Evening star., 1925-04-18

11ANGlNGS CAN BE T11ANSFORMEI FL
LITTLE OR NO EXPENSE IF PR
Draperies are matters of great inn
portance to the home decorator, and
there are two seasons of the year,
Spring and Fall, when they loom high
in schemes for rooms. In the Spring
the heavy draperies that have pleased
during the colder weather fail to ap-
peal. Something more delicate and
summery is wanted but in the aver
age household the cost of getting new
hangings is a barrier. If only there
We're a way to replace the Winter
draperies without requiring too large
an outlay the homemaker would vel
come it. And so today let me tell you
of delightful and chcdp ways of dress
ing the windows that will give them
just the longed-for difference.
Cretonnes are favorite Spring dra-
peries. They are bright and attrac-
tive, seeming to bring a bit of the
cheer of the sunshine and the gayety
Of buds and blossoms into the rooms.
TO be sure, these hangings, when they
are hand blocked and have real art
lstry, are not exactly low-priced.
There are ways, however, of treating
Gaudy, cheaper cretonnes which may
be pleasing in pattern but not in tones
so that they become mellow in hues
and lend themselves to special color
schemes for rooms. Here is one solu-
tion to the problem of renewing your
draperies: Get inexpensive cretonnes
and tone them to suit your needs.
Toning Old Hangings.
Or it may be that some of your pres
ent hangingS are cretonneS, and you
have become tired of them before they
have worn out. This idea of toning
them affords the possibility of making
them appear different without any
outlay. So whether you have to buy
the material or already own it, way
of refurbishing your draperies and
giving a new appearance to windows
lies within your power. In the first
instance, the outlay need be nothing
more than the cost of cheap fabrics,
and in the second, even that cost is
eliminated
Types of Cretonnes.
When purchasing new cretonne for
this scheme of redecorating, one point
is essential. The design must be
suited to the room. There are two
distinct types of cretonnes. One is
for the main rooms of a house and
the patterns are formal. Generally
they are larger and the coloring is
richer and more pronounced than for
the second type, which is for cham
berS and the upstairs rooms of a home
Cretonnes for chambers are apt to be
dainty, with white or very light back
grounds and delicate designs.
Whether they are expensive or in
expensive, these two types exist in
printed or hand-blocked cretonnes or
linens. Make your selections of the
cretonnes with these points of view
always in mind, regardless of the
color schemes. You can alter the
latter.
Soften Colors.
Having decided upon the style of the
material, the first step in transform
ing them from the crudity of cheap
colored CretonneS to the beauty of
toned and treated shades is thorough
washing. Let soap and water and
strong sunlight take away all the
Gaudiness of color that these elements
can. Do not be surprised if the
fabric is limp and without the firm
ness of texture that it had at first.
1t is possible to give it a resting
when the toning is right. Sometimes
all that is needed to make the colors
soft and attractive is to treat them
as described. If so, mix d little boiled
starch with the final rinsing water,
let it remain until it is evenly moist
in every part. Then iron it on the
wrong side. Be sure to have the
edges straight and even when you
press the Cretonne and iron it until
it is dry, as you would table damask.
/ will hold its shape and keep its
newly-sized texture if laundered in
this way.
TOning Process.
If the cretonne requires further
treating to make it fit in with certain
definite color schemes (and it is likely
tol, it is possible to further tone the
material. This will require some ex
perimenting with dye washes TO in
sure the perfection of color scheme
but the experimenting is easy as wei
as interesting. Let us suppose that
YOU wish the cretonne to have a mul
berry tone to harmonic with the fur
niShingS of a room. Mix a solution
Of mulberry dye, carefully prepared
according to directions for whatever
dye you choose to use. Have a kettle
or waSh-boiler of hot water, large
enough TO hold the entire length o.
cretonue to be toned. To this ado
some of the mixed dye gradually. Pu
a sample of the cretonne in this so
luton when YOU think YOU have /
IiSIt AtIeI liie SdIIlpiS Has uSeH II
long enough thoroughly to absorb tn,
tone, take it out and dry it befor,
judging whether the toning is correct
The tone will be lighter when DIR.
than when wet. If it is not right
make it stronger or lighter, as needed
by adding more water or more of tn
solution. If ii is not the desired ton
Il little red or little blue may b
required and a fresh Sampling of tn
I.A laI No OF e (,
eretonne until you get the tone right
Various Effects.
Toning the cretonne will change al
he colors somewhat, but the color
will be shaded in scale. so that the
viii be harmonious. Bluing will Civ
q. gray tone that Softens some colorS