Vintage Haberdashery part 2

Some items from hubby’s grandmother’s sewing tin:

India (a.k.a. Tailors’) Tape: This is used to stablise a section of clothing e.g. a shoulder seem. It is also handy for things such as cushion ties.

The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser (NSW), 6th September 1918 page 3.

The logo of a letter C within a laurel wreath was G. J. Coles logo during the 1930s.

The examples above were all made in England, but there is a Walker branded example displayed at Miss Porter’s House – National Trust NSW.

Linen Thread

Linen thread is stronger than cotton. It can be used for crocheting.

The Telegraph (Brisbane), 6th December 1930 page 14.

Gippsland Times (Vic), 15th July 1940 page 6.

Waxed linen thread is “a strong, yet fine thread used for basket making, bookbinding, leatherwork and jewellery making, baskets from the garden and coiled textile baskets” according to a sales description. In old newspaper articles it was described as being used to build air ships, and to close the wound when spaying heifers(!), repairing broken whips and sewing leather.

Barbour’s flax thread was made in Antrim, Ireland from 1784 until 2006.  James Miller & Co were manufacturers of rope and twines from around 1864.They opened a factory in Brunswick in 1909, and another in Warragul in 1946.

The Argus (Melbourne), 28th May 1953 page 20.

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