Hopsacking Barbie

It's funny how fabrics, colours,weaves and patterns come into vogue and disappear again.  Hopsacking is a case in point.   It was originally used to transport hops, an essential ingredient in beer.  I found a reference that said hopsacking was used for men's suits but I remember it from the sixties, when it was printed with wild patterns and sold for women's clothing.

In grade 9, home economics was a required program for girls.   The sewing teacher gave us a choice of patterns for a jumper and told us to buy a length of hopsacking.  I bought a pattern for a drop-waisted jumper with a circle mini-skirt  and a length of brown corduroy that was not suitable for the pattern.

There were 24 girls in the class.  We shared the 6 sewing machines, the 6 tables, the 6 ironing boards and irons.Most of the class was spent waiting for a turn to use something.  I didn't get a chance to lay out my pattern at school so I took it home.  The suggested layout didn't work with a fabric with a wale so I brought it all back to class and the teacher did the layout for me.

I had access to a sewing machine at home so I did most of the sewing there and just sat and chatted during class time.  The project was progressing well until I got to the zipper.  We were supposed to do a lapped application.  I followed the instructions carefully, removed the basting and sighed.  I ripped it all out and did it again.  And again. And again.  I accidentally tore the back seam allowance with my seam ripper.  I showed my teacher who sighed and put the zipper in for me. She did a great job.  I don't remember my mark on the course.  I wonder if it was higher because the teacher did such a good job or lower because the teacher did the job.  No matter, I wore that jumper until it was threadbare from washing.

Barbie followed the instructions, bought an appropriate piece of hopsacking and made this.  All by herself.