INTEIXIGENT SHOPPING

There are a few things that every shopiier ought to know. She should, for one thing, know exc^tly how much money it is proper or expedient to spend for a certain article. Of course, she is not ooliged to expend the entire sum, if she has the good fortune to find what she wants at a lower price, but, the limit being fixed, she should have resolution enough not to be tempted to exceed it. In all probability the sum has been determined with reference to other needs, and if one purchase is al- lowed to overstep the margin, there will be inconvenient curtailing in oilier directions. With the stern fact of a slender purse to be kept in mind, it is weak in the shopper to spend her own time, and the salesman's, look- ing at expensive goods which are beyond her reach. The sight of such fabrics, contrasting with the more humble ones which must of necessity be her choice, will be apt to produce dissatisfaction.

Quite important it is. also, for the economical shopper to be aware of the quantity of material she will need. Rapid calculations made at tlie time of purchasing are very unreliable, and an ap])eal to the salesman will do little good, because the desire to make a sale will oft«n prompt that person to suggest a smaller quantity than is needful. On the paper pat- terns sold by dealers the quantity of goods required is usually set down, but an economical cutter can often make the garment from a smaller num- ber of yards than tliat given. A liberal quantity is mentioned, to allow for inexperience and more or less wastefulness upon the cutter's part It would be wise, after selecting a pattern, to measure it, and decide by turn- ing the pieces about till every advantage gained by dovetailing them in and out may be taken note oi. There are many ladies who manage to re- duce the amount of cloth usually required for a dress, so greatly, that the saving thus made is quite a consideration. In expensive goods the saving of a yard or two will go a long way toward the purchase of another dress.

Very excellent managers have been known to cut all the required parts of a polonaise, jacket, or whatever form the pattern is in, from paper, (in cases where the pattern does not give duplicate sections), to better enable them to make the closest calculation as to the amount required. Such painstaking is sometimes laughed at and termed fiissiness, but, depend \l\^o\\ it, any method which enables a woman in narrow circumstances to save a dollar, even, should be above derision. To show that the sum thus saved may be of some magnitude, the case of two ladies in New York may be named, who bought silk dresses from the same piece. The silk was four dollais a yard, and the dresses were to be made in the same style. One lady referred to her dressmaker for the amount of yards necessary, the other made her own calculation in the manner just spoken of, and

DRESS MAKING AT HOMR 605

bought two yards less. Her dress appeared, after being made, to be as am- ple as her fnend*s, and she had the reward of her deliberate forethought m the saving of eight dollars. Probal^Jy, the other dress was honestly made, for the quantity supplied was far from exorbitant, but less careful cutting made the diti'ereuce.

How much, or, rather, how little, material will it be safe to purchase for making into a silk dress, is a question often asked by ladies who are obliged to count the cosh of every thing very narrowly. It is a question that could be answered more accurately regarding a single individual than in the ab- stract, but it is safe to say that, with careful cutting, a polonaise and sim- ply-trimmed skirt can be made from thirteen or fourteen yanls of silk, according to the height of the lady. The upper part of the skirt can he of black lawn, or, instead of continuing the silk to the bottom of the skirt, it may be pieced down with lining, beginning where the ruffle is put on. Even if more material is purchased, it is more prudent to piece out the skirt with other goods, and save some of the silk to use when the time for making over comes.

For ladies who live out of town, the present facilities for selecting from samples sent by mail simplify shopping greatly. Almost all merchants in large cities are very obliging about sending samples, and, even if the ex- press charges on the goods ordered adds something to the cost, it is a trifle compared to the expense of visiting the city. \Vith the samples before one at home, one can make a cooler choice aiid use better judgment than when in a store, and country buyers have, on this score, a great advantage over town shoppers.

Among the many points to be considered in the selection of a winter dress, is its possibility for turning upside down and wron^de out, when its future destiny may demand such transformation. It is also desirable to have goods that can be dyed, and, on that account, mixtures of silk and wool should be avoided. There are also other objections to this class of goods. They are liable to change color when exposed to dampness, and will sometimes shrink and ** cockle up" in a way tnat makes them unsightly, and often useless. All-wool materials, such as serge, cashmere, flannels and debeges, and all the goods of similar nature sold under various names, are far more satisfaclory, and are often cheaper, even at the first cost, than the fancy mixtures.

For those ladies who are obliged to follow some out-of-door avocation, such as carrying a .^subscription hook, selling some articles from house to house, or any pursuit which requires them to brave all weathers, the most serviceable winter dress will be one of camlet, linsey or frieze-cloth. Kither of these will be very satisfactory, if a grade is selected which is woven of pui*e worsted, with no mixture of cotton or any other fabric. If the mate- rial is bougiit at a reliable place, the dealer will be willing to point out the difference between the mixed and unmixed worsted material, but (the former not always beinc etisy to find) irresponsible persons will sometimes attempt to |)alm off" the latter ui)on the inexperienced. A jacket or snct^ue like the dress can be wadded and lined, and, if neatly made after a stylish pattern, will complete a walking costume that any lady might l>e willing to wear. ^ Such a suit in dark grav, or " pepper and salt,"* made with emigrant skirt bordered with three or live rows of black braid, and easj' fitting coat of the same, similarly trimmed, will be more stylish, and command more resi>ect for the wearer than a half- worn silk or cashmere whose trimming show stains of travel and dust, whose draperies have the dejected look common to long worn ornamentation. It is not to be supposed that the economist must never take advantage of a special bargain ; but she must be wary, lest she is dazzled by cheapness ana tempted into buying some- thing that she could have gone without, and saved the money for a beti- ter use.

