Turn down a hem a little more than ½ an inch, having a ball of wool ready (Andalusian or 3-ply white will do), fasten in the end with a darning needle. Having the working end of wool out at the top of hem, ready for the crochet hook (a coarse steel hook is best), catch up a chain stitch with the hook and * bring the wool across the hook as for doing a stitch, insert the hook at the bottom of hem, catch wool on opposite side, the opposite way to lifting the thread as in crocheting, that is hooking the wool in a downward movement from right to left, draw loop through and up level with the top of line. Take out the hook and make one loop, just drawn up to lie in two straight lines and slip through loop on needle, afterwards doing a chain stitch, and repeat from *. A little practice will soon show that done in this way the stitches are not twisted but lay flat, like the machine finish.
Doing up an Eiderdown.
In the days of our grandmothers, eiderdowns were considered a luxury, things to be taken care of and kept well covered. At the present time, however, they are found on nearly every bed, varying from those made of sateen and chintz to those made of satin and silk.
A NARROW INSERTION FOR A NURSERY CASEMENT CURTAIN.
See the article on [page 67].
I suppose it is because “familiarity breeds contempt” that we do not take the care of ours that our grandmothers did of theirs, and that therefore they became so much sooner soiled and worn out. If your eiderdown is getting shabby, why not clean it and re-cover it yourself?
If anybody is not willing to give up a little time and trouble to the success of this venture, let them not so much as contemplate cleaning and re-covering an eiderdown at home, for though quite easy it is a little tiresome, and the only two things really needed outside a few yards of chintz are patience and common sense. To explain: patience will be needed, for an eiderdown takes some time to dry when once wet, and common sense to choose the right day on which to do it.