National Lace Day
October 1
Lace has played a role in fashionable dress ever since it was developed in the sixteenth century. The term lace in Latin is laqueus, which means to ensnare or entice. Loosely defined, lace can be any nonwoven, light, openwork fabric, but in historical terms it was created using two tools: the needle and the bobbin. Both techniques were time-consuming and required great skill. Consequently, lace was extremely expensive. The term lace referred to the cords that laced separate parts of a garment together, such as the sleeves to the shoulders, or to close the back of a bodice.
Model T Day
October 1
Only the rich could afford a car before the Model T came along, and it actually became less expensive throughout production. It cost $850 at the time it was unveiled in 1908 and continuously got cheaper, reaching under $300 in 1925. The Ford Model T was unbelievably difficult to drive. It did not have any gauges, so drivers manually checked the water, oil, and gasoline levels. Starting it the driver manually cranked the engine to start the vehicle. The engine sometimes backfired, which could break the driver’s arm. Ford included an electric starter in models made from 1919 onward. The Model T’s throttle was operated by hand. The firing of the spark plugs was also controlled by hand. The driver had to operate both while driving. The vehicle had three pedals. One was the brake, while the other two involved shifting gears. The brake pedal was installed at the far right, where we have the gas pedal today. One of the two gear pedals allowed the driver to switch between first, second, and neutral, depending on how far in they pressed it. The other was for reverse.
Today’s Birthdays of Note….
Jimmy Carter – 39th President of U.S. – born in Plains, Georgia
Julie Andrews – Actress & Singer – born in Walton-on-Thames, United Kingdom