The habit of making a list, every season, of the things absolutely needed*

"606 DBESS MAKING AT HOME.

with their probable cost, will assist an economical shopper very mncli In making her purchases, and dispose her to shun showy so-called bargains, unless she sees one that will supply spme item set down in iier list, or can be profitably substituted for something therein. Even then she should use very deliberate judgment, and carefully refrain from buying in baste to regret at leisure.

Merchants in cities are, at certain times, in the habit of offering, as bar* gains, the fragments of Uie last season's stock to clear them out before new goods are exhibited. These bargains are sold (very often) for any thing that they will bring. Experienced economists find this their golden oppor* tunity, and rarely fail to take advantage of its coming. Remnants of sum- mer goods are to be found often at a quarter of the price asked for them on their tirst appearance, and, with a little taste and a clever knack at securing an imitation of some of the many fashions of the day, it is an easy thing to effect an ingenious arrangement of a few yards of new goods upon an old dress that will delude the public into tlie belief that the whole costume is as new as it is elegant The point having been thor- oughly settled, ttiat close following of passing styles is incompatible with systematic economy, the woman of small means will not hesitate to make her dollar do double dutv by spending it for some of these kept-over goods without troubling herself with anxious doubts and fears lest they should not be in the latest of the ruling modes. Her choice among them, if her taste and judgment are good, will be those that are ouiet and in- conspicuous in color and pattern. Such dresses, be the fashion what it may, are always ladylike and in good style. There are some standard goods that are never obsolete; but because each season brinss its own trivial variation in the shade of a color, the thickness of a twill, or some such unimportant feature, the infinitesimal change depreciates, in the eyes of large dealers, the materials of lost year. Narrow stripes, fine checks and small dots a

J>roduced by consttyit motion of the arms; but for ordinary housework a oosely-fitting unlined waist with simply a stay or facing under the arms, is Suite strong enough. It would also be sufficiently so for the hardest work peoi)le were in the habit of making the calicoes worn for such use, simply with a skirt and half-fitting sacque. Many ladies make the calico skirts of working dresses of straight !)readths and no gores in order that, when partially worn out, the front may he turned around to the back, thus bringing stronger breadths into the place of those which are thin and faded. The gathers are ripped from the wai.stband and the skirt turned upside down. After a new lease of life has in this way been secured to the skirt, there should be some way of renovating the upper portion, perhaps new sleeves, and, possibly, a renewal of the lower portions of the front if the waist is in sacque form.

The most economical and convenient time for making common dresses is at a season when more elalx)rate dresses are not in preparation. For calicoes and ginghams it will be safe to select any of the simpler styles o(

DRESS MAKING Al HOME. 607

walking dresses. Plain percale and small checked ginghams combine veil,

Ati/I Tkianv vorv nr^ttv rrkrnhinflt.mns rnitv'hA mnrlf* lAfitili oalin/^Ao on/I rvi>ii-k«-a

quanti- ties required for the ordinary garments used in the family for convenience In shopping.

In catting goods, economy of material is a consideration never to l»e lost Bight of. Make a close calculation before using the scissors at all, and do not cut any part out until you have discovered the very best way of using tlie cloth to advantage. It will pay one to be very deliberate and take no stei> without due consideration. Of course, professional hands become so en- tirely familiar with their occupation that it does not demand much thought, but beginners will do well to ponder and plan and calculate closely the very best and most econonomical way of getting a garment out of a given quan- tity of cloth. Large patterns are desirable for dresses and some other things* but for most garments just enough is the best quantity to have. The extra half yard, or whatever portion is found to he in excess of the right length, is often useless, and with cloth, or other costly material, adds j[>rovokingly to the exjjense of a cloak, sacque, or whatever the garment may be.

People who economize very rigidly sometimes argue that buying paj^er pat- terns adds too much to the cost of garments to be prudent purchases; out that seems like faulty reasoning in most cases, tor the time, strenj^^h £ nd lalx)r spent in experimenting, to say notliing oi the eventual iKisc'.o't wast- ing of material, would more than cover the cost of tne model, -t is an ex- cellent idea for two or three friends to unite and purc*iase paper patterns together, dividing the expense between them, and selectnig medium sizes, which would be readily adapted to their diflerent degrees of sleuderness or breadth.

If the dress is being made by a person of no experience, it will be well to cut the pattern out of old material, baste it together and.trv it on ; this not so much to correct possible defects in the pattern as to guard against the mis- takes of inexperience, though even these need not be made if accurate care is used in following the i)atterns.

