New-York tribune., 1912-02-15
Simple Stitchery Is Sooth-
ing to the Nerves and
Saves the Pennies.
Ry Martha MecuIIoch Williams.

A white sale IN one OF the big stores
always makes me a bit impatient, more
than a bit sorrowful. For II exists In re-
sponse to a demand, as do most things
commercial. And evidently the crux Of the
demand is-trimminRs. Not that those in
timate garments unseen save by ones
nearest be well cut we'll finished and of
firm woven, durable stuff but that they
be ruAied. purified. bedzened with imitation
laces. with ribbon, with machine embroid-
cry. And all this applied TO inferior cloth,
which is still further tortured with tuck
ings and such like.
All this in the cheaper grades. With
money In the purse, you can buy things OF
the finest the daintiest. But even in the
fine and dainty you pay twice as much
for hand work as for material Why not
then, OH maids and mothers all, put your
hands to work upon dainty or durable
cloth. and get IN return garments TO de-
light in? | know you can buy underwear
of sorts for rather less than the price OF
good material. But do you ever consider
the questions of wear, Of convenience;
above all, OF laundering? I know. expert
mentally, nightgowns made at home of
longcloth and nearly devoid Of trimming
last just twice a. long as garments
could buy for anything near the same
price and are moreover. simple. digniiied,
becoming and so easily washed my con-
science is quite clear even though I
change nightly in hot weather.
You have not the time, and wouldn't
take it If you had Then I am sorry for
10, .t,,., sI,n
machine. is a means Of grace and sooth-
ing no woman can afford to neglect / do
not counsel making yourselves slaves of
the needle or setting yourselves singing
again the song Of the shirt Shirts are
kittle cattlc and better left In the hands
Of experts But I should counsel making
even shirts were it impossible to buy them
free OF meaningless and debasing orna-
ment as is the case with feminine gar
ments
Trimmings, suitable and in moderation.
cordially approve But not the rag-tag
sort that comes through the wash looking
shabby enough TO vulgarize any garment
this no matter how painstaking has been
the ironing. Further, in wearing there Is
scratching and general discomfort Ii
strikes me as sinful to have so much work
ironing is not child's play. even though
mother may do IL uncomplaininsly-act-
usly with Joy through feeling that her
daughters arc as fine as those Of the next
neighbors.
Trimmings. however cheap, cost money
even though bought at wholesale. Their
cost in garments for bargain tables must
'bc subtracted from that OF either labor or
4
avoid bankruptcy. Yet the trimmings do no
manner Of good rather harm. This is par
ticularly true Of children's clothes. The
simpler they are the easier to launder the
better. Laundry work is costly-in time and
strength and nervous energy II not In
money. / have much less sympathy for the
tots / sec groyelling in waste spaces, hap
PLY even blissfully dirty. In rompers or
overalls, than for the poor small victims OF
starched white hnery and pink and blue
sashes. \ very wise man said: Give me
the first six years OF child's life, and |
will form its character beyond any after
changing" and he voiced great vital
truth In those first six years there may
be implanted vanity love OF display, irri-
tant emulation that ten years later may
work heart-breaking ruin
Sewing is nothing like such hard work as
washing and ironing are. BY giving your
time to the needle you can save both in
strength and in money. do not insist upon
hand sewing; life is too short for that, eX-
cept when and where one needs delightful
occupation. But with machines so cheap, 30
light running, patterns well cut and shape
ly so plenty, and stuffs so moderate in
price. it is almost wicked to make bedz-
ened frights Of the small people, no less the
great ones, instead Of clothing them so sim
ply, so saneiy that they shall delight the
eye
Sometimes It is borne In upon me that this
universal rage for trimmings Is part Of the
national self-assertion. In other words,
that through trimmings those Of us who
have little money seek to make it evident
we are in class with those who have much
Therefore, we insist that fashions Paris de-
crees for the great world and the half
world shall be translated into terms Of i'm
itations which fetch them within the com
pass of lean purses. so the lean purse