Passing The Torch ~Author unknown~ so far.

Is there a magic cutoff period when offspring become accountable for their own actions?

Is there a wonderful moment when parents can become detached spectators in the lives of their children and shrug, 'It's their life," and feel nothing?

When I was in my twenties, I stood in a hospital corridor waiting for doctors to put a few stitches in my son's head. I asked, "when do you stop worrying?" The nurse said, "When they get out of the accident stage." My mother just smiled faintly and said nothing.

When I was in my thirties, I sat on a little chair in a classroom and heard how one of my children talked incessantly, disrupted the class, and was headed for a career making license plates. As if to read my mind, a teacher said, "Don't worry, they all go through this stage and then you can sit back, relax and enjoy them." My mother just smiled faintly and said nothing.

When I was in my forties, I spent a lifetime waiting for the phone to ring, the cars to come home, the front door to open. A friend said, "They're trying to find themselves. Don't worry, in a few years, you can stop worrying. They'll be adults." My mother just smiled faintly and said nothing.

By the time I was 50, I was sick and tired of being vulnerable. I was still worrying over my children, but there was a new wrinkle. There was nothing I could do about it. My mother just smiled faintly and said nothing. I continued to anguish over their failures, be tormented by their frustrations and absorbed in their disappointments.

My friends said that when my kids got married - I could stop worrying and lead my own life. I wanted to believe that, but I was haunted by my mother's warm smile and her occasional, "You look pale. Are you all right" Call me the minute you get home. Are you depressed about something?"

Can it be that parents are sentenced to a lifetime of worry? Is concern for one another haded down like a torch to blaze the trail of human frailties and the fears of the unknown? Is concern a curse or is it a virtue that elevates us to the highest form of life?

One of my children became quite irritable recently, saying to me, "Where were you? I've been calling for 3 days, and no one answered, I was worried." I smiled a warm smile.

The torch has been passed.

Swiss Fashion Designer ~ Fred Affolter

Fred and Rose Affolter

As a young man, Fred was drawn towards music, acting and sewing. He trained as a fashion designer in Lausanne, Switzerland and in Paris, where he gradually turned to women's fashions. Rose studied to be a teacher in home economics and later changed to fashion design. Fred and Rose married in 1943; they opened their own couture establishment in Granges, Switzerland in 1950.

The Affolters' customers were fashionable wealthy women who like exclusive evening designs made of expensive imported material. Fred became well known for his original designs using lace and St. Ball embroideries. Many of his designs were double face, made of silk and wool and entirely reversible. Fred also designed elegant flexible garments, were sleeves could be removed or coats shortened. Partner suits, with matching dress and suit for the lady and gentleman, were also very popular.

Fred and Rose held fashion shows throughout Switzerland to showcase their exclusive designs. Fred became known as the 'Singing Dior', for he would often present his models with a rose and sing a suitable song as a finale. The highlight of their career was a fashion show held in Cairo during Expo '76, where they were able to work with luxurious expensive materials and original designs to showcase embroideries from Switzerland. Many of the garments and photographs in this exhibit are from this show.

Fred and Rose retired in 1980 and moved to Trinity Valley near Enderby to be with their children. Fred has been making unique, original quilts and wall hangings for the last 20 years, using samples and scraps of the luxurious materials, lace and embroidery collected during his years as a couturier.

Thank you, Fred and Rose,

for sharing your life's work

with our community.

Enderby and District Museum and the Enderby and District Arts Council

"A SWISS FASHION SHOW"

November 24, 1976
Sheraton Hotel, Cairo
Reviewed by Jean-Louis Bernier, La Tribune
Translation by Reginald Bigras

"As we had previously announced, a Swiss fashion show took place in the salons of a great hotel in Cairo during the Swiss-Expo '76, a Swiss industrial and technological exposition in Egypt, starring Fred Affolter, 59 years old, one of the best renowned Swiss couturiers.


"Fred Affolter, one of Switzerland's most famous leading couturiers, was born in 1917. Although interest in couture from a very early age, he hesitated whether to go in for acting or take up fashion designing, finally opting to become a tailor. He trained in Lausanne and in Paris where he gradually turned to designing women's fashions. In 1950, in cooperation with his wife, also a couturiere, he opened up his own couture establishment at Granges.

"The whole of Cairo, including representatives of the Embassies and Ministries, and fashion designers represented by the fashion editors of the great Egyptian newspapers, hurried on the evening of November twenty-fourth to attend this fashion show honoured by the presence of Madame Brugger, wife of the head of the Department of Public Economy.

