The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-04-12
THE SPRING SEWING.
u-Cotton Fabrics-Points TO be
Noted I'm Their Selection and Make
up.


herself than whom she Is conscious
that her dress - we'll fitting and ap-
propriate. "veiled In n simple robe
beyond the pomp OF Dress" II may
be a simple calico print or handsome
cloth or silk. as the occasion and cir
cumstances warrant. but whatever 1t
IL the sense OF wearing ones colthes
with correctness and appropriateness
brings perfect satisfaction to the fem
inine heart.
Clothing is not suitable IL 1t does
not fulfill Its mission. and the end TO
be desired by every woman Is taste
fulness and durability. When have
gone. as I frequently do. into the
small country stores where 80 many
OF our farm women are compelled to
do their buying and have seen the
cheap. highly colored. shoddy ma
terials. I have realized how fearful
is the handicap to the best kind OF
household management But there
is n solution even to this apparently
hopeless problem. Undoubtedly our
small merchants are doing the best
they know. handicapped as they are
I'm the matter OF taste and values.
How to Secure Better Materials.
Tho housewife who accepts condi-
tions as they are and makes no effort
to find a way out OF the difficulty. Is
as hopeless as the woman who COM
planned recently that there was no
occasion for an article upon a bal
anced meal for the farm table where
tho diet was limited TO pork In win
ter. chicken and a small variety Of
vegetables I'm summer. Such a posi-
tion is as absurd as is that OF the
farm man who complains that since
IL II his custom to plow only 3
inches deep. advice as to methods
for growing two bales OF cotton on
the acre Is useless to him. Provided
health and have ambition to do their
best. the housewife will not be con-
tent with the restricted diet for her
table. neither will the man be con-
tent with this kind OF plowing.
Again. the housewife who must mako
her selection OF materials for the
family clothing from the small store
at the crossroads. will equip herself
first with all tho knowledge about
materials that II is possible TO ac-
auire. When she knows how to de-
tect the cotton adulteration In her
table linen. she will be able to regu-
late In some measure the price OF this
shoddy article. When she knows the
processes OF weaving. bleaching and
dyeing the cotton goods used In the
family she will secure better values.
How to Judge Cotton Goods.
Upon cotton wo depend largely for
materials for clothing and house
hold purposes. From cotton we get
bleaching. denim. ginghams. percale.
calico. lawn and muslin. not to men
ton the chintzes. cretonnes. organ
dies and mercerized cottons used for
dress materials and Innings.
When cotton cloth comes from the
loom II IL by no meahs ready for the
market IL must pass through a
number OF steps. The bleaching
process involves six steps. each step
OF which Is followed by rinsings,
making eleven steps I'm all. They
are CD wet out. CD boiled in lime
water. CD treated with acid. ca
boiled I'm soap. (O treated with
bleaching powder. CD treated with
acid. The product Is then a pure
white material suitable for dyeing. or
for white goods. III the cloth is to
be printed. Il Is passed over a flame
and through a shearing machine in
order To render a smooth surface
which will take the color. II is In
the bleaching. by hurrying the pro-
cess. and I'm the dyeing. by use OF
cheap colorings and short processes
that the goods Is rendered poor in
quality. Printed goods. such as cal
leo and pcrcale. are not So fast" to
washing or & light as those that
have been dyed before weaving.
Prints arc sometimes made In an Inn
itation OF the moro costly gingham
or other goods II is easy To detect
tho imitation, as the design OF print
ed fabrics does not penetrate To the
back OF the cloth. Because the prints
are not so fast in color as some
other cottons. the selection Of the
more neutral zones I'm tue calicos ana
rcrnaIcg L. I'll. ....,..,