Things Mother Used to Make Part 20

=Teach a Child to Hang up his Own Coat and Hat=

Have some hooks, low down in the closet or kitchen where a child can reach them easily, to be used only by himself.

=To Keep your Own Umbrella=

Take a piece of narrow white tape, three or four inches long. With a gla.s.s pen, or a new clean steel one, and indelible ink, write your name upon it. Sew this to the inside of the umbrella.

=To Wash a White Silk Waist, or a Baby's Bonnet=

Use cold water and white soap. Hot water will turn white silk yellow.

=When Ironing Embroidery=

Place it right side down on a piece of soft flannel, ironing on the wrong side. If flannel is not at hand, try an old turkish towel.

=To Wash Small Pieces of Lace=

Put in a horse radish bottle and pour over them, strong soap suds, good and hot, and shake well. Let stand awhile and shake again. Rinse in clear, warm water, by shaking. Dry on a clean cloth in the suns.h.i.+ne.

=Never Throw away Sour Milk=

It is excellent for graham bread, gingerbread, brown bread, griddle cakes, and doughnuts, also biscuit.

You can make a delicious cottage cheese of a very small quant.i.ty.

Set the milk on the back of the stove, in an agate dish. Let stand until the whey separates from the curd. Strain through a cloth, squeezing the curd dry. Put in a little salt, a small piece of b.u.t.ter, and a little sage if desired. Press into b.a.l.l.s and serve.

=Mark New Rubbers=

Take a pointed stick--a wooden skewer from the butcher's is best--dip it into ink and write the name, on the inside.

=Economical Hints=

Save small pieces of soap in the bathroom, by placing in a cup or small box, until you have a cupful. Add a little water and boil a few minutes; when nearly cool, press with the hands, and you have a new cake of soap.

Do not throw away the white papers around cracker boxes. They are good to clean irons and will save buying ironing wax. If irons are dirty put a good layer of salt on newspaper and rub the irons back and forth.

Save even the coupons on your soap wrappers. You can get a silver thimble for your mending bag with them, if nothing more.

Save your strong string, to wrap around packages going by parcel post.

Also fold nicely for further use your clean wrapping papers. Make a bag of pretty cretonne, hang in the kitchen or cellar way, to keep the string and wrapping paper in. You will find it very convenient.

Do not throw away small pieces of bread. Save them for plum pudding, queen's pudding, or dressing for fish or fowl. If broken into small pieces and browned in a hot oven, it is very nice to eat with soups.

Or, dry well, roll fine and keep in a gla.s.s jar, to be used for breaded pork chops, croquettes, or oysters.

=To Mend Broken China=

Stir into a strong solution of gum arabic, plaster of Paris. Put this on each side of the china, holding together for a few minutes. Make it as thick as cream.

=To Clean Old Jewelry=

Wash in warm water containing a little ammonia. If very dirty rub with a brush. This is very good also for cleaning hair brushes and combs.

=Dish Was.h.i.+ng Made a Pleasure=

First of all, remove all refuse from the dishes. Place them near the sink, large plates at the bottom, then the smaller ones, then saucers.

Have a large pan full of very hot water. Make a good soap suds by using a soap shaker. Wash the tumblers and all gla.s.sware first, and wipe at once. Use a handle dish cloth (which can be bought for five cents), for these, as the water will be too hot for the hands.

Wash the silver next. Have a large pan, in which to place the clean dishes, cups and bowls first. When all are washed pour over them boiling or very hot water, and wipe quickly. Pans and kettles come last. Always have a cake of sand soap or a can of cleaning powder, for scouring the pie plates and bottoms of kettles. It is very little work to keep baking tins and kitchen utensils in good condition, if washed perfectly clean each time they are used.

Wash the dish towels, at least once every day, and never use them for anything else. With clean hot water, clean towels, and plenty of soap dishwas.h.i.+ng is made easy.

If you live in New England, your sink will be in front of a window. Be sure and plant just outside of this window nasturtiums, a bed of pansies, morning glories and for fall flowers, salvia. These bright blossoms will add to your pleasure while was.h.i.+ng dishes.

=A s.p.a.ce Saver=

If you are crowded for s.p.a.ce in closet, kitchen or pantry buy a spiral spring, such as is used for sash curtains. Fasten the end pieces to the back of the door, and stretch the spring from end to end. You now have a fine place to hang towels, stockings or neckties, or if used in a pantry, to keep covers.

=Another s.p.a.ce Saver=

If you have no closet in your room, get a board, nine inches wide, and three or four feet long. Put it in the most convenient place in your room on two brackets. Stain it the color of your woodwork. Screw into the under side of the board, wardrobe hooks. Now get a pretty piece of cretonne or denim, hem top and bottom, and tack with bra.s.s headed tacks to the shelf, having it long enough to come to the floor, and around the ends of the board. Use the top for a book shelf or hats.