The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-01-18
A Linen Talk.

The present month is the very best on,
in the year for the replenishing of tn,
family linen. Nearly all of the largei
dry goods stores hold large white sales il
January, and while there are undoubted
ly some very good values to be obtained
occasionally las in the discontinusnce Of
certain stock the chief advantage which
you viii find in purchasing linens in Jan
uary is the immense stock displayed and
the opportunity to compare patterns and
values.
1t seldom pays to buy linen of a cheap
quality, especially table linen which must
stand close inspection and hard wear
says the Boston Traveller. Choose a
thick feeling linen that is closely woven
If You buy cheap quality you will be
dismayed to find it thin and loosely WOW
zen after the dressing has been washed
out with the first laundering. One can
never get over the feeling that hand
| hemmed tablecloths and napkins are nic-
or than the machine hemmed kind, but
one also has feeling that there are sit
uations where it is folly for busy moth
er to spend her meagre leisure in hem
ming table linen by hand. Each woman
must decide for herself whether the re-
suits of the hand work are sufficient to
warrant the labor put into it, The one
occasion when it seems to me advisa BILE
TO purchase cheap linen is for use dur
ing the fruit season, when it will save
nuch wear on the nicer set. For dinner,
tablecloths are the best choice, but for
breakfast and luncheon doilies are pre-
ferred by many women. You can use a
great deal of originality in the choice of
these doilies and they may be as elabor-
ate as you like. For a simple set there
is really nothing better than strips of
Japanese toweling. The material is
cheap and fast colored.
Next to table linen the bed linen will
demand the most frequent replacement.
Real linen rs considered an extravaganza
for beds by many people and there are
many who dislike the cool feeling of lin
en- sheets, especially in the winter. Cot
ton is almost universally used If you
buy your sheets already made be sure TO
inquire about the dimensions, for many
ready-made ones are too short to be slept
in with comfort. The bed linen will wear
a great deal longer il it is rotated in use.
If you take care to put the freshly laun-
dered sheets at the bottom of the pile in
the linen closet YOU can always be sure
that proper rotation takes place.
II you do your own laundering You
viii probably add much to the life of
your linen, for no one else will take the
pains with it that you will. IL is a |
mistake to use strong washing powders |
in laundering linen, as the threads are |
likely TO be weakened by their use. Clear, |
warm water with an abundance of mild |
pure soap and usual blueing are all that
is needed unless the linen has been al
lowed TO get in very bad condition. Only /
a moderate amount Of rubbing should be
necessary and this should be- followed by /
a thorough rinsing.
When ironing fine linens remember %
move the iron with the thread and never
This is especially to be re-
membcred in the ironing Of round or oval
pieces when the diagonal motion is easy
% fall into. Round lunch cloths should
se placed upon their ironing board At
light angles 70 the board and ironed back
Ind forth. lengthwise Of the board. Ar
icles which have hemstitehing should be
roned crosswise a. the hem g. prevent
wear on the stitching.
Linen should - kept in q cool dry
lace Tor heat viii cause the threads 10
-eoome brittle. II Linen = IN b. laia