bright worsted braids. A lovely one is made as follows : Baste two
inches from edges brown worsted braid and cat-stitch with gold-
colored silk ; one and a half inches above that, scarlet braid cat-
stitched with black silk ; and one and a half inches above that, brown
again ; finish with fringe to match.
Often would we recover some of our old, faded chairs, but dare
not attempt it, lest we make, in our inexperience, a sorry job. A
few hints on the subject will enable the most timid to become with
success their own upholsterers. The nails must first be drawn from
the old cover, and this is best accomplished by first loosening them,
placing a screwdriver or chisel against their sides and hammering
them. When the old cover has been removed, lay it over the new
material, and cut the latter carefully out, making all the slits and
markings with pins where the arms are to come, so that in placing it
on the chair it will not be drawn either to the one side or the other.
There are three pieces — one for the bottom, one for the back, and the
third for the outside and back part of the chair. For buttons,
button-moulds covered with the material used for the chair would do,
but the prunella or velvet buttons, which all the upholsterers have,
are better. After carefully placing the piece cut out for the seat of
the chair over it and fitting it exactly, begin to button it down. Take
a long mattress needle, thread it with string, and push it from the
under side of the chair up in the place which marks the position of
the old button through the new cover. Then force the button on the
needle and twine, and pass the needle down again through the cover
one-eighth of an inch from where it came up ; pull the twine very
tight, and tie in a tight knot. A knot used by the trade, which is
better, is made by holding one end of the string in the left hand,
passing the twine under and through the loop from the under side.
This knot will run up close, and can be tied fast without slipping.
The corner must be folded by the buttons, and made to lie smoothly.
After the buttons are all fastened, nail on the cover of the back, pin-
ning it to keep it in place, and button it down in the same way. Pin
the outside of the back on, which requires no tufting, and nail it
HOUSEHOLD ORNAMENTATION. 24I
smoothly with the tacks quite close together, turning a little of the
material tinder to make it stronger. The braid is put on last of all,
and can be either tacked on with gimp tacks or sewn. If it is sewn,
the needle used is shaped like a crescent. And now our chair is
finished, and will quite pay for the trouble.
Nothing is better to clean silver with than alcohol and ammonia.
After rubbing with this, take a little whiting on a soft cloth and
polish. Even frosted silver may be easily made clear and bright in
this way.
A pretty pincushion is made of three pieces of woollen three
inches square ; sew together and fill with bran or flannel clippings,
and crochet an edge around the seams ; crochet a cord and tassels to
hang up by.
Page 154
Presented as published in 1883. 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
bright worsted braids. A lovely one is made as follows : Baste two inches from edges brown worsted braid and cat-stitch with goldcolored silk ; one and a half inches above that, scarlet braid catstitched with black silk ; and one and a half inches above that, brown again ; finish with fringe to match.
Often would we recover some of our old, faded chairs, but dare not attempt it, lest we make, in our inexperience, a sorry job. A few hints on the subject will enable the most timid to become with success their own upholsterers. The nails must first be drawn from the old cover, and this is best accomplished by first loosening them, placing a screwdriver or chisel against their sides and hammering them. When the old cover has been removed, lay it over the new material, and cut the latter carefully out, making all the slits and markings with pins where the arms are to come, so that in placing it on the chair it will not be drawn either to the one side or the other. There are three pieces — one for the bottom, one for the back, and the third for the outside and back part of the chair. For buttons, button-moulds covered with the material used for the chair would do, but the prunella or velvet buttons, which all the upholsterers have, are better. After carefully placing the piece cut out for the seat of the chair over it and fitting it exactly, begin to button it down. Take a long mattress needle, thread it with string, and push it from the under side of the chair up in the place which marks the position of the old button through the new cover. Then force the button on the needle and twine, and pass the needle down again through the cover one-eighth of an inch from where it came up ; pull the twine very tight, and tie in a tight knot. A knot used by the trade, which is better, is made by holding one end of the string in the left hand, passing the twine under and through the loop from the under side. This knot will run up close, and can be tied fast without slipping. The corner must be folded by the buttons, and made to lie smoothly. After the buttons are all fastened, nail on the cover of the back, pinning it to keep it in place, and button it down in the same way. Pin the outside of the back on, which requires no tufting, and nail it
smoothly with the tacks quite close together, turning a little of the material tinder to make it stronger. The braid is put on last of all, and can be either tacked on with gimp tacks or sewn. If it is sewn, the needle used is shaped like a crescent. And now our chair is finished, and will quite pay for the trouble.
Nothing is better to clean silver with than alcohol and ammonia. After rubbing with this, take a little whiting on a soft cloth and polish. Even frosted silver may be easily made clear and bright in this way.
A pretty pincushion is made of three pieces of woollen three inches square ; sew together and fill with bran or flannel clippings, and crochet an edge around the seams ; crochet a cord and tassels to hang up by.