A manual of home-making

Silk has a very- great ability to absorb dyes and metallic salts without apparently changing the quality of the material, and since dyes and metallic salts are mnch cheaper than pure silk, the manufacturer maki»s great use of the^^e materials. Loading is the conunon name for this process of treating silki and it is common practice to add 30 {H*r cent of foreign material, just the percentage lost by the silk when the gum is removed, while it Is ix)ssible to add 250 or even 3()0 per cent. When one buys novelties and does not care how short their life is to be, these heavily weighted silks answer the purpose very •Univ. of Hi, Bull 15. t Cornell RoiMiinK-Coureo for the Farm Home, Bull, 45, } Univ. iif 111., BiiH. 15, TEXTILES 323 well, but they are not durabfe. Practically no »ilk can be found on the itiarket entirely free from loading, but there m a great difference in the amount present. Another method of adulterating silk is with cotton and mer- cerized cotton. The fibers are not spun tof^ether here iis the cotton and wool, hut the threads of the two materials are woven together. In satins, velvets, and brocades the cotton is entirely covered by the silk threatjs on the surface, and appears as the back of the cloth. In cheap silks a fine cotton thread sometimes forms either wiirp or filling. Pong£H? is a material made from the cocoon of the unculti- vated silkwonn; rajah, lussah, and other uneven, coarse mate- rials are from the same source. These silks are very strong, but do not have a high hister* Mercerized cotton looks quite silky and is sometimes mixed with these silks, or a material of mer- cerized cotton and spun silk may be sold for pongee, or even a niaterial entirely of mercerized cotton. Ckaracieristics and uses of some common silk fabrics. Bcngaline. —Yvxy mnihr to cotton rej>. Woven entirely of siik hut often padded with wool or cotton. It h iisod ffir waiJ^ts und drci!«ea. Brticwh. — A fiibric woven with niiiied figures on a pUtin ground. Oftc^n a combined ion of pltmh antl Rjitin wr'twT. It is ijse<l for coats and dre.**se8, BroaiicL — A kiml of brocade often having wool fi|^irca on a silk back- ground. It Ih used for draperies and upholstering. Chcnilk. — Cloth woven with a sijft fuzzy face. It is used for curtains. Chiffon.— 'A thin, transparent silk mat^?ria! with plain weave. It i» used for dress trinimingSt fancy work, and millinery. China silk. — A plain woven, linht-weiKht silk. The warp and ^Uing are evenly balanced. This silk may be obtain od in any color. It is used for gowns, waints, and imderclothinj^. Cripe de chine. — A soft lustrous ailk woven with tightly twisted threads. The threafLs are so tmsted and wovm as to make a cr^pe. It may be ob- tttinetl in printed designs or plain. It i« used for dresses, waists, and nmler- gtirtnt'TiiH. Fouturd. — A plain silk cloth, very bo(1 and highly finisher J. This .silk wears excellently. It is usihI for dresses. India mlk. — ^Very similar to China silk. Originally woven in f odiu. Japancae /n^/c. ^Similar to China and India silk. Jersey doth.—Thm material is a soft knitted fabric in plain colors. It is used for dresses, suits, and gloves. I I I I 324 A MANUAL OF UOME-MAKINQ Meteor. — Crdpe de meteor b similar to cr6pc de cliino in texture. lu face is more satiny. It ia ui^ for wai^tM and drcnst^s.