The Tingle Factor Box

Why Would You Make Your Own? Sewing Course Book

Imagine you are a lady living in New Zealand in the Second World War. You have joined up to one of the ladies services, the WAAC, and today you are ready to begin a new sort of training. You have learned all sorts of new skills, but this course should really help you to hone skills you already have – sewing. You received the coursebook last week, and you have already seen a few things which you would like to make – if you can get the fabric that is!

When I showed the children this Fine Needlework Study Course, they were fascinated. They were stunned to see so many patterns for clothing and everyday items. Today, such items are mass produced, cheap and easy to get, but during the war, sewing was an important skill and could keep people clothed. The children were most amazed by the patterns for underwear though – they simply couldn’t imagine having to make ‘your own undies, when they’re so cheap!’

Sewing is a skill which has been around for thousands of years and archaeologists believe it was a skill that was even well known during the last ice age, when people sewed hides and furs to keep warm. Of course, this sewing was a long way from sewing of today. Where we use metal needles, these first sewers used wood or bone for their needles - iron sewing needles didn’t start to appear until about 2300 years ago. The other major innovation of the ancient world in terms of sewing was the creation of woven fabrics. Instead of natural materials like fur or hide, the Egyptians, Chinese, Japanese and other ancient civilisations worked to create materials made from plants or even the thread of silk worms. Sewing was still done by hand though, and it was a very labour intensive process.

The sewing machine is a relatively recent creation. Plenty of people had tried to create a machine to make sewing easier and the first sewing machines appeared in the late 1700s, but these early machines were really only for commercial use and they weren’t all that reliable. Then in the 1850s Isaac Singer developed the first quick and accurate sewing machine. Soon, sewing machines were making it possible to mass produce clothes, but the machines themselves were too expensive for most people to buy. By the 20^th century though, sewing machines had become more affordable, and to cater for the home sewers, patterns began to be published. There were patterns for everything from underwear to home furnishings to more elaborate gowns. Although ready to buy clothing became more affordable as the 20^th century moved on, sewing was still an important skill for the housewife to possess. In times of hardship, like the Great Depression or during wartime, sewing could even ensure your family had something to wear, with any fabric, from old sheets to flour sacks, perfect for the home sewer to reuse and transform. The book I showed the children is just one of many courses available, and was of particular import during the war, when sewing was considered essential to the home front efforts and keeping the home fires burning.

They Must Have Made Them Better Then - Military Buttons

Imagine you are a man in the NSW Military Forces. You are happy to serve your king and country, and you wear your uniform with pride and dignity. Imagine your horror to notice that you have nearly lost a button as the thread which holds it in place becomes loose. Luckily, you have noticed just in time, and you will be able to firmly and securely reattach it before it is lost. You don’t know what you would do if you one day had to admit to losing one of the shining buttons!

When I showed the children these military buttons, they were fascinated to be holding something which once would have adorned the uniform of a proud soldier or military officer. They were intrigued to read the inscriptions on the buttons though, quickly realising that some of these buttons were from before Australia had a single military – a time when each colony had its own. They were amazed to see buttons which are ‘so old, but they still look good now. They must have made them better than buttons today!’

Button like objects have been around for many thousands of years. In nearly every civilisation from the ancient world, there are objects recorded which are similar to buttons, including in China, Rome, Greece and even in the Indus Valley. However, we have no evidence that these objects were actually used to fasten clothing, as we use buttons today. It is thought that, for many of these civilisations, buttons were simply a decorative object. In the 13^th century in Europe buttons began to be used for fastening clothing, and become more common in the 14^th century, but they were very expensive and wearing them was something of a status symbol.

Buttons continued to be worn by the wealthy throughout the coming centuries, and increased their worth as a status symbol too. By the 16^th century, wearing buttons on your clothes was a very visual representation of your wealth and many buttons were even set with precious stones! It wasn’t until the 19^th century that buttons started to be mass produced, and more commonly available. It was also during this century that military buttons began to be produced. These buttons were usually metal (often brass) and were made in such a way that they had an image which represented the military on them. Some bore crests, while others had images of a country. Often they also included words stating which military group the soldier came from, like some of the examples I showed the children.

It's Very New Looking

Imagine you are a woman living in the 1960s. You are preparing for an evening out and about, collecting together your handbag, when you realise one important thing is missing – your purse. You must take your purse with you, after all, you might need money for transport, or a drink to refresh you after all that dancing! Luckily, it is an easy bag to find, with shiny white mesh and you quickly spot it under a scarf.

