TRANSFORMING FEATHER BEDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 77, 22 June 1927, Page 5

TRANSFORMING FEATHER BEDS

By HELEN GREIG SOUTER In the majority of households feather beds have long since been discarded in favour of the more hygienic spring mattresses, but a few careful housewives have banished theirs to the attics in the hope that one day they might find a use for them. One busy and experienced housewife succeeded in replenishing her dining and drawing-room with new cushions in this way. She relates with great gusto her amusing experiences in effecting the transformation.

One day, when all the family had gone out, leaving her with strict injunctions that she was to have “a good rest” after the spring cleaning, and not attempt anything “on her own,” she bethought herself of the old feather beds and promptly proceeded to the attic. Managing to divide one up into four sacques quite easily, she gaily tackled the second, but unfortunately the ticking was rotten and gave way at a crucial moment, so that she fell headlong into the downy mass and there, covered with feathers and confusion, was found some time later by her irate daughters, who have never let her ’forget the results of her disobedience to their wishes! Practical Aid Another clever woman determined to transform her feather beds into muchneeded new quilts, and the results more than justified the time and trouble. She procured sufficient feathers to fill two single and one double quilt, with one or two fat cushions into the bargain. At one of the sales she bought a very strong, good-quality sateen, rather stiff in texture, and of an effective, well-covered design. The single quilts required 6J yards each and were made alike on both sides, otherwise a join would be necessary, but another J yard served for piping the edges. A double quilt requires 8| yards if the sateen is not the same on both sides. Both sides are cut alike and made the length-wise join; then, one part face down on the table, straight lines are pencilled for the outer portions of the quiltings. The middle is adorned with a big, bold, curved design, copied from the discarded quilt, and having drawn out the entire scheme the pencilled marks are outlined with a strong coloured cotton in a contrasting colour. Having covered a long length of stout cord with sateen for a piping, it is machined on one side, the two parts joined together, leaving 12 or more inches open at one end to admit the feathers. Value of Soaping Before the covering is turned right side out, it should be well soaped all over to prevent the feathers poking their way out and making a mess of bedclothes and rugs. This must be attended to very thoroughly, or else you will find the room liberally sprinkled with downy feathers and there is nothing more troublesome to rid. Turn the quilt right side out and then it is ready for filling. The best way to do this is to unpick a few inches of the old ticking, and, tacking the two openings together, push the feathers through into the new case. If carefully done, very few feathers will escape, but the ticklish operation is best performed in an empty room, such as an attic or a bathroom. When the quilt is quite full, lay it on a large table, shake the feathers well and see that they are evenly distributed, before sewing or machining the outlines of the quiltings together. The tacking should be very close to prevent the feathers escaping, but once this is done the whole design must be gone over with a strong back switch or a machining. Remove all the tacking threads and the smart, warm quilt which results more than compensates you for all the trouble, to say nothing of the saving effected. Two-thirds of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper moistened with sufficient milk to enable one to swallow it will effectively check the severest cold The remedy ’ nips” for a minute or two, but the unpleasantness soon passes and the result .is well worth it. When you haven’t any stale bread, satisfactory crumbs for frying fish or cutlets can be made by crushing a few Sao biscuits finely.