In regard to cutting-out to the best advantage, imagine that the reader of this, having, fortunately for herself, finished making her own clothes, is about to make a polonaise for her small daughter or sister. Let her select the pattern she wishes, and, if it is a new one, cut &fac-simiU of it in old cloth, Dast^ together and try on, making any slight alteration in waist or shoulder seams that may be needed. Then let her ascertain the width of the material decided on, and calculate as nearly as possible the quantity needed — say it is three yards and a half of twenty-seven inch goods. With a piece of chalk let her mark off in>on the car|H't a section of that length and width, and lay the different fwirts of tlie pattern within it« linnts. turning and replacing them again and again till they are assuredly arranged to tne l>est jwssible ad- vantage, and the whole garment made to absorb the smallest amount of clotli that is practicable. Of course the idea must be kept in view of a right and wrong side to the cloth, or an up-and-down to the figure, it there is one ; l>ut a little study and thought, after the pieces are placed, will correct any mis- take of that kind. Then it is well, before talking up the i>nttern and brush- ing the chalk-line from the carpet, to make a rough sketch or outline of the position it occupied u\yon the floor, and not trust altogether to memory to re-arrange it uiH)n cloth. All this performance seems rather formidable, but if a beginner will take the trouble to go through with it for a few times, she will find it like learning a trade, and a little experience will make her so thoroughly mistress of it that she will no longer need to be subject to such prelimmar

608 DBESS MAKING AT HOME.

the best ad*'antage, and acquire the very desirable accomplishment of ont^ ting well and economically. To possess such an art one should be willingf to take a little trouble and make some exertion.

In cutting a dress leave the sleeves and trimming till the last, then par- ings of gores and other pieces can be used up. Don't be afraid of piecing. The sleeves should be whole, if possible, upon the upper parts, but the un- der parts may be made of patcnwork, if necessary, .especially where the upper part is wide. Even where both parts are of equal width care, inge- nuity, and a little practice, make it possibb to use up very small pieces when material is scant. The waist also may be piecea more than an ordi- nary dressmaker, whose time is money, can afford ; but if you make your nwn drevsses you can sometimes get one out of a surprisingly scant pattern,. if you are patient and ingenious about piecing. The fropts may be faced instead of hemmed, and narrow pieces may be put under the arms with- out being noticed. If necessary, in a basque or polonaise, all the parts may be joined at the waist. In making over a dress quite short pieces may l>e used to advantage in this way. It is also possible, when sorely driven by necessity, to piece the fronts from the armsize across, and craftily coveV the seam by arranging the trimming to represent a square neek. Not more than an inch, if any, of the seam need be visible between the trimming and the armsize, and that will hardly be observed.

In cutting a basque or waist from an untried pattern, cut the lining first, baste it up and try it on ; then, if any trifling alterations are necessary, they can be made, and the goods cut accordins; to the improvements. Cut it as long as the basque is to be, but if it is for a polonaise or re^lingote, it need be only five or six inches below the wsustline. Soft twilled iiiuslia makes the best lining ; that which is stiff and unpliable is very objection- able, as it is not only hard to fit, but soon stretches out of shape and leaves the dress goods over it without proper support. Dark linings, even foV dark dresses, are now less in use than light White is much used by dressmakers, but it soils too easily to be altogether unobjectionable. The best color is a pearl, or very light gray. For calico dresses, even for win- ter, the waist lining shoulcf always be white, as, in washing, the color of a dark lining will run into and cloud th« colors of the calico. Both lining and outside of the waist should be cut the straight way of the cloth, ana the seams and darts must be creased on the lining exactly by the pattern, which must be pinned evenly upon it Lay^ the lining upon the length of the goods, being very j)articular to have it perfectly straight, and ar- range the different pieces in a manner to save as much cloth as possible. If saving is a great object, facings can be sewed on the edges of botn fronts^ and no hems turned. By moving the pieces about it will be easy, where there is no up and down, to get the side pieces out between some of the lar^r parts. In basting the pieces together, after they are secured to the lining, be very particular to match them as the paper patter

DBESS MAKING AT HOME. 609

liave to be more deeply sloped than the paper pattern being cut for the iiverage figure will indicate. If the person being fitted has a hoUowine K»ack, a plait or dart laid in the middle of th^ back of the lining will lecure a oetter fit.

Long seams in the back, extending to the shoulder, are more becoming k> stout people than side bodies ending at the tirmsize. If the 8houlder» project, an allowance can be made by leaving the back longer than the tides. If one shoulder is more prominent than the other, the defect should be skillfully disguised by putting a layer of cotton upon the other side, lo that the difference need not be noticed. If the arms are very thin, a sheet of cotton may be put between the outside and the lining of the upper part. Many dressmakers follow this plan, wherever the arm is not too large to admit admit of it, to secure a well -fitting slee^'e, the short shoulders now worn to dresses requiring some adroitness in putting them in nicely, unless the material is thicK like velvet, or is made so by- wadding

The next step in making the dress is to finish the sleeves. They should be slipped on the arm while the waist is on, and pinned to the sKoulders. Very much depends upon the fit of the sleeves, and, even if cut from the best of patterns, they may wrinkle and set awry unless put into the arm- hole properly. The latter must not be too tight or cut out too much in the back.

After a basque or polonaise is finished, it should have a strong belt sewed to the back and side seams, upon the inside, to fasten the front, for the double purpose of keeping the waist in place and relieving the strain upon the buttons.

Putting a garment together when it is carefully cut is a much easier task than when the separate pieces are not accurate, and require much measur- ing and trimming before they can be nicely adjusted to each other. If lining is put into either a part or the whole of an article it must be tacked upon the back of the pieces before they are basted together. Care must be taken in basting not to stretch the seams out of shape. In making up cloth. the seams, after being stitched upon a sewing machine, should l:)e laid upon and pressed down with a heavy hot iron. Each raw edge may then be bound with a narrow ribbon or galloon. This will give a neat finish to the wrong side and and keep the threads from raveling. In very thick cloth the seams, after pressing, should have a galloon laid over them, and hemmed dow*n slightly, not letting the stitches show upon the right side ; or, with a cloth with a shaggy face, the seam may be sewed up and fin- ished at the back with a wide fell, which must be pressed flat. Thin ma- terials, such as mohairs, grenadines, etc., if made up without lining, are most neatly finished if the pieces are stitched together on the right side and then turned and sewed again upon the wrong side. This keeps the garment in better shape than the usual running and felling.

