Shortcut Extends Life Span of Stirrup Pants
Question: My skintight Lycra pants with stirrups are no longer skintight. If I shorten them to make them taut again, I’m afraid the give will give out and I won’t be able to bend my knees. Any ideas for removing the folds in my pants legs?--E.M.
Answer: You can solve the problem by cutting them off just below the knees and thereby creating cyclist pants. These new thigh-tight knee pants are the very hub of pants news for spring, when they’ll be available at every price range from Claude Montana’s sleek leathers to moderately priced Spandex pull-ons.
Q: Thirteen years ago, I bought a bleached beaver coat with a mink collar. I have placed it in cold storage each summer and have cleaned and glazed it every other year. This year I discovered a spot on the sleeve. I scratched it and a piece of fur about the size of a dime came off. I took it back to the store where I had purchased it, and a salesperson said the skins were dry. Could this happen even though I have taken such good care of the fur?--B.P.
A: Fur expert Laurie Bodor of Revillon Furs says despite your best efforts, fur skins become dry with time, especially after 10 years. Furs generally become increasingly difficult to clean and repair as time passes, she reports.
Q: I want to make a saddle suit (the jacket and jodhpurs used in English saddle-seat classes) but cannot find a pattern. Can you help?--S.S.G.
A: The company is Jean Hardy Patterns, 2151 La Cuesta Drive, Santa Ana, Calif. 92705, and you can take your pick from Pattern 630, an Olympic frock-coat-style jacket; Pattern 680, a saddle-seat coat for the show ring; Pattern 870, a hunt coat; Pattern 690, jodhpurs and vest; Pattern 570, English riding pants, and Pattern 900, women’s saddle-seat and ratcatcher riding shirts.
Q: What is the proper way to clean a diamond?--J.Q.
A: Jewelers of America Inc. recommends the following: Prepare a small bowl of warm suds by using any mild liquid detergent. Brush the pieces with an eyebrow brush while they are in the suds; then transfer them to a wire tea strainer and rinse them under running water. Pat them dry with a soft, lint-free cloth. Or: Make a half-and-half solution of cold water and household ammonia. Pour it into a cup and immerse your diamond jewelry, soaking it for 30 minutes. Lift out the jewelry, and tap it gently around the back and front of the mounting with an old, soft toothbrush. Swish the jewelry in the solution once more and drain on tissue paper.