LINEN ECONOMY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22356, 29 February 1936, Page 7 (Supplement)

LINEN ECONOMY

SOME USEFUL IDEAS Hare you noticed how unevenly the contents of the linen-cupboard seem to wear? Although we place the freshlylaundered linen at the bottom of the pile, and try to draw new supplies from the top—well, the top layer is not always what wo require, and down we go to the bottom again. This means that some articles get more than their fair share of wear, while others mount up in an unused pile. Perhaps we have stacks of seldom-used tablecloths, large and white and plain. Perhaps it is sheets, or towels, or quilts which drift gradually into a neglected heap. Why keep sheets until they are discoloured with long storage and worn at the creases? It is much better to deal drastically with them. One effective method of using full-size Bheets is to cut thom down to a more convenient measurement, such as single-bed or cot size. The spare pieces will come in very useful for under-covers for cushions, pillows or settee-seats. Alternatively, a good sheet will give you material for a pair of pillow-slips and a bolsterslip, and these are articles which constantly need to be replaced. Unused tablecloths have unlimited possibilities. Plain damask cloths are usually of such good quality that it is a pity to allow them to lie idle and to become yellowed with ago. Think of all the articles of which you are in need, and which oould be cut down from a tablecloth you no longer require. A few useful articles which could easily be made in this way are an early-morning set, a nightdress-case, a duchess set, a runner, a child's feeder, a smaller tablecloth with serviettes to match. If you have no time or inclination for detailed sewing, all of them could be made on a sewing machine. If you are fond of needlework, you will find many different ways of decorating the articles with hand-stitching. As soon as towels show signs of wearing in the middle, cut out the worn parts, and hem the raw edges. This gives you small towels for various purposes, such as razor-towels or bathrubbers. If you find, when turning out tho linen-cupboard, that you have several towels in the _ "thinning" stage, they can be made into a useful bathmat. Arrange about four layers of towelling, with the two best towels on the outside, and the inside pieces placed so that the worn and the good parts are evenly distributed. Machine-stitch the four thicknesses all together round the edges, and make several diagonal lines across and across the mat.