Tips for Travellers

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 87, Issue 3, 15 September 1953, Page 287

Tips for Travellers

THE ambition of every traveller is to "travel light", and the design of modern luggage • and materials has made this possible. Experienced travellers reduce their luggage to a fraction of what was considered essential in the past, and carefully evaluate each item to be included. Air travel and labour shortages have had much to do with this transition, and heavy trunks which required several men to lift them have given way to space-saving, light pieces suitable for accommodating minimum clothing requirements. Careful wardrobe planning is necessary, but nylon, plastic, featherweight woollens, and crease-resistant fabrics can be used to great advantage while still providing garments suited to all occasions. Packing can be a wearisome task, reducing the pleasure of anticipation to a degree that one wonders if the trip is worth the effort. With the right things on hand the task is simplified, and in this article Eleanor Couston, Field Officer in Rural Sociology, Department of Agriculture, Timaru, gives some ideas resulting from the question put to several experienced travellers of what equipment and methods they have found most useful.

ONE of the first considerations for a traveller is the weight of the cases and boxes used. ■ . . . .1,. Lightweight Luggage . Lightness in luggage is of primary importance, but durability must also be considered. Cases are available, made from specially treated fibre, which will withstand rough handling, Fol Bit? TJofttSd case Vs ideal particularly one Sh has a tray. The tray can be used for dainty t articles, such y as blouses which would crush if nlappfi mnrJ weighty placed among more weighty ones. Hats should always have their own container, and a lightweight hat box or small attache case should be reserved for their sole use. Perhaps

one hat is sufficient, and a beret, headscarf, and roll-up sun hat will pack with other things. Shoes present a problem and the minimum number should be taken. . They may be placed in bags or in cut-down stockings and packed in an even layer at the bottom of a case or in a slide-fastened hold-all designed for the purpose. ' The heavier type of outdoor clothing is packed next and should be folded to fit the size of the case, each layer being thus kept flat. Tissue paper folded with each garment will reduce the tendency to crease. Underwear and woollens are packed next and then lightweight suits and heavy frocks. Light frocks and blouses are placed on top or in the tray. The case should be full but not overcrowded for best results. A light covering such as

a fine huckaback towel will protect the contents and help to hold them in position. Choice of Clothing The more crease resistant the fabrics are the less trouble they will be, and this property combined with lightness and climatic suitability is desirable. Synthetic fibres have greatly simplified packing and laundering problems, and availability of some of the newer developments in this field will make it possible to select fabrics with characteristics such as warmth to the touch and absorbency or wool-like qualities. Featherweight woollens and crease-resistant cottons are serviceable and. also easy to pack. Cotton seersucker requires little or no ironing, and some prefer it to non-absorbent nylon. Accessories A small travelling iron will be useful to the well-groomed traveller, but would be included only for. a long, journey.. Providing the voltage has been checked,, the iron may be plugged into an electric light fixture and used to iron small articles such as handkerchiefs or to remove creases. A coat hanger with pegs takes up no more room than an ordinary coat hanger, but is much more versatile. It can be used for hanging lightweight articles to dry and also for skirts.

- Hair clips are excellent for holding . pleats in position for packing, eliminating the need for basting. Paper ■ handkerchiefs save . much laundering and a generous supply should be included. Shoe bags are simply ’ made and protect the shoes as well, as the- clothing with , which they are packed. A set of these will give the; case a trim appearance and look much... more attractive than sheets of paper. ' j -. Envelope-shaped plastic bags have many uses and -can be made to any size to suit individual requirements. They occupy little space and help to prevent creasing. Three at least should be included, one for blouses, one for 'night. attire, and one for soiled linen. As they are waterproof, damp underwear, a bathing suit, or other articles which have, not had time to dry- can be Safely packed in them. These bags should be. made, to fit the case;.. for a small . case they can occupy - a whole layer or. for a larger case two or three can lie side, by side. They are made by ' cutting plastic sheeting 7 into

envelope shapes and binding the edges with bias binding. Different colours make it easier to select the garment required. ■ . . . . \ For wet toilet articles such as a face flannel and toothbrush left-over pieces of plastic can be made into a neat little bag. This consists of. a rectangular piece of plastic sheeting folded into a bag shape. The upper , edge is turned in and stitched to the bag with bias binding. Silk cord is used for the draw strings and is run through the bias binding. The stocking holder is a traveller’s joy. It can be used not only to hold and protect nylon stockings, but handkerchiefs too can be tucked into spare pockets. 'J" ■?; ■ '.JThe hussif is another compact little container which will hold all the

requirements for running repairs.. If the traveller wishes, a double thickness of lightweight silk material, divided by stitching. throughout its length at fin. intervals, can be inserted under the section with pockets.. Embroidery cotton can be passed through the divisions, and this will prevent tangling and leave the thread easily accessible. The pockets will hold cottons, domes, mending materials, thimbles, and scissors, and provision is also made for needles, pins, and a stiletto.. Plastic bottles and jars for cosmetics are unbreakable and much lighter than glass bottles. : The cosmetic hold-all which is shown on page 291 has the advantages of lying comparatively flat for packing and of opening at the sides with slide fasteners to display its contents. With

