Notes For Women

Wairarapa Daily Times, 18 October 1930, Page 6

Notes For Women

Fashions, Recipes and Hints.

When Sewing Pine Fabrics. In the gaiety of her innocent heart the amateur dressmaker commences a little dance frock that is to rely for its effect upon rows and rows of net tulle or lace flounces, only to find that the apparently simple job of sewing on these flounces straightly and neatly is beyond her. Were she to penetrate to the professional workroom, however, she would discover that the work is reduced to a fine simplicity by means of laying on the work-table a sheet of thick white paper, pencil-marked with straight even lines. Over this the transparent foundation is fixed with pins, and the worker is enabled to keep the material firm and straight -while she rapidly tacks the frills for machining.

The lace frock of to-day is difficult to machine without drawing up the flimsy web. But cut a length of paper to correspond with the seams, stitch this with lace, and you can draw it apart afterwards, leaving a perfect and unpuckered seam. The same ruse applies to chiffon and tulle, both fabrics that elude the needle unless treated after this fashion.

The fashionable lace nightdress yoke is often an elaborate affair of insertions of different widths allied to appliques, motifs and piece lace. In joining these together by hand, one is apt to draw up the various portions in such a w T ay that the shape is Tuined and the effect marred. But tack them to a yoke pattern, cut out in brown paper, do the oversewing with this background in position, and you should make a good job of it. * * * * Spots are Popular.

Not only printed materials themselves, but accessories such as handbags, scarves, hat trimmings and linings, handkerchiefs, and even necklaces, show that spot sare to bo very much the vogue for summer. Spots and dots, of all sizes are already being shown in all kinds of materials for summer frocks. Silks and cottons aUhe arg patterned with spots, ranging from the titty pin-spot to the large coin spot, Evening frocks .haye not ; ;(; i for many escaped this craze ror sp*—,’ ■ s of the new pastel-toned chiffons, instead of the usual floral designs, are spotted, the spots being in vivid colours on a neutral '"background, such as parchment, beige, black, white, and grey. Some of the spotted chiffons for evening Weal 1 are figured with extremely large spots, blit smaller spots will be chosen for daytime we hr.

Some of the new (season's materials fire Sji&ttnd ill t\v6 or indite feCvlours, a Yariftti6n from tlie plain spotted theme which should he popular. Tims a black crepe-de-chine may r be spotted in red and whits -or a grey crepe-de-chine in led, "black and white. Navy Spotted in white, and black spotted in white are the two most popular patterns for daytime wear, while red and scarlet spotted in white is second favourite. Black and navy spots on a white ground aie also favoured. Many charming spotted designs are to be bad in cotton fabrics, such as pique, voile and cambric. Confetti spots, that is, a closely-spotted pattern in many colours, form an effective design on a white cotton pique. The accessories to be worn with spotted frocks and ensembles should be quite plain, for nothing looks worse than a confusion of designs in frock, handbag, shoes and hat. Plain stockings, shoes, handbag and a hat trimI med simply with a ribbon band should bo the choice for wear with a spotted frock. When spotted accessories are wefen, such as a dark silk handbag spotted in white, a scarf, belt, handkerchief, -tind hat band or lining of a spotted material, the accompanying frock, shoes, and stockings should be quite plain an<^ a neutral colour. » • * * The Humble Sandwich, The humble sandwich has a myriad uses, and it is a permanent stand-by when inexpensive entertaining is to be done. As a matter of fact, once out of their ’teens, most people much prefer sandwiches to sweet cakes and biscuits, and when a sit-down meal is not being prepared a platter of sandwiches is the next best thing. ' A great deal may be done with a hardboiled egg, though in itself it is tasteless and insipid. In the first place, it should be put through a fine sieve, or else pounded until the white is indistinguishable from the yolk. Then it should be well mixed with pepper, salt, and a piece of butter as big as a walnut. This foundation is excellent, provided it has something pungent or sharp added to it, such as chopped olive, green pepper, gherkins, capers, chicory, or watercress. Even those who object to sardine sandwiches will like them if the sardines are pounded with pepper and lemon juice and added to this egg mixture in quantities of half and half. Cheese and nuts have a delightful flavour. The nuts should be chopped finely, or preferably put through a nut mill, and mixed with cream cheese or grated Gruyere cheese.

