General Chat

it was like a sign of the home-made dress..

and those gorgeous, flouncy party frocks with layers of net and a sash ribbon (I used to happily inherit them from a friend) :-)

It was also the ultimate thing for 'doing up' an old or second hand item of clothing. :-)
Can you still buy it?

Somewhere, I guess, maggie! :-)

It was rather scratchy!

Ooooh, I remember that. My mum used to make a lot of my clothes when I was little. Lots of trimmings.

And nylon party frocks with paper nylon petticoats.

I also used to make a lot of my own clothes before I got old and lazy.

Now I just make costumes for the drama group.

Gosh I have a school photo with me in a turquoise and white striped seersucker dress, with ric-rac around the neck.

Sounds delightful dont it?

:-D :-D :-D

Here we are

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Small-Medium-Ric-Rac-Trim-5mm-8mm-Width-3-METRES-Ricrac-Braid-Rick-Rack-3m-/391185589002

I don't need to buy any. I've probably got some hiding at the bottom of my sewing box, along with lots of fancy buttons. :-) :-)

This took me back, my Mum used to use it when she let down the hems of our summer dresses. She would use it to cover the original hem line. They had been made to allow for plenty of growth some even had two lines of braid!

1958. We were forced into making "baby doll" pyjamas at school.
Seersucker with passion killer knickers & acres of ric rac braid to hide the mistakes.
Needless to say, never wore mine. I can see them now in my mind´s eye.

Oh yes I used it many times, I made a lot of things when I was younger.

I also remember the time when mams would lengthen dresses & skirts by cutting off a nice width from the bottom of an existing dress/skirt & fit in another piece usually a plain clolour to match the colour of the item & sometimes adding ric-rac along the seams where the new section had been inserted!.

Also recall making full skirted petticoats & threading a stiff plastic strip through the hem to make our skirts permanently flair out , what fun!

Argh yes, the Good Old Days, lol.

Joan.

Those were the make do and mend days Joan.

Ric Rac is used in craft which is why you can get it. For scrapbooking and card making in particular.

I actually liked Ric-Rac, it could cover up a sewing mistake lol, but also added colour to an item!

Joan.

and what about "starching" those flouncy net underskirts in a sugar/water mix?


Mum used to get so annoyed with me, as the flat plate of the iron got all sticky and messy

I remember that, Sylvia. My Mum got cross because I used so much sugar!!

:-D :-D :-D


......... and then finding that the net ripped your nylons to pieces because you had made it too stiff :-(

When I was in the 1st Year [Year 7 now] we made an apron out of gingham. The bib was embroidered, and also the bottom of the skirt.

I still have it in the top of my wardrobe, it looks like it would fit a doll, it is so tiny.

Our Needlework teach [I shall spare her blushes by not naming her] used to have a chain around her waist with all the keys to the classrooms on it.

We used to call her The Jailer.

Kids can be cruel.

:-D :-D :-D :-D

I had already made 2 dresses in Junior school before I went to the grammar school ............. the first dress was a simple 2 piece (front and back) with cap sleeves, so there were only the side seams and hemming to sew.

The second dress had a full gathered skirt, and we had to sew 5 rows of even gathering stitches by hand .............. if they were not even, you had to undo and re-do. The top had set in sleeved, a collar and button front.

The sewing classes were not given in the school (a CofE state-supported school), but were walked over to a hall about 5 minutes away for the lessons.

I began at the grammar school, and had to take cookery in the first year so Mum had to make me a white bibbed apron. We made pyjamas in the sewing class ...............

Our mothers had to buy a set quantity of flannelette material. The teacher then used exactly the same pattern for all us .............. I was one of the tallest, and was almost a foot taller than the smallest.

I eventually got to take the pyjamas home, along with over a yard of "excess" material.

I tried them on for the first time ............. and Mum burst out crying!!

The sleeves ended at my elbows, and the legs just below my knees. Width was, errrr, generous.

Mum then cut extra lengths for the sleeves and legs, and sewed them in place ........... but she didn't use ric-rac :-)

It took almost the whole of the first year to make those pyjamas ............ no allowance made for those of us who did know how to sew!

Most disappointing!!


Motown ............ my sewing teacher always wore very long cardigans in very drab colours.

We called them b*m warmers, and said "here comes Miss B*m Warmer"


yes, kids can be cruel!!

My mum made most of my clothes
the rest where bought at the Gear cellar or C&A
My dresses where all frills and bows
and my hair always in perfect ringlets

just like Nellie Oleson from Little House on the Prairie, :-D :-D

What lovely memories!

Unfortunately, I was never allowed the sticky out petticoats, pleated skirts with straps like braces that crossed at the back, and hand knitted twin sets, even after I started at Grammar School were for me. Mum thought I was the bee's knees, bless her, and I'm still too sensible for my own good!)

Don't wish to hijack 'Ric-Rac' but does anyone know if it is still possible to buy Anchor Soft, the lovely thick cotton thread we used to use on Binca fabric. I can still buy the Binca, but haven't found the thread for years.

Sue