Re-dycing of faded silk hosiery, as figured out by an expert, should take less than three-quarters of an hour and require no other receptacle than medium-sized, ordinary stew pan. The question of weight has also been estimated as one-eighth of a pound, fon the average, for each pair of stockings.
Household dyes are accompanied with such explicit directions as to bleaching as well as colouring that {tis now possible to void the original shade and have the re-dyed hosiery' of a lighter tone. This removing of the original colour is known as stripping" or "discharging," accord ing to trade parlance. If directions are carefully followed there should be no difficulty in recolouring from a darker to a lighter shade, the stockings having been previously washed thoroughly before either voiding the colour or commencing the dyeing As the dissolving and straint the dye is an important detail tions should be carefully followed. An excellent strainer for the dissolved dye is made by putting three layers of cheesecloth into an dinary wire strainer. This keeps any bits of undissolved dye from going through the strainer into the receptacie of hot dye. As soon as the dyeing liquid begins to boil, the stockings, should be put in and allowed to boil for whatever time the directions state, the stockings being kept continuously moving in the water by means of a long hitch spoon. A stick is not so good as perceptible slivers, may injure the me mesh of the silk. When the boil. ing period is over, the stockings are removed and the colour-setting: i redient added to the dye bath, which is then thoroughly stirred. The stockings are then returned to the receptacle and allowed to boil for, the second period which is usually about twice as long as the first and during this time the same constant stirring should be repeated. There is nothing left to do but the several rinsings, the proof of completion being a' final rinsing water that is; almost clear.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.