183.  Making Gravies.—­For making gravies, thickening of roast gravies, it will be found useful to have browned flour on hand at all times, which can readily be kept in a mason jar or any covered vessel.

184.  Kitchen Mittens.—­Kitchen mittens can be bought in several thicknesses and sizes for various branches of housework.  There are thick ones, with straps across the wrist to wear when polishing the ranges, then there are others to put on when scrubbing the sink or floors, and still thinner ones with chamois cloth inside to use for polishing silverware.  These mittens are a great protection to the hands and finger-nails, and they really simplify the work to a great extent.

185.  To Improve Baked Potatoes.—­To improve baked potatoes let them stand in a pan of cold water for about an hour, then put them in the oven while wet.  This seems to steam them and cook them much quicker.

186.  Meat Shortcake.—­Give your household a meat shortcake sometimes.  Make the shortcake as you would for a fruit filling, a rather short biscuit dough, and put between the layers creamed chicken or creamed veal, and have it served with plenty of gravy.

187.  Put a handful of coarse oatmeal in the water bottle and half fill with water.  Let stand half an hour, then shake well and rinse.  The bottle will look like new.

188.  Making a Kitchen Apron.—­In making a kitchen apron, provide it with an immense pocket in which can be carried a large dustcloth.  Often one notices dusty places, on the furniture, windows or banisters while doing the morning work, and the dust-cloth is at hand.  Again one has to pick up numerous little articles to throw into the waste basket and the pocket holds such articles until the waste basket is reached.  It is equally handy for holding a few clothes pins, while hanging out the clothes; in fact the large pocket is recognized as something decidedly useful in the kitchen apron.

[876 Mothers’ remedies]

189.  To Make a Neat Buttonhole.—­To make a neat buttonhole in thin white material that is likely to ravel when cut, take a piece of white soap and apply it to the back of the goods using enough to make a generous coat.  Cut the buttonhole and work; you will find that the work is easily done and the buttonhole will not ravel.

190.  To Mark Scallops.—­To mark scallops place your thimble or spool just outside the circle line and mark around it with a pencil.  In this way, any sized scallop can be made.

191.  Delicate Fabrics to Clean.—­Delicate fabrics can be cleaned perfectly by using gasoline with a teacupful of corn meal.  The meal scours out all the spots.  Place the meal in a dish, pour gasoline over it, then press and rub through the hands.  Apply to soiled spots, rubbing carefully.  Brush out with stiff brush.

192.  When Using a Lap-Board.—­While sewing a garment with the material lying on the lap-board, use glass top push pins to hold the goods on the board.  One pin will oftentimes be sufficient.  The pin is very sharp, and is easily thrust through the material into the board, and leaves a hole about the size of that made with a needle.