DEMAND FOR WOOL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21559, 23 January 1940, Page 10

DEMAND FOR WOOL

QUEEN LEADS THE WAY The demand for wool in Britain is now 10 times greater than in peace time. This is chiefly because of the activities of women’s working parties, from Her Majesty the Queen’s Guild at Buckingham Palace to groups of women in the humblest cottage in the land. Many hundred thousand pounds of Empire wool are being turned every week into socks, mufflers, gloves, pullovers, and “Balaclava helmets.” as special comforts for the Navy, Army and Air Force. Twice a week the Queen sits at a long trestle table in the famous blue drawing room at Buckingham Palace, side by side with ladies-in-waiting, women members of the household staff, and wives of the King’s footmen, grooms, and other men servants. The Queen and her guild make bandages and knit socks and other comforts for the forces. The increased wool demand is the largest the trade has ever known, and spinners are working day and night since the war began to cope with it. One big firm has been delivering orders of between 70.000 and 80.000 pounds of wool a week, in consignments ranging from six pounds to several hundred pounds each. Nearly air orders are for khaki. Air Force blue, navy blue, and hospital grey. Yet prices have not materially increased. Best quality wool is 8d an ounce, compared with 7d just before the war; the price has reached Bid an ounce in peace time. Future prices will depend to some extent on the New Zealand and Australian clip, which the Government has taken over.

RIBBONS AND ODDMENTS A safety pin instead of the usual bodkin is advocated when threading ribbon or elastic through hems in materials. The rounded end of a safety pin cannot do any damage. This hint is specially appropriate when ribbon insertion is required for dainty fabrics. A few inches of unwanted ribbon makes an attractive ornamental bookmark. if the ribbon ends are slashed. Another use for scraps of ribbon is to interlace them round an old funnel, finishing at the top with a double loop to form a holder. By placing a ball of string inside the holder and pushing a strand through the bottom you have a completely ornamental string holder. Scissors can be both brightened and sharpened by treating with emery paper. To sharpen, cut through the emery paper a few times. When darns in hosiery appear just above the heels of shoes, it is a good plan to put a small tapered tuck in the lower part of the heel of the stocking as by this means the stocking will look as good as new.