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Napery and Its Care
Choosing HAVE you ever dreamed of a well-filled linen chest- A dining table-with shining cloths, embroideries- Buffet drawers with piles of snowy napkins?
Have your dreams come true?
They can. Money is not the essential-one can buy charming napery at little cost, it's the care that counts. Fortunately full-sized table cloths are unnecessary except for formal occasions. Two of these-with napkins to match-bought at linen sales will be comparatively inexpensive, and with the right care will last for years. Small cloths, with napkins, of white or colored linen, can be bought from one dollar and ninety-eight cents up. Yard and a half squares, or seventy-two-inch cloths are needed when there are four or more.
Natural-colored linens are especially charming-Irish or Belgian sets, with six good-sized napkins cost only three dollars, or plain cloths and napkins can be purchased, and the corners cross-stitched in quaint design, with colors that reflect the dining-room decorations. Runners and luncheon sets of pure linen can be found at correspondingly low prices, and if one shops intelligently, charming lace sets of Cluny or Irish crochet can be found lovely enough to grace any table.
In a world where coarse art-linen is sold as low as forty-nine cents a yard-with mercerized cotton in pretty colors and crochet hooks, ready-made lace edges from a few cents a yard up, and inexpensive materials that will make charming things, it seems unnecessary for any home-maker to dream and never the dream come true!
Coarse linen centre pieces and oblong plate doilies with crocheted edges and runners to match, for side-board and serving tables, are truly charming and so easy to make. Four hemstitched squares or quaint napkins put together with heavy lace insertion make charming cloths. There are materials in all colors for instance, a green set, cloth and napkins, fringed, with a little black embroidery and initials, can be made in an evening. Unless one has used these dainty colored linens, one cannot realize the "lift" and charm they give to even a simple meal. If every penny must be counted, "linen-like" materials may be substituted, Indian Head, Kindergarten cloth, basket weaves, cotton crash, checked toweling. Instead of linen damask, mercerized fabrics may be selected; with the right laundering, and the use of Linit-the starch that restores the original finish, they look like new.
Be sure the materials are durable-life is too shorteye-sight too precious to be wasted in elaborately embroidering gingham and unbleached cotton. When buying linen be sure you are getting a pure fabric. To test, moisten a little. If pure linen, it wets through at once, and the moisture spreads.
When there are six in the family, and occasional guests, the supply of linen should include: 2 large "company" cloths and napkins. 4 small every-day cloths, 6 napkins each, for dinner. 3 sets doilies and napkins, for breakfast and luncheon. 1 set "company" doilies and napkins.
Odd doilies for trays, tea tables, etc.
With the exception of the large cloths, all napery can be fashioned by any home-maker who likes embroidering, hemstitching, crocheting-even Italian cut-work is not so very difficult.