this bag it is not necessary to grope for what is required, as it can be placed open on the dressing table, where it will be both practical and attractive. A matching set of accessories can be made from the directions given below, and each or all would make an acceptable gift for a traveller or a bride. Choice of Material Glazed chintz or everglaze is probably the best choice for material. Downproof sateen is an alternative, but it is inclined to be heavy. A small all-over pattern or a stripe would prevent any complications which might arise if a material with a larger motif were chosen. The plastic for lining the stocking holder should be of heavy quality, and is best plain or spotted if the outer covering is patterned. For the envelopes the choice of a plain or patterned plastic is a matter of personal preference. The lining of the cosmetic hold-all is waterproofed cotton. It is not advisable to use plastic sheeting, as this material owing to its elastic properties presents difficulties when quilting is being done. Plastic-backed cotton would be suitable, but is not at present available in New Zealand for other than commercial use. The lining for the hussif could be any firm silk material and faille has been used for the one illustrated. Materials Required The amount of materials required for a set including 1 shoe bag, 1 hussif, 1 stocking holder, 1 plastic envelope, 1 toilet bag, and 1 cosmetic hold-all is as follows: — Width Length in. ’ yds. Glazed chintz x .. 30 2 Plastic . . . . 36 1 Waterproofed cotton .. .. 48 J Dressmaker’s padding .. J Flannel .... 29 f . Faille . . . . 36 J Butter muslin . . f Silk cord .... 1| Elastic .. .. 2- i Slide fasteners ..2xB 1 card of bias binding 3 buttons 2 domes ' , Embroidery thread, silk for stitching To Make up The Stocking Holder For the stocking holder cut or tear a rectangular piece of material 15Jin. long and Bfin. wide. Form a peak 2in. from one end (see the left-hand diagram on this page). Cut a piece of plastic the same size. Cut dressmaker’s padding, using one-third thickness, {in. less than the above measurements all round. Cut butter muslin to cover the padding. The seam allowance is Jin. For the pockets cut 3 rectangles of plastic 9-J-in. x 6-fin. and 6 rectangles of plastic 9{in. x 3in. To quilt the outside covering lay the chintz right side down on a table and carefully place the dressmaker’s padding in position {in. in from the edges of the chintz. Cover the padding with butter muslin and baste the muslin, padding, and chintz firmly and

smoothly together. To do the diagonal pattern quilting turn the chintz right side up and lightly mark in . a guiding line at an angle of 45 degrees from the lower edge. Adjust the sewing machine by lengthening the stitch and loosening the tension a little. Use a fine needle and machine down the guiding line. Then, using a quilting attachment, stitch parallel lines lin. apart. If no quilting attachment is available, mark in further guiding lines. After stitching in one direction, turn the material and work in a transverse direction to complete the pattern. Attach the plastic . by' placing the quilted fabric and plastic together wrong sides out and stitching round the two long sides and the peaked end. Turn the right side out and turn in the free edges. Fasten into position with paper clips. The pockets: Making of the pockets is best followed by reference to the right-hand diagram on the opposite page. The narrow side strips (9|in. x 3in.) will be called A, B, C, D, E, and F. The rectangular pieces (9|in. x 64-in.) will be called 1,2, and 3. Stitch strip A, rectangle 1, and strip B together down one long side, with 1 in between A and B. Bias binding may be used for strengthening the edges. Stitch strip B to rectangle 2 and strip C in the same way. Fold rectangle 3 in half. The folded edge is shown in the diagram in the centre of the pockets. . , . Strip C is folded upward so that half each free side can be joined on either side of the folded rectangle 3. The other sides of the pockets are joined together in the same way, strips D, E, and F being used. The long free edges of strips A and D are then stitched to the plastic side of the quilted covering, starting l|in. from the free end. Stitch round the entire length of the hold-all about 3/16in. from the edge. Finish with a dome to hold the peak in position. The Cosmetic Hold-all The making of the cosmetic hold-all requires more skill than , that for the other articles, chiefly because of the difficulty of quilting waterproof material on a domestic sewing ■ machine. As pins or basting stitches leave a mark on waterproof material, paper clips should be used for holding it in position for stitching. Cut or tear a piece of chintz 17in. x Bin. and another piece 17in. x 13in. Round off the corners at one end of the 17in. x 13in. piece. Cut waterproof material to the same measurement. Cut one-third thickness of dressmaker’s padding and butter muslin -jin. less than the above dimensions all round. Cut one long strip of chintz and one of waterproof material 31 Jin. x 2in.; cut two strips of chintz each 12in. x 2in. for the ties; cut two tags each 32-in. x l|in. for the top ends of the slide fasteners; cut two tags each 4in. x 2Jin. for the lower ends of the slide fasteners; cut one length of waterproof material 34in. x 2in. and one length 30in. x 2in. for the strips to hold the bottles and other equipment. The allowance for the turnings is jin. Place the chintz and waterproof material for each section of the bag together on the reverse sides and : stitch round three sides, leaving the base end free. Leave inside out and lay the sections chintz side up on a table. Place the dressmaker’s padding (one-third thickness) on the chintz.

