sage Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Just sat in the common room at work having my lunch and sewing up DD dress. Don't know how she did it but she came home from nursery with a 5cm rip in it. A woman who I only know to say hello to asked me what I was doing ? so I told her and showed her the tip. She then said "You remind me of my Gran she used to do that sewing thing" I'm only about 10 years older than this woman. I ask if she never mended clothes and to my disbelief she said she threw things out, even if they just needed a button putting back on. I was so please, the dress is so pretty and I got it off ebay last year £2 including and this is the second summer it fits. You would never know there was a hole in it. Sage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 I think some people have more money than sense. Never sewn a button on!? Glad you managed to mend the dress. I like a bargain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Sadly, it doesn't surprise me that much! That's why there are so often such bargains to be had at charity shops for those who are prepared to turn up a hem or stitch something. Well done on keeping the dress going for another year, it sounds like a real bargain! This reminds me of a young (27ish) colleague who is temping with us was complaining about how much he spent on food - £60 last week to feed just one person. I remarked that seasonal food is often cheaper, and he said 'yes, I buy that'. I asked what he was having for tea and he answered 'ratatouille'! I don't think he has any idea of what is in season and when. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Miss Mendandmake do here never throws anything out if it can be mended.... I have a pile to get through this weekend... hemming, buttons to be sewn on, a hook and eye to repair and 6 socks to darn. I love it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 I have a friend who once threw out a packet of biscuits because they were broken, she wouldn't eat them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 I can't believe that anyone would do that... mind you, my sister has her jeans dry-cleaned so they don't shrink/fade More money than sense if you ask me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Reckon it would cost me more to have my jeans dry cleaned than I paid for them in the first place, designer, they ain't!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleTree Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Most of my jeans have come from charity shops, so dry cleaning them would definitely cost more Admittedly I ask my mum to mend mine or the boys clothes if the get damaged. It's usually their school trousers. She's so much neater than I am, I'd give it a go if I had to though. I would never throw something out if I thought it could be rescued. As for throwing out a packet of biscuits because they're broken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 That's so wasteful to throw out instead of mending. I always mend things if I'm able to. Back when my DD was young I used to make some of her dresses too. I used to love seeing her in them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 So did I, and my aunt used to make the loveliest baby dresses for Rosie too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 always mend if you can - and more especially, always mend if you like the clothing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 always mend if you can - and more especially, always mend if you like the clothing! Definitely! (except in the case of broken biscuits, in which case, just cut to the chase and eat them!!! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Yes, broken food is best tidied away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 How wasteful - the biscuits and the missing button clothes . I'm no seamstress but will make an attempt to mend things and will certainly sew buttons back on . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 I absolutely detested needlework at school, and have never got over it... so repairing clothes is pretty low down on my list of priorities, and I often joke that I throw things away rather than sewing a button back on....however even I do eventually get round to making the little repairs required (although clothes have been known to linger in the "to do" pile for months on end ) However, change the buttons on something to cheer it up, and give it a new look...that's a different matter altogether )... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 If I HAVE to throw something away,I take all the buttons off usually,so I can use them again for something else,then I offer the fabric to the daughters to practise their sewing on. After that it goes to the Hubby for use a dusters in his garage. Anything decent that has been outgrown goes on eBay,or if its unsellable & unrecyclable,it goes in the clothes bank. I am not the greenest person in the world, nor would ever pretend to be,but these are REALLY small things to do,that make a difference to our lives & hopefully the lives my children will live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Ooh yes, another button-hoarder here! To digress slightly - when I was little, one of my favourite treats was playing with the button-box. It fascinated me - really wish I still had it, some of those buttons would ne antiques now. Charity shop for decent stuff, dusters/rags for anything else, and this spring I started a rag rug so I'm actively searching for suitable material! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Can't get my head around people not sewing It's not difficult, even for me and I keep swapping from left to right handed when hand sewing as I have no dominant hand. I remarked to a colleague that I had shortened a pile of six old skirts to give them a new lease of life (they were almost ankle length and are now knee length, we're not talking pelmets here ) and she was amazed I had tackled the task. I'm no seamstress either, but straight lines are do-able with a sewing machine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 I am always sewing on buttons and repairing things especialy on DS's school clothes and don't people realise that broken biscuits have no calories i thought everyone knew that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Miss Mendandmake do here never throws anything out if it can be mended.... I have a pile to get through this weekend... hemming, buttons to be sewn on, a hook and eye to repair and 6 socks to darn. I love it Me too! I'm repairing and altering some of my Aunties clothes this weekend and have been bought a giant box of Thorntons to scoff as a thank you I hate waste and never buy new when old will do... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 I think there is a generation thing going on here too. People of my Grandparents generation are usually thrifty - it was the way they were brought up,but those of my parents age,say the 55 - 65 year olds often seem to find it hard to be like this. So many people I know around this age don't even recycle (they think that if everyone else does,then they don't have to ) Maybe its a post war opulence thing.....they like to buy new as it makes them feel good about themselves & look good to their peers - a keeping up with the Jonses mentality. My in laws are like this & it drives me MAD,although my Dad is a good recycler My generation have started to be educated to think differently, & are beginning to do more to spend less. We recycle,make do & mend,make meals from scratch & grow our own,much like our Grandparents did. Our children,having been brought up with this will hopefully see it as the norm. The Government pushes & Schools are also making them see that it is the way forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 I agree with Cinnamon. I don't think we should be too scathing about people who don't/can't sew/mend. We have two post war generations who didn't really need to bother, because the world was a very different place, and unless you were lucky enough to come from a family where handicrafts and needlework were part of the 'ethos', how would you learn? Needlework classes at school were a joke ... at least they were at mine ... our teacher was less than useless. I knew more than she did. It is a bit like the not cooking from scratch thingy. It is all very well heaping scorn on those who don't, and whilst I admit that there are those who don't intend to learn, I can't help thinking it is all a matter of luck ( being born into a family who would teach you from childhood) and education ( or lack of, with school cut backs). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 I count myself lucky that we lived with my maternal grandparents, & my Grandmum was an amazing cook From her (& my Mum of course) I learnt to be an instinctive cook, as well as one who can cook from a recipe - thins is something my youngest daughter in particular has picked up too. My Husband is thrifty in other ways - he is forever bringing things home,doing them up/making them work & selling them on or using them around the house,garden or for business. He really is amazingly handy. He has however just made a giant metal spider as a 'garden sculpture' out of an old metal bunk bed & I don't think I will ever forgive him as it makes me jump almost every day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 He has however just made a giant metal spider as a 'garden sculpture' out of an old metal bunk bed & I don't think I will ever forgive him as it makes me jump almost every day good grief! That would make me jump too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clur Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I always mend clothes - usually with the help of superglue, sellotape or staples as I am rubbish with a needle and thread, but that holds enough until I can ask my MIL to help with her superb needlework skills! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
