Mystery Fabric

The week before I left for the east coast, I decided the black twill slacks I had made were probably going to be too hot, so I whipped down to the Mill End Store and found a great piece of fabric: light weight, tiny bit of stretch (6" stretches to 6.75"), extremely smooth hand, and the tiniest black and white houndstooth check, I think each pattern is only 4 threads wide, 64" wide, and only $6.49/yard. However, the bolt end had *no* information on fiber content, and the clerks were all guessing different things. The bolt was located in the "100% cotton quilting" rack, but I was certain it's not 100% cotton. Taking a chance, I bought enough for one pair of slacks, laundered it, got it made up, and off I went. Good thing I did, too, because as I had suspected the black twill slacks were sucking up rays and making me *very* uncomfortable, so I ended up wearing the houndstooth slacks almost every day. I washed them in the sink, hung them over the tub, and they were ready to wear after about 12 hours, with the creases as sharp as when I pressed them in!

To make a looooong story short, I just went back to the Mill End Store with a scrap, and spent about an hour searching all over for that fabric. Several clerks tried to help, but each thought it was "in another department". One clerk actually took a snip of my swatch and did a burn test. Her best guess is that it's a rayon-poly blend, but it was nowhere to be found in that department. I was just about to give up and leave, when I took one more look on the "stretch cotton twill" area, and lo and behold, there it was!!!

Happy Dancing!! I took a quick look at patterns to be sure I bought enough to make another pair of slacks, PLUS a jacket, and maybe a skirt. If they had had another color or even a plain navy in that fabric I would have bought some of it, too.

AND, I used the gift certificate Susan A. from the SewBiz List sent me after I helped her locate some Chantilly lace at the Mill End Store for a custom wedding gown for a client. I thought it was spectacularly gracious of Susan to send me a gift certificate. The result was, I bought plenty of fabric, and my out-of-pocket cost was only $13.94, making the average cost for three more garments $4.65 each (not including notions). :-)

Beverly, who still wonders what the heck the fabric is made of....

Reply to
BEI Design
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Now you'll have to plan another trip.

Reply to
Pogonip

Read my new post. I will definitely plan more trips, but shorter, and in the winter - fall - spring. *Never* again in the middle of summer, I'm too danged old for it.

Beverly

Reply to
BEI Design

An excellent plan. In my job from which I recently retired, I had to go to Anaheim, Orlando, New Orleans, and San Jose in June of four years. I got out of going to Las Vegas and Boston, the past two Junes. I hate flying, and am not much for travelling anymore, either, so I was delighted to get out of it. But if I were chosing a place to go in June, I think Tahoe would be lovely. If I want to sweat, we have a sauna. ;-)

Reply to
Pogonip

We're just too danged soft these days. It was only a decade ago when my grandfather, with a gas powered (not propelled) mower, at the age of 92 was still mowing his own grass. Still bowling in a league, but he did turn in his driver's license, smart man. Though he did cut down on the vegetable garden, the irises and other flowers were still dense and flourishing.

I loved that veggie garden. I was out there with my Nana picking peas and shucking them. Green beans, destringing and snapping them into bite sized pieces. Making apple tarts with her.

Digging up potatoes with Pappy, covering the grapes so pests wouldn't get at them. Picking corn for family picnics.

Having even bigger family picnics at a grove in the woods. Had a stream running through it. Going in for a dip, with clothes on.

No air conditioning. No bug spray.

Sitting out on the porch gabbing with our neighbors.

Don't get me started about these days, AK in PA

Reply to
AK&DStrohl

What a great find! And how gracious of Susan to send you such an appropriate gift! Do you have pix of your slacks?

Reply to
Kate XXXXXX

I think I was wearing them here:

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that's not great shot. ;-) I'll try to get all my pics (1,567 on three memory chips) downloaded, and take a look.

Beverly

Reply to
BEI Design

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