Hints from Heloise

Dear Readers: Have you ever been preparing a meal in the kitchen and spilled something on the floor? You have to stop what you’re doing and clean it up. Well, in 1963, my mother, the late Heloise (1919-1977), came up with the idea of a Heloise mat for the kitchen. Here are my mother’s directions:

“Take an old chenille bathmat and double it over so that the chenille will be on both sides (bottom and top).

“Lay a large dinner plate or a turkey platter on top. Take a crayon and trace around the edges of the plate for a pattern. Use your scissors and cut out your two circles. Sew these two pieces together (back-to-back) on your sewing machine or by hand. Double stitch twice around the edges to give it body.

Throw this mat on your kitchen floor and leave it there. You will find it a dandy thing for spills on the floor.– Heloise (the daughter)