The next thing upon the programme after putting on whalebone casings, is to face the bottom of the basque. It is then ready for the trimming, which can be put on in accordance with the taste of "the designer. Many ladies wear adjustable waist trimmings. A bias band of the material, foV instance, with both edges trimmed with gimi) or tiny side- plai tings, which goes around the neck and meets or crosses in front, half-way between the fchroat and belt. This is left off at pleasure, to make room for a dainty- fichu of mull or colored silk, or for a becoming little slioulder cape of beads. These very expensive-looking little adjuncts to a dressy toilet can be made at home by ladies who have any leisure to spend in fancv work. Almost everj' young person has some nnddle-aged friend who will teach her how to make the bead fringes which, in former days, decorated the square ends of crotcheted silk purses. Those fringes were made of fin© steel beads, and the netted heading done with an ordinary sewing needle. The beads now used are cut-jets of a much larger size, and three rows of

610 DRESS MAKING A T HOME.

the fringe are set upon a lace foundation, or even sewed together over » paper pattern, without other foundation than a row of gimp between each fringe, which is concealed 4y the falling strands of beads. Trimmings for the tahliers of rich dresses are made in a similar manner by some ladies, who also imitate wi til their own ingenious tineers the gor^ous seventy-five and fifty -dollar fabricrs which are sold in modest quantities for trimming.

In cutting a dress from plaid goods, if the check is at all conspicuous, it must be arranged with care, or very ugly effects will be produced. On the waist, particularly, the plaids should match exactly where the fronts meet. In cutting out gixids that are striped, have a whole stripe appear in the cen- ter of tl»e front, and have the side-forms in the back present a perfectly- mntched appearance. The same attention should be paid to the sleeves, hav- iii.^ a care, as in all materials, tjiat the parts above the elbows run with the threaci lenjjthwavs of the cloth. If the sleeve pattern is too short, len^hen it equally at both ends; unless this is observed, the set of it will changed.

A round skirt is easily made with an old, well-fitting skirt, or a paper pat^ tern as a guide. The .straight side of each eore must be toward the fronts The seam in the front is not to be endured, and one in the back is to be avoided, if possible, u)M)n any skirt which is not to be worn beneath a polo- naisfc or overskirt: but for an underskirt all things are possible in the way of piocingH and joinings. In making a trained or demi-trained skirt, if it should api)ear scjinty and hoop in the back, make a cut in the edge deep enough to relieve it, and set in a V-shaped gore, which may be concealed oy the trim- ming, or cut shorter slits upon each side and set in gores.

Machine stitching is used upon dresses and trimmings. Even cashmere and silk ruffles are hemmed on the machine instead of being laboriously blind-stitehed, although the latter mode is not out of date with those who do not mind trouble. It is now acknowledged by the best dressmakers that nothing equals coarse alpaca or brilliantine for a skirt facing. Nearly every color can be matched in it. and it looks well, wears well and sheds the dirt admirablv. Braid is now usually put on the back of the skirt and not felled down as formerly. About a third of its width is allowed to project below the Hkirt. which is thought to hang better than when bound with the braid. It should be sewed on by hand after the dress is finished, not set in between the facing and outside, as is s^imetimes done. When it becomes ragged it ia a simple matter to rip it ofif and put on a fresh one.

RENOVATING.

If the silk is very dirty, spread each breadth on a large table, and sponge it ui)on both sides with warm water mixed with ox gall. — Rinse the silk sev- eral times in clear cold water, changing the water each time. Then sponge it upon the wrong side with a very weak solution of glue. Try the experi- ment first on a scrap of the goods till you find it as stiff as new silk should be. Dry the silk, and then roll it up in a damp towel and after two or three hours iron it upon the wrong side with a moderately hot iron.

Black, and some dark shades of cashmere, may be cleaned by the same ]>rf)ce.ss.

Where a black silk has a shiny, greasy look, its freshness can frequently be restored by sponging it with anmionia without ripping up the dress. Where a silk of any color becomes more defaced with spots than actually soiled, the spots can be removed by rubbing them with a mixture made by putting h^f an oinice of camphor and an ounce of borax in boiling water, and adding to it when cool a teacup of alcohol and half that quantity of ammonia.

A favorite way of cleaning and restoring silk, is by sponging it with a prep- aration made by boiling a large, unpeeled potato and a kid glove together for a longtime. The glove should of the color of the silk, and if the shade ia very Tight, the im)UiIo must have the skin removed before boiling. After th* mixture is cool add a small qiumtity of ammonia if the silk is very dirty*

DBES8 MAKING AT HOME. 611

Noglue or gnm will be needed, as the glove furnishes the proper degree of stlfiSning. After sponging and wiping, with a dry cloth, fold the silk in as nearly as possible the form of new silK, or rollo^ upon a rod covered with tiiick cloth. Avoid ironing it if possible, as the Texture of the silk is better

S reserved without the application of heat; but if the wrinkles do not isappear, press it on the wrong side with as cool an iron as can be efficiently used. The glove and potato treatment is excellent for restoring black of afl kinds, even veils and shawls.

