Thread: Remember when?

All all all of the above.... and don't forget the "laundry stick".....a cut off broom handle that we used to lift the clothes out of the hot water and put them into the stationary tubs of cooler water before going through the ringer. It was a marvel when we got a washer with a removable hand crank ringer assembly and a built in small spinner next to the wash tub.

Oh...and no trash burning allowed in the Burgh on Monday--- Monday was wash day !!!

However...i still do the powdered starch and boiling water method for my DH dress shirts. He loves them heavily starched - and for his traveling then stay much nicer that way....so some things carry on.

I'mm 55 and I remember when the first rotary cutter came out. that guy had to send his assistants back to the truck to get more supplies. it seemed everyone bought one but me. it took me a year to save up for the whole setup, I cut with templates since iwas 10 or so, this rotary system cut my quilting time in half!! It's amazing we got quilting done at allwith qall the old fashioned ways. I'm glad I learned it the old way. I was self taught. didn't know I was making quilts back then, I just thought it was all part of sewing, didn't know it was going to be as popular as it was.

We only had scissors to cut fabric with?

I've sewed mostly clothing, and I still use scissors for that. I bought my first rotary cutter a few years ago, when I started quilting.

Sewing machines only sewed straight lines?

Most of mine only sew in straight lines. When I was a kid, as we got "good enough" my Mom let us use the fancy zigzag machine. All 11 of us learned to sew on a Singer 201.

Electric irons were only "dry"

Now I'd pay a lot to get a really nice dry iron. Burned out the new one, so I'm back to using a vintage one.

We "made" starch at home

My mom rarely starched anything - the cows and crops would not have have been impressed. I never learned out to use starch, and still rarely do.

Cotton, wool, silk, and linen were the only fibers available for fabric? (also jute for burlap)

Nope - but I do remember when leisure suits were in style, and double-knit was the "in" fabric.

Fabrics and thread came with a "boilfast" label?

Got lots and lots of vintage spools with that one them.

Pieces were cut out one at a time - templates were not made of plastic - cardboard, metal, paper

I don't remember using templates - I remember using the ruler to draw lines on the fabric and then cutting - and then sewing pieces together one at a time - no strip sewing and then cutting. Sure like the "newer" ways better!

I remember many of the things listed above, wringer washers, starching in the washer & putting in frig or icebox, as we called it, till ready to iron.

Wish I still had a dry iron!

Yep. Remember it all.