s.
The yarn is dyed before being woven, making the cloth alike on both
sides, and the weave is either plain or twilled. Ginghams are also woven
of silk and cotton mixed or of silk and ramie.

Cretonne, chintz, dress linings, crape, velveteen, and lace are made of
cotton.

Flannelette, which is woven to imitate flannel, is soft and light and is
preferred by many who find woolen irritating. It does not shrink as
woolen does and is made in beautiful, soft colors and the best grades do
not fade. For nightdresses, underwear, and sheets, during cold weather
this inexpensive fabric is unequaled.

Among the heavier cotton fabrics may be mentioned denim and ticking
which are now printed in beautiful designs and colors and used for
interior decoration as well as for clothing and bedding.

The great variety of fibers, the many different ways of preparing each
for manufacture, the differences in the preparatory processes in
spinning, weaving, or in any of the later processes of finishing produce
the varied appearance of the finished product in cotton as in other
fabrics.

LINENS

Linen is one of the oldest textiles; it was used by the early Egyptians
for the priests' garments and for the wrappings of mummies. Many
housekeepers think that there is no material for sheets and pillow cases
comparable to linen, but it is not an ideal dressing for beds, for in
spite of its heavier body, it wrinkles and musses much more readily than
good cotton. For table service, however, for the toilet, and for minor
ornamental purposes linen has no equal. Its smoothness of texture, its
brilliancy which laundering increases, its wearing qualities, its
exquisite freshness, make it the one fabric fit for the table.

[Sidenote: Table Linen]

Table linen is woven plain and figured, checked and diapered. In the
figured or damask cloth the patterns stand out distinctly. This is due
to the play of light and shade on the horizontal and vertical lines. In
some lights the pattern is scarcely noticeable. When buying a cloth, let
it be between the observer and the light, for in this position the
pattern will show to the best advantage. There is a certain amount of
shade on all horizontal lines or of shadow cast by them, while the
vertical lines are illuminated, thus although the warp and woof threads
are of the same color, the pattern seems to stand out from the
background.

Linen should not be adulterated. It should be for use and not for show,
for