Name tapes

I still have mine, my sister' name tapes from boarding school more than 50 years ago, cursive script, hers in blue, mine in lavender, also for both children.

DS's capacity to loose things made him a legend in his own lifetime at both primary and secondary school. The teacher in charge of lost property at his junior school said his first words whenever anything was handed in was 'Have you asked DS if it is his?' However he did concede when I protested that everything DS possessed had a name tag on it. He still managed to leave primary school less one football boot and his tracksuit bottoms, which went missing never to be found.

My mother used to write our names onto ordinary white tape with an indelible marker and then make me and my sister sew them in to our own clothes.

I always wanted my name woven in to the tape!

Wow, thanks you very much everyone for your kind posts. In Australia we enter our 100 years of weaving nametapes in Australia in 1913. We also produce a iron on woven nametape, these are really good stand up to washing, for added protection all you need to do is sew in the ends. We are trying to educate younger mothers, only sewing the ends saves time but still acheives the same results. We still have napetapes from the 1930`s on file and they could still be used today.

I still have a surplus supply of Cash's name tapes from the time my son was at primary school - circa 1978. It's a mystery how he lost items of his own gear, and ended up with the odd sock or tie or games shirt belonging to another boy!

gracesmum it will be very tasteful I can assure you,I have just rung DD who is going to be chief bridesmaid and we are off to Liverpool to-morrow to get some idea's and some material,they still have an Ethel Austins shop over there and I do know that they sell big pants so it will be eventful to say the least. thanks again for idea

Keep it tasteful though - no Ann Summers pants!! Ironically it was my sister in law who is a very respectable lecturer in costume history who got one of the biggest laughs, she had made a pair of authentic knee length Victorian bloomers, trimmed with ribbons and lace - and (equally authentically) crotchless!!! Of course that is why the can-can was such a truly scandalous dance

Grindos this is a great idea! I am a born-in-the-70's Mum and well, we just haven't been taught to sew have we? I mean, I can do it, but not well....

gracesmum what a fab idea I think I will suggest that for the two hen parties I am going to in August,you are a genius thanks

I was sewing name tapes into pants for DD on Friday - it was her Hen Do yesterday and one "game" was for each "hen" to buy her a pair of pants, anonymously, and she had to guess from the choice who had given them. (Actually totally tasteful)
I had dozens of Cash's name tapes from her Brownie/Guide/school days so that was what I did. She guessed!
Mother Hen

I wonder if I was that bad too, glam? I do seem to remember my mum complaining about my scattiness quite a lot! DD won't get her jacket back for three weeks as we aren't going to the archery club the next two Sats and it's too far away to go just for that. Maybe a few soakings will help her remember. Then again, maybe they won't. Hey ho.

bags nearly as bad as my DGS Luke who last week used his good sports top for a goal post (name inside thank goodness) and this week left his kit bag (with name) at the local sports centre containing his trainers and football kit,he is so busy chatting to his pals he always forgets !! love him .

Well, I'm jolly glad I sewed a nametape into DD's good rain jacket, because she left it at the archery club yesterday. It's raining here today so she's getting wet as she's already lost her kagool, and her other jackets are too warm for this time of year. Kids, eh!?

Can remember that we had to have our names embroidered in letters large enough to be seen across a hockey field on our bottle green knickers. Hey those were the days............can you imagine the hooha that would be in the press if such a thing was done today!!!

Besides, what about the dads? Even men could do a job like that.

Brilliant idea for earning a bit of dosh, grindos. Go for it! and good luck!

Most people round here don't bother to name their kids' clothes, not even with biro on the label. I don't believe it has anything to do with mums being too busy; more a case of clothes being cheap enough to replace if they get lost. Otherwise, they'd find the time to do it.

Easy come, easy go.

Or Smith J.

Here is a money-saving tip a friend told me she used many years ago when buying woven name tapes. Say you have two children, one called Peter and the other called Sarah and the surname is Jones. You order just one lot of name tapes as follows: P Smith J. When sewing on Peter's name tapes you just tuck under the initial J so that it read "P Smith". Then when sewing Sarah's on, you tuck under the initial P, so that the name tape reads "Smith S".

Thanks for all your comments! I have just ordered name tapes for my granddaughter, we chose them together, and she chose the style of lettering and colour I would have chosen! Think I will sew all hers in and see if I still want to do anyone else's. I can mention it to some mums I know locally, but it might be a bit awkward asking them to pay. It took me 3 mins to sew 1 in, so I reckon I could charge£6.00 for 20.

I love the Cash's tapes too and it brings back happy memories of sewing them into my sons' clothes. I do remember some 18 years ago taking my son back to boarding school and finding the House Mother busily sewing elastic onto the new boys ballet shoes as so many had come without. From then on I helped her every year and taught my sons to do their own.

I think I liked doing such things for my boys as it was part of the nurturing thing.

Grandos; I think you may have a good idea there! My DiL has several times mentioned that she thinks there is a niche for someone to offer to sew on name tapes, missing buttons, Scout badges etc for a fee. I'm happy to do it for love for my dear grandchildren but don't want to try to set up a business. You could try advertising in play groups, nursery schools, through the NCT, local shops..... And have you seen what they charge for minor repairs at dry cleaners?

God, I hated sewing in Cash's name tapes in when my son was at boarding school! I would gladly have paid someone to do it!

Getting the Cash's name tapes was a rite of passage in the 1940s when we started school. I got them for my DSs too and, 13 years later, sewed them on to DS2's bedlinen and towels when he went to Uni.

I have some serviettes /napkins and some single bed flat sheets with my name on (Cash's) from boarding school! 50 years on & my mum's stitching still holds strong!

I always used Cash's too you can't beat them. My hounds have Cash's dog leads too with their names woven in (sad I know but I like them).

They are wonderful, aren't they? Beautifully made - they deserve to be sewn in!