Clothing and Health

what a difference there is in the appearance of the people who do not care for their houses and clothing, and those who do? The latter are apt to wear neat-looking shirt waists,

It often saves money and time, too. Do you know why? Learn how. The Pleasant Valley girls learned to darn and patch and

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OF CL

ngs to learn in order to

rs about the lesson on neatn

ice and pays all her own expenses. She always looks very neat and well dressed. What is the secret? She has learned how to spend wisely and how to care for her clothing. She learned mu

, if well brush

it or skirt lasts lo

oil one's neat appear

more self-respecting than holes or tears. They help to

h day saves much time; a

things. Perhaps we can clean our school co

The Pleasant Valley girls have studied about this. Do you know that it costs to keep clean? It takes time and energy and much thought. People who live in the country can keep clean more easily than city people. This is a good way to air and brush your cloth

ood general rule to press on the wrong side unless one is using the steaming process. Then, one presses on the right side, over dampened cloth. Wring the cloth, place over a portion of the garment, and press with hot irons until nearly dry. After steaming the garment all

have accumulated. Grease, milk, oil, sugar are common spots which girls are apt to

otted can be cleaned by washing in warm water with soap solution or s

boil) one cake of white soap i

o the lukewarm water in which the material is to be washed. Why is lukewarm water used? Wash and rinse carefully. Alw

only. Some day we shall try at school. Good pure white soap is best for wo

occurred at Pleasant Valley in just this way when Mrs. Leroy was cleaning her white gloves. Rub the spot on the wool garment with a cloth or sponge wet with benzine. The grease or fat spreads when dissolved; a piece of blotting paper under will help to absorb some of the grease. Care must be taken to use fresh benzine as each rub removes some of the fat, which will spread if rubbed in again. It is usually wise to use as a sponge a piece of the

th warm water. Dip cloth in water and wash thoroughly and ri

some materials with cold wate

soap. This will remove most machine oil spots. Barbara Oakes got some oil

of Miss A

do you arrange clot

us see how many garments you can clean at home after y

e it is in use. When she works about the house she always wears an apron.

cover to protect

hangs them up to dry. Many girls do not realize how necessary this is. The odor of perspiration is not neat and is offensive to others. If one washes one's self carefully with warm water in which borax has been dissolved this odor will not be noticeable. Marjorie noticed that her cousin has covers over her good clothes (Fig. 96). This saves a great deal. Also she is particular about sewing buttons on her shoes, and braid on her skirt when it is torn. She also washes the yokes of her dresses an

Ann thinks abo

ving her heels straight. Cousin Ann believes that many girls lose good positions because they are not clean and neat about their personal appearance. Run over heels are not neat. Ann is careful about having her shoes resoled whe

You may bring any garment or towel or other piece of house

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to the back yard. Brush them,

our wool skirt. Steam it;

Cousin Ann tried, of keeping your clothes cl

hirt waists carefully would be a good way to earn

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O DARN STR

ar? in a straight tear? How can we replace these t

nt directions. Which kind of a tear

ng threads; and in others, like the square tear, both warp and filling threads. Now darning means putting back the threads which have been worn or torn away. Miss James told her class it is very useful to keep some black and white wash net in the mending basket. A little piece basted under the worn or torn place to be darned is a great help; for it re?nforces the weak place and makes it last longer. It is put on the wrong side of the article to be darned. The picture (Fig. 98) shows two straight tears: a slanting one, and also a square corner tear. Everyone knows how to make the running stitch. Darning is fine running. Begin without a knot and a little beyond the tear for strength. Fill in the missing thread with rows of stitches close together. The stitches should extend far enough each side of the tear to take in the worn part also. In turning at the end of each row, leav

ing, white, brown, or black. Can you mend one at school to surprise mother or father or brother? The Pleasant Val

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mending one for her at home. Perhaps there is a s

worth while

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NG ST

hey come from the laundry. Do you mend the s

ll holes; small ones grow to be larger ones if one is not carefu

of H. B

Caps, stockings, and underwea

The stocking is made of knitted material called stockinet, not of woven cloth. How do they differ? Can you think of other articles of clothing made of knitted material? Yes, mittens, sweaters, caps, underwear. Have you ever seen a knitting machine? Here is a picture (Fig. 99) of one showing how the stocking is knitted in the factory to-day on the knitting machines. In weaving there are

g thread, according to the fineness of the stocking, and a darning n

op is left at each row in turning, as stockinet is a stretchy material. This darning should run the same way as the loops, up and down the material. Care must be taken at the hole. If possible, pass the needle through the loop at the edge of the hole and extend the thread across the hole to the loop opposite, and continue with the da

king darn putting in the first set of t

shows the portion of the darn to be covered with the running stitches, and just where the weaving is to be done. You will notice that the first row of crosswise running stitches is placed a little below the hole, and the last row extends a little above. Why? At the hole one must go over and under the warp, alternately, as one does in weaving.

ridge. If the long ladders which sometimes come in stockings are not too wide, they can be overhanded together on the wrong side; or, if one has time, they can be darned a

r or a dollar for three pairs of a good make, and cares for them, watching when the tiny holes appear, that she can make six pairs last a whole year. Ann says that the girls who buy the very thin transparent

f one follows carefully the description above. You may also bring a linen towel or napkin or tablecloth which has a hole. We shall learn how to patch the holes.