 

When I showed the children this metallic mesh coin purse, the children were intrigued. They recognised the bag immediately, and though it looked remarkably familiar. They were amazed to discover that the bag was not a modern creation, but dates back to at least the 1960s! The girls thought it was a lovely bag, and many thought, upon closer examination, that it was much better quality than bags made today.

Metallic mesh bags have a remarkably long history, although many think of them as a 1970s icon of fashion. Yet mesh bags actually date back right to the middle ages, when metal mesh was first created. Of course, this mesh was not used to create frivolous bags and purses, but was instead used to make sturdy armour for knights. The first time mesh was used to make handbags was in the 1700s, but these were labour intensive and expensive to make - very much a luxury item. In fact, it could take weeks to make a single purse, with each metal ring being individually made and joined together. As a result, mesh bags did not begin to become popular until the 1800s, when handbag makers subcontracted the manufacture of the mesh itself. Making the mesh became a home industry, with workers hammering and shaping the mesh at home before sending it to the handbag makers (the most famous of which were Whiting and Davis). These bags were certainly more affordable, but they were still very expensive.

In 1912 though, things really took a change with the first ever automatic mesh making machine created, making the fashionable handbags (when made in basic gun metal) affordable for the masses. It was in the 1950s and into the 1960s though that mesh bags and purses really began to rise in popularity. Oroton imported powder compacts from West Germany (from a chain mail maker) in the 1950s and soon enough the mesh was appearing on the more well known Oroton handbags and purses. Then, in the 1960s Glomesh International was established. Glomesh is often a term used to describe the metallic mesh popular in the 1960s and 1970s, but it is actually a trademarked name, registered to a company established in Australia. The bags were wildly popular, and soon enough the glomesh fabric was moving away from simply being used as fashion accessories and into fashion itself. In the disco era, a shiny glomesh top would have doubtless been the perfect look!

It's Stronger Than It Looks! Filigree Brooch

Imagine you are a lady living in the 1940s. You have been stepping out with a lovely young man, and today you plan to meet up for dinner. You have to plan the perfect outfit to wear though, because you want to wear a brooch he gave you. It is a beautiful arrangement of silver flowers and leaves, made of fine filigree, and so delicate! You want to ensure that whatever you wear shows it off to its best effect.

When I showed the children this silver filigree brooch, they thought it was beautiful. They were amazed by the delicate threads of silver which make up the flower arrangement, and were even more surprised to discover that the brooch itself is several decades old. They thought something so delicate and dainty would be easily damaged, and not survive such a long time. As one child said ‘it’s stronger than it looks!’

Filigree is a metal working art form which dates back thousands of years. The word filigree comes from the Latin word filum which means thread, but the jewellery type itself dates back to at least 2500BC, before the Roman Empire rose to prominence! Ancient civilisations from the Egyptians to the Persians to the Etruscans, Greeks and Romans used the metal working technique to create stunningly beautiful pieces of jewellery. In fact, although today only specialist jewellers are able to create filigree, in the ancient world it was a common skill and all jewellers would have been able to make the delicate jewellery.

So what exactly is filigree? Filigree is also sometimes called telkari which comes from an Anatolian word which translates as ‘wirework’ and this is a strong hint to what filigree actually is. Filigree work is created when delicate threads of metal, most often gold or silver, are used to create jewellery. Often the thread is used to make curvy motifs which look a little like lacework. Although it was popular in the ancient world, it wasn’t only the ancients who appreciated the delicate wirework. In the medieval world it was highly prized and the wealthy often had filigree jewellery embellished with sparkling gemstones or enamel in their wardrobes. In fact, filigree was even used to embellish the covers of books and the lids of boxes, and in Ireland it was used extensively, not just for fashion, but even for decorating reliquaries. By 1660 in France, where fashion trends were often set for the whole of Europe, filigree was the height of fashion, and it hasn’t really gone out of fashion since!

But They're So Cheap! Stocking Mending Thread

Imagine you are a woman living in the early 1940s. You are very fortunate, as you have several pairs of stockings which you can wear - many of the girls you know have none at all, what with the war! Of course, you would be more fortunate still, if you could find some stocking thread to mend those tiny tears which happen occasionally. You haven’t seen stocking thread for such a long time, and the thicker threads which you have in your sewing box just don’t do the same job.

