PROCEEDINGS STATE AGRICULTURAL CONVENTION 8S 



Then if we look to the outside that no trees nor shrubbery obstruct 

 the light, we can have every room a room that sings. 



FRESHENING UP HAT TRIMMINGS. 



Second to knowing what you want to do and how to do it in retrim- 

 ming a hat, is having the old materials clean and fresh. If a milliner 

 does the cleaning she will charge a good round price, but almost any of 

 the ordinary trimmings can be freshened up at home. 



For feathers, make a good suds of naptha soap and lukewarm soft 

 water. Let the feathers lie in this about 15 minutes, occasionally drawing 

 them gently through the hand if the soiled places do not come out of 

 themselves. Rinse thoroughly in lukewarm water, putting a very little 

 bluing in the last water. If you can take the time it will pay to dry 

 the feathers by shaking near a stove where the air is warm but not 

 hot. Otherwise, hang them by the stem and shake occasionally. 



Only partially curled feathers are used much, and this desired state can 

 be secured by using the blunt end of a knife, taking only a few fronds 

 at a time and drawing them between the edge of the knife and the 

 thumb. A slight curl often may be secured also by holding the dry 

 feather close to some burning salt sprinkled over a stove. If the feathers 

 were white or some pale color, they may be dyed at home. Secure a 

 tube of oil paint the desired color and dissolve in gasoline, testing to get 

 the right shade. The same method may be used to restore color in 

 faded feathers. This is also a very good way of dyeing ribbon, since the 

 gasoline and oil paint will not make the ribbon stiff as water dyes do. 



Silk ribbons for hat trimmings should be cleaned in gasoline if pos- 

 sible. If soap and water are used, the ribbon will be left either stiff 

 or without any life at all, depending on how much real silk and how 

 much filler is in the fiber of the ribbon. As a matter of fact, our rib- 

 bons these days are very little silk. Do not use a hot iron in pressing. 

 If the ribbon is narrow it can be dried by wrapping around a bottle and 

 then usually it needs no pressing. 



Velvets may be greatly freshened by cleaning with gasoline or some 

 good commercial cleaner, using a soft cloth which is free from lint tc 

 do the rubbing. Do not rub hard enough to flatten the nap. When 

 dry and free from the odor of the cleaner, steam well and where the 

 places are badly worn brush softly. Never attempt to press velvet, but 

 stand a moderately hot iron on end and draw the velvet over it, the 

 wrong side touching the iron. 



Flowers are the hardest trimming material to freshen. There is no 

 successful way to restore cotton ones. Silk and velvet ones may be 

 brightened up a bit by using the oil paint and gasoline treatment men- 

 tioned above. This must be done by using a soft paint brush. But always 

 remember that a limp or faded flower can spoil one's whole attempt to 

 make over a hat. 



