the
crown inside with a moderately hot small
iron. Those rounded at both ends are the
DGSL I0IfLulS DuEDDSG- 4fCAA ~~I 9NNCt
and when doing this it will be necessary
to place the hat at the edge of the table,
so that the brim will not be crushed.
Then iron the under side of the brim.
The hat should not be ironed on the up
Ter side. Do not varnish till the hat is
dry.
ITO varnish, take some ebony black
varnish. and as it IS sure to be too thick
of methylated spirits in the proportion of
and glossy. mix with It a small quantity
ten parts varnish to one part spirits. APP
ply with a soft brush; stiff bristles make
the varnish appear streaky. Begin var
nishing from the centre Of the crown on
top. Apply the yarnish evenly. brushing
in one direction, being careful not to
brush over the same part 4 second time
till the first coat is dry. After brushing
the top, work down the sides. and lastly
the bri-n. Let the varnlsh dry perfectly
before retrlmming.
I'm cleaning white straws, If they are
extraordinarily dirty ana disco!ored. they
can be cleaned BY brushing With a mix
ture Of watar and oxaiic acid, IN the pro-
portion Of one ~teaspoonful of acid 70 one
%teacupfui Of boiling water. Care must be
exercised in the use of this, acid, for if
too strong It will burn the straw.
After using the acid, wash the straw
well in clean, cold water. dry thoroughly
and iron into shape. When thoroughly
dry brush over with a clear spirit of var
nish or the white of egg to stiffen and
give gloss.
white straws may be dyed with the
ebony varnish at its full strength for the
first coat, and then brushed with a weak
solution OF varnish and methylated spirits.
Treat Leghorn hats in a similar man
ner to white straws TO clean. and varnish
with copal varnish or brush with white of
egg. Great care must be taken in the
Ironing Of the straw after washing, as if
not thoroughly dried the hat will curl out
Of shape
There are various ways in which rib
bon may be cleaned. The following are
all good:-If the ribbon has been made up
into bows or sewed in any way unpick all
the stitches first, then brush lightly with
a stiff brush. Lay the ribbon on a plain,
smooth board or table-a board is prefer
able.
Sponge it well with clean water and
ammonia. Ammonia varies very much in
strength, but the following proportion is
usually strong enough. Two teaspoofuls
to one breakfast cup of water.
ITO stiffen the ribbon. sponge it after
it has been cleaned with dissolved gum
arabic and water, two teaspoonfuls to
ha1f-pint of water), and leave it on the
board to dry. when it will be found
smooth and ready for use. If the ribbon
is required at once it may be ironed inn
mediately after the cleaning and stiffen-
ing processes. Lay it on the ironing sheet.
with blanket underneath, and over the
ribbon place either a clean smooth piece
of muslin or paper, and iron with fairly
hot iron.
Feathers can be cleaned by dipping in
soap lather. If they are dirty rub very
gently with the fingers. Rinse in clean
water, n shake before a fire to dry.
being careful not to scorch them. Curl
with a blunt penknife. Ospreys and
aigrettes are cleaned in the same way as
feathers.
IF your flowers are dusty and crum-
pied, brush first with a soft velvet brush,
picking the leaves into shape; then shake
gently in the steam from the boiling tea
kettle. If you have chiffon that has lost
its freshness, mix a little melted soap in
lukewarm water, pour this inSo a wide
mouthed bottle or jar and place the soil
ed chiffon in it. Cover the mouth of the
bottle with a clean buster or cloth and
shake well. Remove the chiffon, and if
not thoroughly cleaned repeat the process
In fresh soap lather. Rinse in clean
water and stiffen the gum arabic. Roll
in a clean cloth, and iron when slightly
dry.
Now. with hat and trimmings all fresh
and bright, it is an easy matter to recon-
struct along the same old lines, or new
ones, and there is your hat again, all
in good order for the autumn"
Dress newness is always interesting,
and when the newnese boasts charm as
well as novelty it is doubly so to those
who count that day lost whose low de-
scending sun does not find them the rich
er by some idea or garment. AS for golf
capes. those who cam get changes"
enough may indulge in the reversible
cape. The cawdor is cut in two by a
stitched s~trapping.
Keeping in mind the vogue of gray one
sets down a lovely gray cape as most de-
sirable. 1T is richly softly rough, with
the plaid side showing in the revers.
strap. hood and collar. The plaid is
dainty. all the beautiful grays and soft
est white.
A swagger garment is a pelisse of stone