When I showed the children this stocking thread, they were intrigued and confused. They could not understand anybody buying a special thread specifically for stockings, and indeed they couldn’t really understand why anybody would go to the trouble to fix their stockings as “they’re pretty cheap”. They couldn’t imagine a time when stockings were not only expensive, but a luxury item which women carefully mended using the fine, silk stocking thread.

Stockings of one form or another date back hundreds of years, far further than many might expect. In addition, we may think of stockings today as something associated with women, but both men and women wore stockings for hundreds of years. Women’s were hidden under skirts, but men even wore theirs on open display. For much of human history, people covered their legs by winding strips of cloth around and around the leg, but these were not only uncomfortable, they needed to be adjusted often to stop them falling down. By the 1300s, stockings were cut from pieces of cloth and sewn together. Then, in the 1500s, knitted stockings became increasingly common – even Henry The Eighth apparently liked his knitted silk stockings which were imported from Italy. Of course, such stockings were very expensive, as they were hand knitted but in 1589, the worlds first knitting machine was created and it was designed specifically to knit stockings. For over 200 years stockings were knitted on machines as a single flat piece of material, which was then sewn up to fit a leg.

Machines eventually were altered to knit stockings as a single piece, and some women even embroidered their stockings, but it wasn’t until the 1920s that marked changes to stocking fashion began to occur. Women were increasingly allowed to show a bit of leg, and stockings reflected this by becoming increasingly decorative. In addition, stockings became increasingly popular, began to be made of cheaper materials, and could be purchased by women who were less wealthy. In the 1930s rayon was introduced and nylon followed soon after. Stockings were increasingly available for everybody, but those who could afford stockings were still very careful of them. They could be easily torn, and silk thread like I showed the children, which could be used to repair tiny holes or tears was an important part of a woman’s sewing kit. Then war hit, and the company which manufactured most nylon stockings, DuPont, switched to working for the war effort and stockings became hard to find. Women even started to mark their legs with dye in an effort to look like they had stockings! Of course, after the war, stockings became more available again, and today they are almost a disposable item.

That's Kind Of Cool - Badges

 

Imagine you are living in the late 1900s and you are an avid collector. Some people collect figurines, or cards or even stamps, but you are fascinated with something else entirely –badges. There are so many badges to be had, and so many different designs. Some are new, and some are really old, some have political or charity messages while others are just attractive. You are constantly amazed by how many different badges there are out there!

When I showed the children these badges, their reactions were quite intriguing. Many of the children recognised that a similar type of thing is now used in making hair clips and jewellery, by covering a similar type of construction with material, but they were not particularly familiar with the badges themselves. Where once such badges were common place, there seem to be far fewer made today, and many of the children thought this was a shame. As one child put it ‘I’d quite like to wear a badge to show I thought something was worth doing, or worth keeping’.

Badges like the ones shown to the children have a surprising and extending history, dating back at least 150 years. Originally these badges were made by button factories, who covered buttons with cloth to match the clothing being worn. These early buttons had a loop on the back to allow them to be sewn onto clothes, but soon enough people realised that buttons could be covered with something else, like leather or early plastic called celluloid. Badges at the time were expensive, made of cast metal and enamel, so a cheaper alternative was very attractive. The factories altered the backs so that a safety pin could be attached and the button badge, as it was known, was born. By the time of Queen Victoria, messages were being printed and displayed on badges, and one of the earliest known examples actually celebrated Queen Victorias Diamond Jubilee.

Soon after political parties and charity causes began to print their own badges and in America, huge political rallies were filled with audiences proudly bearing the badge of their party. As printing techniques improved, photographs and images as well as written messages were added to the pins and during the First World War they were commonly used to raise money for the war effort and associated charities. Badges had been established as a legitimate way of getting message across and not only that, they were increasingly used as fashion accessories, with people proudly showing their support for causes on their collar. The 1960s ushered in a new age for badges and many badges with famous slogans like ‘make love not war’ and famous images, such as the smiley face, were printed and worn. By the 1970s and the start of the punk scene, people began to cram as many badges as possible onto their clothing and badges became the must have fashion accessory and the more you wore, the better. Advertisers soon caught on, and badges began to bear logo’s for companies and products, not just moral slogans, charity and political campaigns. Today, badges may not be a must have fashion accessory, but they are still produced in their millions, by charities, political parties and campaigns, social movements and even small groups like schools.

It's So Beautiful! Marcasite Earrings

Imagine you are a stylish lady living in the 1930s. You are almost ready to go out for a night on the town, but first you really must put the finishing touches to your outfit. Jewellery is, of course, something which you simply must wear, and you have a splendid new set of marcasite  which will be ideal. You are constantly amazed by the variety and intricacy of the marcasite jewellery which is available today!

