Evening star., 1916-12-25
WINDOW CURTAINS.

Time is needed to make home curtain
ed-and many of them. Clean the cur
tains in pure soapsuds and then rinse
them gently in clear, lukewarm water.
Dry. them. Then starch them in starch
colored to give them their original tone
and then pin them out to dry.
If the curtains were originally pure
white, blue the starch rather deeply
This will give the curtains a blue-white
look that they had when fresh. II
they are cream cofofed, 1se tea In the
starch to get the right tone and IL they
are deep ecru. use coffee to give the de-
sired color.
Dry the curtains on sheets stretched
out on carpet that is tackled down
II you possess such a thing. If not,
stretch the sheets out on a heavy rug
and pin them into place. Then pin the
curtains with the innumerable pins to
the sheets.
II you have an unused mattress in a
sunny room. spread sheet over it and
pin the curtains to that. Then be sure
to air the mattress thoroughly, SO that
any dampness from the curtains will
dry thoroughly.
The best way to wash curtains is to
shake them as nearly free from dust
as possible and soak them in tub half
full of tepid water in which half
pound of pure soap has been dissolved.
In the morning squeeze them fairly dry
and place them in a tub half full of
very hot water to which a tablespoon
full of borax and enough dissolved soap
to make a strong suds are added.
When they seem clean. after splash
ing them about in this water. rinse
them thoroughly, until there is no trace
of suds or dirt. Then squeeze them
gently dry. Let them dry thoroughly
| on the grass or hang them over a line
to dry. Then starch them.
Gum arabic is sometimes used for
starching curtains of net or lace, and
II gives dressing that ordinary starch
does not give. For pure white curtains.
perhaps. ordinary starch is best. as gum
| arabic is slightly colored.
To prepare the gum arabic starch put
an ounce of the gum in a quart fruit
jar and then cover it with a cupful of
cold water. Stand the jar In sauce
pan of water over the fire and bring
to the boiling point Stand the jar on
| a folded cloth, so that it will not touch
| the bottom of the saucepan. When the
gum is dissolved, strain II through a
piece of cheesecloth into another bottle.
| Cool IT and add half gill of pure grain
alcohol. Cover tightly until needed.
| A little borax can be added to the
| starch to make it stay in the net or
lace more firmly.
| Measure the windows where the
| curtains are TO hang and dry them in
! just the shape and size wanted. The
net or lace stretches readily when it
| IL wet. and hence it is wise to meas
| ure the exact space 1t is to I'LL when
| dried. You can make it dry Just about
| as you wish it.
I When the curtains have dried in
| shape. press them on the wrong side II
| they seem rough or uneven in surface.
| Cretonne can be washed and iron ID
/ SO that 1t looks practically like new.
| washing. When the cretonne has part
| ly dried in the shade. iron 1t on the
| wrong side until completely dry.
Bran water is made by boiling a
quart Of bran In seven quarts of water
I for an hour and then straining it
| through cheesecioth ard adding cold
| water to make 1t lukewarm. Use soap
| Jelly with the bran water. To make
| the soap jelly. place shaved soap in a
saucepan and add boiling water to dis
| solve II.
| Rinse cretonne, after washing it
| quickly. in salt water TO help set the
| colors.