The Threads That Bind

“Necessity is the mother of invention.”~Proverb

I wanted to sew something for myself. No particular reason why, just because I can! I went through my collection and found this pattern from 1964 speaking to me.

I picked this sewing themed fabric. More specifically it is a “J&P Coats” thread themed fabric.

Side note, 1964 was a good year for blouse patterns and music.

Let’s jump to J&P Coats thread for a second. If you sew, this is a name you’re probably familiar with. As would be your grandma, and great-grandma, and great-great grandma. That’s because the company was founded in 1755 in Scotland. They started making silk thread in this building, which still stands today but is now residential housing.

In 1806, Patrick Clark invented a way of twisting together cotton to make cotton thread. Silk was unavailable because of the French Blockade of Great Britain.

For fun, here’s a political cartoon depicting the blockade.

So because of this guy, Napoleon Bonaparte, we now have cotton thread!

In the 1840’s J&P Coats were selling their thread world wide. In 1896 they acquired the firm of Clark and Co. By 1912 they were growing into one of the world’s largest companies, ranked behind US Steel and Standard Oil.

This ad from 1887 is represented on the fabric I chose for my blouse.

In 1952 the Coats and Clark Thread Co. merged to become Coats and Clark’s.

The company is still around today, if you sew you know.

Here is my own stash of really old thread. Since the labels say “J&P Coats” they are from the years 1840-1886. That’s some really old thread! The youngest spool would be 138 years old. The oldest 184 years old. The color is still beautiful and vibrant, and the thread strong! Good job J&P Coats! I clearly come from a long line of women who held onto their thread!

Onto sewing my blouse which celebrates such an iconic sewing company!

The darts were drawn and ready to be pinned.

Sewing the front pieces to the back.

Prepping the collar and facings with interfacing.

Hemming the facings edge.

Sleeve time! The pattern called for the sleeve to be hemmed with a blind hem stitch.

Sewing the sleeve edge using my blind hem foot.

Button time! I chose these beautiful, vintage buttons. Thank you Grandma Doris!

Hemming the bottom of the blouse.

My blouse was done! (Earrings courtesy of my mom! she crocheted a cute design around some pink buttons!)

A fun and vintage blouse that celebrates my love of sewing!

I had a new blouse and new appreciation for thread! I especially appreciate the antique thread I have in my collection. What did my grandmother’s of the past make with the leftover spools of thread that I now have? Which grandmother did the thread belong to? Who knows! I know where I got it though, and yes Grandma Doris, I’ll be passing it along to the next generation!

As for me, onto the next!