When I showed the children these marcasite earrings, they thought they were just beautiful. The earrings had such intricate patterns and the ‘stones’, though old, continued to shine so brilliantly. The children at once assumed that they were tiny chips of some precious stone, and that the earrings must be very valuable and were amazed to discover that actually, it was essentially ‘costume jewellery’.

Many people associate marcasites jewellery very closely with the early to mid 20^th century, and particularly with the Art Deco movement. Yet marcasite has been used to create jewellery since ancient times, being popular with people ranging from the Ancient Greeks to the Incas. It wasn’t until the 18^th century that marcasite began to gain popularity in England though, and during the 1700s it became increasingly used for lockets, brooches and cameos. It was Queen Victoria who really brought it to a popularity boom though. After the death of her beloved husband, Queen Victoria went into a period of deep mourning. Marcasite, with it’s dark hued ‘stones’ set in silver toned metal (sometimes silver, sometimes not) was perfect and soon became popular with the middle classes. It continued to rise in popularity through the early 20^th century and during the Art Deco period was very common.

Although the children immediately assumed the tiny marcasites in the earrings were some sort of precious stone, marcasite is actually quite common, but what exactly is it? Marcasite is a type of iron disulphide. In nature, there are two ways in which iron disulphide can form crystals, one of which creates marcasites and the other of which creates pyrite, which is more commonly known as Fool’s Gold. Yet it isn’t the real marcasites which are used in marcasites jewellery as they are far too brittle. Instead, it is actually fool’s gold which creates the lustrous shine.

I'm Glad They've Gone Out Of Fashion! Hoop Skirt

Imagine you are a teenaged girl living in the 1800s. You are preparing to dress for the day, and just awaiting your maid to assist. Men have it so much easier than women – they only have to dress in simple clothes, but you have to start with your hoops and corset, and then work out. You particularly dislike the hoop though as it makes it so difficult and uncomfortable to sit down, with the hoops having to be carefully positioned before you even think about it!

When I showed the children this hoop skirt and the matching undershirt which accompanies it, their reaction was quite funny. Several of the children were amazed to discover that such a garment even existed, assuming that the fluffy tulle petticoats which they occasionally see today were how skirts once gained their full-skirts. They thought it was a particularly stupid and impractical type of clothing though, and were glad that they were ‘completely out of fashion now’.

Hoop skirts are a type of underwear which has a remarkably long history, and also a remarkable number of shapes, styles and indeed names. Essentially it is a skirt with hoops built into it (made of wood, cane, and even whalebone) to hold the skirt which is worn over the top in a specific shape. It was in the 16^th and 17^th centuries that hoop skirts first became common, though at that time they were called a farthingale. The earliest examples came from Spain where it is actually suggested that they were used to cover-up illegitimate pregnancy in the court! In the 18^th century the hoop underwent a style change, focussing on extending the skirt to the side while keeping the front and back quite straight. Accompanying the change in look was a change in name, with the new side hoops known as panniers.

Probably the most famous change to the hoop skirt came in the mid 19^th century when the crinoline became popular. The crinoline was a rigid, almost bell shaped underskirt which held the dress or skirts worn over the top out. This is the classic ‘princess’ style skirt which is now so popular in Disney films! Originally, crinolines were simply stiffened fabric which often incorporated horse hair and in fact they were named after the type of fabric which was used to make them – crinoline. As time went by though other styles became popular. Some had hoops inserted into the skirt (like the one I showed the children, which has cane hoops inside) while others were structures built entirely of wire. Some examples of crinolines were enormous, extending as much as six foot across and made it difficult for women not only to sit comfortably, but even to move through doorways! Although such undergarments are certainly not the norm today, certain dresses still require a hooped petticoat to hold them in shape, including many wedding dresses. 

Why Would You Bother Smoking At All? Cigarette Holder

Note: I do not support or condone smoking. This post is a response to questions from children about cigarette holders they have seen in movies, on television and in popular culture in general. The holder actually reinforced why smoking is a bad idea.

Imagine you are a fashionable lady living in the 1920s. You simply abhor having to follow the fashions of the day, but you have no choice – you would not wish to be unfashionable! It is such a conundrum! There are some fashions which you don’t mind, but the expectation that fashionable women will smoke is rather a problem for you – cigarettes make you cough. Luckily you can carry your cigarette in a long, elegant holder and avoid having to actually smoke it too often. In fact, for you it is more a fashion accessory than anything else.

