LADIES' COLUMN

Lake County Press, Issue 2636, 15 June 1916, Page 2

LADIES' COLUMN

FASHION AND THINGS FEMININE.

By IDA MELLER

l COPYRIGHT)

THE TYPIST’S APRON. Tho office girl would find the “wear and tear” of her skirt saved considerably if she wore an apron as a protector. Hut the usual apron is ill-suited to office apparel, and the young typist and shorthand writer would scorn to wear such a garment, for naturally she appreciates and cultivates a spick and span appearance. For this reason, she is very much distressed when her serge skirt grows shabby before its time, as it is apt to do above the knees, by continued contact with tho table at which she works, while the back grows shiny from contact with her chair, and gives her equal cause for complaint. These little disasters might bo averted by tho aid of an apron cut on tho lines of a skirt, as illustrated. The charm of this particular garment is that it carries with it no suggestion of an apron, hut has all the appearance of a neat, fashionable skirt, and is of a kind that no office girl would scruple to wear. Let it be made of unlined, black, or navy-blue alpaca or cashmere, and the result will bo excellent. The quality of 52-incb material required is 2* yards. The paper pattern of the apron is in two parts—half the actual two-piece apron, and half tho waist-bolt. The diagram shows how those two patterns should bo disposed on the material,

opened out to its full width and doubled, the half-apron being cut in duplicate, while the belt, the pattern of which is laid to the fold, should he cut out in one entire piece. The apron is seamed at the back and provided with buttons and buttonholes in front. The waistband should be stitched in place, so that it is in one with the apron, and also supplied with a button and buttonhole. Oflice girls should take advantage of this simple skirt-protector and make up for themselves, without delay, an over-skirt or apron from the pattern illustrated. They should also complete their office outfit by providing themselves with a pair of "gauntlet cuffs, as illustrated. These keep the lower part of the blousesleeves clean, and are easily made from cuttings of the apron material, stiffened with canvas, and fastened with stud-grips. A binding of braid improves the appearance of the cuffs. It is on the lower part of the sleeves that the blouse of the oflice girl grows srtilod very quickly, from contact with desks and typewriting machines, and a pair of gauntlet cull's, therefore, should help to keep down laundry expenses.

WINTER NIGHT WEAR. For winter underwear, many women are in favour of woven materials, while others prefer long-cloth of good quality, and for night-dresses the ehoice in material is enlarged hy the addition of nun's-veiling and satin-cloth, which fabrics are excellent for night wear, though they do not seem to he in use for undersets. Nun's-veiling has particular advantages as a material lor winter nightdresses, for it is soft to the touch, warm-wearing, and washes well and easily. Moreover, it is inexpensive, and of a good width. Night-dresses made of this dainty-looking material may lie trimmed with Torchon lace or with frills of embroidered veiling, matching the substance of the gown. The nun's-veiling, before being cut out to shape, should be thoroughly well shrunk, unless it is of the "guaranteed shrunk'' kind when bought. Illustrated are some designs for night-dresses which provide good ideas for the home worker. All could be

carried out in long-cloth or nun’s- j veiling, as preferred. Design “A” shows a raglan sleeve put on with beading, a frilled front, I collar and wrists, the frilling being of i embroidery. In illustration “IV’ is a plain Em- [ pire nightdress, with ribbon-run inser-' lion at the waist, and collar and cuffs inlet with narrow insertion. ! Design “C” is a placketless nightdress, with large head-opening, square

ueck and raglan sleeves trimmed with washing lace and beading. Design "D" is also placketless, the nightdress being cut on kimono lines and drawn up with a ribbon at the neck, which is edged like the ribbonrun sleeves, with embroidery. The remaining nightdress, "E," is designed with a square embroidered yoke 3 and side-fastening and is trimmed with frilling. AN INFANT'S SOCK AND HOW TO MAKE IT. A cosy little sock for an infant (as illustrated in last week's group-sketch of woollies for baby) is made as follows : The materials required are one skein of white three-fold wool, one skein of coloured, and a bone crochet hook, number 2. The sock should be begun at the ankle. With white wool, chain 34 stitches, and join. First row: Chain 3 and make 83 doublo crochet on original chain. Second row: Putting 1 stitch in each stitch of previous row *, make 2 single crochet, picking up the front loop at top of stitch; then make 2 single crochet, picking up the back loop at top of stitch. Repeat from *, until there are six rows, being careful to have the stitches picking up the front loop above the similar stitches of preceding row, thus forming a rib. Make the seventh row of coloured wool. Make four rows more, alternating white and coloured wool. To make edge, still using coloured wool, * make a shell of 4 double crochet, make 1 single crochet in next stitch, skip 2 stitches, and repeat from * to end of row. Second row: With white wool * make 1 single crochet in the third stitch of shell of previous row, and make shell of 4 double crochet in single crochet of previous row. Repeat from * to end of row. Third row: Use coloured wool and work like second row, making a picot after second stitch in shell. To make picot, chain 3 after second stitch in shell, put hook sideways through last two loops of double crochet, wrap and draw through all stitches on hook. Xow make the instep by working nine rows of Afghan stitch with white wool on the nine centre stitches of front of sock; thei make two rows of single crochet, one with colour and one white. . To make the foot, beginning with colour, make live rows of single crochet all around instep and back of sock, alternating colour and white, and picking up both loops at top of stitch. Makes six more rows with white, nardowing one stitch at the toe and heel in last three rows. Crochet sole together and finish with a. ribbon or cord and tassels, drawn through the row of double crochet at the ankle.