Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-12-01
FOR THE NEEDLEwoMAN.


stead of piece bags are much to be
preferred. These may be built along
the wall. forming pigeon holes about
eighteen inches square. duly labeled
for each member Of the family and fOi
Innings and patterns. a chintz curtain
falls to the floor i'm front of such o
cabinet. the convenience of which has
only to he tried to be demonstrated.
One way of marking bed linen was
shown recently. With fine thread and
fine steel crochet needle copy initials
from Il cross stitch alphabet. making il
solid with double crochets wherever a
cross stitch is indicated. When the
square or strip of letters is finished
basic it on the cloth, buttonhole the
edge round closely and then cut the
cloth from the under side.
The memory of G middle-aged person
does not have to be stretched much t6
recall the time when gowns were cut
by Il neighborhood pattern. Aunt I.u-
cinda who weighed 80 pounds loaned
her sleeve pattern to Jemima Ann
whose arms We're mere pipe stems. BY
ingenious turning in and taking off Je-
NINA secured q semblance of a tit and
sent the pattern again on its errand of
aid to the home dressmaker Away
back. say in 1910. the dressmaker
pinned the cloth for Il dress lining &c
the wearer. fitting it by stretching
pulling and pinning and finally snip
ping it off. leaving suitable seams fol
sewing. No wonder she called il cut
ting and fitting 4 body" Thrifty
women often picked an old waist care
fully apart to use as Il pattern for 4
new lining. Whether the method was
by actual measurements. by pinnine
on or by using the travelling pattern
cut from the weekly family paper. i.
presented difficulties that the woman
of today does not contend with. She
can now buy a pattern Of her own size
of any ga rment for 4 dime. always re-
membering that patterns are cut to
fit n perfect figure and any gross devil
alton from the accepted scale of meas
urements must be arranged for indi-
viduaHy. With such an important aid
to dressmaking one would reasOna bly,
expect that the work of even the anna
teur should he very good and that all
women should be trinity fitted whether
their gowns are of print for kitchen
work or cheviOt for street wear. --
Stocking mendins may be robbed of
some of it's drudgery and one may even
make it interesting. 1t is better to buy
a good quality, even a high-priceG
stocking and then take excellent care
of ii. 1t is pleasure to mend fine
woven fabric and it will look we'll as
long as darns can make II hold to-
gether. Not SO the cheap two-for-a-
quarter stocking that stretches all out
Of shape. hasn't strength of material
to hold the darninS threads and falls
early into the rag bag. For some
people and some uses, stockings may
be re-footed. a pattern may be bought
but woman with gumption can cut
one out by laying new stocking on
paper and marking out a piece shaped
something like a slipper. Cut either
from old stocking legs that are strong
or from cloth and sew to the upper
part from which the worn foot has
been cut. Open the seam and catch
down to make it lie fiat and take up
little room in the boot. Have a supply
of mending cotton and wool to match
all your stockings. an assortment OF
darning needles. silk floss for silk
stockings and the work will be just as
fascinating as fancy work If you only
think so. When pair of stockings
was the result of her own spinning and
knitting, the housewife took good care
of them. She mended carefully. re-
storing the broken and worn-Out places
with chain and weaving stitches. The
excuse that stockings do not wear
nowadays is no excuse at all for neg
Letting to mend. Stockings that are
not too cheap wear well.