School Needlework

[englishangel]

Our local John Lewis no longer do fabric and even the one on Oxford Street had hidden it away at the back of the first floor, and didn't have much available. And that was four years ago when I was making my daughter's prom dress.

[Angela Woodford]

This has come as a terrible shock! Depleted or hidden-away fabric department at John Lewis?

I can't believe it!

Unimaginable!

Mary , your memory of your mother's justifiable caution over buying too much fabric rings lots of bells! Suddenly I seem to recall SWSNBN telling us that the back-of-the-pattern buying-your-fabric chart was inclined to err on the generous size? When I was making a dress I know I wasted fabric. I was 5'4 and a half " in those youthful days and "Misses" patterns, I think, were for 5'6 +" girls. (Like you, Mary V!) Do I remember making a pleat in the paper pattern to shorten it - and even then chopping more off the bottom when trying the dress on? I think I do!

I'd have been too nervous to go and request help in fitting with SWSNBN anyway!

I shall have to have a careful session with a tape measure. For all I know, size 12 has been given different proportions these days. In fact, we were summoned after lunch by SWSNBN to the School Hall at one point to be told that, e g, a 14 was now recategorised as a 12 or some such thing, seeing as the modern woman was now bigger.

When I look back at family photos of the 50's and 60's, those friends and family are so small! Tiny waists, little curvy hips!

John Lewis coffee, Mary? Sounds a brilliant idea!

[Angela Woodford]

I believe that Freud considered there to be A Dream Censor, which wakes one up when the dream gets too terrifying - just as one plummets over the cliff or the monster opens it's huge jaws! Thank you, Dream Censor!

I woke this morning from a dreadful nightmare. Oh, I grabbed my radio, and yes, everything was back as it should be. The postal strike is still going ahead, MP's are still saying that their expenses are "within the rules" and James Naughtie was bullying an interviewee into calling Ed Balls a bully.

I had been back at school. It's Tuesday, double lesson after lunch, and Elaine Woods and I are making our way over the Playground to the Science Block, messing around a bit. We fall in with Clare Tattersall, Susan Lintott and Susan Parkin, and we're swept along into the Science Block. To my horror, I see that the others have their attaché cases with them and we're pounding up the stairs to the Needlework Room. Not only do I not have my needlework, but I don't know where it is, and anyway, I've only got as far as cutting it out. We're lining up outside and SWSNBN, fierce and bulky, makes her entrance, her little currant eyes glaring from her white doughy face. Her jowls quiver as we chorus "Good afternoon Miss Richards" and I'm in despair. I'm shaking with fright. There's only one thing to do - run for it.

I bolt down the stairs. I'm barely even able to breathe, the panic is so acute. Over the Playground, over the Square (not supposed to run here, but I don't care) and into Sixes. I can hear Pot blundering about in her room - "eee, eee, oof, eee cough cough" and pray she doesn't come out to investigate. I'm frantically searching the shelf in the Tuck Room. My needlework isn't there. The red plastic sofa in the Dayroom? The top of the lockers? Confiscated? It's gone.

I'd cut it out. Remember that nice feeling of the fabric with the pattern still pinned on? That's as far as I'd got. Needlework is due next week too. The House is strange with nobody here, and I can smell that weird blend of shoe polish, fruit in bags, the silverfish cupboard and the burnt-milk saucepan.

I've got to run back and tell SWSNBN that I've not only lost my needlework, but haven't done it anyway. It's a tunic and trousers in red silk and I really loved the pattern and fabric in Pratts of Streatham. I was going to work so hard at sewing it beautifully, get Commended and... show that beastly dragon woman... Plus, I was going to have lost enough weight to fit into it.

I run back to the Needlework Room and all the faces stare at me as I approach SWSNBN at her desk. I say the words.

"Please Miss Richards, I've lost my needlework."

The angry white doughy face turns purple with rage. There's a gasp of horror from the rest of the class. I feel sick. Slowly, menacingly, she rises from her chair and -

The Dream Censor cuts in.

I wake still panicking. James Naughtie, I'd like to tell you about a real bully!

[englishangel]

Oh Munch, I don't know whether to laugh or cry at that. I never had any trouble with garments as once cut out and basically assembled you could see what you were going to end up with something unique to wear (except the Lower Vth/fourth form slip and french knickers - why not just go to Marks?), it was the pulled thread table runners (quoi?) and such nonsense that gave me sleepless nights in the loo.

[Kim2s70-77]

I'd forgotten the pulled thread table runners! There was an embroidered gingham apron - and a red bag with a zodiac sign on it (my mother's pegs are still in it!) - but I'd blocked out the rest! Great story (as ever!) Angela!!

[Jo]

Oh Munch, I don't know whether to laugh or cry at that.

Me too. You have captured so well the feeling of sheer terror that vicious old bully engendered. No-one should be allowed to do that to anyone else - thank goodness times have changed, at CH at least.

