The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-15
REPAIR
HELPS THE WAR


is being emphasized under war
time conditions and North Caro-
lima farm women are .~doing more
sewing in the home than at any
time in recent years, reports Will
lie N. Hunter, Extension clothing
specialist at State college.
Last years program among
home demonstration clubs was
based on a quick and sure method
Of making simple dress and on
the care and repair of clothing
County home agents reported that
4o,643 dresses were made on the
basis of the county demonstrations
Many women who had never at
tempted to make a dress before
went home from the demonstra-
tons and made their own clothing.
Those women who were accus-
toned to making their own dress
es reported that the methods dem
onstrated made their sewing east
er and saved them much time.
'"The home demonstration club
women have not neglected to make
the best use OF good materials in
old garments" says Miss Hunter.
Recently one of the members of
Ia Buncombe County club surpris-
ed her friends by attending the
club in new suit made over
from material from a suit bought
in 1919"
Repairing Clothing
Work begun on t h repair of
clothing in demonstrations insti-
tuted last fall is being continued
into 1914. The mending of mems
clothing was given specil atten-
ton. How to handle frayed edges
of collars, cuffs, and front edges;
patches for elbows; and repair Of
trousers were demonstrated. EN-
phasis was placed on guards and
reinforcements that protect cloth
ing from wear. Mends for under
wear and top clothes were includ-
ed.
In Johnston County, for exam
pie, 2,142 garments we're repaired
for women, 1888 for children, and
205 for men. A total of 1,468 gar
ments were remodeled.
Many old suits were salvaged
and demonstrations were given as
to how best to guard new suits
against unnecessary wear.
Total reports from the counties
showed 101,638 garments repaired
for women, 1858 for children,
and 1880 for men. The number
of garments remodeled for wom-
en- were 1895 and for children
32.227, not including 6,597 coats for
women and 6,793 for children.
Red Cross Sewing
Both the home demonstration
club women n d the 4-H girls
made an excellent record in Red
Cross sewing. Seventy counties re-
ported the making of 1887 wooden
garments and SO counties reported
40,251 cotton garments made. A
total of $3.50 garments were knit
ted. In addition, many kits. bed
rooms and hospital knee robes
were made.
Sewing Bees
The Kures Beach Club of New
Hanover County, for example, sew
ed for service men from Fort Fish
er. About 700 garments were
brought to the sewing room and
many insignias were sewed on.
Mrs. Walter Harris Of the Grey
Rock community, Granville Coun-
ty, invited the wives of the men
who were coming to her husbands
corn shocking to bring along gar
ments that needed patching or
darning. "As a result of this dem
onstration, a patching fever devei'
oped in the community" the nome
agent reported.
Lieut.. Rita Corn wrote her Bun
combe County friends about now
children in North Africa we # e
clothed in burlap and the women
draped in rags. After getting tnls
information direct from the war
zone, the women eagerly 6 a v e
good wearable garments to TN e
Bundles Group. ~
HI Girls
In their clothing work, All girls
studied the art of good dressing.
They learned to select materials
to make garments, and to assem-