MILLINERY RENOVATIONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 87, 6 January 1908, Page 3

MILLINERY RENOVATIONS.

Renovation whero millinery is. coriccrneci should never bo put off till tlio .necessity for renewed'trimming's .is sufficiently obvious ,to shamo tlio wearer into the ■; inexcusable cxtravaganoo of investing in fresh bunches.,of flowers or -new bows of ribbon. This expenso can often be avoided if tho materials —good at tho outset —aro 'taken caro of, ribbon boing mado to 'look' almost as!good as now-by judicious 'sponging., v..;, ',Black ribbon'lends itself, well to sponging and pressing,- which not only smooths put tho: creases and restores the'colour; but to a great extent' removes tho traces' of, the'.hat-' pin holes, which do-more to-ago 1 a. hat, than anytliing else. -• An excellent method,.cf renowing Tilack taffetas' ribbon, is that,.of plac-. ing]it to soak' in• a' bowlful of tepid..water, ■adding a dossertsp'oonful' of .' ammonia to every pint-of water. When- tlio: ; ribbon is perfectly saturated'it should - be; laid-on a wooden, unvarnishetl table,' and.'; slowly smoothed' with ji pi coo of' -sponge" in ;,6nc direction, tho ribbon ' being pressed, firmly meanwhile, so as to .make, it adhere..to. the wood.': If left, to dry overnight, by tho next morning it; will .be sufficiently stiff'to make into bows. . .- .. 1 . ~. .

A-wonderfully. successful means .of, touching 'up • faded ribbonis : ■ that; of -Using'. tube pai/its, such as arc employed in.oil paintings, a small quantity of'tho colour, being squeezed into, a bowl;.and'diluted withlgasolono until tho exact shade-is '.'obtained, , the operation being, -of course,, carried .'out';:by;daylight, not. only in order to. obtain tho'correct tone,' but also on .account of tho;cxplosirb'nature of.tho gasolene. '. . .. .

■ A small pieco of the ribbon - should bo cutoff and sacrificed, .for .testing, purposes, several essays at colour-mingling and -dyediluting being usually necessary beforo;, the desired result is obtained. After dipping tho ribbon in tlio dye, .it-should bo shaken vigorously, and hung- put to dry without wringing. Ribbon which has been crushed in places can often after this-treatment be used in making rosotfcss,. cockades, or ovon ribbon roses, the.latter, being. mado : to assumo a perfectly professional appearance by the aid of a few velvet loaves and brier stalk's.' ■ ■ ■ '■' 1 ' •

Old flowors which, have done duty'on a last yoar's model, and show But too'unmistakably tho cffects of injudicious summer' Storing, often rc'qiiiro but a little attention tcrmako thorn, fit once more fqr tho battle of life, and tho modiste who is woll versed 1 in tll<jVlbre of professional economios never discards tho slightly faded .or crushed bloom.'-': After holding tlio petals in tlio steam of a boiling kettle, sho dabs, them with a piece ,'of cottonwool or lint, aiid ironing eacli petal oii the wrong side, , crimps, curls;, revises,, and doftly retouches tho silk, satin, or cotton, paring tho raw edges, and surrounding, each separato floivor with, now foliage. ;