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Hand-me-Downs & Cut and Make New


Heartshome

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( Excluding the War years.) There must be hundreds of families in years gone by, where this was quite the normal thing to do, but how many do this now ?  For couples with several children, Hand-me-Down clothes were certainly a money saver, not just from their own family, but from good neighbours as well. My Maternal Grandma, made my Mum a party dress from some old floral curtains, and her brother some breeches, from an old velvet cloth. From the age of 4, Mum had to bring me up on her own, so she was very glad of any clothes Handed-Down from her older sister, who had a daughter 5yrs older than me, with the old ' she'll grow into it'  which is absolutely true, I did at some point. Mum was brilliant at sewing, inherited from Grandma. The old 'Singer' would often be whirring on the table sewing up something from a material scrap. She made me some little trousers from a jacket, a coat from a blanket, cut down the Bridesmaids Dress from her sisters Wedding to make me a Birthday Party Dress, and cut down one of her summer dresses to make me a Dress with a Bolero. It's only when we think back to times past, how hard it must have been, makes you wonder how many people today appreciate what families went through, just to have clothes to wear.   

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9 hours ago, Heartshome said:

( Excluding the War years.) There must be hundreds of families in years gone by, where this was quite the normal thing to do, but how many do this now ?  For couples with several children, Hand-me-Down clothes were certainly a money saver, not just from their own family, but from good neighbours as well. My Maternal Grandma, made my Mum a party dress from some old floral curtains, and her brother some breeches, from an old velvet cloth. From the age of 4, Mum had to bring me up on her own, so she was very glad of any clothes Handed-Down from her older sister, who had a daughter 5yrs older than me, with the old ' she'll grow into it'  which is absolutely true, I did at some point. Mum was brilliant at sewing, inherited from Grandma. The old 'Singer' would often be whirring on the table sewing up something from a material scrap. She made me some little trousers from a jacket, a coat from a blanket, cut down the Bridesmaids Dress from her sisters Wedding to make me a Birthday Party Dress, and cut down one of her summer dresses to make me a Dress with a Bolero. It's only when we think back to times past, how hard it must have been, makes you wonder how many people today appreciate what families went through, just to have clothes to wear.   

I can see my mum now unpicking collars on our shirts to reverse them, that was one of many things mum's did in the old days.  W/E.

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On 4/8/2018 at 09:41, Waterside Echo said:

I can see my mum now unpicking collars on our shirts to reverse them, that was one of many things mum's did in the old days.  W/E.

Just done that last week with a denim collar on one of my husband's favourite jumpers. Used to make my own clothes, curtains, hooded tops for the lads etc. Needs must. Knitting, crocheting too 

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I did this with my own children in the past and I still do it  today. If I  have gone off a dress or coat  out comes the sewing box and scissors and I change the garment  into something else.

I've just made a shoulder bag out of a pair of beige suede trousers that had an irremovable mark on them, it's not that I need to do things like this as in the past but I enjoy turning old fashion stuff into something more modern . Waste not want not.

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Good on you girls !!  As you say ukelele lady, when you know you can turn an item into something else, it's the enjoyment that you have created it.  I find it unbelievable, how many young and middle aged women can't sew, I thought it was standard practice in schools at least upto the 1970s, so the older ones should have no excuse, I think maybe it's just pure laziness. My husband is well good at hand and machine sewing, I've found out that quite a good few men are.   I first did needlework at junior school, then machine sewing at senior school. I already knew how to sew from my Mum, but there was always something new for you to learn.   As I got older, I remember making some orange floral 'Hippy' trousers with our old Living Room Curtains, groovy ! and a multi coloured 'Hippy' skirt from loads of left over scaps.   I even braved making my own Wedding and Bridesmaid Dresses, from market stall off cuts, saved a fortune.  Made my Daughter her Fancy Dress Costumes for school plays from our old clothes, you just have to use your imagination don't you.  

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I have to confess that knitting and sewing are beyond my capabilities...although I can cook! I went to an all boys school and that's my excuse ( I also come from a long line of males with minimal interests in such things. My son, however, has broken the tradition being very adept at domestic matters)

My Mum "made do and mended"...making many of her own clothes( and some of mine) she was also, seemingly, welded to a pair of knitting needles...She would be appalled at our throw away society.

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