Evening star., 1921-04-01


which are excellent. bat far more Of
| them are hideous in their overelabora-
ton.
The appointments OF bed should al
ways be made of materials that will
wash. Generally speaking, the best
bedspread is a white one made Of dim
! ity. piQue or embroidered linen or mus
lin, or one made to match the drapery
and curtains of a room by the addition
Of a band Of fiowered cretonne around
the edge. Every bed is improved in its
appearance by a valance made of ma
teral firm enough to require very little
starch in order to hold out the ruffies
There are various methods of fastening
a valance. but the most satisfactory
and best adapted to all shapes and kinds
of frames is to take cotton cloth or an
old sheet and fit It over the spring. let
ting it hang down to the bottom of the
framework, and on the edge of this
cloth gather the valance and stitch it
down. 1t is then made permanent until
such time as it needs laundering, when
1t can easily be taken off and put back
into place without the trouble of tapes
and drawstrings. The mattress rests
directly on this sheet and the special
advantage here lies in the fact that the
spring, whether box spring or
woven n-wire one, is at all times hidden
from view when the clothes are turned
down at night or whenever the spread
Is removed.
In making such a valance for a four
post bed the corners OF the sheet must
be cut out to fit the posts. II the bed is
one Of white iron pique or dimity
spread. or similar material. with the
addition Of pretty fringe. is always
good and hangs we'll over crisp, fresh
valance. For the four-poster the same
may be used. or chintz or cretonne
that will match the curtains of the
room. being careful always to select that
Ixzyki kioh rn,in oh hn Mill
are used for night as we'll as for day
they will be rumpled, so the bedspread
should be long enough to draw up and
, cover them. or else embroidered. ini-
tailed or ruffled shams should be used:
Still another way is to have a pair Of
ruffied cases ready to put on the pillows
when the bed is made up for the day.
Cotton taffeta appliqued with flower
patterns in cretonne makes a very
artistic bed covering. Another very
pretty cover may be made from a
strip Of lace insertion, cotton braid or
fancy trimming stitched to outline
the top of the bed or box portion of a
cotton taffeta covering. with the
edges of the straight valance trim
med with short ruffies Of lowered
lawn. These are very pretty, es-
pecially when lawn is used to strip
the cover. A handsome cover is made
of unbleached muslin Of the finest
quality, decorated in the center with
one large flower of a bright color ap-
pliqued to the goods. Two bands of
two inches wide and foot apart.
should be placed around the four
sides. A comfort of white muslin.
dotted with yellow flowers. is clean
and dainty looking. A dainty comfort
may be made Of rose-colored sateen
with white dots and knotted with
white wash ribbon.
1t is a good plan to mark the bed
linen for each room in some dlstlnc-
tive way. either by the initials OF
the person occupying the room or by
some tiny device, such as star for
one. a circle for another or red
mark for one room, green mark for
another, and so on. 1t is a great help
when sorting bed linen for many
rooms.
Proper Care of Reds.
The right way to air a bed, il bed
clothes are not removed from the bed
and placed on chairs, is to throw
chair. placed to keep them well on
the floor. and then lift the mattress
in the middle. fitting it up so that
air passes under and over it. one
half an hour Of this will thoroughly
air a bed, the windows being open all
the time. Air closets and wardrobes
as you do a room. They are full OF
clothes that have been worn all day
which need airing.
If you have a fat roof. take every
mattress in the house up there occa-
sionally and leave them in the hot
come back all fluffed up and sweet
smelling. 1t would be we'll for the
pillows and bedding to receive the
same treatment. A mattress. will be
easier to handle if straps are attach
ed to the sides. and for this purpose
pieces Of old suspenders are very
satisfactory. or strips made from bed
ticking. Sew the straps or handles
on firmly, two on each side. mat
tress cover should be made OF bleach
ed muslin. buttoned over the 100.
with a flap. When making the bed
it is a good plan to pin the under
sheet on with big safety pins.
Brass beds can be cleaned with
damp cheesecIoth. If tarnished: apply
a soft flannel cloth moistened with
clean with a soft dry flannel or
chamois skin. One can also lacquer
them and make them look lhe new.
First rub the brass vigorously with q
flannel dipped in whiting. then get
some shellac and dissolve it in enough
q % smaIl brush. The work can be
quickly done and the bed will look as
pretty as II sent to the factory. at
much less expense
window Curtains.
Nothing in house displays the
taste Of the home maker more plainly
than the curtains and hanginga If
there is little money to spend for cur
tains II Is much better to use some
thing simple than to buy an imita-
ton of expensive draperies. The
thrifty housewife will find 1t an econ
omy to make her curtains at home.
Tans and grays are by far the most
serviceable colors to use for cur
tains. as well as the coolest and fresh
est looking. India prints. figured
linens and many of the best quality
of chintzes and cretonnes will hold
their tones. and it is therefore often
advisable to get g. color effect by US
ing them rather than plain tones.
For bedrooms. however, it is often
satisfactory to use scrim. cheesecloth.
fshnet, Swiss. cross-barred muslin
or plain-colored ginghams and cham
brays, which can be bought in fast
dyes and which make charming side
drapings over curtains Of white net or
fine white scrim.
For a blue room ono could use plain
blue denim trimmed with a border Of
blue and white lowered cretonne.
When a plain wall covering Is used
cretonne curtains are always attrac-
border on q white muslin or dotted
Swiss curtain assures ono of a very
decorative effect with a simple ma
terial. Do not have too much Gre
tonne IN one room, however. If there
are seOeral windows with figured
over-curtains. do not have more than
one chair covered with the same ma
terial. Let the other furniture have
unfgured upholstery in some color
that is prominent in the cretonne or
that harmoniZes well with the wall
covering. If there is couch or win
i