Rickrack (also ricrac and variants of both with a space or hyphen) is a flat piece of braided

trim Trim or TRIM may refer to: Cutting * Cutting or trimming small pieces off something to remove them ** Book trimming, a stage of the publishing process ** Pruning, trimming as a form of pruning often used on trees Decoration * Trim (sewing), or ...

, shaped like a

zigzag A zigzag is a pattern made up of small corners at variable angles, though constant within the zigzag, tracing a path between two parallel lines; it can be described as both jagged and fairly regular. In geometry, this pattern is described as a ...

. It is used as a decorative element in clothes or curtains. Before the prevalence of sewing machines and overlockers, rickrack was used to provide a finished edge to fabric, and its popularity was in part due to its sturdiness and ability to stand up to harsh washing conditions. Rickrack is produced using a variety of fibers, including

cotton Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...

polyester Polyester is a category of polymers that contain one or two ester linkages in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include some natura ...

wool Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have some properties similar to animal w ...

, and metallic fibers, and is sold in a variety of sizes and colors. Invented in the mid-19th century, it took its modern form and current name around 1880. Rickrack's popularity peaked in the 1970s and is associated with the ''

Little House on the Prairie The ''Little House on the Prairie'' books comprise a series of American children's novels written by Laura Ingalls Wilder (b. Laura Elizabeth Ingalls). The stories are based on her childhood and adulthood in the Midwestern United States, Americ ...

''. Several designs of formal and up-market girls' dresses with it on as a decoration became popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Some modern sewing machine companies use the name "rickrack stitch" for a heavy decorative zigzag stitch, from its resemblance to the trim.

History

In the 1860s, rickrack was known as waved crochet braid or waved lacet braid. During the 1890s, American home sewists used imported European rickrack as decorative edgings for dresses, aprons, and lingerie. Rickrack was also stitched into lace elements, which were then used to decorate bedding and other home linens. Between the 1890s and 1910s, rickrack experienced a decrease in popularity. During the 1910s, rickrack experienced a resurgence in popularity, and American manufacturers began producing rickrack to supply to the domestic market. Among other uses, this rickrack was incorporated into

crocheted lace Crochet lace is an application of the art of crochet. Generally it uses finer threads and more decorative styles of stitching, often with flowing lines or scalloped edges to give interest. Variation of the size of the holes also gives a piece a "l ...

. Books of designs, such as ''Nufashond Rick Rack Book'', helped to popularize the craft. In rural America in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, rickrack was used to decorate

feed sack dress Feed sack dresses, flour sack dresses, or feedsack dresses were a common article of clothing in rural US and Canadian communities from the late 19th century through the mid 20th century. They were made at home, usually by women, using the Flour s ...

es. These dresses were worn as everyday attire, and were constructed from the large cotton bags that flour,

chicken feed ''Chicken Feed'' is a 1927 American short silent comedy film directed by Anthony Mack. It was the 66th ''Our Gang'' short subject to be released. Cast The Gang * Joe Cobb as Joe * Jackie Condon as Jackie * Allen Hoskins as Farina * Janni ...

, and other goods were shipped in. Since the food had to be shipped in fabric bags anyway, the flour mills competed with each other by using attractive, colorful fabrics that the buyer could either resell or

upcycle Upcycling, also known as creative reuse, is the process of transforming by-products, waste materials, useless, or unwanted products into new materials or products perceived to be of greater quality, such as artistic value or environmental value ...

into dresses, aprons, nightgowns, dishtowels, and other clothing and household items. Adding trim like rickrack was a way to reduce the stigma around needing to use whatever fabric was available, rather than buying it from a store.

References

https://www.spruceshake.com/guide-to-rick-rack-trims-for-crafters/ {{sewing 1950s fashion 1960s fashion 1970s fashion Notions (sewing)