WOMEN'S NOTES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 10, 10 December 1936, Page 29

WOMEN'S NOTES.

GENERAL. (By Aliss Alary Tallis.) Beauty in Brass.—There is a subtle fascination in polishing. To take a piece of copper or brass, tarnished with age, and restore it to its pristine beauty is a creative experience—deeply satisfying. All through the uncomfortable post-war years, when pictures, ornaments and all the little things which make a house into a home, tended to be banished in deference to new ideas of decoration, I continued to collect my brass and copper treasures. The contemptuous glances that were directed at my copper warming pans winking in the firelight, my brass imps and fire-irons, did not trouble me. My lriends who laughed when they found me cleaning my treasures usually stayed to help. Rather sheepish at first, they soon forgot their new-fangled theories and set to work with a will. To-day, after being, in a minority so long, I am a little bewildered to find myself in the fashion again. Brass and copper are back, I am told, and everybody wants to know where tliey earn find attractive pieces. But collections are not made in a day. They are slowly acquired over a long time—a piece here, a piece there, the most unlikely corners yield the rarest treasures. My advice to them is to keep their eyes open, wherever they are, and not be in a hurry. Warming pans, chestnut roasters, copper kettles and brass jugs, bells and candlesticks, tea urns and foot warmers, there is no end to the variety of treasures to be found. Any of the well-known metal polishes will serve to bring back their brightness and re discover the lovely designs hidden under the tarnish. And how exciting it is to see them emerge. It is good to know that the tide has turned —that people are revolting against the cult of the ready-made which gave to their homes the impersonality of institutions. J. like to think of those quaint pieces in brass and copper, exiled so long, restored to their rightful places on mantelshelves and window-sills. Like the household gods which. our forefathers kept to guard against the powers of darkness, they cheer us with their brightness. We cannot live without beauty and all things bright are beautiful. FASHIONS. What we shall wear. —The vagaries of the weather during the past couple of months have made many of us feel ready to turn with all the more relish to the new styles and colours. In London, the late summer and autumn

styles a.ppeared almost before summer had well set in. possibly because of the weather, and possibly because so many American buyers went there first, before visiting Paris. The whole world, indeed, is interested in English fashions and in the preparations for the Coronation, so English new colours and ideas have taken a fresh significance. Fashion creators are trying to dispel gloomy skies by bright colours, to which one turns with relief after the long period of Court mourning. Unusual shades of colour are sponsored by several houses, while already we hear of Coronation red. There is ludor blue—a lovely shade, Irish green, cut tomato, perriwinkle, banana, cantaloupe and violet-bine, to name a few. Materials are specially gorgeous, both in colour and texture. Velvet comes right back into favour. Tweeds are bold in design and colour, while plaids are fashionable, particularly plaid velvets. Tweeds are embroidered with woollen threads cut into designs, as though darned, with the ends left loose, while coloured woollen threads run through net or plain coloured backgrounds. There are niany cires, laces and silks, while a beautiful handpainted gilt leather formed the sleeves anti bodice drapery to one very original frock. Blouses and waistcoats, with short puff sleeves, cut in one with the cuff which is seamed to fit tlm upper arm, are much in demand for wearing with autumn suits. Bodices are intricate and shaped to outline the figure by gaugings, darts or tucks. Pansies are the favoured flower foi next autumn, and adorn hats and bodices alike. Pansy purple is the inspiration of the new Paris colour. Butterflies are another popular fancy, and settle in front of turban shaped bats. In rhinestones they form the newest ear-rings. HINTS. A tablcspoonfill of sugar added to the stove blacking will give a brilliant lustre to the stove. Potatoes which look a bad coloui when cooking can be made much whiter if a dessertspoonful of vinegaa is added to the water. A mustard plaster will not burn the skin if white of egg is used instead of water for mixing. Warm camphorated oil is better still. Always apply olive oil to the skin when the plaster is removed to prevent soreness. A slice of potato will clean oil paintings without injury and, dipped in baking soda, it will brighten silver or clean old knives. A large sheet of blotting paper plae cd under a tray-cloth saves the tray by absorbing anything that is spilt,

prevents the polished surface from being marked by hot dishes, and deadens tiresome rattling and noises which annoy a. sick person. Machine oil stains may be removed bv rubbing the spot with a cloth dipped in ammonia. Afterwards wash the article with 6oap and water. If you are knitting with unravelled wool, before using it wind it on a fairly large piece of cardboard, place a damp cloth over it and press with a hot iron. The wool will be much easier to knit with and will look equal to new. , , , ~ , Put a small cup of breadcrumbs tied in muslin with the cabbages when cooking. The bread absorbs all the bitter juices and the cabbage is digested quite easily. The breadcrumbs absorb almost all the odour of the ca.bGrained wood should he washed with cold tea, a small part of the surface at a time, and rubbed well with a. flannel cloth, before it becomes dry. AHnegar used in rinsing water on washing day will prevent the ha.nds from becoming rough.