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Aunt Norie’s Sewing Room

By Eleanor Mckee - | Dec 11, 2012

Marge said of her beautiful, new, very expensive sweater, “This is the very first time I’ve washed it, and look, it is ruined.”

No, it wasn’t ruined, but it should never have happened. It looked totally ruined. The shoulder seam had apparently just let go, leaving the sleeve hanging much longer.

Maybe some one of you have a better, quicker remedy, but I used a heavy ‘button cord’ thread in a large eyed embroidery needle. Beginning at the top of the sleeve and shoulder, in the seam, I went up that seam to the neckline, or the other end of that seam. Then, with a sliding motion, easing that stretched and sagging material — made of yarn, of course — I pulled that shoulder seam back into place. We had to keep easing and pushing. Oh, it was a real mess.

Now, they certainly will not stay that way without more, so I took a matching twill tape and carefully basting, stitched it to the underside of that seam itself, using regular sewing thread and a much smaller needle, sewing it firmly under that re-enforced seam, then right down the seam itself.

That one seam has a special name, and is a good one to always remember and use. It is called “the stitch in the ditch.” Many years ago, the lady who created that seam made a name for herself. I’m sorry, I can’t recall her name, but it is very good for strengthening and mending, and it never shows.

The yarns were too bulky to then sew with the sewing machine also right down that seam.      

Try to teach every child to thread a needle, sew on a button, to learn the art of mending. Once a child says “I made it myself” no matter how simple, they will remember and thank you for your time and patience.

Hugs now, and have a merry and blessed Christmas.

— Aunt Norie, PO Box 265, Tonganoxie, KS 66086; auntnorie@att.net