The Yale expositor., 1908-05-22
AROUND THE HOUSE
INFORMATION AND ADVICE OF
ALL SORTS.
Table Linen Of To-Day an Improve
ment over that of Few Years
Ago-The Latest in Lunch
Cloths.

Comparing the table linen of to-day
with that OF ten or IL years ago, there
is a marked improvement in design.
For years we have had very fine linens
In our shops, and there have been
many beautiful designs, but not with
in the reach of the moderate purse So
much progress has been made by man
ufacturers that now prices are lower
and designs are better. or course
there are certain pattern cloths of for
eign make that can never be cheap. lt
is the linens of medium quality; weight
and price, but of fine design, that will
appeal to the average housekeeper.
Some think that the linen made in Ire
land has taken the place of that manu-
featured in other countries. IL is good,
cheap and often very handsome, and
will last for many years, provided, OF
course, 1t is not ruined by chemicals
in laundering. Designs in all household
linens are steadily gaining in artistic
merit. The old-time cloth that swept
the floor is no longer in fashion.
The best style table linen for a
luncheon is a center-piece and indi-
vidual doilies to match. There are,
however, beautiful covers. made es-
pecially for luncheons, but a regular
dinner cloth, no matter how simple or
magnificent, should never be used. The
center-piece is only large enough TO
cover the middle of the table, and the
doilies come in different sizes. There
are those for plates, two sizes for COB
lets, those for water and wine, others
for different dishes, and still others for
the finger bowls. Linen sets with seal
loped edges are very durable and prac-
teal Filet lace is handsome, but ex-
pensive. The lace is Joined with fine
linen squares in long bands or circu-
lar The doilies are entirely of lace.
Renaissance is still used for the table.
Japanese and Chinese lunch cloths
are liked by many. but the plain white
embroidery is more desirable than that
into which blue is introduced. These
cloths are round, and their beautiful
patterns Of chrysanthemums, aster or
! iris nearly cover the body OF the cloths
and reach to the edges. Some of the
center-pieces show artistic introduce
| tion of colors. Even the best colored
embroideries will fade in time, and
their use demands a judicious selec-
ton which will harmonic with the
table china.
Round center-pieces are popular at
present, owing TO the general use of
round tables, and charming patterns
are shown with borders OF Maltese,
Cluny and Bohemian lace Then there
is shown the beautiful lace from the
Azores, known as Fayal. No more love-
ly handiwork can be seen than this
lace, whose designs are executed by
darning in the pattern after the threads
have been drawn. Some beautiful
towels with borders of Fayal lace were
recently seen. The purchaser only
paid $3.50 apiece for the towels at
Fayal.
A well-known authority says that
table linen should never be starched.
II is common mistake that many
housekeepers make, and nothing so de-
tracts from the appearance and life of
handsome linen as starch. Elbow
grease is all that one needs to make
the proper kind of linen stiff. 1t should
be ironed damp, to get the fine sheen
so characteristic of well-laundered
linen. If it is ironed when it is dry,
or nearly so, it gets fuzzy.
Always darn table damask, as well
as various other materials, with a
raveling from the cloth. II there is a
hole, put under it piece of the same
damask, matching the pattern as near
as possible. Then darn very carefully
backward and forward with the ravel-
ing. If the work is done right, the
darn will hardly be noticed after laun-
dering.