JuneBillie

When I was 15, I told I was 16, and worked at a cosmetic company in Chicago. I made $1.85 per hour, and worked full weeks of 40 hours per week for the summer while out of school. The company was Marcelles Cosmetics. They later moved to New York back then. This was 1968.

Watson

I worked at a Fotomat. Remember those little booths that sat in the parking lot and you dropped your film off? That was me.

Watson

Jane Quilter

I had to keep babysitting (which I spent all my earnings on fabric to make clothes for myself) because I could not get a real job as a waitress or dept store clerk because I was on a college bound diploma in high school. But I made my dad, a nuclear engineer, a suit that he wore to work and bragged about, and another man who worked there saw it and hired me to work in his wife's tailor shop. I was about 15....I couldn't drive yet. Made less than 50 cents an hour, a downgrade from babysitting. I could not afford the fabrics there, and my parents could not afford to buy me a Huskavarna/Viking machine they sold there. So I stuck with my $75.00 Kenmore. But it paid us back when both my Dad and I wore suits I had made to a college interview. It was there that the dean asked where my extracurricular activities were (none) and i hung my head in shame. My dad piped up and said I had made both of our suits. The Dean was so impressed, he let me in Early Decision to Virginia Tech in 1973, where I got an Engineering Degree....Totally unheard of for a girl in the early 70's..... Who said, "sewing doesn't pay?". Next, I met a man who was 6'8" tall who could not buy any clothes except blue jeans because he was too tall (in the '70's...not like now).....I think he married me because I could sew.....and yes, I had to make his wedding suit. 41 years later, it must have been more than my sewing skills that kept us together....but I thought only us crazy quilters could enjoy this family history story.....do you think sewing is in our DNA? Maybe we all should get tested. LOL

Endora

These are so much fun reading!

Endora

First job I had where I actually received a real paper paycheck, was the summer that I delivered telephone directories. There was 3 of us girls riding in the back of a pickup, loaded to the nines with stacks of telephone directories. When we'd exhaust a box-load, we'd go back to the warehouse and load the truck with more and away we'd go. We had a ball!

Trisher

Worked at a rental car company. Picked customers up, dropped them off, washed and cleaned the cars and worked at the front desk when the boss was away. Loooong time ago! (circa 1973?)

sherian

My first job was working for 2 Doctor's Surgeons. I got .75 ¢ Christmas we got $25.00 they took out taxes. We had to clean the office and wash trash can, bathrooms, sterilize items. etc. After seeing patients during the day.

jokir44

In grade school I cleaned the chicken house for Granny, .5o cents and dug up dandelions for Grandpa, dime each. When I was 13 -18 I worked weekends and holidays at a soda fountain and grill. In the summer I worked 7 days a week. 50 cents an hour and the occasional tip. I cashed my checks and for the most part I bought fabric to make clothes for my sister and myself.

smallstrips

My first job was crying at funerals, yes I was a professional mourner way back in college. Please don't judge me

Rose Marie

Summer vacations I worked in a ceramics factory painting eyes and gold trim. Back then I had a steady hand.