# Curtain Stretcher?



## Nette (Aug 17, 2003)

Anyone know why you would need one of these? I was cleaning out the upstairs closet in the farmhouse, and found a box labeled "Maid of Honor Curtain Stretcher," and I can't figure out why my grandmother would have one of these. She did a a lot of quilting, and the poles she used for that are in the rafters of the smokehouse. But could this "curtain stretcher" have been used in some capacity with quilting? 

I also found a lot of old bank statements from the 1960's and some great vintage patterns. Unfortunately, the mice had gotten into the patterns. Had to throw those out. I found a good-sized mouse nest in the way back. That's the bad news. The good news is that I did NOT find a snakeskin. Whew! Glad of that...


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Sounds similar to the pants stretchers. The were wire frames that you put in the legs of pants and then hung them out to dry and they'd look pressed, or need very little pressing when brought in. I think your curtain stretcher is the same thing but for curtains.

Angie


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## quietperson (May 31, 2004)

Grandma had a set of curtain stretchers she would use after washing and starching the curtains. The starch was almost the consistancy of glue and I remember her dipping the curtains into it and squeezing them to work it through the fabric then putting the fabric on the little pins along the edge of the stretcher to hold it taught to dry. They were really crisp when she would hang them.


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## Nette (Aug 17, 2003)

I've been googling it, and found some references to quilt-making. Otherwise, it would seem like such a "specialty" item for my grandmother to have owned. Money was tight, and she didn't own any extravagant things. She wore homemade dresses and aprons (with a pocket for her snuff), and she "put up" most of her family's food. 

Another find in the closet was her set of encyclopedias. She wrote her maiden name in the front of each book, so I'm thinking the set is from around 1915 to 1920. I really was thinking about tossing them until I saw that she'd written her name in each one. Can you imagine how much she must have valued them? Probably a gift from her parents when she was a young teacher. And she kept them for her entire life? Yep, had to keep those.


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## countrysunshine (Jul 3, 2008)

Could she have been doing laundry for others?

In the semi autobiographical books by Ralph Moody he talks about his mother doing the curtains for local hotels and the better off families.

I think my great grandmother did laundry for a local hotel in our small town back in the 20s


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## freegal (Mar 4, 2005)

There is a set in my mother-in-law's attic. I'll have to ask her about them. She might have brought them with her from the farm.


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## tallpines (Apr 9, 2003)

When I was a child (born in 1945) it seemed everyone had curtain stretchers.

When I first started going to auctions with my mother, it seemed every household auction had a set of curtain stretchers to sell.

I think people did not want to risk ironing their sheer curtains because the heat of irons back then was unpredictable--------------those that were heated on the wood stove.

Easier to put the curtains on a stretcher and let them air dry....with no ironing needed.

Once the curtain was hung on the window, it would have a pointy scaloped edge-----spaced every inch or two.
One point wherever the curtain got stretched to one of the pin points on the frame.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Would be good for Lace curtians, actually lace anything.


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## upnorthlady (Oct 16, 2009)

7thswan said:


> Would be good for Lace curtians, actually lace anything.


That is exactly what curtain stretchers were for! Many curtains were hand made crocheted things, and you needed to stretch them to keep the motifs nice. My mother also used these to stretch tablecloths on, the crocheted ones made by women in those days. She also used them to stretch and dry large dresser scarves. Speaking about curtain stretchers brings back some old memories!


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## puddlejumper007 (Jan 12, 2008)

quietperson said:


> Grandma had a set of curtain stretchers she would use after washing and starching the curtains. The starch was almost the consistancy of glue and I remember her dipping the curtains into it and squeezing them to work it through the fabric then putting the fabric on the little pins along the edge of the stretcher to hold it taught to dry. They were really crisp when she would hang them.


yes i did that for my mom when i was a young girl helping out...the curtains looked really nice when put back up..


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

This is so strange because I was remembering my mother using curtain stretchers just yesterday!


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

I rescued a box of curtain stretchers that were headed to the landfill being sent there by a co-worker.

If you no longer wish to use them for their intended purchase they generally have a ruled marking on them so that you could use them for laying out projects, cutting things to size, etc. 

Currently two listed on Ebay at $50 each. Listing and selling are two different things. Might be they actually do have some value for their intended purpose.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I remember my grandmother had curtain stretchers. They were wicked to use and she always worried about pricking her fingers and getting blood on her curtains. Thank goodness they are no longer necessary!!!!!


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