This evening I spent about 45 minutes repairing something which I could have replaced in my nearby town for about the price of a fancy coffee in a fancy coffee shop. Then I settled down to continue knitting a scarf – which nobody wants or needs – from leftover wool from various knitting projects.
This led me to muse on why I continue to reuse and recycle even though everything is so readily available nowadays.
The reason is that I was born in the 1950’s. I grew up with make do and mend.
I remember my mum teaching me how to repair a knitted garment using a darning mushroom.
If something in my home gets broken, my first reaction is to try and repair it. I have sewing and knitting stuff handy plus glue, iron-on patches, etc etc.
The reason is that I was a post-war baby. My parents had experienced war and rationing. Goods were not as readily available in the 1950s.
Many decades on, old habits die hard.
Childhood Memories of growing up in the 1950s and 1960s. 
I have an inherited darning mushroom and some darning eggs. I used to actually darn socks! I also still have plenty of iron-on patches as well.
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I used an iron on patch today! Old habits . .
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👍🏻👍🏻
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Very interesting! I haven’t heard of a sewing mushroom but I do recall mending socks. We used a teacup and there was a plentiful supply of wool at home. I don’t know how one repair synthetic fibres, though. And I wouldn’t know where to start to mend a sock today.
We also repaired our shoes, replacing heels and soles as well as sewing on shirt buttons.
i can’t say I miss all that!
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Thanks for commenting. There were darning mushrooms, darning eggs and, of course, teacups. Perfect shape! Now we all use mugs some households would struggle to find a teacup.
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Yes, myself included!
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Very interesting! I haven’t heard of a sewing mushroom but I do recall mending socks. We used a teacup and there was a plentiful supply of wool at home. I don’t know how one repair synthetic fibres, though. And I wouldn’t know where to start to mend a sock today.
We also repaired our shoes, replacing heels and soles as well as sewing on shirt buttons.
i can’t say I miss all that!
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I always have a go at mending something if it doesn’t work. My reasoning is that you can’t make it any worse by trying.
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And it’s a great feeling when you succeed!
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Very good to reuse and recycle!
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