Mother's Remedies Part 225

245. Cleaning the Sweeping Brush.--Try cleaning the sweeping brush with an old comb. It is a good plan, for it preserves the brush and keeps it clean, and at the same time saves your hands.

246. Bright Wood Berries May be Preserved.--Almost any kind of bright wood berries may be preserved for decorative use in the winter, by dipping in melted paraffin and putting away in a cool place until needed. Treated in this way berries will remain firm and bright for a long time, and may be used in many ways.

247. Old Wood Work to Keep Clean.--Old woodwork, that is so hard to keep clean, can be made to look like new grained wood, by first painting it with cream colored paint to give a body alike, and when dry go over it with a dark oak varnish stain; with a little practice it can be made to look like grained wood. The varnish dries quickly and leaves it darker in some places. Any old furniture can be treated in the same way.

248. To Prevent Chairs Marring the Floor.--One should have all rockers covered with half rounds of rubber to prevent the scratching of the porch floor. These rocker tires are procurable at any furniture establishment and are easily adjusted.

249. Summer Homes.--Some of the wealthiest women are furnis.h.i.+ng their summer homes with rag rugs, instead of the handsome oriental floor coverings, that are a mark of luxury; and what seems odd to those who cannot afford to please each whim, the rooms are being repapered with simple sprigged effects and all evidences of up-to-dateness are being eliminated, to be in keeping with these copies of the colonial rag carpets.

[882 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

250. To Destroy Flies.--Flies will get into the house during the summer in spite of the greatest care. One method of catching and killing them, without having disagreeable looking fly paper lying around is to prepare a mixture of cream, sugar and pepper. Put this on a plate and they will eat greedily of it and die. They will instantly seek the open air and it is easy to brush them from the screen doors. This is an old method and a good one.

251. Successful Fern Growing.--A woman who has had her refrigerator placed on the porch has a long drain pipe to carry off the melted ice, and this is made to flow right into a large bed of ferns. The cold water in no way destroys the plants, in fact, they can endure the coldest water, and last year her ferns grew to an enormous size all due to the daily supply of water from the refrigerator.

252. Faded Crepe.--Faded crepe can be dipped into a solution of water and indigo, the water made very dark with blueing for the purpose. Dissolve in one quart of water, a teaspoonful of sugar. Lift the crepe out, and shake it and pin it to the bed to dry. As it can not be ironed pin it carefully over soft muslin with needles.

253. Sweeping as a Beautifier.--The average woman who does her own housework gets exercise enough, only it is not under the best conditions, for the air, as a rule, is not sufficiently fresh. If she wants to be benefited physically, while putting her house in order, let her make it like outdoors, with the windows wide open so the fresh air can sweep through the rooms. If necessary she can wear a jacket while making beds and sweeping, and by the time her work is done she is bound to be in a healthy glow. If she does not do housework she must go outdoors, and walk, and indeed, a little walking is desirable even for the housekeeper.

254. Putting Screens Away.--If screens were carefully put away last fall there should be little difficulty in getting them in place on the first hot fly-breeding day. The wise housekeeper writes on the top of her screen, where it is hidden from view by the upper sash, the room and window where it belongs. She also covers the wires with a coating of vaselin and stores them in a dry place with a cover thrown over them.

Should the wire have become shabby and rusty looking it can be freshened up with a coat of paint. If the wires have gone into holes and are badly bulged, replace with copper wire netting. It costs more than the ordinary kind, but does not wear out nearly so soon.

255. Attractive Living Room.--The living room is sure to have a cheery atmosphere if provided with a wooden seat at either side. The wooden shelf is a good place for the clock, candlesticks, and a few simple flower vases.

[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 883]

256. Finger Bowl.--A finger bowel should always have a few flowers or a leaf floating around on the surface.

257. Raw Oysters.--Raw oysters are further improved by sections of lemon or sprigs of mint among the cracked ice.

258. Cheerfulness at Meals.--Meals should be something more than the consumption of food. All work stops at those times and people meet together. Nothing that can be done should be omitted to make it an occasion of agreeable interchange of thought and conversation, and when this is done, not only the body, but the mind and nerves are refreshed.

259. To Keep a Rug from Curling.--The edge of the heavy rug will not curl if treated to a coat of sh.e.l.lac on the under side.

260. Grease Stains on Silk.--For grease stains on silk, rub the silk with French chalk or magnesia, and then hold it to the fire. Thus the grease will be absorbed by the powder, which may then be brushed off.

261. Ironing Centerpieces.--When ironing centerpieces of tablecloths, see that the iron moves with the straight grain of the cloth. If this method is followed the circular edge will take its true line.

262. Tucking Children's Dresses.--When hand tucks are to be used on children's dresses, they should be very carefully made, and the first one kept perfectly straight to use as a guide for the others. A good way to do this is to loosen one thread, not to pull out but sufficiently draw it to show the straight line, and crease the tuck in this line. After the width of the tuck and s.p.a.ce between each is decided use a notched card as a measure for all the other tucks.

263. A Neat Way to Mend Table Linen.--A neat way to mend table linen is to darn it with linen threads off an older tablecloth. It will look much neater than a patch sewed on. It is advisable to keep a piece of a discarded tablecloth in the mending basket for that purpose.

264. A Good Subst.i.tute for a Toaster.--If the toaster is suddenly lost, you can find a very good subst.i.tute in the popcorn popper. It can be held over the gas or before the coal fire, and the bread will toast in a few minutes.

265. To Prepare Cauliflower.--To prepare cauliflower remove all the large green leaves and greater part of stalk. Soak in cold water, to which has been added one teaspoonful of vinegar and a half teaspoonful of salt to each quart.

