‘Tis the Season for Fancy Fabrics to Wear to a Prom

Mindful of the approaching prom season, Linda Hughes of Long Beach (and perhaps many other mothers) would like to find a fabric store that carries material for evening-type dresses and/or special patterns for such occasions. Can you help Linda’s youngsters have a real ball, or will she feel as if she’s getting a dressing-down merely because she thought of her daughter’s dressing up?

Bette Busch of Burbank needs some plastic No. 7 knitting needles ; the steel needles she’s currently using are hurting her fingers. Can you help without doing much nit-picking, or will Busch not be able to put a finger on what she wants without needling at least a few people?

Reader-to-Reader Help Line: Michele at (213) 207-8453 needs the following for the freezer doors to a Whirlpool side-by-side refrigerator Model ETD 19 IWR 1: two trim pieces (No. 835841) and two wire bails (No. 835848); the parts have not been made since 1973. Please give this a whirl and make sure things are cool again in Michele’s kitchen.

Note: The Reader-to-Reader Help Line is only for one-time items or for products no longer available in stores. And you must give us written permission to publish your telephone number, so that others may contact you directly.

Martina Flores of Pomona, who wanted photo albums that handle the old-fashioned plastic corners for pictures, no longer need feel cornered. G. Wenz of Los Angeles says Pioneer Photo Albums Inc., 9801 Deering Ave., Chatsworth, (818) 882-2161, has scrapbooks that can be used with corners. And Dorian Dunlavey of Rancho Palos Verdes says you can get the corners (and probably the albums too) from Exposures, 475 Oberlin Ave. South, Lakewood, N.J. 08701; telephone toll-free (800) 222-4947. We also heard from two readers who have some of these albums. If Flores (or anyone else) wants to be in the picture, please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

Here are some mail-order sources for citrus squeezers with levers: Miles Kimball, 41 W. 8th Ave., Oshkosh, Wis. 54906 (from Margie Richter); Colonial Garden Kitchens, Hanover, Pa. 17333-0066 (Ivan Cool and Mary Madsen), and Brookstone, 127 Vose Farm Road, Peterborough, N.H. 03458 (Everett S. Hopper and Wilma Motley). Hopper and Motley point out that Brookstone has retail outlets throughout the Southland, but these don’t always carry all the catalogue items. And J. G. McKenna says a Model 930 Lemon and Lime Squeezer is distributed by Aluminum Housewares Co., Maryland Heights, Mo. 63043. And if none of these works, we also heard from a number of readers who have some of these juicers and wouldn’t mind parting with them. To squeeze the names out of us, please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

Esther of Duarte, who was looking for Magic Lady panties of nylon and spandex, has been joined in her search by Florence Gee of Sylmar. But so far, no replies. We know these things used to be called “unmentionables,” but this is ridiculous. Please make an exception in this case and mention a few sources.

Hain cannot answer mail personally but will, space permitting, respond in this column to readers who need--or have--helpful information. Write (do not telephone) to You Can Help!, You section, the Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053.