WOMAN TO WOMAN

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 256, 25 July 1936, Page 20

WOMAN TO WOMAN

For Mutual Help

A.U those readers who require help iiu any matter of household management, cookery, dress, etiquette or needlework are invited to put their problems before us, when every effort will be made to assist them free of charge, the only condition being that the f ull name and address is given. This is not for publication, but for record purposes only. Those requiring a reply by post are asked to send a stamped and addressed envelope. A prize of half-a-crown is friveii each week for the best housewifery hint received for this column by “Woman’s World Competition.”

The prize of 2/6 this week gfoes to Mrs. H., Hastings.

Cut Your Jani in Tins, This household hint may make all the difference to those who cannot afford glass jars for jam. I made about 301 b. of blackberry jam, and, as I had no glass jars I poured the jam into tins. I used barley sugar tins and 31b. treacle tins. The jam is as fresh as ever seven months after it was made. I used the lids of the tins also, and sealed them with a strip of gummed paper round the joint. The jam has no tinny taste.—Mrs. H., Hastings. To Make a Steamer. Use .a cake tin that will just fit inside a large saucepan and punch holes in the bottom of it. Put about a pint of boiling water, into the saucepan and put in the tin upside down. TJm water should not come’ 1 over the top of the tin. Jam rolls, etc., may be cooked by placing on top of the tin, with the saucepan lid on tightly and allowing to steam for twenty minutes.—“ Topsy,” Greytown. Cauliflowers Kept Fresh.' Scoop a hole in the thick stalk of a cauliflower as deep as possible. Stand the cauliflower upside down in a basin and' fill this scooped-out hole with water. The vegetable will then keep fresh for a considerably longer time than the Usilbl two or' three days.— “Rita,” Petone. First-aid for Lampshades.

( If your parchment lampshades begin to look shabby, the following treatment will restore their freshness and lengthen their lives: Wash them with

warm soapy water and when quite dry give them two coats of good hard-dry-ing copal varnish. Before applying varnish, touch up any faded parts of the design with a fine camelhair brush and water-paints.—“Hah,” Wellington.

Home-made Potato- Grater. A good potato-grater can be made out of a baking-powder tin by lifting the turned-over edge at the bottom and taking out the bottom. Then carefully undo the side seam, and, with a coarse nail, punch holes in the side about half the way round and close together. Close up the seam again and put on the lid to keep it firm. and stop any splashes coming out at the top while grating.—Mrs. 11., Petone. Uses for .Old Gloves.

Worn-out skin gloves hare still many uses. Besides being convenient as finger-stalls for cuts, a glove finger pulled well down and tied over a Corked bottle will enable it to travel safely in your suitcase without spilling. From the unworn wrists and gauntlets you can cut enough good leather to make fresh cases for compact and handbag comb when these wear out. Leather edges do not fray, so stitch the seams on the right side with running stitch stabbed to and fro. Buttons covered with leather from gloves give an expensive look to tweed coats.—Miss M.C., Paremata.

For Winter School Lunches. When the butter is a bother to •spread for schoolchildren’s lunches on cold mornings, mix it, with a knife, with the same quantity of honey, which will make it soft and easy to spread. This makes a delicious and nourishing sandwich.—Mrs. L„ Clive. Vary the Sauce. When making sauce for duck or pork, try the added flavour of bananas with the apples. Peel two apples and four bananas and cut into small pieces. Add half a cup of water, half a teasoon cinnamon and cook until soft. Bub through a sieve and add sugar lo taste. —Miss T., Masterton. Faster Knitting, The majority of knitters are not aware that there are two ways of knitting—a quick method and a comparatively slow one, and that the latter is almost universally employed. Here is the quick method, which, once acquired—and it is very simple—will never be discarded for the old. Instead of putting the wool round the needle removing the stitch, put the needle round the wool—that Is, employ the needle as if it were a crochet hook. In order to do this the wool must also be held as in crochet, winch is over the first finger of the left hand. You will be amazed at the rapidity with which you can knit a row in this way, and this difference in 'speed is evident in the time taken to complete a piece of knitting.—“ Professional.” Marton. Quick Breadcrumbs.

Making .breadcrumbs for u.siug in puddings or for coating fish and other things need not be such a laborious process if it is tackled in this way: Put the soft part of a stale loaf info a muslin bag. tie up the top, and then rub the bag between the palms of the hands until the crumbs are as fine as yon need them.—Dpt, Northland.