266. Preserving Dress Patterns.--Some women, after they have used a pattern, just roll it up and tuck it away wherever it happens, and when they want to use it the next time, it curls up and acts so that there is no doing anything with it. If they would just lay the patterns out flat and put them where they might stay that way, all this trouble would be avoided.

[884 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

267. Lace on Centerpieces.--Lace that is used on centerpieces is not fulled, but is just held in enough to lie flat. The best way to get this flatness is to draw the thread of the lace and fasten one end to the linen, leaving enough to make a neat seam, and then to adjust fullness so that it lies evenly. When right side is up one cannot see that any fullness exists.

268. Uses of Mop Handles.--Most women have found the mop handle with the handy clasp, a general utility tool. There is a great deal of unnecessary bending of the knees to the household G.o.ds. It is a painful att.i.tude, and work that can be done just as well in a standing position, should never be done in a kneeling one.

269. Iron Holders Made from Asbestos.--Iron holders made from a piece of asbestos the desired size, and covered with drilling or heavy unbleached muslin are light and keep out the heat. There should be a ring or loop sewed to one corner to hang up the holder.

270. Was.h.i.+ng Quilts.--To wash quilts a housekeeper gives the following directions: Dissolve a bar of white soap in a cupful of water. Run into your bath-tub sufficient water to cover one quilt; make a good suds, and put in the quilt, and let it soak for a few minutes. Do not rub, but use the washboard, top end down, to press or pound out the water and dirt.

Never wring but with the wash-board press out the water. Rinse several times. When you have pressed out as dry as you can pin the quilt closely on the line to drain. When thoroughly dry, whip with a carpet beater until fluffy, before removing from the line. This method is especially fine for tied quilts. The bath tub is preferred, because of shape and water conveniences.

271. Shrinking Dress Goods.--Before making the white linen dress skirt, or any material that is liable to shrink, fold the goods carefully and place it in a tub and cover with water. Let it get thoroughly wet, stretch the clothes line as tightly as possible, hang the goods through the center, and pin perfectly straight on the line. When dry, let two persons stretch the goods as curtains are stretched, fold it with the wrong side of the material out and iron double with the seam running through the center of the goods on the length of the material. In shrinking colored prints add turpentine to the water, and it will set the color. A teaspoonful is used to a gallon of water.

272. Fixing Worn Corsets.--For st.i.tching over worn corset stays, a wide white tape is unequaled.

273. Cooking Breakfast Food.--Don't leave the tin lid on the saucepan if you start the cereal in the evening for breakfast. It will rust and the moisture drip into the food.

274. Tough Meat to Make Tender.--Tough meat can be made tender by adding a teacupful of lemon juice to the water in which it is boiled.

275. To Preserve Pineapple.--To preserve pineapple allow only three-quarters of a pound of sugar to each pound of pineapple.

[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 885]

276. Hemst.i.tching Underclothing.--Hemst.i.tching forms a dainty finish for the household linen and underclothing, but the busy woman often will not undertake it because of the difficulty of drawing the threads. If a piece of white soap be rubbed on the underside of the cloth, where the hemst.i.tching is to be done, the threads may be drawn with ease, in half the time that is usually required.

277. To Boil Eggs Without Cracking Them.--To boil eggs without the risk of cracking, hold them in a spoonful of boiling water before immersing them.

278. Save the Basting Thread.--Basting threads, when saved, should be wound on a spool, otherwise they get hopelessly tangled and are not used again.

279. Threading Needles.--Thread will knot less easily, if the end that is broken from the spool is run through the eye of the needle.

280. Measuring Dress Goods.--Do not measure dress goods and laces with a tape line, as it stretches the material. Use a yardstick.

281. Do Not Use Coa.r.s.e Thread.--An expert needlewoman says that the reason why so much embroidery does not look attractive is that too coa.r.s.e a thread is used for the work. It is not a bad rule to use a cotton a number or two finer than is recommended, unless the advice comes from one who understands embroidery perfectly.

282. Putting in a Temporary Hem.--The hem of a dress that must be lengthened after it is laundered should be turned perfectly straight and st.i.tched with number one hundred thread. It can be easily ripped and the fine threads will not leave the usual st.i.tched lines that one often sees when a hem is lowered.

283. Serviceable Child's Dress.--A quaint little frock that will be serviceable, can be made from a remnant of demi flouncing hemst.i.tched on the embroidered edge. This placed at the hem, of course, and the top is gathered in Mother Hubbard style into a neck band edged with a little frill. The sleeves are in bishop style confined with bands trimmed to match the neck.

284. Convenience for the Sewing Room.--A good sized waste basket should be continually close to every sewing machine. Then it is easy to form the habit of dropping all sc.r.a.ps into it just as the scissors make them, instead of leaving them to litter about the floor.

285. b.u.t.tons for Future Use.--When b.u.t.tons are removed from a dress for future use they should be loosely strung on a thread before being put in the b.u.t.ton box. This is a time-saver as well as keeps the b.u.t.tons from getting lost or several of a set from being used.

286. Basting Long Seams.--When basting long seams, if the edge of the material is slipped under the machine needle and the needle is lowered it firmly holds the two pieces, and one can more quickly do the work.

287.--Mending Table Linen.--A woman who is expert in mending table linen does it in this manner: A piece of linen is coated with white soap, to make it stiff and the patch is evenly trimmed. This is placed under the hole in the damask after the edges around the hole in the tablecloth are soaped and trimmed to remove the rough edge.

[886 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

288. Was.h.i.+ng Cooking Utensils.--All the cooking utensils should be washed with soda immediately after they have been used, which will remove every trace of grease.