THE "HINEY-BINDER" STORY

 Farmers and other workers have depended on the LC King Manufacturing Company for affordable, long lasting work clothes since the company began in 1913, under the name King-Lockwood.  

Drive down Route 58 today, and you will see the blue denim legged garments produced in Bristol, Tennessee worn by old folks, and young alike.  105 workers employed at the factory in Bristol stitch the seams for work britches, denim jackets, hunting clothes, and my favorite, the denim and hickory striped low-backed, suspender overall pants!

When an individual buys a Pointer Brand product, he or she is paying heed to, and participating in, an honored tradition here in the mountains.  Traditions here are born out of what I feel to be one of our prized attributes:  INNOVATIVE THINKING!

I hope you will agree the HINEY-BINDER is in keeping with the creativity handed down through a culture I am proud to claim as my own.  My Granny Belcher and Mamaw Mullins taught me to make things out of what I have around me.  It was Mamaw Mollie who helped me turn a pair of old, raggedy blue jeans into a blue jean skirt during my college days in the 1970's.  She was one of a kind, and she created one of a kind.  So, it made perfect sense to me to apply the notion of the blue jean skirt to make for myself a ruffle-behinded overall jumper dress out of my Pointer overalls one day.

I cut the britches open, added some ruffle to the bottom and trimmed the lines with antique buttons,  WA-LA, a bustle type jumper dress which helped me express both my tough and flirty, old-timey  and new-timey moods!

I experimented with several versions of the feminine dress derived from the masculine work overalls.  One day, a dear friend and patron of my creativity urged me to pursue the mass production of the dress.  She thought that the sale of such dress might help address the" feast or famine" cycle in my income.  Performing writers, artists, song writers, et al, you know what I mean.

Mr. King, president of LC King Manufacturing Company, and his production manager, Blake, and his staff, have worked with me since last Spring to figure out a way to manufacture with machinery the "conversion" of their original low-backed, suspender overalls, in to the woman's jumper with the adjustable, removable "binder".

The "binder" comes plain (standard), or with a ruffle (white eyelet this go around).  This is a pilot project.  My original name for the dress was "Anndrena's Bluebird Ruffle Bustle Jumper".  Mr. King, however, hit the nail on the head one day when I came in to look at the latest design sample.  He said, "Your hiney binders are ready".  So, you see, the name.

The "Binder" creates a different look for the dress, depending upon whether it is worn cinched to the first, second, or fourth or fifth button on the waist band.  The lower strap is buttoned to the back pocket button, or to the side pocket button.  The ruffle lifts and sticks out differently, depending upon the position of the button.  The plain binder straps and bunches the fabric in an almost Asian, cumber bun, kimono bustle, depending on what you wear under it, or a late twenties drop-waisted style.  Anyway, it reminds me of something antique, and antique shapes and styles are my favorite.  

Too, this dress feels and looks like "gear".  It reminds me of equipment for work or play.  I wore my dress to perform at the National Storytelling Festival this past October in Jonesborough, Tennessee.  Different people asked me what it was, and "where did I get it?"  I have received a number of queries about the contraption on the back of the dress, no matter where I wear it.  It does, in  way, seem like a living piece of machinery.  Weird, but totally ME!  Also, the dress is EXPENSIVE this time around.  The individual buying this dress will be investing  in a  first edition, autographed ART piece.  The purchase will be an investment and statement of support for my ART and CREATIVITY.  

This first "run" of Hiney-Binders will be  batch of 144, with one special order of 6 size 60's added to that.  This is the first design to come out of my design repertoire which I am calling CLOTHES TO THE HEART.  If the design wins favor on the market, maybe we can do a larger number the next time, and the per unit price can go down.  

ANNDRENA'S OLD-TIMEY  HIGH FASHIONED, HINEY-BINDER BUSTLE JUMPER is all cotton, with the exception of some zippers, buttons, and trim.  It is made in Bristol, Tennessee, which is right across the street from Bristol, Virginia.  As the sign says, it is a good place to live.  It would be even better if we had more manufacturing jobs to sustain our people.  By buying this jumper, you are helping support a small, family run operation.  Workers in other lands can surely benefit from American workers being offered decent wages and working conditions.  This dress will be made in Tennessee, by Tennessee and Virginia residents.  The ruffles are being sewn on one at a time by an individual seamstress.  I like it like that.  In any event, your purchase will help employ a number of individuals, most of all, ANNDRENA BELCHER!  Thank you very much.