Cover the padding with butter muslin and baste the chintz, padding, and butter muslin into position. Turn right side out. Smooth carefully and neaten the edges. Fasten the edges with paper clips. The waterproof material tends to stretch during quilting, so the edges must be carefully watched. Using a medium stitch and a fine needle, quilt the two sections. Insert the slide fasteners through the centre of either end of the long strip of chintz, leaving jin. for turnings at either end. Careful measurements are necessary, as each slide fastener should turn the

corner of the completed hold-all so that the hold-all can lie flat when it is open. Attach .waterproof strips to the reverse sides of the slide fasteners. With the slide fasteners open stitch the strips first round the waterproof side of one section of the bag and then round the other section. Turn the right side out and stitch round on the chintz side. It may be necessary to hand sew round the corners. Finish off the ends by turning Jin. in. Make the -tags by folding the tag pieces in halves and stitching. Sew on the wide tags directly under the lower ends of the slide fasteners and the narrow tags at the top ends. These enable .the hold-all to be opened or closed without straining it. Make the waterproof strips for holding the bottles and other equipment by folding each piece of material in two lengthwise and turning in Jin. either side. Stitch both edges. Thread elastic through the longer strip. Measure the bottles, powder box, and other requirements and sew the strips on to the bag at intervals to fit. The bottles are held in position with the elastic and the brushes and other things lie in the straight pieces. The powder box and lipstick holders have small cross strips attached to make them secure. Allow sufficient depth for each article , and place one long article, for example, a brush, opposite a short article on the other side of the hold-all. This is necessary for the hold-all to close easily and to lie flat. The strip with the elastic is placed with its upper edge 2|in. from the bottom of the shorter section of the hold-all and the other piece s|in. from the base of the longer section. Attach small pieces of ribbon to the tags of the slide fasteners to enable these to be drawn up easily. The Hussif To make the hussif cut or tear a rectangular piece of chintz 24|in. x Bjin.; cut the faille lining 24Jin. x 7 in.; cut a second piece of faille 9in. x 7in.; and cut the flannel inter-lining 24in. x 7in. Cut the pockets and pincushion according to the measurements shown in the diagrams on . the opposite page. With the ; exception of the flap pocket these are cut on the fold of the material so that the finished

pockets will be of double thickness. Cut the cuff end of an old kid or chamois glove to make an extra lining for the scissors; pocket. ■ To make the lining for the central section of the hussif use a piece ' of faille 9in. x 7in., and turn in hems at both ends of the 7in. sides, allowing fin. for the turn in and the hem. Feather stitch round the upper sides. (For the pincushion and small pockets fin. turnings are allowed.) Make the pincushion by .joining the two circles with the strip of bias. Fill with padding and buttonhole stitch the upper edge. Stitch into position. Fold the tape-measure holder, the scissors pocket, and the thimble holder on the fold ; line. Turn in the sides and top edges. Buttonhole stitch these into position. Make the flap pocket by turning in the hem at the lower edge, allowing |in. for turning plus the hem. Turn in the . edges of the main part of the pocket and of the lining for the flap, allowing fin. turnings. Baste the lining into position. Hem the lower edge of the lining to the main part

of the pocket. Buttonhole stitch the flap and the lining together, then buttonhole stitch the pocket into position. Make the loops for the scissors head and the stiletto. Cut three flannel flaps for needles and blanket stitch round the edges. Place kid interlining inside: the scissors pocket and stitch it into position. Lay the chintz face downward on a table. Next lay the flannel fin. from the top end of the chintz but reaching to the lower end. Then lay the lining also fin. from the top end. Place the piece with the pockets into position, the top edge sjin; from the top of the hussif. " : u; . . Measure the depth of the pocket at the lower end and turn back. Fold the lining over the end so that it will show when the hussif is open. Place the flannel flaps in position and feather stitch along the top and lower edges of the lining. Turn in the hems along the side of the hussif and feather stitch. Finally, feather stitch the remaining end. Attach loops and buttons. .

The Shoe Bag The dimensions given here will make a shoe bag large enough to hold , a large pair of women’s shoes. The length may be reduced . for smaller sizes. The seam allowance is Jin. Cut or tear out a rectangular piece of material 32in. long i and lOin. wide. Make a hem at one end of . the material. Fold the material into a bag . shape, allowing 13in. from the top of the hem to the bottom of the bag. Join the sides with french seams. Form the peak for the flap by folding the upper corners into : the centre on the wrong side and hem the remaining edge. (See the diagram at top of this column. All photographs by Oddie.