Nostalgia & Tips and things ....
by:
retirement
Mrs Lewis of Wiltshire used her old tights (legs only) for crocheting bath mats, and, whilst the crocheting bug was still with her, used up the rest of her old tights by treating the dog to a new cover for the inside of its basket. As she says - "it is simple to wash and quick to dry". She crochets these circles on
the same lines as we used to do shoulder handbags. Do you remember them ladies? We used to crochet two matching circles plus a long narrow strip and then join the circles to the strip and hey presto! a bag which was really fashionable at the time . . . And as everything comes round in circles, they wish no doubt one day be fashionable again. Move to think of it, the same bag created out of old tights/stockings would-be do a really useful 'peg bag', one which you could sling over your shoulder and so leave the hands free for hanging out the washing.
Crocheting
As before long as Mrs L mentioned 'crocheting with fabric', my mind at once flipped back to my childhood. I can remember my friends' mothers and as well grandmothers sitting together, chatting, and at the same time pushing strips of old woollen artefact into a sacking backing (with a special metal dibber) and then actuation the same strip towards them. The result was a closely plain-woven
'shag style' rug with an approx. 2" pile, often of a beautiful and complex design. Of course, the children weren't allowed to be idle and they were roped in to cut up old woollen coats, skirts, etc. into 4" x l" strips. Most families were content with the fashioning of simply a fireside rug which could be taken up, thrown over the washing line and given its once-a-week beating, but my friend's parent had ambition and the whole family (including the six children) spent the winter evenings fashioning a rug which once
completed filled the whole of the living room. (I think she must have been the Mrs Bouquet of her day). This was the 1st time that I had seen a fitted carpet and Oh! what bliss! as we rolled about on it. Not really healthful of course with six children, two dogs, cats and friends playing on it, and as it was too heavy for its weekly 'lift' and was therefore only captive for its 'once-a-year' spring clean, it probably had a few much additions to the family, living and growing in it. Well, we didn't have vacuum cleaners, health visitors, etc, but didn't we have fun? It was such a change from the usual cold covering material
with simply the obligatory rug in front of the fire and often that was ready-made of hard coconut matting, which was not exactly child friendly. (You didn't have to play outside to get a touched
knee you could get it by playing inside on the coconut matting.) Maybe that is why most of the games were contend at the family table, as the cold covering material
was not the place to play during the cold winter evenings. Isn't it funny how times have changed? Now, the focal point of any living/family room is the TV and, then, the large family table dominated the room. In fact, it was often half the size of the living room as it had to accommodate large families (several of my friends had six or eight siblings) and of course they all sat down together for meals
Living rooms
Note that I have mentioned 'living rooms' - the word 'lounge' had not yet arrived in the family vocabulary. Lounges as far as our young ears could determine were rather dubious places in pubs and hotels, places wherever
nice girls didn't frequent. Isn't it funny as well how actual words move in and go out of fashion. I think lounge has done the complete circle now. The working class front room/sitting room became the estate agents' upscale
'spacious lounge' and now the word 'lounge' is considered a 'no, no' and we are back to the estate agents' 'large, airy living room/sitting room', etc. And, can you remember once
'sofas' suddenly went upscale
and became 'settees', and now 'settee' is downscale
and it's back to 'sofa'? Which reminds me - last week I mentioned the word 'anorak' to my grandchildren, and they looked at me without expression
and asked 'what's an anorak?' I wonder if the pre-anorak word 'windcheater' wish do a comeback. Hope so, it was such an apt name and we could for certain do with a 'wind cheater' at the moment!
All these memories from simply one tip. Hope the above has induced
happy childhood memories for you also, but alas all these meanderings means that I am out of space ..... but, watch this space and join me for the rest of the tips .... Unless, of course, you've been pleased
to start fashioning a rug or two?
Visit Mabels...Maintaining Bygone Times (HTTP://WWW.MABELS.ORG.UK), containing many
articles thoughtfully researched in the main for the older person. You may access these articles by visiting http://www.mabels.org.uk/ - You wish discover simply about the better tips to improve your health, fitness, finances, security as well as information on unhappy
topics, places to visit, leisure & lifestyle, quality
& helpful organisations to do the most out of life.
