Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-01-16
HOMEMAKRRy COLUMN.

HOMEMAKERT COLUMN.
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NOTES ON MENOiNc AND PATCHES.
Notwithstanding the cheap rates q
which al kinds Of cotton underwear
may Be obtained, Il ID oftentimes necee-
sary 70 mend garment, and Is % well
worth while 70 know the neatest and
easiest way OF 20 doing.
shirts often wear thin 1t the elbow long
before the other portions show any signs
OF giving out, and restless sleeper Will
rend them from wrist to shoulder.
While Il may not be wise, In some In
stances, to put new cloth In IN old gar.
meut, It does pay 10 make new sleeves Of
q very light material, trim them simply
and put them In, instead Of trying TO
seam the rents, or patch the thin places.
II they outwear the original garment
lay them aside when that 10 ready to be
torn In strips Of old cotton, and use them
ON the next one which needs new sleeves.
Hamburg edging wears OF around the
neck first, and usually In the plain part
while the embroidery Il still intact. This
may be cut OF, making the rufile mar
rover, and will last some time.
A criss-cross or three-cornered tear IL
q difficult thing to darn neatly, especially
In plain cotton goods. Sometimes II
happens near seam, but In nearly all
cases instead Of putting . patch under
meath the rent and dsrning the right side
or turning 1t In and hemming around In
q circular shape, put the patch on the
right side. Cut 1t In square or rectangu-
lar shape. and II near the top Of gore,
or by seam, let one side OF the patch
20 into the seam. Turn the edges under
neatly, and haste It on, being careful to
have Il. the same way Of the cloth ~ that
on which Il is to be laid. Then stitch II
on close to the edge, the same az II II
were facing on = pocket or any other
outside portion. Cut the cloth away
underneath, leaving just enough seam to
overcast.
1t may seem unnecessary 10 remind
any one of so simple rule as this, that
patches must be the same way OF the
cloth as that to be patched, but recent
experience lmpresses me with the fact
that not even sll professional seam
stresses know II, or II they know II they
do not always follow Il.
silk Innings In dress sleeves are OF
short duration and patches are often
needed, especially at the wrist and ell
bow. Every one knows how uncom-
fortsble poorly fitted elbow will make
the most perfect sleeve, and especially
In these days Of tight sleeves. But II
you wish to add to your discomfort, try
to wear one which had the lining re-
paired with new piece put on At an
angle Of ninety degrees out OF true with
the outside. II you have had that expe-
rience from the carelessness OF your
seamstress, you will realize anew the
need Of training schools In sewing.
Fine, close, even stitches are all right
In their place, but there are times when
they are wholly unnecessary, especially
lie basting, or where the sewing will
have to be ripped. II the stitches are
too fine and tight, the cloth will often
give way or be cut In the ripping, before
the stitch threads will yield. Where
there Ia 10 be much strain on q seam,
close, firm work 10 essential, but In
basting facing In dress collar a.
protection from soiling the collar lining,
and which must be changed frequently,
only few loose stitches are needed.
Strong and independent stitches are
needed In sewing on boot buttons. BY
independent, mean that each button
should be sewed on securely and the
thread fastened and cut of; not run
along to the next, for that gives no
security for this next button when the
first one Is loosened.
Many scamstresses err In using too
coarse thread, especially on the machine.
II should be gagged by the thread OF the
goods, especially In anything that Will
ever need to be ripped. Where the thread
Is too coarse the cloth will tear away
from the stitching. Coarse thread for
button holes and the sewing on Of but
tons, and a medium coarse for gather.
ing, with fine thread for stitching, and
still finer for hand hemming are
needed. Some housekeepers who keep
other parts OF their furnishings well
stocked with all needful articles are very
uiggardly In fitting up their work bas-
kets, considering two or three sizes OF
thread or silk and one paper OF needles
all sufficient.
The darning OF stockings 10 another
instance where many workers use toe
coarse material. They reason, probably,
from the principle that the larger the
hole and the larger the thread, the quick.
or they can all Il up. No wonder chill.
dren and husbands dislike to wear darn.
ed stockings, especially II these heavily
darned places come near the sensitive
toes.
Because hole 10 as large as nickel
or even quarter, don't feel that all that
space must be filed In with q uniform
weaving over and under. IL you will
uuroll the edges Of the hole by rubbing
them toward the centre with your needle
you will be surprised TO find that the be-
ginning VIVA perhaps just one dropped
stitch, and by carefully drawing these
broken stitches together by . sort OF
over sewing, you will have simply thir
place, which needs merely little filling
10 by loosely drawn threads each way
Do not make the hole larger than 1t Is
or get the stocking out OF shape BY
undue stretching. Ordinary black thread
IL too why, too tightly twisted for
stocking darning, and much Of the darn
| ing cotton 10 too coarse and loose except
for the coarsest kinds Of mems hose
Many use black sewing silk In prefer
ence to either.
Where hole Is too large to be drawn
together In this way, and especially II
the heel, II the toes are not worn, II pays
TO put patch from an old stocking or
the under side, and hem the edges Of tht
hole and simply run the edges OF thu
patch without turning In the goods. o.
an entire new heel may be cut and seam
ed In the middle TO nt the original seam
and neatly hemmed on the outside.
Basting threads should always b
pulled out, and when q garment IL rip
ped up to make over, all threads should
be removed.-Mrs. Mary j. Lincoln II
American Kitchen Magazine.
CLEANING JEWElRY.
| Old orname ahould he cleaned will