1868. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



107 



Mend a straw hat that is broken or ripped by past- 

 ing cloth to it on the wrong side ; or by sewing to 

 cloth,— in that case damp the straw first, and, af- 

 terwards press it. 



The heels and toes of stockings should be run 

 closely with yam, or lined with bits of old stock- 

 ing or flannel. If a person's occupation obliges 

 him to wear coarse boots there should also be 

 pieces on the outside of the heel. If he does 

 much walking, these may be of soft leather, or 

 kid, but they must be taken off when the stockings 

 are washed. 



The darning of stockings neatly requires a great 

 deal of patience, and is very distasteful to most 

 persons : I think mending never comes easy ; but 

 one can learn to like it — we always like to do 

 what we can do well — and I have heard many re- 

 mark that the satisfaction they have felt in seeing 

 how they have restored and renewed old things 

 was a much pleasanter experience than the mak- 

 ing of new. You know the old Indian super- 

 stition that the strength of the victim passes into 

 the form of his slayer ? Let us take this for our 

 faith, in overcoming all difficulties. But I am di- 

 gressing. 



To return to our subject : Always begin a darn 

 some distance from the hole, and thicken with 

 yarn all the thin part. It is quicker to mend it in 

 basket, or weaving, stitch. But where the dam 

 comes in an exposed place the knitting should be 

 matched by a chain stitch. To do this dam a 

 thread of yarn across the hole, (on the outside of 

 the stocking) connecting stitch to stitch; and 

 •when the hole is thus barred pass across them 

 "with j'arn, making a loop-stitch on each bar — it is 

 similar to button-hole making. Fill up the hole 

 in this manner, being careful to join the new 

 stitches neatly to the old ones at each side and 

 end. This is the only proper way to mend knit, 

 or woven, mittens and gloves. Never sew to- 

 gether, or draw into a bunch any rent in stock- 

 ings, or in these ; besides being unsightly they 

 feel very uncomfortable. 



Leather, or kid, gloves and mittens should have 

 their rips sewed with a short needle, in the same 

 holes that the first sewing made, and with thread, 

 or twist, of the same color. If a glove, or mitten, 

 get stretched in the wrist baste up the fullness on 

 the scam that passes to the little finger — it should 

 be taken out in the shape of a gore. Try it on, 

 and if it suits then cut this gore out, and sew up 

 the seam on the outside, exactly like the other 

 seam. If the thumb be too tight, as is frequently 

 the case, rip the seam carefully ; try it on, see 

 how large a bare place appears through the aper- 

 ture ; cut a piece of kid from an old glove of the 

 same color, make it of the right shape to fill the 

 aperture, and sew it in as nicely as the other 

 seams are sewed. If gloves are not stayed at the 

 wrist, take a small piece of similar kid and stitch 

 it there on the wrong side. 

 Nice house shoes, and slippers, may be made 



from woolen cloth, either embroidered with wor- 

 steds or braid or cord, or kept plain. Carpeting 

 also makes good slippers. Old coat collars quilted 

 together make good soles — so do pieces cut from 

 old felt hats. For patterns get an old shoe, or 

 slipper. Each part should be lined and bound 

 separately. Paste together two or three layers of 

 cotton cloth for a heel-stiffening. After each part 

 is bound sew them together with strong linen 

 thread well waxed. These are very comfortable 

 shoes for winter. 



Leather boots, and shoes, often last longer for 

 a few stitches deftly set by a woman's hand ; so 

 don't overlook them. Seams rip — elastic gores 

 break out — and straps start off— and now and then 

 the leather cracks, all of which a strong thread, 

 well waxed, in a good, stout needle can remedy. 



Those who wish to protect their clothing from 

 smut, or soil, do well to wear a large apron, fitted 

 to cover the shirt-front, fastened with straps about 

 the neck and around the waist ; or, M'hat is called 

 a skeleton, cut according to the front of panta- 

 loons and having a waist covering like that of the 

 apron. This is fastened by straps around the 

 ankles, and also about the waist and neck. Better 

 still, they will do, to use a frock and overalls, or 

 a jacket and over-pants. These should all be 

 made of stout drilling, or frocking. Blues and 

 greys are the best colors. It is impossible to keep 

 white looking clear and clean. If you get blue be 

 sure that it is an indigo dye — this is the most last- 

 ing. Make these gannents with good, strong 

 thread, and in the most thorough manner ; and 

 always keep them in good order : they are to bear 

 rough usage, you know, and must be capable of 

 warding off accidents which otherwise would be- 

 fall the clothing worn beneath. In this way they 

 often save ten times their value, beside lessening 

 the housekeeper's amount of washing. 



All clothing should be marked with the owner's 

 name. If of cotton, or linen, write it plainly with 

 indelible ink in some unnoticed part. If of wool- 

 en, write it upon slips of linen, or cotton, and sew 

 them to the articles. For clothing that seldom 

 needs washing starch and iron the cloth and use 

 common ink. If you have no indelible ink, and 

 you see that the owner of the clothing has often a 

 silvery, or a golden, heading to his dark beard, or 

 moustache, ask him to lend you the little phial 

 that he keeps hidden in the closet ; and use its 

 contents in the same way as common ink, for any, 

 even the nicest of clothing. 



I think I have now spoken of all important 

 points. I wished the making and mending of 

 men's clothing to be clearly understood by those 

 who know the least about such matters. Keeping 

 this class of readers in mind, I have tried to sim- 

 plify the subject. Hence, many of my suggestions 

 and directions may to some appear trivial ; but if 

 to any I have made the performance of this work 

 easier and pleasanter, it is of no consequence how 

 humble were the means. 



