THE PROFESSIONAL “MENDER”

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8346, 5 February 1913, Page 5

THE PROFESSIONAL “MENDER”

There is no doubt that the modem woman has an invincible dislike to mending and darning. , It was an accepted and inevitable branch of the old-fashioned woman’s domestic duties. Underwear was more expensive

and of better material. It iwas necessary in the interests of the conscientious administration of the house-mother that its life should be prolonged to the utmost possible limits. Sheets were cut down the centre and the thin parts turned to the outer edge, while the selvedges were neatly and conscientiously over-sewn, to be passed on to the maids’ rooms. Socks and stockings were darned with wonderful even darning that was a sort of “hall mark” of the worker’s excellent domestic virtues. But the garments of those days, be it remembered, were worth the darning, just as the stuffs and the beautiful supple silks were worth “turning.” But all these things have changed. Swept into the outer darkness by the cult of cheap material, machinery and “ready-to-wear” garments, from a singlet to a dinner gown. Yet the necessity for a certain amount of mending” and “darning” will always remain, distasteful as it has become to women of more restless and Jess circumscribed habits. Thus the Professional Alender,” or, as an American paper prefers to style it, “the neighbourhood darner,” has been evolved. The woman who follows it has for her customers a dozen or twenty households, each of which she visits weekly, and spends a few hours in doing the family darning and mending, including ripping and cleansing of old gowns. Her engagements are systematised, and she never lacks work. Some of these menders make a speciality of repairing lace and other delicate fabrics. The pay is fairly good, and the professional mender is a great blessing to busy housewives with large families.

Our needlework illustration today shows an easy and effective braiding design for autumn and winter wear. It la known as the vermicelli design, and is very quickly done. The flowing lines render it very suitable for children’s garments, and it can be used with advantage on the little American one piece frocks which are so much worn. Directions for transferring.—ln taking off the pattern lay a piece of impression paper upon the material, place the newspaper pattern over this, and with a hard, sharp pencil draw firmly over each line. If the material is sheer, it may be laid over the pattern and drawn off with pencil, as the design will show through.