Oh Darn!! :) Running a thrifty home means making do with what is at hand (or foot :) I actually went to the fabric store while in town to get some darning thread to mend hubbies white socks and was shocked they didn't sell any ... I then asked for cotton floss instead (which they had an abundance). The store worker said I was the 10th person in the last few weeks asking for darning thread. Seems that more people are making do with less and fixing rather than tossing. If you've never darned a sock, give it a try. You can 'google' how to darn I'm sure*. I find it rather therapeutic and rewarding to mend. If you don't own a darning egg, you can use a round ended light bulb to stick in the sock.
[*This only means I'm too thrifty with my time and don't find it necessary to make a darning tutorial when you can easily find one on-line such as here, and here. I'm also too time spent to go dig through our family photo albums to find the one of my daughter Elizabeth ceremoniously receiving her great grandmother's wooden darning egg that was given to her in the early 1900's and used to darn the socks of eleven children and those of her farmer husband.]
photo credit here
4 comments:
Hi Mrs.Mac! Wanted to thank you for your comment & visit to my blog recently, and hope all is well. Such a wonderful place you have here! I probably should learn to darn socks - I've many with holes now.
blessings,
Vicki
Dear Mrs. Mac,
I enjoy your thrifty housewife site.
Taking care of thing makes me feel useful.
Word from my Mom, "It's not what money I make that makes me rich, but what money I don't spend."
Last year when my mother stayed with us for four months after a stroke severely damaging her right side,- I knew she was on her way to healing when she of her own free will started to mend Gunnar's thick home knitted socks.
Our darn instrument has a handle and is called a darning mushroom, because of its shape.
Serina was only four when she asked my mother, "Do you have any spare antiques?"
My mother gave her a darning mushroom, and later taught her the art as well.
Have a good Easter.
From Felisol
Thanks Vicki for stopping by.
Felisol ... you mom's action of mending Gunnar's socks is a great activity for anyone wanting to keep a fit mind ... I can imagine that the hand motion and dexterity needed to handle the needle and yarn were good for her coordination after her stroke.
Our darning egg must be similar to yours (not the stock photo in this post) ... as it too has a handle on it which makes it easier to handle. Good for Serina learning how to darn ... every young girl should know how to darn and mend their clothes.
That is an interesting idea...darning socks. The Amish book I read recently had a Mom teaching her girls how to darn socks. Good for you!
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