"Forty exclusive designs constituted Fred Affolter's original collection. The beauty and richness of the embroideries of St. Gall inspired Fred Affolter in the creation of this original collection with its distinctly oriental appear. Out of these forty designs, thirty-five were made of lace and five were double face, silk and wool, entirely reversible. The luxurious tissues, richly embroidered(sometimes worth two hundred francs per metre), were greatly admired, and the four fashion models (two Swiss ladies and two Egyptian ladies) were not only applauded for the beauty of their ensembles, but also for the footwear and the Swiss watches they were wearing...

"Tunic dresses, afternoon and evening dresses, two-piece outfits, empire-style dresses, long shirtwaist dresses, caftans, coats, gala evening ensembles of all styles and bridal gowns: the Swiss choice in Cairo was varied. This Egyptian Premiere, by its attendance and the interest it created, has been a real success.

The Swiss Fashion Show Featuring original designs by Swiss couturier Fred Affolter

"April 25-May17 2003 Sponsored by the Enderby and District museum and the Enderby and District Arts council"

Notes from Fred, with translations by Gila:

The pink suit with a lining that matches the blouse is a design by Coco Chanel. Designs were owned by the couturier. If another couturier wanted to use the design, he was required to purchase it. In exchange, he would receive a signed drawing, and a half-pattern made of cloth.

Many of the black and white photographs shown are from the fashion show in Cairo. Some of the models for fashion shows or photograph shoot could be quite difficult. They were often particular about what they wore and extremely picky about the fit.

Several dress in the exhibit are made with St.Gallen embroideries, using silk and gold threads.One coat and a dress are made of velour, where the material is hand cut to create the design.

Some materials have two layers which can be teased apart. I(Fred) would stitch a double seam about 1 inch from the edge, separate the two layers to this point, fold it back, machine stitch it on one side and hand stitch on the other. Thus the garment would be reversible. The gentleman's coat and vest were made in this manner.

I began to make quilts and wall hangings when we came to this country(Canada) We brought with us samples of material given to us by sales people, as well as remnants from the garments.

We would often send a sample of material from garment to Bali Show Company to have matching shoes made for our clients. Matching purses could also be made.

The Proverbial BUT!

"I agree with you -----, I'm not prejudice -----, It looks nice -----,
I will help -----, It feels good -----, It doesn't matter -----,
I don't want to be rude -----."

All the time I hear it! Said repeatedly, everyday.
Every statement said above is followed by: BUT!

If you agree with me, there is no BUT!
If you will help, there is no BUT!

You either will do it, are going to help, or think it does look nice.

"THERE IS no BUT about it!"

BUT should never follow any statement. If it does, it immediately negates what you have said.

Please, no more BUTS! make it a PERIOD! instead.

Ice Cream, by any other name?

As I quite often do, on returning home from the post office, I stopped at the grocery store for a few things. I was waiting in line at the check-out, when I felt a tug on my skirt and a small voice "Lady, what's that you have?"

Turning around, I saw a small boy standing with his dad. I looked at my purchases and told him; "Ice Cream". 'Uh-ah', he said 'that doesn't look like ice cream!'.

Yes, it's Rollo-twist and Tin-roof-Sundae ice cream, I said.

He turned to his dad, and asked if they could get some too! His dad said that they already had ice cream at home.

"Nope, we don't, vanilla isn't ice cream!" he said.

So, to a child ice cream is fanciful flavours, not plain old vanilla.

Like life, if we don't give children variety, their out look on the world will be just plain old vanilla!

How to Buy Women's Vintage Clothing on line!

One good reason to always read the measurements of any item of vintage clothing you purchase On-Line.

YES! I've finally found the perfect 40's 'side-drape' dress. I've got to have it.
Rayon crepe - double drop at bodice & hip - accent bows - square neckline - shoulder gathers!

My size too! 16. I take a quick glance at the description *excellent shape - no flaws* Skim through the rest - measurements given. ---WAIT! Back up! Bust is what? 34 inches - glance up to the size stated - yep - size 16.

I wear a size 16, how can this vintage dress be a 16 with a 34 inch bust?

That's it folks - buying classic vintage by size is a no-no. Always check the measurements!

This dress from 1945 has a size tag that reads 16. In that era, women's sizes were done by bust measurements and ½ sizes, starting at 16½(bust 35). Misses & juniors clothing had the number size on the tags.

Over the years women's clothing manufacturers have been tinkering with the size measurements: a 1945, size 16(misses) 34 inch bust was in 1958 a size 14, in 1967 a size 14, and in 1968 a size 12!

What the manufacturers have done is to patronize to the buying publics fear of large. The 'Vanity Sizing' that we see in today's fashions is an insult to us, this worlds women. We have become blind to the fact that there never used to be a size 0.

When I was 50 pounds lighter and 30 years younger I wore a women's size 14, now I'm sitting here typing this in a size 12 - doesn't make since to me!