1868. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



151 



them decent, generally exceeds the price of a good 

 article. On the other hand, never buy too nice or 

 too delicate an article for the use to which it is to 

 be appropriated, or in getting materials try to 

 make up for the high cost of the goods by buying 

 a scant pattern. Always ascertain by careful 

 measurement beforehand just the amount wanted, 

 so as to have sufficient, — that the garment be not 

 spoiled by being made too tight, or too short, or 

 the wron^ way of the cloth, or a little out of shape 

 — expedients which a small pattern necessitates. 

 And, still, do not overrun the quantity needed, so 

 that a great deal siiall be wasted, — though it is 

 desirable to have remnants enough to keep any 

 article of clothing in good repair so long as its 

 original comeliness remains; and, in the case ot 

 the more costly dresses, to alter its shape accord- 

 ing to any reasonable change of the fashion. As 

 to fashion — health, comfort and convenience 

 should be tirst consulted ; then let its rules govern 

 you only so far as to prevent observation which 

 the singularity of an adherence to old styles is 

 apt to provoke. 



In choosing cotton cloth, linen and flannel for 

 undergarments, for fear of deception in their qual- 

 ity and sulistance use the same tests as suggested 

 in Chapter YI. The occupation should decide the 

 color of stockings, flannels and skirts ; for in- 

 stance, when sweeping and dusting are to be done, 

 one will wear drab or gray, reserving white for 

 cleaner employments. 



Winter if not summer stockings should be knit, 

 they are so much more durable than those that 

 are woven. Heels and toes of stockings should be 

 lined, the thin places in other parts run and 

 mended, as mentioned in Chapter VII. When 

 heels are very much worn cut them from the sole 

 and ravel them to the ankle ; then take up the 

 stitches and with new yarn knit them again and 

 sew th"?m firmly to the sole. If the toes get quite 

 thin ravel these out also, and knit them of new 

 yarn ; you can do this even for woven stockings. 

 When the sole gives out cut it from its place, take 

 a pattern of it and by this cut another from some 

 stocking that is beyond repair; then ravel the 

 heel above all thin places (having pi'eviously done 

 the same to the toe and cut it like the end of the 

 sole) and supply this length thus ravelled by cut- 

 ting into the ankle ; make the end of proper shape 

 and close it on the right side with button-hole 

 stitch. The sole will perhaps need gores where it 

 joins the instep : for these take two pieces of 

 stocking one and three-quarters inches long and 

 one and one-half inches wide and cut them cross- 

 wise. Stitch the two straight sides of these gores 

 to the instep and the heel, and then stitch the 

 whole around the sole. 



Knit or crochet underjackets, being elastic, are 

 more comfortable than those made of flannel. — 

 Explicit directions and patterns for making these 

 and other undergarments are given in ladies' mag- 

 azines and newspapers that are widely circulated, 



so that I need only say that a nice simplicity 

 should always characterize them, and that much 

 time and attention are expended upon the fabrica- 

 tion of fanciful styles, and ruffling, tucking, trim- 

 ming and emi)roidery, which ctaild be emjiloyed 

 to better purpose. They should be kept neat and 

 whole — the directions already laid down tor the 

 repairs of other clothing will apply to everything 

 in this department. 



Every woman should have a working-dress to 

 wear when engaged in active employment. It 

 should be of calico (print) or gingham, narrow 

 striped — small plaided — or figured small and 

 closely, in sober, fast colors ; and nnide loose and 

 ea?>y in v/aist and sleeves : unbleached cotton 

 cloth or drilling is best for lining. 



It is not so easy to fit a dress for one's own self 

 as for another person, but it can be done. A pat- 

 tern that lies well to the form should l)e procured 

 of a dressmaker, or may be obtained l)y ripping 

 an old waist that suits. The calico or gingham 

 should be fulled at the belt, but straight and 

 smooth at the shoulders — loose enough to escape 

 strain everywhere, but not to droop or look puffy. 

 Use no whale-bones or stiffening about it. Button 

 it with small strong buttons. Make the sleeves of 

 moderate fullness, and gather them into a wrist- 

 band; liieir linings should be loose — not fall — 

 reaching to the elbow in summer, to the wrist in 

 winter. Five widths of calico are sufficient for 

 the skirt; it should reach just to the ankles, and 

 be hemmed or faced with cambric five inches 

 deep. Insert a large pocket, about eight inches 

 from the top of the skirt, in the scam nearest to 

 the right hand. Turn down inside one inch of the 

 skirt — to lengthen it when the edge of the hem or 

 facing is so worn as to need cutting off and to be 

 remade, ffiather it and stitch it to the belr, which 

 must be fitted to the bottom of the waist — wrap- 

 ping neatly to the left side. Bind the neck of the 

 dress with a narrow lengthwise strip. 



No woman, even in her busiest hours, should be 

 without a neat white collar and a bow of ))right 

 ribbon at the throat. The collar may be just a 

 band of fine white cloth or linen — made from the 

 pieces left after cutting shirts. Fold it evenly 

 and stitch it nicely along its edges. Wash, starch 

 and iron it, and it is ready to wear. Fasten it 

 with the little bow or knot of narrow ribbon. — 

 This simple ornament costs but a trifle, l)ut it is 

 surprising to see how much effect it has : the 

 homeliest woman with such addition to her dress 

 always looks comely,— her gown— let me use the 

 good old-fashioned word— being clean and whole, 

 and her hair nicely arranged. 



Besides this working-dress, house-wives should 

 have long, full aprons, made of new calico or 

 gingham, or from the skirts of such dresses, when 

 the waists and sleeves are past wearing. They 

 should be gathered into a belt having a front at- 

 tached high and wide enough to cover the waist. 

 For washing, scrubbing and house-cleaning make 



