DOMESTIC JOTTINGS

Southland Times, Issue 19458, 24 January 1925, Page 19

DOMESTIC JOTTINGS

USES OF METHYLATED SPIRIT. Methylated spirit serves many useful purposes in the home, but great care needs to be taken with it. Large quantities of it should not be stored, and what is in stock should be distinctly marked, and stored away from fires and lights. Methylated spirit gives a high polish to glass unobtainable by any other means. It should be sprinkled on a soft clean duster. Folks who have dressing tables, trays, &c., covered with plate-glass will find that the spirit, used regularly, will prevent the smeared, scratched appearance that so often arises. Methylated spirit will also remove stains from brown shoes, though its application should not be made a habit, or the leather will undoubtedly suffer. The new bride, whose hands do not take kindly to unaccustomed domestic work, will find her skin will blister less easily if she rubs the palms her hands and the insides of her fingers with methylated spirit. For sterilising it is splendid, and bowls or other utensils needed for dressing a wound or a similar purpose should be prepared by pouring in a little spirit, settling alight, and letting burn out. WRITING TABLE FADS. The latest writing-table fads include very deep azure blue writing paper, with envelopes to match, the address printed in a deeper blue, with writing-table appointments —sealing wax and taper, luggage labels, blotting paper, besides china inkpot, and pen tray, pencils and penholders to match. Practically any coloured blotting paper may now be had, chosen to match or harmonise with the room it is destined to adorn. Prepaid correspondence cards, printed with one’s address, of the game shade as one’s writing paper, are decidedly attractive.

FOR CHILDREN'S DRESSES. A recently introduced novelty for the trimming of children’s dreasea ie a pretty little figure of a child cut out or organdie with features and details put in with coloured embroidery. They are quite cheap to buy, and so form an artistic as well as a rapid way—a great consideration in these days—of ornamenting the little ones’ dresses and overalls. PROTECTING AN EIDERDOWN. Dust, damp and fog play havoc with pretty furnishing, and the everyday wear and tear on an eiderdown leaves its impress unmistakably. A good way of preserving its cleanliness and beauty for special occasions without quite hiding its charm is by the use of an embroidered net quilt case. The eiderdown slips right into this cover, and while the mesh of the lace is sufficiently thick to afford protection to the satin beneath, it is at the same time transparent to allovz the bright colours to show through. A WRINKLE. When peeling a large number of onions put them in » pan and pour a kottleful of boiling water over them, then peel at once, Thia can be done witheut any discomfort to the cook’s eyeti. IMPORTANCE OF TACKING. Careful and accurate tacking is an important factor in successful dressmaking, a point that the inexperienced home worker sometimes overlooks, or else considers mere fussiness. Tacking stitches should always lie in a slanting direction. After having made the first straight stitch, the needle is put in in a downward direction and brought out a quarter of an inch below where it was put in. Then one moves on about an inch and a half and makes another small downward stitch in exactly the same position as the previous. In thia way all the stitches slope slightly upwards from right to left. These slanting stitches make it easy for the tacking thread to be pulled out afterwards, except in the ease of velvet, when each thread should ba out separately, Commence with a knot and finish with a double stitch. A NEW HOT WATER BOTTLE. A metal hot water bottle is safer io use than a rubber, and also has the advantage of keeping its heat longer. The bleat bed warmer is made of aluminium, is aircular in shape, and is ribbed. It is of spun

metal, so that there is do seam to develop a leak. NEW BATH MAT. The usual bath mat de;*■ ods upon stripes or lettering in contrasting colour for its decoration. Not bo the newest edition of the bath mat, which is almost like a still life picture of fruite and flowers. These pretty designs are carried out in natural colours and are woven in the bath mat. It is seldom one sees ornament and utility combined in so attractive a manner. AN INGENIOUS TRAY. Easy to carry, and saving a good many steps and a great deal of labour, a new service tray, just introduced, will commend itself to the busy housewife. Placed flat upon the table it his the appearance of a double tray with a division along the een tre. When the double tray is set with the tea things, or glasaes, as the case may ba, it is lifted by an aluminium handle, and instantly the double tray divides itself into a two-tier service tray that may be earned down at one's side with one hand, leaving the other fret to open doorv, eie. As the Mtuniaium handle » lifted, the fimmrark la auMmatically leaked, w that it ia quite rifid. F!»eed upon the table onon afain, the two trayi eome down again aide by tid% to form one large tray. The tray iieelf ia made in dark oak, and given a special waterproof ftniah so that it ia impervioua to itaina and heat marka. The complete outfit eoets 15a 6d, and would make a useful and novel praaent. DISTRIBUTING LEAFLETS. When leaflets or other aheeie of paper have to be distributed quickly it it a good ide* to arrange the pile in thia wayV Rub the top joint of the thumb and the tip of the Brat finger over th* top cheat, ao that the aheete alcwly apraad out, fanwiae. ’Hie paper will atill ho in a neat pile, but the top edgns will bo partly separated.