When I showed the children this cigarette holder, it was an interesting experience. I had been looking for such a holder for some time as the children have seen women, and indeed men, in various period movies using them. They find them mysterious, and wanted to know more about them. I was concerned that showing smoking paraphernalia might be a problem, but the holder actually reinforced the reasons why smoking is a bad idea. When I pointed out that such holders were designed to direct the smoke away from the eyes, stop nicotine stains, filter the taste (and toxins) and assorted other things, the children decreed ‘why would you bother – why not just stop smoking!’

Today, smoking is increasingly seen as a societal taboo and the health risks associated with smoking are extremely well known. In the past though, it was much more of a societal norm. In fact smoking and the cigarette holders which were frequently used were for many years an iconic part of Hollywood film. Yet although they are most commonly associated with the 20^th century, cigarette holders date back to before this. The earliest examples that I could discover come from the 17^th century and were essentially a way to extend the life of tobacco. Leftover tobacco would be rolled in paper and put into a holder to allow it to be used when it would otherwise be impractical.

In the 20^th century, they were more than just a practical smoking aid – they were a fashion accessory! Some were incredibly ornate and used expensive materials like silver, gold and even amber or ivory. The one I showed the children is Art Deco in style and has a tortoise shell mouth piece and enamelled body. Men used short holders but women had much longer lengths – in fact there were four standards (opera, which was the longest at 16 to 20 inches, theatre, dinner and cocktail which was the shortest at 4 inches or less). They weren’t just a fashion accessory though. Smoking is a habit which has many downsides, not least, the fact that it can kill you (and as early as 1888 cigarettes were actually colloquially known as ‘coffin nails’). The early cigarettes were unfiltered and bits of tobacco could get into your mouth so the holder prevented this. Cigarettes also stain your fingers, the smoke can be too hot or strong, the smoke can get in your eyes and of course, they contain a number of different toxic substances. The holder, which often had a filter (of sorts) inside, aimed to prevent all of these things. When filters were put into the cigarettes themselves in the 1960s holders began to go out of favour, but they are still available today, though they are usually made of plastic.

Its So Funkily Old Fashioned - Crimplene Dress

Imagine you are a young lady living in 1973. You have an evening function to attend, but you really wish you could get out of going. It doesn’t sound like fun at all. Luckily, you have the perfect dress to spice your night up – a full length crimplene dress with bell sleeves and lime green and black stripes. It is sure to get a reaction! You can’t wait to see everybody’s faces when you walk in.

When I showed the children this crimplene dress (which I was wearing for a book week parade), their reaction was very funny. They loved the dress, but thought it was ‘so funkily old fashioned’. The thing which intrigued them most though was the fabric itself. They had never seen a fabric quite like it. No matter how they squeezed it, it didn’t wrinkle and they were amazed to see such bright colours in a dress which was purchased in 1973, making it as one child said ‘really old’.

Crimplene is a thick synthetic yarn which is used to make a thick synthetic fabric of the same name. It is a type of polyester and was developed in Britain by ICI Fabrics in the 1950s. ICI was short for Imperial Chemical Industries, a company established in the 1920s. ICI produced a wide range of items from paint to some of the ingredients in food but it wasn’t until the 1940s that they really became interested in synthetic fabrics. In 1940 they started the British Nylon Spinners in partnership with Courtaulds, a company experienced in producing fabrics and textiles. Nylon was desperately needed at the time for making parachutes, especially as Japan was blocking supplies of silk. ICI continued to work with other synthetic fibres though, and even had a branch called ICI Fibres which was based around polyester.

Crimplene was one of the outcomes of this interest in polyester. It is actually a very thick form of polyester and was very popular for a time. The fabric was heavy, but it had a lot of good points. It was almost entirely wrinkle resistant, kept its shape and most importantly perhaps, it kept its colour. In fact, a crimplene garment often looks almost exactly the same today as when it was purchased! Due to its amazing wash and wear capacity it was a very popular fabric and in the 1960s it was often used to make clothing such as bright patterned shirts, a-line skirts and dresses, and the classic mod scooter dress. In the 1970s though it slowly began to fall out of fashion as other, lighter weight polyester fabrics were becoming available. They were much easier to move in and not nearly as hot to wear. Today crimplene is almost unused, but there are plenty of people who seek out and continue to love the 1960s and early 1970s fashions which used it!