The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-16
MAKING OVER FURS.


 Furs are a bit of a problem for the woman who wants to dress well on a moderate sum of money. They are ex- pensive to begin with, and vary in style almost as often as frocks and hats do. There is a new cut in sleeves every win ter a different length, a variation in collar and some novelty in lining.
 Furs used to be a real comfort. You packed them away with blankets and cur tains, and borax powder to outwit moths and all you had to do in the fall was to shake them, hang them out to all, and then be comfortable.
 But now days women begin in August to wonder how they can get their furs up-t to-date without bankrupting the fam fly eXchequer. For furriers are as heart less as plumbers and almost as essential to happiness.
 Of course this falls furs differ good deal from last seasons but here Is word of comfort, they suggest all sorts Of prac- tical schemes for the artistic remodelling of old garments. Almost all furs are trimmed or made up with other furs. Err mine is combined with almost everything , but seal deer and baby calf skin, chin chilla combines with seal nicely, especial ly the Russian chinchilla, which has q brownish east It is also used with deer and mink. with Persian lamb and me dog skin. Usually the light fur is the trimming; but squirrel beaver, tibet and mole skin are all very smart trimmed with lamb or with monkey skin.
 When furs are not comblEed, any one fur may be trimmed with suede leather, or for dressy occasion with emDroldery' This use of leather is new and you nave TO idea waat a smart touch 1t gives an old coat put over collar, cuffs or set In double breasted tailor vest
 It comes in all the dull vegetable dyes in hunting green, golf red, mahogany, bluet blue, navy blue and every concelv- able shade of brown, light and dark. Sometimes 1t is embroidered with outline work in gold thread or silk.
 The embroideries most in vogue for fur trimmings are straps from old Chlnese silk petticoats to be found in any Chm csc shop, bands from Persian towels, strips of Russian or Hungarian peasant work and all the rich Turkish, India ana Japanese hand embroideries. The colors arc selected to match the color scheme of fur and lining as closely as possible. It would be very easy for clever girl to initiate Russian or Japanese embroidery and make her own trimming just 10 match her coat.
 There is one bit of good fortune in this seasons furs, they are fashionable all lengths and both loose and tight fit- ting You are in the style whether your coat is a ieefer, blouse or basque, and vour sleeves may have fuliness at the shoulder. or trihe at the elbow, and the stole offect of last winter Is quite gone out
 Nearly all coats plain as well as fancy. have light Innings this fall, satin-brocade, damasse and broche silk and plain light twilled tarfcta. As this was somewhat the vogue last year. many women will unpack their furs this fall with sense of dismay over the soiled conditions of their pretty coat Things. But there is no need to worry, for a soiled lining that IS still in good condition otherwise can be made as good as new by the right sort of homo cleaning.
 Linings for fur coats are htted In after the coat Is quite finished and may be re- moved without any ripping beyond the actual tac6ing that holds them in. Once out, shake and brush with velvet whisk, then regularly wash in a luke warm suds of Castle soap and boraX, two teaspoon fuls of boraX and handful of soap shavings to a bowl of water, and let drip in the wind When almost dry roll over a curtain pole, pull taut and pin, stand near the fire. Unroll the next morning and YOU will find to all intents and pur- poses a new coat lining.
 If the lining Is in pale tint, soak in cold borax water, two teaspoonfuls to a basin of water, for half an hour before washing.
 It is not impossible for the amateur dressmaker to do over her own furs, with a hint or two about the work Use always a seamless pattern place it on the leather side, tack with pins, then cut without any seam allowance. using sharp pen knife The seams are overhanded with fine stitches It is wise to first cut a cambric pattern. see that 1t fits perfectly and make a stiff paper pattern from that as any wrong cutting in fur work Is seri- ous. In pieeing, make sure that the nap of the fur runs in the same direction and that your colors are what fupriers call "closs'