Another way of cleaning black silk is first to thoroughly brush and wipe with a cloth, then lay flat on a board or table and sponge well with hot coflfee thoroughly freed from sediment by being strained through muslin. iSponge on the side intended to show, allow to become partially dry and then iron on the wrong side. The coffee removes every particle of grease and restores the brilliancy of silk without imparting to it either the shiny appearance or cracklv and papery stififhess obtained by beer or, indeed, any otlier liquid. The silk really appears thickened by the process, and this good effect is per- manent

The following method of 'cleaning silks has many advocates, and is said to be admirably adapted for delicate evening shades: To a quarter of & pound of soft soap put a teaspoonful of sugar and a large cofieecupful ol alcohol. Wet the silk all over with the mixture, then rinse it in several waters, being careful not to crease it Let it dry partially, and iron it upon the wrong side, unless it is smooth enough after rubbing with a soft towel. There is a great difference in silks in this respect Some that are very soft and of rich equality will be smooth and unwrinkled after cleaning, if simply smoothed with the hands and carefully folded ; others need thor- ough pressing with an iron to put them in good shaj^. Heat takes the- stiffening from silk, and, if it is found necessary to iron it, it is well to dry it and then dampen with water in which a little gum or glue has been dissolved. The wisest way, as suggested above, Is, in any of the methods

S'ven to try the whole process upon a small piece of the silk to be cleaned, bservation will then indicate*!! any change is needed in the operation. All of these receipts have been tried with very good results; but to get a good result in cleaning silk takes time, patience and backache.

If silk, after having been done over, or refinished, as it is called, looks well enough to make up again as a dress, it is very important that new linings should be used. Save the old ones to line every-day dresses, but be- sure to buy new waist and sleeve linings for the silk, or it will fall into the creases and folds that wearing has produced in the muslin, and have an old expression in spite of all the trouble that it has cost If the silk is to be cut up for trimmings it will pay to line them. Bias frilLs and side^ plaited ruffles can be lined with coarse Swiss and folds and bias bands in- terlined with old thin muslin which has been nicely starched and ironed. Attention to these small details will do much toward giving a new look to the material.

Grease spots in any goods should be taken off as soon as they appear, aa they yield to treatment much more readily before dirt finds a lodgment in them. Benzine is one of the best a^jcmcies in use for removing grease from woolen dresses. Some people consider it best to wet the spot first with cold water, and apply the benzine within the circumference of the water- mark, asserting that eVen upon colored silk fabrics no trace of the benzine will be left after exposure to the air.

Taking out spots which have destroyed or impaired the original color is a 'difficult matter and one that will need experimenting upon in each ca.se. Sometimes a mixture of camphor iand borax is efficacious, and in others strong beer is a beneficial application. If acids have caused the trouble, a weak solution of ammonia will often have a good effect. Sometimes au application of liquid blacking upon the faded or discolored spot mends the matter, but that succeeds best on material that has a nap or rough surface.

612 DBESS MAKING AT HOMK

A solution made l>y boiling log^i'ood chips in a little water is said to be very good for restoring tiie color of black castimere and tbe other smooth woolen goods. It sliould b^ applied to the spot with a sponge, and the op- eration should be repeated several times, drying the goods after each ap- plication, and linally pressing it with a warm iron.

Men have been heard to say that women never brush their dresses. How- ever untrue that sweeping assertion may be, it is certain that too little at- tention is paid to freeing dresses from the dust of the house and soil of the street. It is an excellent plan, upon taking off a dress, to brush it carefully all over with a small (not too stiff) wisp broom, giving particular care to all trimmings where plaits or gathers make lodgments for the dust. If there is much uix)n the dress, rub it off with a coarse towel or a wad of worsted goods. An excellent brush for cleaning woolen or silk dresses caTi be made by covering a square block of wood with furniture plush.

Ladies who are in mourning suffer much inconvenience from the injury caused by drops of water falling upon their crape, for each drop makes a conspicuous white mark. If, while wet, these are clapped between the lianas until dry, no spots will appear. If the crape has dried without their removal, lay it upon a table and out under spots a piece of old black silk ; dip a cameVs hair pencil in black ink and paint the spots lightly; then wipe them off with old soft silk^ and the color will be restored.

rartly worn fabrics may often be profitably renewed by calling in the dyer's art Some people have excellent success in usin^ tamily dyes, and for them it will be an object to color many useful things, for which it would not be worth while to pay a professional dyer's charge. Ribbons, neckties, trimmings and many small things which need patience and care- ful manipulation can be colored beautifully at home. Stockings, linings, and odds and ends that might not otherwise be used, can also be advan- tageously subjected to the amateur process, but for material that is to be re- made into dresses it would be wisdom to employ the best professional skill. Some things, such as merinos and cashmere, are worth dyeing at almost any price, and will look like new when they are done. Silk dyes well for some purposes, but will never look like new after the process, even if the dyer promises that it will; hence it is a mistake to use it conspic- uously after dyeing. It can be used as the basis of a costume, where the lines are broken by drapery, etc., or it will cut up admirably for trim- mings, but large surfaces of it should be avoided, as giving opportunity for the eye to catch sundry symptoms, such as streaks and a general limp- ness, which at once reveal the secret.

Irish poplins dye well, but have the one objection of shrinking lament* ably. This should be taken into consideration in purchasing one of light color, and an extra piece, sufficient for a new waist, should be included in the original quantity.

