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Did you work in a 'sewing' factory in your hometown? Tell us a story. >

Did you work in a 'sewing' factory in your hometown? Tell us a story.

Did you work in a 'sewing' factory in your hometown? Tell us a story.

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Old 11-30-2013, 12:12 PM
  #21  
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I worked in several sewing factories I helped making shirts and I made pants. The pants were the worst of all I keep breaking out from the dye. I learned alot and got to buy scraps of material. That's when I started quilting and 35 years later I am still quilting and loving it
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Old 11-30-2013, 01:18 PM
  #22  
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Yes, I worked in a factory that made men's uniform work clothes and I think the highlight was when the Viet Nam war was being fought, we made camouflage fatigues. since my brother was over there, I would pretend I was making them for him, and said a prayer that whomever wore them, they would be safe.
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Old 11-30-2013, 02:35 PM
  #23  
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My mom worked in a sewing factory. Before she got her job, the 4 of us girls wore flour sack dresses that she made - but after - ooooooooooh! The factory made suits for Saks 5th Avenue and we were upgraded to gabardine pants and skirts.
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Old 11-30-2013, 03:33 PM
  #24  
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The summer before I started nursing school, I worked in a factory that made baseball hats. A few weeks into the job I was put on an eyelet machine that the woman sewing beside me warned me was malfunctioning. The person who had been using it refused to use it because it was not safe. About that time, the machine jerked, caught my index finger & put an eyelet in it! I lost the end of my finger. That was many years ago but I am still very uneasy using new machines.
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Old 11-30-2013, 11:21 PM
  #25  
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My great-grandmother worked in a local factory when I was little (around 3-7 years old ... early 70's). I think the factory made all kinds of clothes, but she worked in the section that made those one-piece footed pajamas. I remember her bringing me lots of pajamas back then. I think they were seconds that she got at a discount, but I LOVED them. Since the top and bottom were one piece, they were a little hard to put on and take off, but once you had them on, they were soooo warm. I always got a kick out of the "drop-down bottom" in the back so you could use the bathroom without having to take your pajamas off. My favorite pair was orange on the bottom, and the top was white with orange wrenches and other tools on it. They must've been meant for a little boy, but I loved them just the same.

I don't remember her commenting on whether or not she liked the job, but she loved sewing (and quilting), so I imagine she liked it at least fairly well.
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Old 12-01-2013, 05:09 AM
  #26  
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I did. In 1949. I learned to sew and from there made all my husbands,son , and 3 girls clothes. Mine too. Dont do clothes anymore tho. I quilt,both hand and machine pieced,both hand and machine quilted. I love making landscapes and needle turn applique. Am on the last block of a quilt called Fiesta. Black with bright primary colors. Will post pics when I get it set together. I am so fortunate that I learned to sew.
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Old 12-01-2013, 05:10 AM
  #27  
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We had a Mode O Day factory in my hometown made mostly blouses My mom worked in a mans Store in the tailoring dept they taught her everything she knew about sewing she could do all kinds of tailoring but could not follow a pattern or make clothes I thought that was so funny My grandmother was a wonderful seamstress even made my coats, Later in life she quilted
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Old 12-01-2013, 05:59 AM
  #28  
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I worked for a major dept store my senior year in high school. I mostly hemmed men's pants. My dad owned a full service garage before that. I worked there for 3 summers. I was always sooo dirty and hot. I remember he picked me up and put me in the engine compartment of a large truck and handed me a scraper. I had to scrape off the dried on head gasket because he was too short to reach it.
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Old 12-01-2013, 06:56 AM
  #29  
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My part-time job after the boys were old enough to leave was at a Singer Sewing store. Although I didn't think much of the job at the time, it did help pay the groceries. We had to check in all of the machines that came in for repair and the machines were in every possible shape you can imagine. Now that I am quilting and have to use all kind of donated machines, it has been a real help because I can make just about any machine operate. I am the "machine expert" of the group.
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Old 12-01-2013, 08:18 AM
  #30  
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I worked in the family store in Glasgow, PA from the time I was able to reach the register with a step stool (about 8 yrs old) until the folks retired. I cleaned shelves, stocked shelves and waited on customers. We sold everything from hunting gear, pipe, fencing, animal feed, clothing, and supplies to food.... to name a few. Plus there was a post office in the building as well.... I refer to it as the model for Sam Drucker's store in Petty Coat Junction.

The summer after I graduated I worked in a McGregor shirt factory in Coalport, PA until I left for college. It was a learning curve as it was all about producing quality at high speed. Since I am more slow and steady, I never made the daily quota and realized that was NOT the job for me.
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