The TMBC recently got together at LP's house to do a Featherweight project. I had a vintage line-dried cotton sheet for each member, and they ripped them to create at least three new pillowcases...
First of all -- a word about OLD cotton sheets. The fabric these sheets are made from is far superior to anything being sold in stores today. Made from genuine long staple cotton, in a true percale weave of 180 threads per square inch -- the fabric is crisp and smooth and a DREAM to sleep on.
Flat white cotton sheets lost favor with most housewives in the 60's as they embraced the much more festive printed poly/cotton sheet sets, which always included the new fangled "fitted" sheet.
Consequently, those beautiful white flat sheets, often made from the highest quality Pima cotton, languished in trunks and closets for the last 60 years.
Which is why I find them ALL THE TIME at estate sales or auctions...in excellent condition...and I rarely pay more than $1.
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| This is my idea of a "pattern"... |
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| I had to assure everybody that RIPPING the sheets was the only way to go. It's impossible to cut a 108"straight line with a scissors -- and the grain of these sheets is PERFECTLY STRAIGHT.... |
LP had her home set up for our latest Featherweight adventure...
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| Of course, we ha to start off with breakfast!! |
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| There was an ironing station...a cutting station... |
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| The sewing table. WITH FOUR FEATHERWEIGHTS!! |
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| In trying to explain how to do the french seams -- there was some ripping out...(by some, I mean everybody did it.)... |
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| But once you got it right -- those french seams and the back pocket make for an INCREDIBLE ELEGANT PILLOWCASE... |
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| That pocket just screams luxury linens, don't you think? |
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| I had a newly Franken-sewed dress...(with one large asymmetrical pocket) |
My pattern was not clear, and because there is not a discernible "right" or "wrong" side to vintage cotton, some of my friends had a little trouble getting the french seam right.
That was my fault, and I decided to make up some scaled-down samples...(more tomorrow)...
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