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or any other you can at home. Surprise mother by showi

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CLOTHING AND

ey are, then, repaired with a patch.

should look on the wrong s

to patch with material which has been used, than with new material. Why? The hemmed patch is always put on the wrong side. Cut a square or oblong piece which will cover the hole, and extend beyond the worn part. Allow ? inch extra all around for turnings. Crease this patch diagonally. Find the center of the hole of the worn article. Crease it in diagonal lines for a square or oblong, according to shape of place to be patched. Pin patch on wrong side so that diagonal creases of patch fall on diagonal creases of the article. Turn to right side. Cut the hole, removing all frayed edges until it is a true square or oblong, measuring from the center where diagonal creases cross. After cutting, make a tiny slanting cut fro

the patch in place

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surely have a tablecloth or an undergarment or an apr

can learn about line

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OF HOW LIN

tory of our l

me from? Would y

linen business in Ireland. He told the Girls' League the other evening about flax and about how it is made in

untries. The Russian flax is rather inferior in quality. Ireland and Belgium produce the best quality of fiber. Flax is also grown in Holland and France, and in Egypt and Italy. The United States grows some flax; but it is a rather coarse fiber used for crash and for bagging. The United State

plant grows 20 to

know how a waving field of wheat or oats looks? Flax is planted thickly when it is grown for its fiber. It comes up straight like the wheat and does not branch. When it is planted for its seed, it is not planted so thickly because it must have more room to branch and bear see

flax came from the little brown seed pods on top, just as the cotton comes from the seed pod, or boll. It does not; for the flax fiber is the part of the long stem which grows just inside of the ou

ave fallen, just like the seed pods your peonies or poppies grow. Before the seeds are quite ripe, and while the stalks are brownish yellow, the flax is ready to be pulled. It is not cut like wheat with the reaper and gathered into bundles, but must be pulled u

d States Departme

-The stoo

Speyer Schoo

s rippling flax by hand at s

oolman & McGo

retting at Co

it means rotting the outside woody portion of the stem so as to get the flax fiber. This woody portion is of no value. The flax is sometimes retted by dew; just left on the ground at night. You know how wet the grass can be early in the morning. So the dew, rain, air, and sunshine decompose the outside woody bark. This is a very slow process. More often flax is retted in water. The bundles are placed in crates or boxes, and left for about two weeks under water. If you grow some flax, you can ret it also an

Speyer Schoo

ax breaking

sant Valley breaking flax by hand. Sometimes the woody part is broken away by passing the flax between rollers of a machine which is run by power. These power mills are called scutching mills; scutching means cleaning and breaki

Flax fiber

oody. It also looks something like the silk fibers, straight. It has tiny markings or spots called n

y useful it is, both for fiber and for seed. It has been grown for at least 5000 years in Egypt and in Assyria. Do you remember reading about the ancient mummies which have been found wrapped in linen in the tombs of Egypt? In the Bible, chapter xlii of the book of Genesis, we are told that Pharaoh arrayed Joseph in vestures of fin

t are found wrapped in linen

f flax. You may bring anything which you think will help to illustrate that story. We s

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h a microscope or a magnify

es which prove the

business in Ireland. Perhaps he will come to the school a

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MATERIALS A

y at least eight of the

hen see what we have to mount on our school chart. If you prefer

know the heavy coarse linen is called Russian crash. We used it for our porch cushions or covers. It comes from 18 to 36 inches in width and costs fr

, and wove, because long ago cotton was not grown. Some of the Pleasant Valley girls saw these sheets which Gran

thin piece is called batiste. It, too, is used for waists and dress linens, and it is fine and sheer. It can be used for handkerchiefs too. I

f the same weave. Yes, it is called bird's-eye pattern. It is us

aback, and some huckaback made of half linen and half cotton. It is woven in a pattern which absorbs easily. The fi

is all linen and sometimes a mixture. There is also cotton damask for table napkins and cloths. It is much cheaper. The cloths are wov

ometimes have their aprons made of it. It is used, too, for dress skirts, and is very satisf

ailors for the interlining of cuffs and collars of coats

has nothing else. Put two holes near the top in the middle of the 20 inches side and run a cord throug

self, and a piece of an old hand-woven towel which she made when a girl. And here is some hand-spun flax! Notice how rough it looks. We have, also, some cord and twine and some linen thread. Do you know that Paterson, New Jersey, where Marjorie's Cousi

some of the school-grown flax to it. All the other things can be arranged and

ren of the lower classes would like to hear the story

nen or towels which are stained; and w

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flax plant, and color the

chart telling t

ory of how linen

inen materials yo

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ON STAINS FRO

e linen are coffee, tea, fruit, rust, or gr

ready for wash day. She bakes and prepares certain foods for her family for two days; and so the work is easier on Tuesday and Wednesday, when she washes and irons. Fruit, coffee, or tea stains on linen should be removed as s

