Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 218, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1919 — Economy Corner [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Economy Corner

Now that ostrich feathers have returned to favor the woman that has cared for her plumes will bring them out to find them increased in money value and available ip a number of ways. Fashion approves of ostrich flues in many forms and plumes are nsetj not a lone In millinery but as docorationg for evening dresses and for making the handsomest fans. The Rues form innumerable fancy feather millinery ornaments, neckpieces, wreaths -and fringes and are fashionabie in both the curled and uncurled state. Handsome wreaths for hats Are shown with the feathers along one side of the rib curled and along the other straight. If plumes that have been laid away are in good condition but soiled it is not a difficult matter to clean them, except that the curling process is a little tedious. They may be washed in a lukewarm suds of soft water and castile soap. They are shaken in the Buds and drawn through the hand to squeeze out the soiled water. After they are clean they should be rinsed 1 n warm, clear water and wrapped in cheesecloth or other absorbent material and put through an ordinary clothes wringer. But the rolls of the wringer must not be close enough to damage the feathers. After this washing process they

should be shaken until dry. Holding the feather by the rib it is shaken and gently beaten against the other hand. *lf the little flues cling together this may be corrected by holding them over the spout of a steaming kettle. When the plume is thoroughly dry it is ready for curling. " An ordinary table knife will answer for culling a plume. The plume is drawn -along the edge of the knife between it and the thumb. The trick is to curl the flue only at the end and not too tightly. Each flue is to be enrled-to correspond wkh the others. , A faded plume may be tinted or a white plume given a color by dipping them in gasoline into which a little oil paint, such ? as comes in small tubes, has been—dissolved, -One- has to experiment to get the tint wanted. Gasoline will not affect the curl of a feather. This tinting should be done by an open window in a room that has no fire of any kind in it, or in the open, air. It takes a professional feather manufacturer to make fancy feather ornaments, wreaths and pompons of the flues. There are many new ways of using ostrich flues on the new millinery for fail and winter and the possessor of plumes will not look far before finding a use for them.