Colour should not be forgotten in arranging a plate of sandwiches. Tomatoes are a useful adjunct, but they should bo skinned first. This is easily done by placing them in boiling water for a minute. They should be used with thin slices of cucumber, and both the tomatoes and cucumber should be salted for 10 minutes beforehand, and the bread spread with mayonnaise. Or 'the tomato chopped and well beaten

with cream cheese makes a delicate pink sandwich, A quarter of a pound of smoked salmon goes a long way and brightens up the dish considerably, but it is so salt in itself that care should be taken not to mix it with olives, anchovies or anything similar. A little chopped , lettuce or mustard and cress is good with smoked salmon. Some sweet sandwiches which combine well are chopped banana sprinkled with grated milk chocolate, or chopped date and walnut. An unusual mixture is cream cheese beaten with salt and pepper and covered with thin slices of banana.

A little ingenuity will discover endless palatable combinations for sandwiches, but it should be borne in mind that it is the small • details which count, such as chopping and pounding ingredients where possible, so that the guest is not left struggling with a large piece of disembodied lettuce. It is also essential to see that mixtures on the same roll do not clash in taste, such as olives and sardines—a truly horrible combination. # * * * You? Spring Hat. The hats of this year arc different to those of last, especially the spring and summer hats. Crowns are very much lower; indeed in some of the race hats which have been on view in the spring shows the crowns are ridiculously shallow, so that the wearer’s head seems to have about as much shape as the top of a plate. These are the exaggerated models and have enormously wide brims. A few of these huge hats may be seen at the summer races, but they will not bo general. The average hat will have a 4 to 5 inch brim; this, of course, is a good deal wider than we have had for some years.

The fashionable hats of spring and summer will have a shallow crown and a moderately wide brim. The brim will be very pliable, and will tilt up over the forehead, the tilt being more marked towards the left. The hat will be worn well back on the. forehead.

TJi/a Homely Rhubarb. f( lf the dietetic and medicinal values ,pf rhubarb were better understood by -<u'age housewife,” says a writer in an exchange, would bring more resource to beat in rendering it more palatable for the family which so often revolts against the everlasting Stewed rhubarb, perhaps varied occasional pip,; s jlest. understand that rhubarb should not be skinned, just washed and wiped thoroughly. Not alone does the skin contain great medicinal virtues, but gives that pretty pink tinge to the juice which conduces to attractiveness. Now that rhubarb is in season it should be served as often as possible, for not alone is it a blood purifier, but a valuable laxative. A tiny pinch of baking soda added to stewing rhubarb is advocated by doctors to counteract any acidity in the fruit which may bo harmful to delicate digestions. Rhubarb Puffs.—Stew to a pulp about one pound of cut-up rhubarb in a gill of -water, with sugar to taste. Roll cut some short crust, rough puff or puff pastry thinly, and cut it into rounds about fouir inches in diameter. Put a heaped tablespoon of the cold puree in the centre of each. Wet the edges of the pastry and fold over triangularly. Brush -the puffs over with milk. .Sift castor •sugar over, and bake in a good oven •until nicely browned (about 15 minutes). Serve with boiled custard or cream.

Bhubarb Jelly: One pound of rhubarb, 1 oz. of gelatine, 1 pint of water, juice of one orange, some sweetened and flavoured custard, sugar to taste. Wipe the rhubarb with a cloth, trim it and cut into short lengths, put into a saucepan with the water, and 4oz. of sugar, and simmer until tender. Melt the gelatine in half a gill of water, strain into the rhubairb mixture, and add the orange juice. Turn into a wetted mould, allow to set, then turn out and serve with custard. Bhubarb Jam.—-Six pounds of red rhubarb, 61b. of sugar, 6 lemons, H gills of water, fib. of blanched and split almonds. Well wash the rhubarb, and cut into one inch lengths. Put into a pan, add the strained juice of the lemons, and the water, and simmer slowly till the fruit is cooked to a pulp, then add the warmed sugar, almonds, and finely grated rind of the lemons. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, and boil for about 15 minutes.

Bhubarb Whip.—Stew to a pulp a pound of rhubarb with a little sugar. Beat up with a fork to a nice smooth puree. Take half a pint of this puree, and add it to the stiffly-beaten whites of two eggs. Whisk all together, and lastly, add six-penny-worth of cream, slightly beaten. Serve in custard glasses, and decorate with a few glace cherries. With the “Whips,” hand a dish of finger biscuits. Apples respond to the .same treatment.

Very suitable as a dessert for children is Bhubarb Tapioca (or Sago).— Soak half a cupful o-r so of either tapioca or sago (which should be well washed) in cold water to cover for several hours. Put in with the rhubarb and sugar to stew —a double boiler is best—and cook slowly until the cereal is clear. Serve hot or cold with whipped cream or boiled custard.