Velvets can be colored, but although the nap is beautifully raised when done by an expert, they lose much in appearance, and a velvet which co«t ten dollars a yard will have the general expression of one which costs lesy than a quarter of that sum. The cost of dyeing velvet is very great, and with such a result to be expected as has just been explained, it would be much better to buy good new cotton-back, silk-faced velvet.

Nearly all wool materials, unless too loo.«?ely woven, color well, but mix- tures of cotton and wool will not pay for the cost of dyeing. Japanese silks and silk-faced matelasses do not dye satis factorily.

White woolen goods will not, as jjeople seem to think, take every color; on the contrary, there are but few shades that they will become. Light and Mexican-blue, nut-brown, slate, stone color, lavender, jacqueminot, scar- let, rose \ and several of the very dark new shades are those which can be most certainly obtained. The reason for this limitation is because the sul- phur with which the wool is whitened in the manufacture prevenis most colors from taking hold evenly, to use a technical expression.

DBESS MAKING AT HOME, 613

AIpacA is an exception to most fabrics composed of two materials. It dyes well and does not siirink verj^ much,

*ln most materials slate color will dye black, ^x>wn, claret, green, purple and dark blue.

Light blue will dye medium and navy-blue, purple, crimson, green, prune, claret and black.

Claret will dye brown, black, crimson and bottle green.

Brown will dve darker brown, claret, black and green.

Amber will dye green, scarlet, crimson, black and brown.

Crimson will dye black, brown, claret and dark green. A lighter shade of crimson will dye black, brown, claret, dark green, blue, and a darker self -shade.

Drab will dye scarlet, crimson, green—both light and dark— purple, dark blue, and claret

Light green will dye claret, brown, black and crimson.

Dark green will dye brown, black and claret.

Lavender will dye brown, black, garnet, dark blue, green, plum and prune.

Mauve will dye dark blue, black, claret, crimson, green and purple.

Navy-blue will dye brown, green, claret and black.

Magenta will dye purple, scarlet, crimson, aznline and navy-blues, black, l)rowns and claret.

Purple will dye black, dark crimson, claret and dark green.

Pink will dye blue in most shades, all the reddish tones of color, medium and dark blues, black and most of the dark colors, including greens.

Scarlet will dye dark green and blue, black, brown, garnet and crimson

Straw color will take almost any color except light blue, lavender and pink

Slate will dye green, purple, plum, navy-blue, several shades of brown and black.

Black and all the dark colors, if grown rusty or faded, can be dyed again the original color. They may turn out a little darker, but unless the ma- terial has ugly spots which require more dye to conceal, the color will be nearly the same as when new.

Plaid goods, if thick and unmixed with cotton, will often take a plain ml or, which should be at least as dark as the darkest shade in the pattern. Black and white checks prove an exception to this; as, if skillfully done, they can be dyed scarlet or light blue, the white blocks taking the color and' the black remaining black.

It is damaging to dresses and other ^rments to lie by in a faded and dirty state ; therefore, if coloring them is in anticipation, it is best to pre- j»are and send them to the dyers. After they are redressed they can be lavd away till required, and will take no harm.

Velveteen will dye and look very well at first, but being all cotton its renewed good looks fade very quickly. For furniture or house decoration it might pay to have it done, but otherwise H is hardly to be advocated.

children's CLOTHING.

Very few grown people understand the hardship it is to little folks to wear outgrown or clumsy or ill-fitting garments. Boys are not supposed to have their feelings greatlv harrowed at the sight of handsomer clothes than their own. but even tYiey are quite alive to the mortification of weaiv ing shabby or ill-cut and ill-made coats and trowsers. The trial falls most severely upon little girls, and to them it is a bitter one, and just as hard to be borne as the afflictions of grown people are. With a keen eye for beauty, and often a natural or cultivated taste, a poor child is sometimes condemned to wear garments of such a hideous character that she loathes

614 DBESS MAKING AT HOME.

the very thought of them, and actually suffers the most acute ^aorti- fication.

There are mothers who^evote too much thought and time to dressing their children, and who, ^ words and acts, lead them to feel that to be fashionably and elegantly dressed is the great good of life. Thiss is a la- mentable mistake to make, but it is also a mistake for a mother to attempt to imbue her child with an indifference to dress or clieck the love of it by depriving her of tasteful clothes. An ugly dress draws the thoughts of the wearer to itself far more than a pretty, becoming one will, and a forlorn^ ill-dressed little ^irl will grow up with a longing for finery that neat and pretty dressing will not often develop.

Thore is a good deal of work about making a dress, even if it is a small one, but it is very little more trouble to make it tasteful and stylish, and it ns a pleasanter task to create a pretty thing than an ugly one. Like all other arts of the home dressmaker, it takes experience to make a success of chil- dren's dresses. Amateurs are apt to take fright at the dressy, elaborate- styles now in vogue, but really there is nothing appalling about them with a plate or pattern to follow, and the most complicated are frequently the- mosteasy to copy in old material, because the elaboration hel^ to di^aiae many makeshifts In the way of piecing and eking out scanty trimmings.

