MENDING Garments that are neatly mended will last much longer than those care lessly repaired. It is impossible, there fore, to expend too much pains on this homely and prosaic occupation. There are many American women who think that it is not economy to spend much time in mending. In Paris some years ago the demand for mending became so great that it became a trade, and finally developed into an art. The French woman has great love for her clothes, and her first wish is to make them as beautiful and perfect as pos sible. She regards it as a profanation to let her garments become defaced with spot or tear. If she finds it be yond her skill to repair a torn or worn garment, she immediately hur ries it off to the woman whose special business is to make a garment " as good as new." These experts can mend a rent or set in a piece so skill fully that the " little dress tragedies " are soon forgotten. To the French woman, therefore, it is not only econ omy to have a garment mended, but the art of caring for things with ex quisite nicety bespeaks for her an ele gance which she may not otherwise seem to possess.
When mending day comes around the busy woman may find it hard to recall the things that need attention. Her memory may be assisted by re cording in a small blank book the arti cles that have been put out of service through rents or tears or lack of but tons and the like. Then when mend ing day comes round the memoran dum may be consulted.
In making up garments some of the material of each should be reserved and put in one of the numerous bags that have their place in the sewing room or attic closet. On ironing day all articles that need mending should be sent to the sewing room to await their turn on mending day. Anything that does not find its way to the reg ular weekly wash should be periodi cally examined, all rents sewed up, stains removed, and any other neces sary renovation attended to during the regular weekly routine.
The table linen should be carefully examined before laying away. If tow els are wearing thin in the middle they may be cut in halves, the two outer edges sewed together, and rehemmed.
The woman who systematically mends every article of the household will prove true the well-known aphorism that " a stitch in time saves nine." Mending Pieces. — A large patent envelope with a sample bit pinned to the outside is a good receptacle for mending pieces, the advantages being that moths cannot get at woolen ones, and that dust is kept out.
Way to Provide Mending Pieces.— It often happens in making wash gar ments that only the tiniest bits are left over. Some women provide ing pieces by making an apron of the same material as the dress. Then when the sleeves or other worn places must be renewed, the slightly faded and partly worn apron may be util ized, and the patch will not be con spicuous.
Or, when a wash dress goes to the laundry, bits of the goods may be basted on the wrong side of the skirt so that they will fade evenly and come out the same color as the; garment.
Mending Tissne.—If court plaster or mending tissue is used instead of thread, a rent in cloth may be mended so that it will be hard to detect. Lay the cloth upon a smooth, flat surface, stick a pin perpendicularly into it so as to hold the edges firmly together, but not too close to the tear; about three fourths of an inch away is a good distance. Apply court plaster which has been well moistened, and allow it to stand long enough to be come sticky rather than wet. Care fully rub the dress goods against the court plaster until every particle of the surface adheres. Then press the spot with a moderately hot iron through a piece of muslin or tissue paper. If any frayed threads remain, carefully clip them off with sharp scissors.
Darning on Woolen Goods.—Silk or cotton thread should never be used to darn woolen goods. To make an in visible darn use ravelings from the goods to be darned. After carefully darning the edges, turn the face up, dampen the spot, place a piece of white tissue paper over it, and hold it against the face of a moderately hot iron. When almost dry carefully place the garment on an ironing board or table and give one or two good thumps with the iron.