[midget]

Did you young ones have needlework lessons right through the school? We only had them up to Upper IV. I remember we started with patching (NOT patchwork) on 3 different types of fabric, then reinforcing sock heels and toes by darning. At some point we embroidered collars for infirmary dressing gowns, and another term we made pinafores (BORING). In the last term of UpperIV we at last got to make a blouse in fabric from home! As clothing, and hence fabric was still rationed I suppose it was the best they could do, and at least Miss Hindsley wasn't the dragon that you suffered.

[Katharine]

In my time, everyone had needlework lessons until Upper IV. Then when O Level choices were made only those doing it for O level, or A level had them. I think everyone made pinnies in their L IV year, in the Spring term. My form also did the embroidered collars for the infirmary, just as you did. I don't remember any darning or patching in needlework lessons, but remember that it was in the O level syllabus so saw the beautiful stitched samples they did. We did, of course, learn to darn for our lisle stockings. Can't remember whether the replacement ribbed stockings were darned or not.

[icomefromalanddownunder]

Oh Munch, I don't know whether to laugh or cry at that. I never had any trouble with garments as once cut out and basically assembled you could see what you were going to end up with something unique to wear (except the Lower Vth/fourth form slip and french knickers - why not just go to Marks?), it was the pulled thread table runners (quoi?) and such nonsense that gave me sleepless nights in the loo.

French knickers. Oh so sexy: but aaaarggghhhh, the scratchy lace, and the extricating them from your butt crack if you didn't wear tights beneath them

Pulled thread work, however, how that has stood me in good stead over the years: tablecloth and napkin as a wedding present for friends when we lived in Taranaki NZ and I couldn't find anything that I wished to give them and didn't have the time or money for a shopping trip to Auckland. Then there was the hand binding strip for my daughter's wedding. Even though the embroidered australian flowers, roses, lavender and tractors (don't ask) eluded my poor eyesight and skills, I did managed to draw thread and fringe the border, then cross stitch their names and the date. The ex was so impressed by it that he assumed my mother had made it. High honours indeed

[icomefromalanddownunder]

Did you young ones have needlework lessons right through the school? We only had them up to Upper IV. I remember we started with patching (NOT patchwork) on 3 different types of fabric, then reinforcing sock heels and toes by darning. At some point we embroidered collars for infirmary dressing gowns, and another term we made pinafores (BORING). In the last term of UpperIV we at last got to make a blouse in fabric from home! As clothing, and hence fabric was still rationed I suppose it was the best they could do, and at least Miss Hindsley wasn't the dragon that you suffered.

Lessons ceased, but we still had to produce two (three?) garments each year.

The equivalent of making those who chose less academic subjects for O Level solve a calculus problem each term.

xx

[Angela Woodford]

Absolutely right! We had SWSNBN lessons up to the end of the U1V, then the 'A' form stopped and the 'O' level Needlework doing 'B' formers carried on.

Our first piece of LV work had to be the slip and french knickers combo, however. I was never behind with these I'm happy to say, bcause my peers in Sixes were doing the 'O' level! Any tricky moments, and I just checked how they'd been taught by SWSNBN. Result! My pale blue lace-bodiced and trimmed slip and french knickers were Commended! We screamed with laughter at the knickers however. It was the time when we yearned to be out of those dire blues and linings and into the sleeker line of the M & S bikini brief. Possibly the popular orange-and-pink flowered ones!

Now, I'd rather like to do the slip and French knickers again... a sort of pretty vintage look.

It's coming back to me - in the U1V, making a sort of nightdress case with circular round flowers to teach us a large buttonhole stitch.

Which night was Mending Night? Was it Friday?

I did realise that Miss Morrison understood pre-Needlework anxiety - we had English before Needlework on a Thursday afternoon in the L1V. She must have realised that our nerves would be shot to pieces, and we were allowed to make frantic last efforts with our needlework, whilst reading our set book around the class. I wish I had thanked her for that!

[Katharine]

I wonder when the first garment in LV changed - we had to make nighties - far easier than you lot having to do slip AND french knickers!

[englishangel]

Two garments I think Caroline, and somewhere along the way we had to make a black apron. Friday night was mending night, and when I started we had white cotton games socks which we had to darn, (superseded by nylon socks in house colours). And yes Katharine we DID have to darn the ribbed stockings, but obviously far less likely to go into holes than the lisle ones.

I got quite adventurous with my needlewok and in Upper Sixth I made a blue plaid cape, matching plaids and everything. Though after I left I made winter coats and all sorts.

However before I ever went to CH I made a summer slip dress.

[Angela Woodford]

I'm so bad.

I've got a list of essential things I'm supposed to be doing, but found myself googling "vintage dress patterns". What a treat! I recognised patterns from the 60s and 70s at a site called "Rustyzipper". I spotted the 1940s version of our slip and french knickers - but what a different figure type! McCalls (I think) pattern 2692. Hourglass shape!

I recognised a plaid cape pattern (Butterick 5079) which must be similar to Mary's creation.

I realised that the drawings on the pattern envelopes were of lanky giraffey elongated models - much the same as photoshopped images today. When I think how the tub-shaped young me would gloat over these lovely pattern drawings, dreaming that I too would look like that... sad, really!

Very enjoyable!

[J.R.]

..... all this talk of French Knickers.

It'll play havoc with Neill's blood pressure !