Tucks, with or without open work between them, have an exceedingly neat appearance, and never look out of fashion. They are especially proper in black and white dresses; and when they are put on, it is essential that they should be cut straightwise of the material. To cut them crosswise is decidedly improper. It is sometimes good economy to make the sleeves of a dress in two separate parts each, so that the lower portion can be taken off at pleasure. For an evening dress this is found very convenient, as the under part will come off at the elbow, and a ruffle of lace can be substituted in its place, which gives a short sleeve a neat and finished appearance. The directions here given apply principally to dresses made of stuff or silk. In those made of muslin or calico some slight variations occur. These latter are not always lined; indeed, cotton prints for summer wear are seldom done so; but the lining of muslin dresses is becoming much more common than it was some years since, experience having shown that the dress when lined through sits much neater upon the person than it does without. In cases where linings are omitted, a piece of some strong material must be run in at the bottom of the skirt, and firmly held down with the hem. But we think a thin lining, even for the light dresses worn in summer, is to be preferred. It is a good plan to set a cord round the bottoms of dresses; they soon wear, but the cord is a great advantage, as when it gets unsightly, a new one can with little trouble be put in its place, and the dress remains the same length as before. If proper attention be paid to these directions, any lady may soon learn to make her own dresses; to do which would be, in a variety of instances, a decided advantage. Where there is a family of children, the mother finds that if she has to have all their dresses made by hired hands, it will most materially increase the expenses incurred for clothing; and to avoid this, she does them herself, without the requisite experience: the chance is that she wastes more in one way than she saves in the other, and the garments are illy fitted in the bargain.