A dainty little miss we know of wears a dress for her ** Sunday De3t" that looks 'as if it might have been selected from one of the shop window^ No one would suspect its beiiie home-made, much less made mostly of a fabric no longer new. The foundation was a plain princesse form, cut from a thin lining, which, by the by, was originally a light calico morning drea» of one of the older sisters. Among the castH:>ff clothes of the family were small portions of two very old silk dresses, one a fine black-and-white check, the other a plain dark brown. There was not in either enough in quantity to do much with alone, but combined there was sufficient to make a very gCKxi result. The silk was poor and thin, but it was carefully cleaned aiib stiffened, and wherever used furnished with a thin, coarse Swiss muslin lining. Long folds of the two silks alternating were put uix)n the front hreaath perpendicularly, reaching from the throat to the bottom of the dress in tlie ^center. Across the back were narrow gathered ruffles of check silk bound with the plain brown. The upper part of the dress was of white Angora gauze flannel skirting, which was out twenty cents a yard, and resembled a summer camel's hair. The fronts were made in 'sack form, meeting over the long center plaits at one point only, about equi- distant between the throat and waist, and cut away abruptly above and below. The back was long and looped over the ruflSes witli very graceful effect. The cuffs were of check silk, with brown bias binding' upon the edge, and tlie deep round collar (almost a cape) was in the same order. The upper part of the dress was covered with brown silk that was too old and poor to be fit for any other use ;

Another dress of the same little lady's was made from a pair of old Turkey red curtains, of the dark color and heavy quality of former manufacture. The dress was made with a full skirt gathered round the waist, with five rows of shirring. The blouse-waist was gathered in the same way. The deep collar, cuns, wide belt, and the binding to two ruffles on the bottom of the skirt, were of Madras gingham in indigo-blue shades. The combination made a very quaint and stylish dress, and was modeled from a recently im» ported one of much more expensive material.

Another lady who prides herself on her ingenuity made a very neat cloak

DRESS MAKING AT HOMR 615

for her girl from an old pair of pants. The fronts and backs were cut of narrow pieces (it could not have been otherwi^), with seams extending to the shoulder. The pockets and cuffs were in veTy good style, but not of tho same material, whicli was a brown basket pattern. Tbe upper parts of the aleeves were very presentable, but the under halves were curious mosaics of patchwork, telling something of the difficulty with which they succeeded in being sleeves at all ; but n'importe, nobody — not even a child — voluntarily oifers the under part of a sleeve for inspection, so its secrets need never be revealed.

In making over children's clothes, or elders' clothes for children, there is a double advantage in combining more than one material. Fresher parts of both can be used, and harmonious arrangement of colors diverts the eye from the want of newness that might be apparent in a plainer dress, in making use of diverse fabrics, there is, however, one all-important thing to be kept in mind — there must be a certain harmony in color and method in arrangement observed, or the effect will be disastrous. There a' 3 people with artistic .tastes to whom the knowledge of what is fitting and appropriate seems to come instinctively, and they need no advice; but there are many busy mothers living so far from our great cities and so off from the line of travel that they have but little opportunity for cultivating their tastes or of seeing what is fashionable, and often but little time to give the subject much thought

In reading over the ordinary articles upon children's fashions, one is con- stantly struck with the similarity of the materials advised for their clothing, to those used for grown people! There seem to be no especial fabrics re- served' for their use. This fact should be particularly comforting to those whose circumstances compel them to prepare their children's clothing from their stock on hand, which stock is generally understood to be the worn-out dresses of mother and sisters. When there was a marked difference between the styles of child and adult, the wearing cast-off dresses of their elders was a real and bitter trial to little girls ; but there is no trouble about it now. Nearlj' every thing that is wearable can be stylishly used under the present laws which govern fashion. Plaids and large figures, which mieht be gro- tesque in whole dresses, make very nice vests and trimmings to liglit up dull- looking costumes.

Old brown or black woolen dresses that have grown rusty and faded, but liave capabilities of usefulness, can be refreshed by steeping in a weak de- <50Ction of logwood. Other colors in all-wool can be re-dyed at home with the ordinary family dyes. It should be rememberec' that it is much easier to xe-color goods the same shade than it is to make an entire change of hue. It is best to match the color that the material was originally, and saturate it in the preparation, following the usually accompanying printed direc- tions about drying, pressing, etc. It is a pity to spend time and trouble in making up dresses which will look foriorn in spite of tlie pains lavished upon them, when a previous re-dyeing would have made such a wonderful fjhange in their appearance.

The present very universal fashion of shirring dresses and trimmings is admirably adapted to make over old materials into children's clothes. Worn-out ruffles can be closely j^therod, or gauged, as the term is, and all the holes and thin places made invisible by the process. If, for instance, a prudent mother has laid aside the flounces from some old skirt she has long ago taken for a petticoat or other use, she will now reap the benefit of faer carefulness, and find herself able to make her child a dress at little cost. Let her cut a cambric skirt of a proper size, and cover it with the flounces, shirred at each edge with two gatherings, and a similar row through the middle. The shirrings may run around the skirt, and the lapping of the ruffles 'may be concealed by a row of galloon or velvet, or the flounces may all be pieced together before the shirrs are made. The gathers should be distributed evenly, and sewed firmly down upon tlie cambric.

616 DBESS MAKING AT HOMK

Another mode of using the ruffles Ss to set them on the skirt perpendic^ ularly ; in this case, the middle shirr may be omitted in each raffle, unless they are over five inches wide. If that style does not meet with approval, a puff (made of the flounces) mav alternate with a close strip of shirring of equal width with the shirring all the way around. Again, if it is desirable to piece out a scanty pattern, it will do to make the lower part of the skirt of the ruffles closely shirred, and cover the rest of it with ,the dreaa material. Both waists and sleeves, or either one alone, or deep yokes and cuffs, may be entirely made of fine shirring, which, it will reamly be seen, • affords a fine opportnnit^ for using up irregular-shaped pieces of old ma- terial, as it is oi very little consequent how many piecmgs are put into any thin^ that is so closely gathered up, always supposing that -the Indus* trious toiler has time and patience to do the*^ piecing. Unlimited patience seems to be the attribute of nearly all mothers, but time, the economical ones seem, alas, to have in but a limited supply.

