Home Chats With Farmers' Wives

From The Michigan Farmer. Almost every woman has one or more old dresses which she dosn't know what on earth to do with. Especially is this true in families where there are no little girls to make the garments over for. Little girls you know, come in very handy to use up old clothes, and so do little boys, too, for that matter. Some children are always dressed tin the made-overs of their parents and úneles and aunts, until the poor things wish there never was such a thing as a dress of which the original owner had grown tired, or a pair of pants which are as "just as good new, and willmake Johnny such a nice pair to wear to school." I once heard a little boy say he would be glad when he grew up, so he could have a new pair of pants which came right out of the store. As it was he always had to wear his papa's old ones. But I saw such a pretty tea jacket the other day that had been evolved from an old dress skirt, that I want every woman to utlize at least one out-of-date gown in this way. The goods was, in this instance, a golden brown cashmere, double-faced, so that the faded outside was tnrned in making over. The old waist lining being not much soiled was again used. Seams were let out so as to make it thoroughly comfortable. The skirt had been ripped, and the breadths well brushed but not washed. A yoke a little more than a finger deep was laid across the back, and below this was a f uil breadth of the goods laid in four plaits on each side the center. These were laid so that while appareutly narrower toward the waist line they really were wider, so as to follow the shape of the waist smoothly with the goods. This was done by overlapping, only a narrow plait showing. Each one was stitched close to the edge for four inches above the waist line with silk ui the same shape: below left free for fullness The front was made with a yoke also, and half a breadth plaited upou each side. These were not stitched, but left to hang loosely over the fitted lining. This gave a tight-fitting garment with loóse fronts. The collar was rolling in shape and had an inch-wide strip of brown velvet around its outer edge, while just inside this strip was a cord of the same shape which had formed, like the velvet, the original trimming of the dress. Down the front of the jacket were sinall rosettes of the velvet, under which were hooks to correspond with eyes with which to fasten it. The same cord which fiuislied the garniture for the collar was around the seams at edge of yoke, back and frout, also above the top edge of the two-inch velvet cuffs of the full Bishop sleeves. A frill of creani lace (oíd) finished both cutfs and collar. No belt is woru, nor are the seams boned. Itisa thoroughly comfortable garment, and as pi etty as it is comfoitable. The best of it is, it costs not one cent, except the thread to make it with.