Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1912-01-12
SHOPPING NOTES
Buyer of. Dry Goods Need Not
Take Clerks Word.
By Mrs. Helen Bryce Brooks, of the
Dept. of Domestic Art, Oregon
Agricultural College, Corvallis.


Women are the great shoppers of
the world; it is they who buy the
large output of cotton and woolen
mills, linen and silk manufactures.
DO they transact this immense bust
ness wisely and intelligently? The
many and varied adulterations of tex.
tile fabrics are evidences of the lack
of serious and conscientious business
principles or the most deplorable ig-
norance of the fabrics daily used.
What was the matter with the last
dress purchased? Did it fade; did it
shrink badly; did it go to pieces
when rubbed on the washing board;
did it look like linen-smooth and
glossy-and then after washing look
coarse and dull; did it spot, did it
prove to be of more cotton than
wool, although you were assured
that it was "all WOOL? In fact, did
you simply take a clerks word for
the purity of the fabric rather than
your own judgment?
There are a few simple tests that
may be used which would aid ma
terially in the selection of textile
fabrics. Do not go by looks alone.
Get sample of the material and test
in the following ways:
For Fadng.-Cover one end of the
sample with piece of cardboard.
ExposeS the rest to sunlight for a
number of days and then note the
effect.
For Shrinkage.-Measure the length
and width of your sample. Dip in
hot water, or wash it with warm
water and soap. Is it very much
shorter or narrower? Would it shrink
great deal in yard?
For Strength.-Where strength in
wearing and washing is desired, place
the thumbs and first fingers over the
cloth, pressing down hard and pull
ing the cloth in both directions
with the warp and with the woof.
DO you find the threads weakened
Is one set of threads much stronger
than the other?
Materials are sometimes weak be-
cause of imperfections in the weave,
or because one set of threads is
stronger than the others. Hold the
sample toward the light and see if
| q
Cords running only one way weak.
en- materials. Cords running both
ways give strength. Loosely woven
cloth catches on splinters, nails and
other sharp things. Closely woven
cloth is more satisfactory.
For Finishing.-Rub the material in
the hands or pick at the surface with
the finger nail. Does the starch
come out? Wet the finger and rub
on the cloth? When the cloth dries
has the gloss disappeared?
Sometimes cotton cloth which has
been on the market for some time
is weakened by the action of the
chemicals used in bleaching, dyeing
or in the sizing. This may be de-
tected by tearing the cloth.
Beware of low-priced cotton goods
with thick gloss or pasty look.
They are probably filled with starch.
Do not expect linen at cotton prices.
Linen is much more expensive than
cotton, and when linen prices are
paid linen should be demanded. Since
the two fibers are rather hard to
distinguish, especially when heavily
starched, and given a good finish, it
Linen collars are frequently large.
ly cotton; linen" handkerchiefs
may not have a thread of linen, as
is likely to be the case with rather
inexpensive embroidered handker,
chiefs; table linen may be mer.
cerized cotton, cotton and linen OF
even ordinary cotton.
For Spotting.-Shake some drops
of water on the sample Does il
lose lustre where the drops have
dried? Hang out a piece of cloth
in the sun and submit to the action
OF sun and rain. Does it loose its
color and become gray and dull?
To prevent spotting, lay a damn
cloth on the wrong side of the ma
terial, roll the two together and
when evenly damp, unroll and press
through the damp cloth with a partly
hot iron; press until cloth is thor
oughly dried.
Tests for Cotton or WooI.-Ravel 6
few threads at the edge of the ma
terial and pull them partially off ant
burn them. Is the odor offensive
like burning hair? Test the threads
of both warp and woof If the odol
differs, one set of threads may be
wool, while the other might be al
cotton or mixed cotton and wool
Another burning test shows tha
cotton burns rapidly, while WOO
burns slowly and chars.
A practical test may be made by
boiling a sample in five per cen
solution of caustic potash for twenty
minutes The wool becomes dis
solved and the cotton remains. L
the material is all wool there will bt
nothing left.
A mixture Of cotton and wool wher
wet wrinkles more than pure wool.
Tests for Cotton or Llnen.-Tht
old test of moistening the finger ant
putting it under the cloth is moi
ALWAYS a sure one as tho moisture