Buttoning Up a Sleep Shirt

For her husband, Willi Gross of Temple City would like to find a cotton flannel sleep shirt that buttons all the way down in front and has some sort of collar. Can you help before Gross loses any more sleep, or will she just have to keep her shirt on until somebody collars her with a source?

Joan Scott of Los Angeles wants to find a metal clip that can be attached to the inside of a purse for holding keys or key rings, so they won’t sink to the bottom. Can you prove your mettle by finding a source, or will Scott’s only key to success be to dig deep into her pursonal pocket?

Miriam Aarons of West Los Angeles would like to find some double 3x5 index cards (with a perforation between the two) for extra-long recipes; she was given a recipe on such a card once but has never been able to purchase them. Can you help Aarons see double, or will she wonder whether long recipes are just not in the cards for her?

Reader-to Reader-Help Line: Rita at (213) 923-7605 can’t find Ingrid products, especially the blue or white drainers. Please help before Rita is completely drained. . . . Sally at (818) 286-9434 is looking for Kip, a first-aid dressing that seems to have been discontinued. Please help so that Sally won’t feel she’s been skinned.

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.

Good news for the readers who two years ago were looking for Vermont Maid maple syrup. Susan E. Wood of Temecula says she’s seen the product in at least three Ralph’s stores.

For Miriam Freed of Westwood, who was looking for powdered vanillin, this is almost a piece of cake. Loretta Forel of Redondo Beach says many ethnic groceries carry the product; a specific one she mentioned is the grocery store in Alpine Village in Torrance. Marilyn Meek of Bloomington says to try Norwegian Imports, 1231 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro, Calif., (213) 832-0206. Ethel Miller of Palm Springs says she recently came across some powdered vanillin at John Scott’s Date Shop, 4741 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite E, Palm Springs. We even have a mail-order source. Mrs. K. W. Hamilton of Rancho Palos Verdes writes she just bought some vanilla powder from the Spice Corner, 904 South 9th St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19147; Hamilton says this is a family-owned business that carries excellent products at reasonable prices and ships promptly via UPS.

For June Hughes of Laguna Hills, who needs replacement filters for a Bionaire 500 air cleaner, we have a small breath of hope. Hal Parker of Rancho Palos Verdes says these cleaners are available through Sears Roebuck catalogues; the filter number is 4247333 ($6.99), and the cartridge number is 4247334 ($4.99).

A few weeks ago, we published several replies to a request for something that conceals furniture scratches. In the meantime, we heard from an anonymous reader who suggests using the meat of a walnut or pecan. “Just rub it on your scratches and be amazed,” that reader said.

The fur should soon be flying for Gail Munro of Camarillo, who was looking for a jacket made from a mink stole but with knit sleeves. Rosa Brown of Simi Valley sent us an ad by Nordstrom, according to which some of their stores will restyle furs that way. Mrs. Robert Alexander of San Marino and Betty Fetzer of Hacienda Heights said PAGS of Malibu custom redesigns furs for about $600-$700; for an appointment, contact Pat Gault, owner-designer, at (213) 822-8303. Carol Spearman of Canoga Park says Tim Reid of the Beverly Hills Fur Co., 8586 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, (213) 652-0441, designs and makes fur vests with detachable sleeves. And Lillian Schmidt of San Gabriel and Margaret Carlson of Sequim, Wash., write that Steven Zaslow of Bond Furs, 202 North 1st Ave., Arcadia, (818) 446-6363, does a wonderful job of making mink jackets with knitted sleeves.