This week we have had a lot of customers coming into our Liscard branch to purchase gingham Dress Fabric for making school dresses and skirts for the summer term. Back when I was at school, we just bought our school dresses from the local uniform shop however it seems that Mum's are getting a bit more creative and making their own summer dresses and gathered skirts instead of buying ready made. One customer this morning, had even made a dungaree style dress! As half term is approaching, it will give parents the chance to spend a day making their summer uniforms before the summer term begins. Gingham Dress Fabric has been used for school uniforms for decades and is used all over the world from the UK to Africa. Usually made from polycotton it is lightweight and cool for children to wear in the warmer months. Traditionally a woven fabric rather than printed, the fibres of the Fabric are dyed before the weaving process which means that gingham has the same appearance on both sides of the material and can be used on either side. Gingham is usually 115cm (45") wide and at £2.99 per metre it is great value for money. It can be washed easily in the washing machine and can also be ironed on a cool iron which is a necessity with children's clothing. Gingham Dress Fabric is available in various size checks however the most popular for school dresses and skirts is the 1/8" and 1/4" size check. Customers in our Liscard branch have mainly been purchasing the 1/8" check. This is a smaller check size and looks better on small size dresses and skirts, perfect for infant and primary school uniforms. For older children, the 1/4" check size may be more suitable. As most schools have a specific school colour, summer uniforms usually have to match the colour of the school. We stock a number of different coloured gingham including royal blue, red, green and yellow so you will be able to find something to fit in with your child's school colour theme. As well as using gingham Dress Fabric for school clothing, gingham ribbons can be used to create accessories to go with summer uniforms. Berisfords Ribbons have a range of gingham ribbons in various colours which would be ideal for creating hair bobbles, hair bows and even small bows on white socks which is always a popular look for kids in the summer term.