It is cruel to condemn little girls, with their natuially dainty tastes and love for pretty thin^, to wearing ugly, ill-fashioned clothes ; but even made out of such matenals as this article treats of, they can be as pretty, if not not so durable, as if new material were used.

The subject of boys* wear needs consideration, for there is no direction in which the amateur's failures are so distressingly palpable as in boys' clothes. The unfortunate little sons of poor, industrious mothers too often are condemned to wear garments that give them a hopelessly awkward ap- pearance. Orowing boys, at their best, are not miracles of grace, but well- made clothes do wonders for them; and it is worth while for those who have the work to do to study to acquire the tailors* style of finishing^ garments, without which they are certain to have an uncouth, home- made air that condems them at once. It is quite possible to learn thi» art by a little practice and cloee imitation of the finish that is found on coats and other articles of tailors* workmanship. The secret of style in men's clothes is in pressing — not such pressing as people ordinarily do with the ^ntle gliding of a warm smoothing-iron over the cloth — ^but a vigorous bearing on with a heavy iron that takes all the patience and strength of the worker. The iron should be, as the phrase goes, " red-hot,'* and the* danger of scorching the goods averted by keeping an old wet linen cloth between the garment and the iron. Later, a finishing smooth may be given with a cooler iron, through a thin dry cloth, to take out the wrinkles tometimes caused by the wetting.

It is a grreat mistake to suppose that when a boy's garment is made from the cast-off one of a man it is not worth while to take much trouble with it, for the cloth is generally of a better quality than that commonly

Surchased for boys, and the worn portions can all be cut away by care in isposing the pattern.

Before appropriating castoff coats or pantaloons of the father's to re- plenish the boys' wardrobes, the garments should be brushed well and ripped up; then washed through two suds made with warm water and very strong soap. For reliable colors, a little lye can be added to the first water. Do not twist, but stretch and pull the cloth, and fold up each piece tightly, and squeeze out the water by pressure, or put it carefully through a wringing-machine. Rinse again tlirough two waters, with a little soap in the first, and press out the water as before. After all has been squeezed out that can oe, hang the cloth in the air over a line, and when perfectly dry roll very tightly in a damp towel, and leave for several hours, or till the next day; then iron on the right side, through thin muslin, running the iron over till the cloth is entirely drv. If there are any prominent grease spots on the garment it is best, before washing, to re- move them with turpentine, potter's clay, or benzine. Stains can be treated (though not always with success) with a mixture of ammonia, camphor, and water. For example — say that a jacket is to be cut from a sack coat;

DRESS MAKING AT HOME. G17

haying washed the former as directed, select the simplest jacket pattern and lay each piece upon the cloth in a position to make the fronts oui of the freshest parts. If the wrong side of the cloth is best worthy to be uppermost, that should have been pressed instead of the outside when it was washed. Sometimes the sleeves of gentlemen's coats are made in one piece, with but one seam, and that upon the outside. Such sleeves can often be used for the back of a jacket, while the original backs and parts of the skirt can be used for side pieces and sleeves of the jacket. In tail- oring work it is necessary to maintain a rigid adherence to the pattern. Where two pieces are to be joiped, and one is longer than the other, it will never do to snip off the extra length, as some careless people do, but the longest side must be held in in sewing till the extra fullness is taken up.

In putting the collar on the jacket, care must be observed not to stretch or pull it out of shape ; it should also be held full enough to turn over easily, and the seam should be pressed in the manner mentioned above. If possible, a jacket that has been made by a tailor should be made the model for imitation in making one at home, and, till experience has made the details familiar, it should be referred to in putting m pockets, setting In sleeves, and at every step of the way.

Small pantaloons are readily cut from larger ones, and even where the latter are seriously impaired, it is still possible to make good new ones out of them. If the back is in holes, the thin part can be replaced by long BoreHsrhaped pieces, such as are seen in army pantaloons, ana a pattern for Boys, called sometimes called the "cadet pants," can be procured, if such a device is needful. In cutting the fronts, try not to have the exact spot come at the k^ee that came there before, but have it above o^ below, as it will not 'only wear out faster, but bulge out in an unsightly fashion. If the cloth is tnin and looselv woven, or has had already a great deal of wear, It will be well to line the little pantaloons throughout. The fly should be lined with strong drilling interlined with canvas to give suQcient sup- port for the button-holes. Short knee-breeches are much easier to make than long ones, and take such a small .quantity of material that two pairs can be cut from one pair of ordinary-sized men's pants; but of course, after a certain age, all the king's horses and all the kind's men would be a force insufficient to compel a little boy to give up his inalien- able right to have his trousers as long as his father's ; and happy the mother whose young son does not insist on spring bottoms, for that is a touch very difficult of attainment to any but an expert. In ordering a pantaloon pat- tern, it is less important to give the age of the boy than the length of hia leg (measured upon the outside seam), as height varies much in similar ages.

The Ulster is a form to be recommended for the overcoat, where new cloth is used, because it is so long and lar^e that the material can be made into other garments when its original form is outgrown.