Cast-Off Garments.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1815, 25 July 1891, Page 2 (Supplement)

What to Do When a Gown ia Hopelessly

Oat of Fashion.

When a gown is bo hopc-lo3s]y out of fashion that it will not answer even for home wear, or when it is for any other reason hors de combat^ do not hang it away in a closet, Lo take up roon?, or shut it up in aohett, to grow niuay. First off all get it thoroughly cleanced. If it is composed of washing goods, have it washed in its entirety, as clean clothes aro so much pleasanter to handle than coiled cces. Poffj and tuokfc should, of ecurePj be tßken out first, anc draperies that coiuo eff easily may be removed and washed separately. If tbt material will n^t wash, brush and aij thoroughly, having the task of removing » tains, &a., till later en. When it is as clean aa it ia practicable to make it, rip it into its constituent pail?. Saah portions as are quite uecq up, culaeh crd fut asiie, along with ve:y small pieces, for rcga- to b 3 sold to a rag dealer, or go out of tbe way in sny manner that seenae test. Buttons anj hookß-and-eyeß ehouid be put into a box kept for chat purpoee. They can ahnoil alwajs be used again. Such parts of the lining rb big still £oun<s, iron smoothly, roll into nice even bundles, and put away. The material ol the gown proper which ia still good press carefully out, fold like a piece of new goods, anl put away in a chest kept sacred to "raw material," i.e., g0c0.3 to be made up when needed. 01 course it is not gowns alone that can be thus dissected. Do the same with every oaet-o£f garment, even underwear. Then, when something new i 3 required for one of the children —a shirt, petticoat, frock, or jacket— never visit the stores till you have first looked through tho contents of this ohest, which is very ollena "seek no further;" and the convenience it is to have goods in such a ebape tbat oce cai. tell absolutely bow far they may be made available, is, as most i women will believe, very great.

It is not only the childrc-n'a wardrobeß that are reinforced from this source. A new houee gown is often to be found by making a combination oi some of the materiala Btored therein. Indeed, one of the much-draped ekistß of a year or two agG will sometimes furniah a full gown of the present simpler fashion.