hink we have six or seven different kinds on the articles which have been brou

moved. (Washing soda solution is made of one pound of washing soda to one gallon of water. This can be kept in glass jars and used when occasion demands.) Tea stains are easily remov

necessary; or lukewarm water and a little borax. If the fruit stains are on colored garments, they are difficult to remove on account of removing the color also. If the article is of much value, consult a professional dyer if po

n or cream of tartar solution, and wash thoroughly. On colored or wool goods of good quality, one must decide whether one prefers the st

s or material which cannot be washed, alcohol may be used. When color will stand it, dyed fabrics which are gr

icult, because the composition of inks varies. Wash at once in cold water; this often removes some spots. Sour milk or several rinsings in sweet milk may cause the spot to disappear. Then wash in warm water and soap to remove the grease. If this does not remove it, try a paste made

r successes or failures, and we shall try to learn the reasons for them. Next lesson we shall l

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been able to remove? Tell o

er has any better recipes tha

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AND IRON TABLE

have learned that sometimes we can wear our underclothes without ironing and that towels can be washed and dried and will smell sweet and

ton and linen may be boiled, starched, and ironed with hot irons because the fibers are strong. They may also be treated with acids of a dilute nature when necessary to remove spots, as we

ors on a warm day. This is the old way

rt when soap is added before the soaking. It is then unnecessary to rub them as much, and so materials are saved from wear. These are the processe

or lukewarm water. Soap is really not necessary as the linen i

sides, rubbing on clothes board o

o be placed in the boiler. The dir

while boiling; save small pieces for this purpose. Stir clothes and press with a stick. Remove from boiler, after boili

blue before each article is dipped, so it may not appear streaked on the clothes. If articles are very yellow

is not as a rule necessary to starch

etching. Do not pin at corners. Hang ? o

nly. Sometimes it can be taken from the line whe

. This makes the pattern stand out and gives a shine

e fold do not fold quite to end, as in the final fold the napkin, handkerchief, tablecloth, or sheets will appear uneven at t

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and iron the na

ome towels or pillowcases

es if one is very busy. Can you give a good

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MANUFACTURE OF LI

loths and napkins, and learn how the flax fiber is made i

.-The fl

71 (Fig. 44). This is the secret of how flax spinning is done to-day. The flax is opened at the mill and graded according to color and quality. It is then combed. This process is called hackling (Fig. 112). It is sometimes done by hand, and the worker draws the flax over the iron teeth of a comb. The straightened fibers are left and are called line; and the combed-out fibers are called tow. This first combing process is sometimes called roughing instead of hackling. The line is then combed again in a big machine which removes any loose tow. Tow is often put in a carding machine and made into yarn for coarser purposes; but the long straight line is used for the better materials. The line, after it is hackled, is placed on a spread board; and the process is called spreading. You can see in the picture (Fig. 113) that the bundles of flax yarn are spread and overlapped as they enter the machine. Now you know how the yarn begins to be made of continuous length. The flax comes from this machine in a rope and is something like the cot

York St. Mil

x hackling do

York St. Mil

g flax to make it

the weaving was done? Uncle John says that in Scotland to-day much of the very fine linen is woven by hand; but we know that linen weaving by machinery has been perfected there and that very beautiful materials are produced on the modern looms with the

alled crofting or grass bleaching. Do you remember how we said grandmother used to bleach her linen? Did she use a chemical? What did the sour milk which she used do to her linen? What did the oxygen do? Chemicals are sometimes used to-day

nd out. Then it is pressed between rollers to give it a smooth surface. Cotton is sometimes finished by means of these processes to look like linen and be sold for linen. When this cotton material is washed, the finishing wears off and it does not look like linen. Is such material cheaper or more ex

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hundred words telling ho

brought from home, showing di

ar for you to visit. Tow is sometimes use

son

BOUT BUY

some important things to remember when buying table

he catalogue from the shop described fully, and Mrs. Allen knew exactly what to ask for; so they managed without going to town. This can be done if one knows how and if the store is a reliable one. These are

the points to be

to only reliable firms. The reliable places are the cheapest in the end. One learns, too, that some things are better at one shop

e new household linen once each year than

e. Linen is expensive.

Ravel and untwist the ends of the warp and filling thread. Cotton will be fuzzy, linen should be long and lustrous. Round threads of linen are best. The linen threads appear poin

was to moisten with the finger. If you have a sample of linen at home for testing, use

s colder than cotton; also it feel

er the washing you will have a loosely woven material without starch. It is be

yards are a good size for a family of six. A cloth wears about as long as 1? or 2 dozen napkins. The price of one dozen na

German damask is good; but German patterns are perhaps the least attractive. Unbleached linen w

used a great deal. Linen towels vary in price from $3.00 a dozen up, acco

ly sure test for distinguish

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nows any other methods

tablecloths and napkins. How much

W PRO

f looking over your clothi

othing for protection during summer

of buying linens help you i