147. To Give Vinegar a Nice Flavor.—A small button of garlic in a quart of vinegar will give it a mysterious delicious flavor, and it will immensely improve salads or anything in which it is used.
148. If Mice are Gnawing Holes.—If mice are gnawing holes in the house, rub common laundry soap around the gnawed places, and you may depend on it they will cease labor in that district.
149. To Teach Darning.—If young girls are taught to darn on canvas, the method of weaving the stitches is easily explained and put into practise.
150. Bed Sheeting.—Sheeting should never be cut, but should be torn into lengths, usually two and a half yards for medium beds.
151. Browning Potatoes.—For some kinds of frying the griddle is better and has a less tendency to grease than the frying pan. Among the other things potato cakes browned on a hot greased griddle are especially crisp and delicious.
152. To Keep Bread from Souring.—You will find that light bread will not sour so quickly in summer if it is not covered when taken from the oven. This steam is unnatural and should be allowed to escape or it soaks into the bread, making it clammy and more liable to sour. Let the bread cool gradually then put a clean cloth in a large stone jar, place the bread in and cover with the cloth, before covering with the stone, or wooden lid. This keeps bread fresh and moist from one bake day to another.
153. Never Pour Scalding Water into Milk Vessels.—Never pour scalding water into milk vessels; it cooks the milk on the sides and bottom of the vessels making it more difficult to clean such articles. Rinse them first with cold water. This same rule applies to cleansing of catsup bottles.
154. The Water Pipes in the Kitchen.—The water pipes in the kitchen will not be so unattractive, if painted the color of the kitchen woodwork.
155. To Brush Fringe of a Doilie.—Do not use a comb for the fringe of doilies as it pulls out the fringe, but brush it with a nail brush.
156. Wash Suits.—Large buttons should be removed from wash suits before they are sent to the laundry.
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157. Sewing Machine Conveniences.—Always leave a piece of cloth under the presser foot of the sewing machine. This will save wear on the machine. Also it will absorb any drop of oil which might gather and spoil the first piece of fabric stitched, and will keep the needle from becoming blunted.
158. To Make a Ruffle Easily.—To make a ruffle easily, just above depth of the ruffle make a quarter inch tuck. Insert edge of ruffle under tuck, flatten down tuck over the ruffle edge and stitch on edge of tuck. If the ruffle is desired on very bottom of garment, make a quarter of an inch of tuck, leaving about half of an inch of goods underneath. Baste and stitch wrong side of ruffle to wrong side of half-inch piece, about quarter of an inch from edge. Turn back, making edge come under tuck. Flatten tuck and stitch on the edge. This will save all the trouble of bias bands, so dreaded by the dress-maker.