The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-03-03
: : &:
Exchange
The SedmSfreSS in the Home

1t is only a month now until Easter,
and milady is beginning to consider
what she will wear on that day of
days, and the means whereby it shall
be obtained. Of course, the direct
means are to come from the pocket Of
some induIgent male relative, but the
point she has in view is whether or
not it shill be at home.
Certainly we cannot all afford to
have our clothes made by tailor or
by a fashionable dressmaker, and yet
we want to look as well as our neigh
bors Even if we could afford to have
just one suit or just one gown made in
this way, yet there is always the feel
ing that We could have so many more
if we made them at home with the aid
of a first class seamstress.
Especially if there are children in
the family, or many young girls, does
the mother feel the necessity for hav-
ing clothes made at home. Everybody
must be fitted out, and if everybody
is to be cheerful and happy in her new
toys on that gala day of fashion, then
it behooves the housekeeper to start
right away to have the seamstress
from now on for a few days every
week.
OF course, all materials and tools
must be in the house before the day
appointed, if time is not to be wasted
needlessly in sending out for forgot
ten articles, and the sewing room
should be duly prepared for the arri-
val of the seafstress.
Let her have the brightest room in
the house, if you can, and arrange to
have the machine where the best light
will fall upon it. Those that are to as
sist in the sewing should have their
sible
Spread an old sheet over the carpet,
SO that delivate gowns will not be-
come soiled before they have ever
been worn, and so that at the close of
each days work it will be a simple
matter to gather up all scraps and tidy
the room in a jiffy.
If you can manage a long mirror, SO
much the better, but if you cannot
then the person being fitted will have
to be content with somebody elses
decision.
A Temporary Closet.
Get your handy man about the house
to rig up closet for you from a wood
with hooks below upon which to hang
unfinished garments, and drape an old
sheet in front to protect them from
dust. On the shelf waists and dress ma
terials may be kept in boxes and any
tools that are not in constant use.
Silks, cottons, needles, pins, several
sizes of scissors, tape measures, all
these things should be carefully look
ed over. and if the stock on hand is
not sufficient, as it probably will not
be. then see that all of these small ar
ticles are in their proper places the
day before.
Such dressmakers aids as a lap
board, a sewing table, collapsible cut
ting table and a skirt form should also
be on hand.
If the kitchen is down one or two
flights. then it would be an economy
of time and strength to have a press
ing apparatus right in the sewing
room. An ironing board and a sleeve
board are, of course, easily contrived,
and for the heating apparatus, if your
house is wired for electricity, to mind
nothing is handler than an electric
iron, for it is always ready, heats in
about two minutes, retains its heat
for quite some time after it has been
disconnected, and does not require to
have its heating power going on all
the time, as is the case with either
coal or gas.
If this iron is impractical in your
case, then either have a tiny gas stove
in the room or else an alcohol burner.
Study your Machine.
If you have just purchased a new
machine, you should see that you are