HOUSEHOLD HINTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7449, 25 May 1911, Page 11

HOUSEHOLD HINTS

Wadding eteeped in oil of pennyroyal is a good thing to keep away black "Beetles'i so is a plentiful =priniclitig of powdered.,borax. To remove a scorch from linen* cut ( au tjnion in half and rub the scorched part with it and then soak it in cold water. The scorch will very soon disappear. For preventing windows steaming in frosty weather first clean them in the ordinary manner, then lightly rub all over with, a cloth dipped in .glycerine, and polish. Tb curb a feather boa that has been damaged with rain or dew, rub it well in common salt and shake before a ‘bright fire until dry, when you will find it as good ns new. When the carpet broom begins to wear- eo’.'t, first wash the brush.in warm soda and water, and then .in cold; dry quickly, and you will find that the broom will got quite hard again. Dip the loaf for a moment in.to milk or cold water, and then place in a hot oven for a few minutes. This will make it quite fresh again, and it will be much more wholesome than new bread. To free the hands from disagreeable odours, sucb as that of. onions, cold-

liver -oil, etc., mix a little ground dry mustard with warm water and wash the hands well with it. Tho saucers of scales, or vessels used in cooking can bo freed from odours by tho same method. All insects have a rooted antipathy .to the .smell or tui-peptiue. therefore it is a valuable thing fur preventing the ravages of moth, ants, cockroaches and other pests. If applied freely to the joints and crannies of bedsteads it will drive away all sorts of pests. Light-coloured satin slippers or shoes can ’bo quite well cleaned at homo in the lollowing manner; Dip a piece of clean flannel in .spirits of wine and rub the shoes lover with it, being careful to rub tho way of the grain of the satin. Keep turning the flannel as it becomes soiled until the shoes are quite clean. Don't bring the spirits of wine near a light, as it is most inflammable. Grease marks will often yield to the application of a hot iron over blotting paper. Oil stains require a paste 0tuller's earth and cold water laid on and 'brushed off when dry. Tea and cot. fee stains on cotton material can some- ! times bo removed 'by a mixture of yolk |of egg and glycerine. Wash well aftcr- ] wants with warm water, and iflon on the wrong side. Ink spots are treated with salts of lemon or powdered oxalic acid and water. I’aint marks need benzine or turpentine,, or tho latter mixed with ammonia.

TRULY A “GALA” NIGHT 1 Tlie . opening of tthe : Covcut Garden oi>era seusou this year was a brilliant , function ot almost unexampled magnificence. We bear many first-iiatid | imprcisious of it later on, and nitanj while tne mere prices ciiargea for an | occasion which will rank among the liis- ■ lone functions of Coronation, year are j interesting.,, it is, tnus that we gauge -.tlio importance of such an. occasion in the social world. Owing to the number of boxes and stalls required by for the accommociauou of‘bis Majesty's guests the number available for the public was mucji curtailed. Thus tae pit and grand tier boxes were easily sold at duo hundred guineas. From this sumptuous- sum- the -sliding-scale for tbo other parts of the house descended gradually till the ebb-tide is reached in tne guinea stalls in the gallery. Truly, money values, like everything else, are merely a matter of comparison 1 I THE USES OF RAFFIA I It is only a few. years since raffia came into common use, and then it was employed 'chiefly to, take the place of the i.-ghter weaves of 'straw in caning and mu-making. ' , , , Now it has. found its way into all sorts I of- barbaric embroidery and has, morej over, gamed a foothold among nouseiioid ■ conveniences, for many klnns of mending and making. Tno embioiuery that is done with raffia is in the stitch used in darning, and a long, large-eyed needle is used- ror it. Of course, tiro raffia comes in-almost any shade—over twenty-five are carried in stock by the stores that furnish it—and when burlap, denim, huckaback or Russian linen is used as the foundation, ready gorgeous effects can be gained, j There is ho end to the articles that i can be so embroidered. Pillow covers for porch or hammock; lamp shades (the plain ohes, of lihen, stretched over a wire foundation); table and , sideboard, covers, with the earns embroidered and fringed; magazine,and book covers, withthe owner’s monogram in one corner—-.'-all_a't<}.. effective., and.-easy--to-- work m raffia. ■ . The designs should, be,. ,as we have said, as barbaric as possible. Larw flower effects in red rosea or yellow daffotlils j while water lilies, with green leaves in . alternate design . and,, a blue water line as background; sprawling dra-.-gbns'in reds" and, yellows, and coded | snakes, in black and green—these ar© the 1 best kinds of pattern for the coarse weave and strong colours of raffia., 1 As to the colour plan ’itself, it-is’.best to stick to no more than two shades beyond that of tho foundation material. Terra cotta bn green makes up well, and ( SO do bright blue on black- and yellow ■ on brown. . Often white and" black or. flight gray and'black (the raffia, being in tho Ruter shade) are.. very striking m- • deed. : . , The other side to , the employment of raffia is quite as interesting. This is iho -mending and sewing ..and the trim--1 niihg- of di-ess- hOcessorics with it. .•Malting; as most, people how’ knoW, is best - mended with ’raffia of the same shade; ■ the same is True ;of grass mats and Jml- ’ lows.. There arc ninny other coarse ma'v terials that are easily mended with neli- ■ crai-tiiited ,raffia,’ which will sink into ' the weave and-be iinnotiqoable utter the ) rent is _ repaired. . ■ , Raffia, makes good fringes , and tassels, 1 too, and is useful on portieres, rugs. . and hammocks. „In fact, the triple,i woven raffia hummock, to anyone , Who '. knows the method of knotting,- is,a joy ’| for over by reason of its soft strength • and its pliancy. Woven raffia makes a ; good lining for the straw roots of the ’ Japanese summer-houses ,so . ..pleasant wlien one has a lawn. It is, good, too, for concealing the discrepancies in, the backs ai\fl seats of the old-fashioned rush-bottom chairs, and footstools ( In dress accessories raffia has come to play a large part. It adorns linen hand-bags,-hopsaclciug gowns, suede slippers. It forms hat ornaments and embroiders belts. Arranged like a scarf .under net, it trims many a hat of loose-weaydstraw, and is woven" into the fashionable auto- j mobile bonnets. It is even, seen as a covering for buttons on tailored suits. There are- bags, too, of • knitted raffia lined with brightly coloured silk, and sash ends "worked, ih the sain© 1 useful material. Knitted raffia also makes fine bedroom slippers.- - - Raffia will not teat- crosswise, though it will split, lengthwise with ease; it will Wash and it is not inflammable. Altogether;" it is too serviceable an article ■ ever to lose its hold oh public esteem; land-we may .expect to see inore and more’products of the pliant grass. And it has a superlative merit —it. is very cheap. So watch for the appearance of,raffia here. - there and everywhere.—From “Sunday Calk" ,