The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-04-08


w is really such that it should
be given to an expert repairer,
there are many small jobs which
the homemaker can tackle with
assurance of perfect success. Also
while the professional cleanser
does excellent work, his charges
are sometimes above what we can
pay, especially if pillows be
numerous and blankets many. So
that it is worthwhile for the home
''handywoman" to know how best
to do some of these special jobs
which mean greater attractiveness
and health in the household.
Many kinds of heavy chairs
are made with supporting strips
of tape or woven material under
meath the chair cushion. A COM
mon occurrence is to find this
webbing loosened from its tacks OF
brads, and the stuffing or filling of
the seat about to fall out. Turn
the chair upsidedown on a floor
which you can afford to make
dirty. Supply yourself with small
brads, tacks, hammer, and possibly
stout needle and thread. Pry the
webbing entirely loose and examine
the stuffing. It may be that it can
be put back with the webbing; it
may need a new retaining piece
of leather or stitches to get it back
in its lining. Make it smooth and
even. Then replace and retack the
webbing taut across the chair seat
as it was originally. Be sure it is
tight and the tacks well driven in
so as to withstand the weight.
To really recover piece of up
holstered furniture requires con-
siderable knack. Remove the outer
gimp or edging. Take off the
worn fabric which will reveal the
inner lacking. Make a pattern
of this old cover by which to cut
your new fabric, being careful to
note the exact middle, the lOca-
ton of buttons or tacks, etc.
Whiskbroom the seat thoroughly
Now adjust the new cover exactly
as was the old, being sure it is
straight to the chair middle or
frame. Tufting requires long
needle and long thread and the
work is done from the bottom and
I'D through the seat. Last replace
gimp or edging with the identical
tacks or buttons.
Cleaning pillows is not the most
pleasant job, but if done on a
sunny and not too windy day in
Spring, outdoors, you will have
done many worse and those not so
much increasing the household
comfort. Pillows become matted,
and oil from the head, as well as
dust accumulates in them. Have a
portable tub or washing machine
filled with tepid water and good
strong suds touched up with am
monia. Empty pillows into bags
of cheesecloth lido this indoors on
some linoleum fioor), tie ends of
bag tight, and place in tub, or
washer. Rinse in clear hot water
twice. Do not squeeze but hang
on line in sun to dry. While dry
ing pull bags apart frequently,
and last, drop into pillowcase
and whip lightly with a rattan
beater.
This treatment is guaranteed to
make any feathers fresh and full
of life so that the head that rests
thereon will be more comfortable
and sleep more soundly. Never
do the work in any tub or sink
connected with a drain, as the
fluff going down the pipes makes
no end of stoppage and trouble.
A feather or down quilt may be
done the same way, although this
is much more difficult and if pos
sible one task which should be left
to the professional. Of course,
have the pillow ticks turned inside
out, well washed, dried and aired
before returning the feathers.
A cotton comfortable is not so
difficult if power washer is at
hand. Indeed, l may say in pass
ing, that a power washer should
pay for itself out of the money it
saves alone on the washing of
heavy blankets, quilt, pillows, ETC.,
which could never be washed or
wrung by hand without over
effort. After washing in hot,
strong suds in the machine, do not
attempt to wiring, but carry in
basket dripping to line, and sun
dry. in windy weather. One clever
woman invented The plan of hang
ing her heavy comfortables OH the
line, and turning the garden hose
on them!
Only a few suggestions for any
blankets:
1.-Select a sunny but windy
day, not too cold.
2.-Wash in a strong white suds
and ammonia solution in tepid
water.