EVERYDAY ECONOMIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 93, 11 July 1927, Page 5

EVERYDAY ECONOMIES

THE WITS-END CLUB A new novel may be selected by the winner each week as a prize for the most original household hint or recipe that has been tested and found to save time, labour or money. Many folk might be glad to have the benefit of your experience, so send in your suggestions, addressed to The Homecrafts EZditor, Women’s Page, THE SUN. Auckland. The prize this week has been awarded to Mrs. M. A. Winfield, Herne Bay, for the following hints on repairing household articles. JOBS AROUND THE HOUSE A Hearthrug or mat of which the fringe has gone, or is ragged, should have the whole removed, and the rugmended by binding the ends and knitting a new fringe in tassel knots. Secure to the binding, which should be finally oversewn .with the same wool. * * * Cane-Seated Chair.—To mend a broken seat, get some small bamboo rods, split, trim down to size of cane, soak for a day in warm water, and then thread in and out as required. Secure the ends with broad-lieaded tacks under the edges of the seat. Shaky Table. —When the legs get loose and the table shaky, get some putty (paint and colour shops supply, ready mixed) and push well home into the joint openings. Smooth off, and do not move the table for a day or two. When putty hardens, the legs will be quite firm.

Dent In Furniture.—Mend by wetting the place with warm water, thoroughly, then put four sheets of brown paper over the place, arid hold a fairly hot iron an inch or so above the paper. As the heat goes through it makes the wood swell, and the dent comes up and disappears. *

Knife Handle.—To mend a loose handle, clean out the hole in the haft, fill with powdered resin, make the blade red hot, plunge it into the resin, hold it firmly there for a minute, and then lay aside for a day. Blade and handle will then be firmly fixed.

Linoleum.—To mend a hole in lino (if no spare piece is available, and the lino cannot be turned to hide the hole) cut triangles from each corner of the lino. The four pieces will fit to make a square, and with this, and lino tacks, the hole can be nrnnded.

PASTRY GLAZE WITHOUT EGGS Glazed pastry is attractive to the eye but rather expensixe in these days of high prices, when the cost of the necessary egg has to be considered. The same effect may be obtained much more cheaply with sugar and milk. Put two tablespoonfuls of milk in a small saucepan and add a tablespoonful of sugar. Cook till the sugar is completely dissolved and then set aside to cool. Brush over the piecrust with this mixture before placing in the oven. *' * * A COOKING HINT The cooking of macaroni is rather troublesmoe inasmuch as it needs constant attention and stirring. However, try this way: Boil rapidly for 10 minutes and then finish the cooking in a double boiler when it may safely be left to itself. TUSSORE SILK Always iron tussore silk when it is bonedry. Jf treated as most other silks and ironed when wet it will become hard and mottled in appearance. If with wear and laundering the tussore has become too pale, add a little clear tea to the rinsing water. TOOTHACHE So far as toothache is concerned, people generally look for remedies only when the affliction has overtaken them; but it is as -well to keep a remedy by you. When powdered alum is put into a decayed tooth it prevents further decay, because alum is a strong antiseptic. As the alum dissolves in the mouth, the toothache will decrease, and at length vanish. If the powder is applied several Limes the tooth will not ache again. EXTINGUISHING FIRE A fire in the chimney may save trouble, but -it is dangerous, and frowned on by the law. To extinguish such a fire, shut all the doors of the room; this prevents any current of air up the chimney; then throw on to the fire in the grate several handfuls of common fine salt. This will at once extinguish the fire in the chimney. IRONING MADE EASIER Every housewife is glad of any means of diminishing the labour of ironing. Here is a way in which one flat-iron can be made to do an afternoon’s ironing. Put an ordinary gasring on an asbestos mat on the ironing table. Connect the ring to a gas-burner with a length of rubber tubing. Put the flat-iron on the lighted gas-ring. Turn the gas very low as soon as the iron is hot, and then use the ring as a stand. All the time the iron will be kept hot. TO FRESHEN A BOW When rain or mist has taken the freshness from a hat bow, damp it slightly (if dry) and then make a tablespoon hot before a fire. Insert in the bow, and pass the loops to and fro over the round part of the spoon.