Table Cloths.—These may be purchased either singly or cut from the piece. In the latter case, the ends should be hemmed as neatly as possible.
Dinner Napkins.—These are of various materials; if cut from the piece, they must be hemmed at the ends the same as table cloths. Large and small tray napkins, and knife-box cloths, are made in the same manner. The hemming of all these should be extremely neat. It is a pretty and light employment for very young ladies; and in this way habits of neatness and usefulness may be formed, which will be found very beneficial in after life.
Pantry Linen.—In this department you will have to prepare pantry cloths, dresser cloths, plate basket cloths, china, glass, and lamp cloths, and aprons. Pantry knife-cloths should be of a strong and durable material. The dresser cloths, or covers, look neat and are useful. They are generally made of huckaback of moderate fineness; but some ladies prefer making them of a coarser kind of damask. The plate basket cloth is a kind of bag, which is put into the plate basket to prevent the side from becoming greased or discolored. They are made of linen, which is well fitted to the sides, and a piece the size and shape of the bottom of the basket, is neatly seamed in. The sides are made to hang over the basket, and are drawn round the rim by a tape, run into a slit for that purpose. China cloths, and also glass cloths, are to be made of fine soft linen, or diaper; and the cloths used in cleaning lamps, &c., must be of flannel, linen, or silk. All these articles are to be made in the same manner, that is, hemmed neatly at the ends; or if there be no selvages, or but indifferent ones, all round. Nothing looks more slovenly than ragged or unhemmed cloths, which are for domestic use. Little girls of the humbler classes might be employed by the more affluent, in making up those articles and a suitable remuneration be given them. They would thus become more sensible of the value of time, and would contract habits of industry, which would be of essential service to them in the more advanced stages of their progress through life. A fair price paid for work done, either by a child or an adult, is far preferable to what is called charity. It at once promotes industry, and encourages a spirit of honest independence, which is far removed from unbecoming pride, as it is from mean and sneaking servility. Benevolence is the peculiar glory of woman; and we hope that all our fair readers will ever bear in mind, that real benevolence will seek to enable the objects of its regard to secure their due share of the comforts of life, by the honest employment of those gifts and talents, with which Providence may have endowed them.
Housemaid and Kitchen Linen.—The next subject to which the attention of the votress of plain needlework ought to be directed, is the preparation of housemaid and kitchen linen. On these subjects, a very few general observations will be all that is necessary. In the housemaid’s department, paint cloths, old and soft, and chamber-bottle cloths, fine and soft, are to be provided. To these must be added, dusters, flannels for scouring, and chamber bucket cloths, which last should be of a kind and color different from any thing else. All these must be neatly hemmed and run, or seamed, if necessary. Nothing in a well directed family should bear the impress of neglect, or be suffered to assume an untidy appearance. Clothes bags of different sizes, should also be provided, of two yards in length, and either one breadth doubled, in which case only one seam will be required; or of two breadths, which makes the bag more suitable for large articles of clothing. These bags are to seamed up neatly at the bottom, and to have strings which will draw, run in at the top. The best material is canvas, or good, strong unbleached linen. In the kitchen department, you will require both table and dresser cloths; which should be made as neat as possible. Long towels, of good linen, and of a sufficient length, should be made, to hang on rollers; they are generally a full breadth, so that hemming the sides is unnecessary. They should be two yards long, when doubled, and the ends should be secured strongly and neatly together. If the selvage is bad, the best way is to hem it at once. Kitchen dusters, tea cloths, and knife cloths, may be made of any suitable material; but in all cases let the edges be turned down, and neatly sewed or overcast.
Pudding Cloth.—This should be made of coarse linen, neatly hemmed round, furnished with strings of strong tape, and marked.
Jelly Bag.—This is made of a half square, doubled so as to still form a half square. The top must be hemmed, and be furnished with three loops, by which it is to be suspended from the frame when in use.
Some miscellaneous instructions, which could not otherwise be introduced, are to be found in the concluding [chapter].