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From the lens Make Do and Mend - From the 1940s.

  • bloomingrose May 12, 2012 @ 2:24 am | delete
    I love this, I bookmarked it to my Facebook group and pinned it to my Board on Thrifty Living.
  • Frischy Apr 22, 2012 @ 11:24 am | delete
    I always enjoy reading this lens and learning how people coped with difficult economic times in years past. There is much we can learn from them. My grandmother had all of these skills, and she passed some of them along to me; but, it is hard finding the time. I suspect in her day she was on the sewing machine in the hours that I am on the computer.
  • Deadicated Mar 24, 2012 @ 11:20 pm | delete
    These are tough times (and these are the good old days); Love this Lens; everything old is new again.
  • MagnoliaTree Mar 23, 2012 @ 3:15 pm | delete
    My Grandmother told me how she would "turn" the collars (and cuffs) on my Grandfather's white shirts. He was an attorney and had to look "good" in court-- even though times were tough. He was often not paid in cash, but used the barter method-- they were strong people and knew how to "make do"
  • paulbarton Mar 16, 2012 @ 8:43 am | delete
    my interest is in make do and mend with white appliances
  • RiaB Mar 15, 2012 @ 11:31 pm | delete
    A lot of this sounds like the home I grew up in! Thank for some interesting info! The history of rationing was great. I knew about the food but not the fabric. My mother and grandmother were quilters and YES the sewing takes over if you let it. Much like...Squidoo can =)
  • DeniseDurham2011 Mar 14, 2012 @ 12:26 pm | delete
    My grandmother made quilts by hand. All hand sewn. Beautiful! She made one that had butterflies on it. They were all different colors & patterns. The butterflies were cut from her 4 daughters dresses. It was awesome! I always thought she came up with that because it was a fun idea. Now I know better. Wonderful lens!
  • fiona-townsend Feb 19, 2012 @ 4:53 pm | delete
    My Grandma has always reused fabrics and is very good at knitting and sewing clothes, so I have been brought up with these skills and an interest in altering my own clothes and making use of what I have. There are some great ideas here and it is increasingly important to reuse and recycle, so hopefully people will follow your advice!
  • jenniferteacher Feb 7, 2012 @ 2:25 am | delete
    Great lens! I enjoy a variety of crafts and love the idea of repurposing instead of always buying something new. I think I have the soul of a Depression-era survivor. LOL
  • mgs249 Jan 31, 2012 @ 11:15 am | delete
    I like to find second uses for things. I use old t-shirts as cleaning and dusting rags. Thanks for the great tips. See my lens: squidoo.com/stretching-the-dollar.
  • bolillie Jan 23, 2012 @ 7:51 pm | delete
    Lots of great info here. This was before my time so I was unfamiliar with a lot of this. Thanks for enlightening me. My daughter makes rag rugs and I think I must ask her to make me one of those rag rug hats! haha
  • Craftybegonia Dec 27, 2011 @ 11:21 pm | delete
    What a practical lens!
  • skiesgreen Nov 30, 2011 @ 12:57 am | delete
    My daughter has encouraged me to recycle some of my clothes instead of giving them away, They have good material in them with some hardly worn because my size has changed, Now I see great ways of using the fabric. Thanks for this lens,
  • phoenix3423 Nov 29, 2011 @ 4:29 pm | delete
    this lens is wonderful! It has so many ideas that am going to be coming back to read many times. Thanks for sharing
  • Pennyseeker Nov 23, 2011 @ 4:15 am | delete
    Interesting lens!
  • aesta1 Nov 23, 2011 @ 3:00 am | delete
    I love doing all these and I used to bring my tools wherever we went but after a few years and once paying $750 for over weight luggage in an airline, I gave away my serger, sewing machines, patterns etc. to an island school in Maldives.
  • Bluemoongoddess Nov 18, 2011 @ 11:34 pm | delete
    The rag rug hat was interesting. My mother-in-law talks about what it was like during the war times.
