South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-08-12
.LAYETTE NEEDS
DOZEN DRESSES
Little Garments Can Be FASH
Toned From inexpensive Ma
teriaIS and Simply Made.

Is there any happier occupation for
a womans fingers, heart and brain
than the fashioning of tiny garments
for little guest not yet arrived? And
you have softly answered-every wom-
an Of you-"No".
Yet, into the hours of content slip
puzzling moments, especially those
times of wondering just what does
comprise "layette" and how much IL
IS really necessary for a moderately
filled purse TO spend in order to have
a suitable and comfortable layette for
the coming little oSe.
That word comfortable" is most
important, too. for the baby must have
nothing TO hinder its growth. Fortu-
nately the layette must. of necessity,
be simple, for fussy and elaborate
things but serve TO make a child fret
full and restless The slips and dress
es should not be longer than % inches
when finished. Flannel skirts should
be about &c inches in length. No white
skirts are worn unless it be a high day
or holiday.
For an inexpensive layette, the slips
are made of nainsook, costing any
where from 10 cents 70 30 cents per
yard. II takes two yards for a slip.
The slips should be made by hand.
with few small tuCkS and some briar-
stitching front and back. Put a tiny
swiss beading at the neck and sleeves
and run through them nerrOw linen
tape 10 draw the neck and sleeves up.
About 10 inches for the neck and
seven inches for the wristbands are
good measurements to allow. Whip
narrow lace edge to the beading, and
the dress or slip is completed.
Tatting DecorateS Slips.
Fine tatting is sometimes used on
baby slips. 1t is most effective, and
there is often an aunt or grandmother
who would consider ii privilege to
make some. Some slips can be made
with tiny sprays of hand embroidery
between the tucks, while other slips
can be made with a little smdcking in
the front to form yoke. L
A dozen slips or dresses will be
quite enough. It would be we'll TO
have one best" dress, which can be
used for state occaSions-perhaps the
christening Make this of batiste, |
costing anywhere from % cents to %
cents per yard. 1t is very wide, and
one width will make a dress, If a seam
is put down the back. However, If
there is an objection to the seam. one
and three-quarter yards will make any
kind of dress. A pretty way to make
the best" dress would be to have
handembroidered yoke, round or
square, joined to the dress with on
tredre. and the neck and sleeves fin
and tiny edge the same as on the slips.
The "nighties" may be made Of
long cloth or nainsook ard over the
same pattern as the slips. Gather the
neck and sleeves into little bias folds
and whip on to the folds a tiny lace
edge. Four "nighties" will be enough.
The flannel skirts are made on mus
lin bodies. and it takes two widths of
flannel, each % inches long. one and
a quarter yards. for each skirt. These
may be finished with an embroidered
scallop or a two-inch hem briar-
stitched in. If the hem is to be used,
be sure TO allow for it when buying
the flannel. scalloped skirts are de-
cidedly preferable for the daytime and
are not difficult to embroider. Draw
the scallops with the air of a thimble
or a spool and embroider in twisted
silk. The silk can be bought in skeins
or on five-cent spools. 1t takes two
skeins for one skirt.
Needs Three Wooden Shirts.
Almost without exception, no matter
what the temperature or the time of
year the new baby wears high-necked
lOng-sleeved wooden shirts Three will
be enough for the layette. They cost
about 70 cents apiece. The flannel
bands should be twenty-four inches
long and torn off the length Of the
goods-never off the width. They are
SIX llCntS Wlut anu dlt lAOl 0SlIllntus
but nicked or "pinked", so that the
edges will not ravel Good flannel for
this purpose can be purchased from
so cents TO $3.50 per yard. Four of
these bands will be sufficient
IT is well to have about four dozen
squares. These may be made of birds
eye. which comes in different widths.
Make few small ones eighteen inches
wide and the rest twenty-seven inches.
The squares" are made square, as
their names would indicate, and may
be hemmed by machine. DO not fail
TO boil and press them before allowing
them to come in contact with the
baby's delicate skin.
There are ever so many little things
that one can add - nightingales,
sacques, bibs. kimonos, etc. 1t is,
however. better 10 wait and TO make
these after the coming Of the little
one. who is likely to receive many Of
these aforementioned articles as gifts.