As collars and cuffs are usually made vei'y stiff, it is necessaiy to use cold water starch as a stiffening agent. The foregoing is a reliable recipe, and if the proportions are carefully measured, espec- ially those of starch and water, there will not be the slightest difficulty in making the linen look very nice indeed. Another Cold Water Starch. 6 tablespoonfuls Cold Water Starch. Mix smooth in a little water ; smooth it out with hand (better than spoon). Add water gradually till quite thin and milky. Put in small bowl 1 teaspoonful turpentine, about 1^ inch lump borax, a lump of ammonia about the size of two beans, and a little starch glaze. Pour teacupful thorouglily boiling water over tliis, and thor- oughly melt while hot. Add to cold water starch. Ammonia keeps iron from sticking. Starch keeps any length of time if well covered ■^up. Cover bowl over with double pjper, and put plate on top. Starch made with boiling water will keep a fortnight without cover on top, if a dessertspoonful of salt is added to starch before mixing. Method of Starching. Dip the collars and cuffs, two or three at a time, into the starch, and rub them well between the hands, so that the grains of starch may enter into the inner folds of linen ; wring out, and straighteii them on a clean cloth, and roll up tightly and put on one side for a short time, until the ironing table is prepared. For this is required a piece of clean woollen material to cover the table (an old blanket is very useful for this purpose), a length of clean calico, or an old sheet to cover the blanket an iron stand and ironholder, which should be oblong in shape, with the corners rounded off ; and covered with calico ; a duster to rub the irons on ; a small basin with clean water ; and a piece of clean rag. Method of Ironing. Place the collars one at a time on the table and rub the right side and the wrong with a damp rag to take off any surface starch. Stretch the stitching at- the edges of the collar, and regulate the ful- ness by passing the hand over the linen, then iron lightly on both sides (wrong side first), then heavily on right side until smooth. Iron till dry, lifting the iron now and again to let steam escape. 'When di'T) it should balance across the finger. On no account pull the collar in front of the iron, as that will draw it out of shape. If the collar is a turn-over one, it ought to be bent into shape while warm, as the linen is less likely to crack than when cold. To iron an Eton collar, iron band first, till quite dry, then collar. 522 TRIED FAVOURITES COOKERY BOOK. Method of Polishing:. If a high gloss is desired, it is necessary to have a hard surface under the linen. The collars can be placed oh a clean board for the purpose, or on a corner of the ironing table with the blanket removed. Dip the damping rag into clean water, squeeze out tightly, and rub the right side of the linen firmly until ah even dampness is obtained. Then with the heel of a clean hot glossing iron rub lightly at first over the surface of the linen, then heavily until the gloss becomes even. The toe of the iron is sometimes used to -give a finishing touch to parts that the heel has missed around the edge of the collar. Before Airing:.

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As collars and cuffs are usually made very stiff, it is necessary to use cold water starch as a stiffening agent. The foregoing is a reliable recipe, and if the proportions are carefully measured, especially those of starch and water, there will not be the slightest difficulty in making the linen look very nice indeed. Another Cold Water Starch. 6 tablespoonfuls Cold Water Starch. Mix smooth in a little water ; smooth it out with hand (better than spoon). Add water gradually till quite thin and milky. Put in small bowl 1 teaspoonful turpentine, about 1^ inch lump borax, a lump of ammonia about the size of two beans, and a little starch glaze. Pour teacupful thoroughly boiling water over tliis, and thoroughly melt while hot. Add to cold water starch. Ammonia keeps iron from sticking. Starch keeps any length of time if well covered ■^up. Cover bowl over with double paper, and put plate on top. Starch made with boiling water will keep a fortnight without cover on top, if a dessertspoonful of salt is added to starch before mixing. Method of Starching. Dip the collars and cuffs, two or three at a time, into the starch, and rub them well between the hands, so that the grains of starch may enter into the inner folds of linen ; wring out, and straighten them on a clean cloth, and roll up tightly and put on one side for a short time, until the ironing table is prepared. For this is required a piece of clean woollen material to cover the table (an old blanket is very useful for this purpose), a length of clean calico, or an old sheet to cover the blanket an iron stand and ironholder, which should be oblong in shape, with the corners rounded off ; and covered with calico ; a duster to rub the irons on ; a small basin with clean water ; and a piece of clean rag. Method of Ironing. Place the collars one at a time on the table and rub the right side and the wrong with a damp rag to take off any surface starch. Stretch the stitching at the edges of the collar, and regulate the fulness by passing the hand over the linen, then iron lightly on both sides (wrong side first), then heavily on right side until smooth. Iron till dry, lifting the iron now and again to let steam escape. 'When dry it should balance across the finger. On no account pull the collar in front of the iron, as that will draw it out of shape. If the collar is a turn-over one, it ought to be bent into shape while warm, as the linen is less likely to crack than when cold. To iron an Eton collar, iron band first, till quite dry, then collar. Method of Polishing. If a high gloss is desired, it is necessary to have a hard surface under the linen. The collars can be placed oh a clean board for the purpose, or on a corner of the ironing table with the blanket removed. Dip the damping rag into clean water, squeeze out tightly, and rub the right side of the linen firmly until an even dampness is obtained. Then with the heel of a clean hot glossing iron rub lightly at first over the surface of the linen, then heavily until the gloss becomes even. The toe of the iron is sometimes used to -give a finishing touch to parts that the heel has missed around the edge of the collar. Before Airing:.

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