Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1919-06-14 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

ECONOMY IN HOSE.  If, by judicious manipulation, stockings are made to last longer than they otherwise would. the result will be a saving of no mean amount, for hosiery forms one of the chief items of expense, especiav in a family where there is no taint of "ra,cie suicide."  So far as the little ones are concerned. the knees usually wear through before any other portion of the stockings begins to go. If kneeguarde are made out of old stockings, they will protect the new ones. Cut the tops off of old hoes just above the darned places. Turn up the lower edge to form a hem. Stitch it on the sewing machine, stretching it to its fullest extern as you prooeed, and at the earns time inserting a circular piece of elastic that will fit snugly below the child's knee. Slip this guard over the stocking, fastening it securely with the auspander clasp along with the otocking. It will be found a good plan to buy boy's stockings as long as can he had. 13-.. fore they are form run a nest tuck around the ankle. %\ hen the stocking become ragged at the knee let out the tuck, which will raise the torn part so it, will be covered by the trousers. When a hole at the knee is too large to be darned without great trouble, cut the leg all the way round where the hole is, and stitch the- two pare together. When the stockings have lesen darned so maw times that they are no longer presentable, cut them off at the ankle and tura the legs around so that the darned part will come at the back of the knee, where there is no wear, and where it will not show so plainly. The seam at the ankle wil not trouble the youngster, the darned knkes will not show, and the stockings will wear twice as long. 14 a piece cut from an old stocking is sewn with wool on the inside of the knee and heel, the edg,a can be easilly overcast on to the patch underneath when the outside wears through, and they will not wear out so quickly as they would if left unprotected. If the piece is made to eriend well over the knee, it will serve as a firm hold for the suspenders clasp, and prevent it from tearing holes in the stockings. If stockings are darned before the wool or cotton wears through, the work will be greatly lessened. The 'thin places in the fabric should be darned closely, but not tightly. If a large hole has to be darned, sew around the edge first with long over and over stii-ehes, drawing the thread tightly enough so the hole will be neither stretched nor puckered. Then darn as usual. The darn will not be more than half the size it would otherwise have been, and it wiLl be level with tne fabric Misread of being convex. Darn small hols over a s,ocking darner, and larger ones over a flt, object, like the top of a small tea-cup or a large. mouthed bottle. some folks like to darn stockings over shoe-trees, as this keeps the darn flatter than can be accomplished in any other way. A guard of chamois or of kid, that fits smoothly over the great toe, will prevent the toes of stockings from wearing out quickly. It will not be at all un• comfortable to the person who wears it. Bever still, a toe-guard may he made to slip on under the stockings. It, may he fashioned of thin kid or chamois, say, from the tops of Old pair of gloves, or it may be knitted or erochetted of silk. If white paraffin wax is rubbed on the outside of the heels and toes of stockings they will last longer. There are a number of mfthods of preventing suPieerters from tearing holes in the tops of stockings and producing "Jacob's ladders." Fasten the garter ;asps over a small, two-fold piece of tissue paper on both sides of the stocking, or knit a silken garter that will exactly fit the lop when it is on; stitch to the top of the hose, and fasten the clasp to this; or cut inch-wide tape, the colour of the stockings, into small pieces and fasten them, lkngthwise, at the points where the olasps will be attached.  Work a heavy button-bole in each piece of tape, 'then remove the clasp from each suspender and sew two ends of half.inch-wide ribbon in their place. When the corset is adjusted, pull one end of the ribbon through the button-hole in the stocking toP and tie it to the other end in a smart bow. Intread of tape and buttonholes, loops of silk braid nay be sewn to the stocking tops, and the ribbon tied through them. A small chamcis pad, attached to the end of the corset elastic, may be inserted between the stocking and 'the &asp. The fabric will come against the chamois instead of the metal, and thus be protected. Hose s'hould be changed fnequently—at least every other day—if they are expected to give good service. •