Ursula123 Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 I am a member of my local WI, we have a competition each month and the one for early February is on the theme of old wives tales, however I am stumped and struggling to think of any. Ideally would like something I can convert into a craft be it crochet or sewing. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 I was going to say a stitch in time saves nine, but apparently this is a proverb. What about eat your crusts to make your hair curly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percy049 Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 What about eat your crusts to make your hair curly? Just what I was about to write Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 Don't go out in the rain or you'll get a cold. Go out in the cold with wet hair and you'll get a cold. Put butter on a burn (actually you should NEVER do this!) In pregnancy if you are carrying 'high' its a boy (or maybe a girl....can't remember which way round it is but no doubt someone on the forum will ! Clearly I'm not a very good old wife .) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 If you sit on a cold floor you'll get piles... ...or maybe not that one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 When you make a face - the wind will change and your face will stay like that!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 If a black cat crosses your path it is lucky. Don't walk under a ladder. If your ears are burning someone is talking about you.If your nose is itchy you are going to fight with someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 Rub a wart with a garlic clove and then bury it - when the garlic rots away the wart drops off. Technically speaking the garlic is an antiseptic so it might be possible - although the burying of the clove is bonkers! My grandad always used to say eat your crusts to make your teeth curl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 Bind a wart with a banana skin or rub the skin on the wart regularly. Soak chilblains in wee (doesn't specify if it has to be the suffers own or if anyone's will do ) Put banana skins, insides down, on the base of your rose bushes (presumably after they have cured your warts ) Piles, wee and warts....I SO want to see this quilt when it's finished Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 Yup heard the wee one. Whiskey up your nose cures a cold. Don't bath or wash your hair when on a period. Can't think why. Throw salt over your left shoulder to get the devil in the eye. Broken mirrors need to be buried or 7 yrs bad luck. My mum god rest her actually did this and you wonder why I am crazy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 Banana skins on roses provides potassium which is beneficial to the plant, do that one is not an old wives tale Don't pull a face just in case the wind changes because you will be stuck like that. Don't cut your nails on a Friday or is it a Sunday no idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatieB Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 Don't cross on the stairs it brings bad luck. Don't do your washing on New Year's Day, it washes someone out of the family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 Never put shoes on the table as it brings bad luck ( I think that one would be for hygiene reasons!) If you give someone a knife or a pair of scissors as a gift they must give you a coin or it will cut the friendship between you. im intrigued as to how you're going to link these to something crafty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 Difficult to know where old wives tales start and end and proverbs take over. I suspect you will all be sewing whilst sniffing whisky with your poor chilbained feet in a bucket of wee. . Nice. Worse making jam standing in a bucket of the stuff. Will you be doing any naked calendars? I am not making fun just intrigued. Great idea. Keeps our heritage alive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 Crossed knives bring bad luck And don't even get me started on the magpie thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 Don't pull a face just in case the wind changes because you will be stuck like that. It will be stuck when the clock strikes in the Netherlands. A little more predictable than changing winds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursula123 Posted January 22, 2017 Author Share Posted January 22, 2017 Thank you for all your suggestions, I have no idea how I am going to translate them into a craft but will put my thinking cap on. Ali's girls - when I joined the WI back in October and told friends, I was expecting the ' that's for old ladies ' line but instead they all said ' they are going to need bigger buns' so I think the calendar is out for me. My friend and I are the youngest by about 20 years, we joined a very rural WI mostly made up of farming community, the ladies are great fun and we have both learnt new skills such as basket weaving. Last month the completion was a slice of homemade Christmas cake, my old home economics teacher is also a member and entered, so you can imagine my surprise when I won. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 How about a cross-stitch or an applique or similar, illustrating one of these ... or could you make a card? Please come back and tell us what some of the other entries were, I'm intrigued! I'd love to join the WI but my nearest one seems to be more talks than activities, I believe you have to look around to find the 'right' one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 Hi Ursula,this might be too much work,but if you have,or could borrow a dolls house you could make a scene in each room. Washing hair on Sunday,putting shoes on table, ladder outside, mirror breaking in lounge ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 Just remembered - turn the mirrors to the wall when there's a thunderstorm! I have no idea why that one came about! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcountrygirl Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 My Mum was very superstitious about birds. She would not have a bird picture or anything with birds on in the house. When I was 17 my best friend bought her a calendar with a bird picture on it, and she graciously said thank you and put it up whilst my friend was there. About a week later I announced I was expecting a baby. My Mum blamed it on the fact that she had put up the calendar to her dying day, and said it would never have happened if she hadn't! I rather think it was nothing to do with the calendar. lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 My Mum was very superstitious about birds. She would not have a bird picture or anything with birds on in the house. When I was 17 my best friend bought her a calendar with a bird picture on it, and she graciously said thank you and put it up whilst my friend was there. About a week later I announced I was expecting a baby. My Mum blamed it on the fact that she had put up the calendar to her dying day, and said it would never have happened if she hadn't! I rather think it was nothing to do with the calendar. lol. Was the picture of a stork? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newcountrygirl Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 Haha - no it wasn't. I could never convince her that the bird picture had nothing to do with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egzandra Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 My mother in law, when I had my first baby which was a girl said that having a girl proves that the father is "a man". Having a boy proves that the mother is "a woman"! Goodness knows where that came from. She was from Northern Ireland so it may be an Irish old wives' tale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Gosh Egzandra never heard that and I'm here in N I . What an odd saying. Some have a grain of truth i.e. Verruca thing. It is caused by a virus which your body eventually overcomes so dancing naked in the moonlight, rubbing with banana or burying potatoes appear to work as they eventually die anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
