I have to agree with Pam on the amount of fabric to make a skirt.  I had a
dress that was less than a yard for the bodice, but it took me 8 yards to
complete the skirt.
Laura West

-----Original Message-----
From: Pam Asbury-Smith [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2003 3:54 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: scratch cloth from "The whole nine yards"


Au contraire, Jim.  I've been sewing for a while, and I know from experience
that a really full skirt takes about 5 yards, ditto a dress with a less full
skirt; a pair of pants takes more than 2 yards, and a suit (jacket and
pants) takes about 5-6 yards, depending on size.  etc etc.

Cloth comes on a bolt (spelled with a t) and used to be measured in
"lengths", such as a dress length.  The width varies, usually from 45" to
60", so one buys fabric based on its width as well as the pattern
requirements.  And, a bit of trivia....  You can measure a yard
(approximately, of course) from the tip of your nose to your middle
fingertip; just hold your arm straight out to the side.  That's how one
"guess-timates" when fabric shopping.

More than you wanted to know, probably.

Pam Asbury-Smith
SRI
Tucson

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Bowles" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2003 11:37 AM
Subject: scratch cloth from "The whole nine yards"


> Hello all,
>
> IMO, we can scratch "cloth" from the "The whole nine yards" .. as well!
>
> Nine yards of cloth would clothe a family of six .. with some left over
for a table dressing!
>
> The best candidate IMO .. is still the WWII version of nine yards of ammo
in the Spitfires and
> Hurricanes .. the expression deriving from pilots declaring they'd used
"The whole nine yards"
> after a stiff engagement.
>
> During the Battle of Britain in 1940 the Spitfires and Hurricanes used the
British .303 ammo!
>
> Churchill declaring on June 18, 1940 .. of the RAF to the House of Commons
".. if the British
> Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say,
"This was their
> finest hour,"
>
> Later versions used the .50 cal. So I think the .303 belt length is what
we're after .. the .50
> being different!
>
> jb
> .
>