The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-09-21
SPECIAL ATTENTION GIVEN

SPECIAL ATTENTION GIVEN
Fer three years the experts
have been experimenting on new
weayes and styling in eottons
More than $50 designs ranging
from sheercst coh-web meshes for
evening wear to the fine and heavy
knits for service weights have
been evolved and these are now
making their appearance on To-
cal markets. Special attention
has been given by the Bureau Of
Home Economics Of the u. s. de-
pertinent Of agriculture designers
TO FIT. wearing qualities. resist
ance to snsgs and appearance,
New methods of treating cotton
yarn to give IL more elasticity,
luster and smoothness are being
tested. The bureau designs are
chiefly for full-fashioned stock
ings. which means careful fit.
A word at this point about the
meaning OF "full-fashioned." There
are four accepted methods for
making or fsshionIng stockings.
OF these four methods. full.fssh-
Toned and circular knit construc-
tons are the most popular. Full
fashioned stockings are knit flat
TO conform 20 the shape OF the leg
and then scanned together along
the bottom Of the foot and up the
back OF the leg. Their chief ad-
vantage is perfection Of fit. Full
fashioned hose may be recognized
by the fashion marks, or raised
dots on each side of the back
seam at the calf Of the leg and
near the hem. This is where
stitches have been dropped to
shape the stockinRD. Circular knit
or seamless hose are knit in tubu-
lar form with the same number Of
stitches throughout the leg and
foot. They are especially suitable
and widely used for socks and ank-
lets of all kinds, although full
length stockings are also made
this way. Many Of these are
shaped by Tightening the stitches
at the ankle and increasing the
size of the knitted loop as the
stocking goes upward to the hem.
Seamless hose made in this man
ner may have a permanent shape.
however. some seamless stockings
are made with the same size stitch
all the way up and are then
shaped or boarded on heated dry
ing forms. Stockings made this
way lose their shape after the
first washing and may bag at the
ankle and bind at the top.
COTTON GOOD SUBSTITUTE
For women who can afford the
best quality stockings, very fine
cotton will be an attractive and
desirable substitute for silk, both
in wearing quality and appear
ance. II higher prices and high
or taxes this year and next begin
TO pinch incomes too much to per-
nit the luxury OF fragile hose,
there are heavier weights In In
teresting knits TO choose from.
To make up the bureau designs
in the sheerest weights. only the
very fine cotton yarns. made from
long staple cotton. could be used.
Long staple cotton. as It's name
indicates. refers to the length Of
the fibers Of raw cotton. Much
stronger. finer yarn can he spun
from long staple cotton than
from the shorter varieties. More
short staple cotton ~ grown In
this country than long, and the
short kind has been used In the
past to make the cheaper circular
knit stockings.
LARGE PORTION DEMANDED
Close to zoo. 900 bales Of the
longest staple cotton will be avail
able this year. some Of IL import
ed from Egypt. some raised at
home. But all Of Il cannot be
used in making hosiery. for other
Industries like tire making use
large quantities and the amount
available for stockings - unpre-
diotable. Defense demands may
cali for a large portion Of H.
Slightly shorter staples Of cot
ton can be used for a little heavier
cotton hose than the finest isles.
and here the supply Of this type
il plentiful The real bottleneck
in the production of fine cotton
stockings lies IN the spinning IN
dgstrys ability 10 produce fine
cotton yarns Capacity ~ pres
.-s "a considerably lsee than de-