Ellageo

'Back in the day', when all children had chores & worked for the family...I worked at my parents Garage & Gas station. I really HATED 'finding' where the gas tank was to give gas, then cleaning the windshield, & lots of times checking oil!! I couldn't wait til I was 16 & could get a job in the 'factory'.
Well, I made lots of lifetime friends, had support from co-workers, no matter what I went thru, and worked my way up to management. I actually enjoyed my job and love sewing today! I bought a car, raised a family, made payments on a home..all with my factory check...and then they were gone!

BUT, I loved working in that factory, and those days are very special to me. 'Back in the day'.

BellaBoo

I did! Way back in my early 20's . My experience wasn't as good as yours. The only good thing I can say about it was it made me realize I better get myself in college. It was sewing as fast as you can, always upping your quota when you reached your quota. If the machine needle broke you were docked for the down time. The line bosses were jerks and kept pushing everyone to sew faster. It was a miserable working environment. I was moved to inspection then to pattern cutting. It was rush rush rush and being timed and hounded every hour. I quit when I had enough saved to start college classes. I enrolled in night classes and had the idea to babysit the other sewers young children during the day for less then they were paying day care. No license needed then for babysitting at home. I made more money, just no insurance or benefits of course but I got to stay home with my two girls and go to college. I did this for two years then had to go full time for school.

cindi

I worked in a factory where we put the lettering on the football, basketball, hockey (etc.) jerseys and letter jackets for The Ohio State University. It was a LOT of fun. I was initially responsible for sewing the letters on (the reason I'm quite good at zig-zag applique today!) and then moved to the area where they were pressed on the jerseys. They had to be juuuust right - perfectly spaced. Maybe that's why I'm such a stickler now for all my quilt pieces to go together just right!

lynnie

Just recently (2005) I worked at a place 20 min from home. I was supposed to be a supervisor. Yeah right! For two days I worked in a sweat shop. Head down same thing for hours, I was just coming off a bad car accident too. I worked nonstop on the same seams for 1000's of dresses for the dance theater. after working two days I quit. the company told everyone they hired they'd br a supervisor and lied. I ended up collecting unemployment even though I quit because they were know for lying to the employees. after the unemployment ran out, I went on disability. I was the only person who spoke English too. The boss hired me because he wanted more americans working there. I left a great job at the casket company for this job. One of the biggest regrets of my life. They promised me the world, all I got was a frozen shoulder.

mandyrose

I did for 20 yrs started at age 17,my first job was in housekeeping in a hospital UGH! hated that job and didn't like the hospital enviorment so went to the sewing factories at that time late 1960's there were many sewing factories around some good and some not good the ones that had a union international ladies garment workers union were the better ones to work in I always ran merro/serger machine setting slvs in knit shirts I learned to run a lot of machines in those days one of my favorites was putting snaps on babies sleepwear and cuffs on the shirts...granted it was not all easy and had bad days but it was a pay check and put food on the table and my the end of the 80's all the factories closed then I worked as a nurses aide in nursing homes... finally landed a job at the state hospital for the next 20+ yrs retiring in2006.(ended up working in a hospital anyway) good or bad I gained a lot of sewing experience in those yrs and still use today

Ellageo

That's TERRIBLE!! Sounds like they should be 'reported'..hard to believe places like that still exist here in the USA.

M.Elizabeth

I worked in factories - not sewing factories - in the summers between my college years. The one that stands out most is the one where I cut nylon for parachutes, which were made elsewhere. The cutting was done on a heated element which "fused" the pieces so there was no raveling. I would not have wanted to do that job for life - but it paid well for the 60s, which obviously helped with my college expenses. After college, I taught middle school for 31 years.

GrammaNan

Yes, 40 years ago I worked for Levi Strauss for two years after I got married. I really didn't like it. I remember that was when my back started hurting and I don't think it has ever stopped. There was never any time to make friends we always had our heads down trying to make our quotas. I had a double need machine once and the mechanic "Fixed it" and both needles broke off and stuck into my cheek right under my eye. I still have a scar on my thumb from the thread cutter. I have come a long ways from that time thank God.

didi

I worked in a sewing factory, you took a test and then they would put you on the line. My job was putting zippers in housecoats....I was about 20 at the time. But, now I can really sew a zipper in clothes, only thing is quilts don't have zippers. LOL

dd

I never worked in a sewing factory. I applied once but they wanted to hire me for the office. Now I'm glad I didn't get the job.