3" clips
 

Does anyone know what these are used for? Found them in a box of misc sewing things at moms, she didn't know and said she never used them. Thanks all

I believe they were used in hemming clothing.

I would think they are to measure the turn up for a hem on drapes. You would put the clip so that the fold lines up with the "fold" on the clip and the raw edge is at the desired depth. If you had already used a hem marker to mark the hem line on a garment, you could use it to trim to an equal hem depth also.

Yes, my guess would be hemming too.

My neighbor used to do alterations for an interior designer and used these to hem drapes. She has a large bin like a button bin but is full of these. She has thick hair and every once in a while you would see her with one of these in her hair. Those are her "wonder clips"

Thank you, I never make clothes or drapes so never seen them before. Will have to think if there are any uses for them in quilting, if not will pass them on to someone who could use them.

They were for hemming. I have my mom's and remember her making me stand while she marked hems and used them. Fun memory! I can hear her telling me to stand up straight!

I just bought 3 packs of these last week, used for altering/folding hemlines and curtains. They may even come in handy for holding binding on quilts but haven't tried them out yet. Hadn't thought about them as hairpins, but I'll give that a go too.

Cool! Love the history so many of you bring to our discussions.

Yes - they are used for hemming. Really handy when hemming large items.

and if you moved, you were stuck with a pin, ouch.

Yes, right on! [or draperies]

Hemming clothes as well as drapes

I know what they were designed to be used for however, I think you could use them to make sure your binding is the same width all the way around. Sometimes I want to make my binding a little wider than normal. Just a thought.

Yes, they are hemming clips, I have used them on garments and drapes.

Hemming....I have a few of my MIL's.

They are for hemming, but look like they could be used for holding binding while you sew it down.

i still have several of those. i don't know if they're made anymore, but i used them for hemming --everything. the numbered increments were for measuring the depth of the hem on sleeves, skirts etc. before i learned to quilt i sewed my own clothing, then for my son, home dec -draperies, curtains etcetcetc. they are good still for binding while finishing with hand stitching. mine are from the 70's & the spring steel has as firm a hold now as ever.

Neighbor also uses them for chip bags! LOL!

I purchased some of them to use as binding clips (they were not as long as yours). I've also seen something like them called "Bolt Buddies" and they are used to clip the fabric on the fabric organizer boards. Definitely keep them...you'll come up with great uses for them.....plus a bit of nostalgia.

I have a set of 12 of these. They are sold as hem clips. I have used them on binding for a quilt, but be careful mine left a dark metalic mark because they needed to be cleaned before I used them. Be sure to check for any metalic residue lurking inside the clips before using!

You could use them to your patterns together like a paper clip. I always hate it when I am looking at instructions in a quilting book and I turn away to get the fabric or something and the book closes on me. ARG! So it would be a good book marker.

Since I am so short, I would use them when I had to hem my jeans or pants. At least when you used them you wouldn't have to keep moving the pins in and out the change the hem with. They also wouldn't bite you when you took the pants off, like straight pins do.

Just a thought...

I can't believe that I lived to age 84 and had never seen these. I have had several old treadles, learned to sew on an old Wheeler and Wilson,(what a machine) and there were lots of attachments in all of them, but none of these.