6. Are you bu3ring material made of reeled or spun silk? Bar-
gains are seldom found at silk sales. Should you expect to find
pure silk at 50 or 60 cents a yard or as many yards of silk thread
B as A on a spool? Remember that the demand for a cheap
product means the production of cheap products. Wear something
else rather than cheap silks.
7. Is the silk adulterated with mercerized cotton or artificial
silk? Try the tests. (See " Shelter and Clothing," page 196.)
Some things to remember in purchasing wool,
1. Wool mixed with cotton makes a cheaper fabric and should
not be sold for all wool. It wears well, but is not as warm as all
wool. Garments made of it do not keep their shape as well. Wool-
ens are often adulterated in felting. Pull the closely woven fabric
apart and untwist the fibers to see if cotton is present.
2. The burning test will help in deciding on the composition.
(See " Shelter and Clothing," page 198.)
3. A good woolen or worsted fabric can always be remade.
The inexpensive is not cheap unless you wish something which costs
little but does not look well or wear well. One should not expect
to get blankets of all wool for two dollars a pair. They cost five or
six.
4. Shoddy is one kind of recovered wool and is used to cheapen
350 FOODS. AND HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT
cost of all-wool material. It can be detected because of shortness
of the staple of wool, but when mixed is difficult to see.
5. The weave of material affects the wearing quality. A dose
twill weave is more durable than a basket weave.
Some things to remember ahovi color,
1. Blue. Dark blue in woolen material or gingham usually
fades little. Light blue is not as diurable in color.
2. Red, Woolen material of this color wears well and usually
fades little. Red cotton when washed looks less brilliant. It
soon fades by washing.
3. Black and gray. Woolen materials of gray, white, and black
or in combination are generally satisfactory. Cotton materials of
gray or black are apt to show starch in washing.
4. Lavender, This is a i)oor color to buy. It fades easily in
cotton goods.
5. Pink. Fades with washing. If a deep shade be bought it
may be satisfactory.
6. Green. Usually very unsatisfactory. In good high priced
ginghams it may not fade, but in cheap ones it is apt to turn yellow.
7. Brown. Good usually in ginghams, but likely to fade in
woolen materials.
8. See chapters on costume design and dressmaking in " Shelter
and Clothing," for suggestions in relation to colors one should wear.
The above brief suggestions must be considered in the light of
the knowledge gained from the study of the chapters on textiles
in the companion volume, " Shelter and Clothing."
In purchasing any materials for clothing or household
furnishings, remember that demand causes production and
those who are intelKgent will make the right demands in the
right places. Insist on the honest labeling of goods and
demand that for which you pay. Why should cotton manu-
facturers label handkerchiefs which are cotton " pure linen,"
and sell them at ten cents? We too should know linen can-
not be bought at that price. The United States government
employs experts to examine the standards of textiles used in
making army, navy, and other uniforms, and will accept only
HOW TO BUY 351
Page 223
Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
6. Are you buying material made of reeled or spun silk? Bargains are seldom found at silk sales. Should you expect to find pure silk at 50 or 60 cents a yard or as many yards of silk threads as A on a spool? Remember that the demand for a cheap product means the production of cheap products. Wear something else rather than cheap silks.
7. Is the silk adulterated with mercerized cotton or artificial silk? Try the tests. (See " Shelter and Clothing," page 196.)
Some things to remember in purchasing wool,
1. Wool mixed with cotton makes a cheaper fabric and should not be sold for all wool. It wears well, but is not as warm as all wool. Garments made of it do not keep their shape as well. Woolens are often adulterated in felting. Pull the closely woven fabric apart and untwist the fibers to see if cotton is present.
2. The burning test will help in deciding on the composition. (See " Shelter and Clothing," page 198.)
3. A good woolen or worsted fabric can always be remade. The inexpensive is not cheap unless you wish something which costs little but does not look well or wear well. One should not expect to get blankets of all wool for two dollars a pair. They cost five or six.
4. Shoddy is one kind of recovered wool and is used to cheapen
cost of all-wool material. It can be detected because of shortness of the staple of wool, but when mixed is difficult to see.
5. The weave of material affects the wearing quality. A dose twill weave is more durable than a basket weave.
Some things to remember about color,
1. Blue. Dark blue in woolen material or gingham usually fades little. Light blue is not as durable in color.
2. Red, Woolen material of this color wears well and usually fades little. Red cotton when washed looks less brilliant. It soon fades by washing.
3. Black and gray. Woolen materials of gray, white, and black or in combination are generally satisfactory. Cotton materials of gray or black are apt to show starch in washing.
4. Lavender, This is a poor color to buy. It fades easily in cotton goods.
5. Pink. Fades with washing. If a deep shade be bought it may be satisfactory.
6. Green. Usually very unsatisfactory. In good high priced ginghams it may not fade, but in cheap ones it is apt to turn yellow.
7. Brown. Good usually in ginghams, but likely to fade in woolen materials.
8. See chapters on costume design and dressmaking in " Shelter and Clothing," for suggestions in relation to colors one should wear.
The above brief suggestions must be considered in the light of the knowledge gained from the study of the chapters on textiles in the companion volume, " Shelter and Clothing."
In purchasing any materials for clothing or household furnishings, remember that demand causes production and those who are intelligent will make the right demands in the right places. Insist on the honest labeling of goods and demand that for which you pay. Why should cotton manufacturers label handkerchiefs which are cotton " pure linen," and sell them at ten cents? We too should know linen cannot be bought at that price. The United States government employs experts to examine the standards of textiles used in making army, navy, and other uniforms, and will accept only