"How It's Made"

The look like the rod goes through a 'rod pocket' formed by making a sort of tube in the top of the curtain. The rod is pushed through this tube, and fits quite snugly. You then arrange the curtain folds by tugging them into place, and they can be 'set' somewhat by steaming once they are hanging. As you never need to draw these decorative curtains, they then just stay like that!

You can pin them in place while steaming, but MUST remove all the pins as soon as the curtains are cool, or you risk them going rusty and staining the fabric, and rotting holes in it...

Its real interesting to watch, but another thing to work in a clothing factory. Many of us suffer permanent lung damage. I worked a pocket machine for years, it was a Singer but the function of the machine is the same. Our whole plant was Singers. Factories tend to by all the machines the same if they can as it reduces the service contracts and adds some needed perks . Our cutters worked in another part of the factory and did upwards of

200 pieces at a time with large electric driven saw cutters. Like big jig saws that hung from the roof. They can do thousands of pieces in an hour and the fabric is fed on a conveyer to them non stop. The pieces are then put in cloth bins and rolled out to the machinists. Each machinist usually only does one piece, I did zippers, just one side but day after day and hour after hour. It was good money but very boring. I graduated to the pocket machines which were a bit better but still under pressure to produce a certain limit, and you got a bonus if you went over the limit The term Sweat Shop is about the only way to describe the working conditions. When I moved here I worked in the Tender Tootsie slipper factory for some years. That factory used Juki machines and is where I saw my very first industrial embroidery machine. I t was just a chain stitcher, but I was fascinated by it. Been out of the business about 15 years now, and done other things since. Now they have computerized machines, A/C and so many air filters you cannot imagine. Still when you enter the plant the fibres floating in the air give it a hazy look. Machinists don't last long anymore either, they move to other jobs fairly quickly.

I have seen some really good segments on that show. The food production ones are also interesting.

When I was watching that show I was thinking "I bet they get paid by the piece. It's intriguing to watch, but I don't think I would want to work there."

When my cousin got out of the Navy, he came to live with us and got a job at a cloth baq factory here. He said there was cotton dust flying everywhere and he didn't think about putting a mask on. The next day he said he felt like he had the worst case of flu immaginable.

I would imagine working in a sewing inviroment like that would be back breaking, too.

It is also very hard on your hands, wrists and arms. I don't mean carpal tunnel, everyone gets that, but real nerve, joint and muscle damage. I can barely hold a tea mug in one hand and often drop my fork, --- well maybe not often enough judging by my weight, but the work did do permanent damage. The job I hated the most was the bindings. The rolls were overhead and fed to the machine over your shoulder. Really annoying and the fibres were right beside your face as they came off the roll it was very linty. But it fed the kids and kept a roof over our heads. If you ever get the chance to visit one of these factories do go. Its still fascinating to watch.

Does the USA even have any clothing factories left?

A

yes.