DRESS ECONOMIES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 205, 23 May 1908, Page 11

DRESS ECONOMIES.

' Pure alcohol can bo used with wonderful success as a means of cleaning black Spanish or Chantilly lace (says an English paper). The alcohol "should be soured into , a cloan .basin, 1 and, whipped : with the hand ' until it is frothy, when the lace should be dipped into it, ;■ and • well worked' about with the fingers' -until the dirt, is- removed.. 'After gontly squeezing out the spirit; the lace should bo laid on a folded cloth, the patterned edge pulled, out, each scallop or picot Doing fastened down with a pin. When perfectly dry. the lace should be unpinned.and pressed,'gontly between the. palms of tho hands until smooth,' in lieu' of ironiiicr it as this . would flatten' the pattern and :lpoil the colour. ■ . • ... _ The practice'- of brushing; a- skirt well before: putting .it.:on is ,by no means'so important as that of'brushing it directly it is taken; off.'. It should never be hung iip -with dust collected during a walk or drive still adhering.to,it, not-only' for the' sake of.tho other. contents of the wardrob?, . but on account, of-the fact that it.very soon'loses! its look of'freshness and newness if neglected in Hhis- manner.',' Caro • should, : besides/' be taken, that ; it''is- hung.from tapes concealed ..on.'.:tho inner side, of • the belt,- and never from the belt. itself, as -..nothing is moro likely' tp spoil, its cut::and., '.'.set.'! ■ '■ A' good wrinkle for those who are' obliged to-.wasli a dainty lace 'or- embroidered handkerchief in the ' washhandstind ,:basin' -.when travelling, and have no means of; ironing' or getting it'up in correct'and orthodox fashion, is to press it against the window-pane when quite:-wet, smoothing it_ put with the greatest caro, so that no or-'creases-are left. .Tho handkerchief -.will.- readily adhere to'the pane of glass.when wot, and will'dry rapidly. When drawn away from the win-dow-pane .it will bo found to be'as smooth as if it' gone over with a liot iron. : After washing . tho smaller dress, accessories,; such as vests, fronts, collars with turnover bands of embroidery, or lace, etc., the same . rale should bo , observed in the matter of drying as i 3 done-in professional laundries whore largo articles arc concerned. This, lies in always hansing up the garment by tho thickest part, whether by the lined collarband or heavy embroidery, the . object being not only to cause the stress to fall on tlie coot best able to hear it, but to, induce .the moisture to ,nm into the liner material, where it will dry more rapidly. If the contrary wero done, -the superabundance of water would be apt to cling to the double -.material and considerably prolong the drying operations. '