  • wahmshelley Nov 14, 2011 @ 9:16 pm | delete
    This is an awesome lens !!! I really love it...It seems complete in soooo many ways... You are definitely a professional lenscrafter !!! Thanks for a terrific lens !!!
  • MysticTurtle Nov 12, 2011 @ 9:39 am | delete
    My family doesn't know any other way to live! Just a few weeks ago I removed the frayed collar from my favorite flannel shirt, leaving the collar band so I now have a shirt with a stand-up collar. I used the good pieces from the collar to patch some small holes.
  • match137 Nov 7, 2011 @ 5:41 pm | delete
    I like your lenses
  • valiapegli Oct 20, 2011 @ 9:04 am | delete
    what a great idea! I would be very glad to make it true but i am thinking it may not be very difficult. I promise I will try. I would be very glad if you visited my lens about green energy sources and share your comment!
  • SaffronSophs Oct 20, 2011 @ 3:26 am | delete
    Wonderful lens. I think in today's economy and especially in view of the changing times this "old fashioned" way of doing things should come back into fashion!
  • PositiveChristian Oct 16, 2011 @ 4:04 pm | delete
    So recycling dates back to the 1940s. Most people think it is a new idea.

    Great lens. Angel blessed.
  • paulbarton Oct 3, 2011 @ 8:06 am | delete
    thank you for giving me an idea
    my make do and mend theme is around white goods - kitchen appliances - most are relatively easy to repair - just need a guiding hand - I learnt to make do and mend in the Navy - can't just pop out and buy another one
  • Upon-Request Sep 17, 2011 @ 10:29 pm | delete
    Lovely lens - making do is truly an age-old tradition, handed down from one generation to another. I will always be grateful that I learned to recycle/upcycle from my mom and my grandma, both who were "queens" in the land of the frugal.
  • Graceonline Aug 27, 2011 @ 10:46 am | delete
    This is a page after this little recycler's heart. Love the history, love the modern-day tips and resources. Thank you!
  • Kappuke-ki Aug 25, 2011 @ 4:38 pm | delete
    I love the grey dress, I make children's clothes and I have a range which I make from adult clothes, either unwanted ones or ones bought in charity shops, which helps charity and is green! Super article, enjoyed it :)
  • GayleMcLaughlin Aug 15, 2011 @ 9:24 pm | delete
    I can't sew very well but I did make a T-shirt quilt out of T-shirts our family gives at Christmas. It was a great accomplishment for me. Thanks for this wonderful lens
  • annmackiemiller Aug 12, 2011 @ 11:04 pm | delete
    that rag rug hat is incredible! love the lens. angel blessed and featured on my road trip to crafting lens
  • cbaltt Aug 6, 2011 @ 8:12 pm | delete
    I see so many people throwing out usable items in the trash and it drives me nuts. There are so many thrift stores that will pick up in our area, there just is no excuse.
  • RhondaSueDavis Jul 28, 2011 @ 2:46 am | delete
    I make bags, my mother and sister make hook rugs. I can see now that this all started with my grandmother's mothers somewhere in the 40's. Love the "Mend and Make Do", that is so much more fun (and practical) than the recycle or frugal mindset! And it is what we try to do, usually without much thinking about it at our house.
  • ShirleySunshine Jul 23, 2011 @ 10:59 am | delete
    We BADLY need this attitude today, the waste all round is so upsetting.
    People don't value things like they used to. Making something useful and interesting from something old is great fun and very satisfying. I've used old cutrains to make a skirt, and old skirts to make aprons and bags.
    Love this Lens, great work and message!
  • graysquidooer Jul 16, 2011 @ 4:32 pm | delete
    I like your lens,I trry to recycle where I can, even want to set up a website for recycled items, but couldn't think of enough idea;s and wasn't sure people would want to buy stuff made from unwanted stuff.
    The trouble with rag rugs, was they collected a great deal of dust and dirt, not good if you have asthma
  • veryirie Jul 10, 2011 @ 1:02 pm | delete
    So inspiring to read again of how people managed from day to day.
  • kimpaul Jul 5, 2011 @ 11:06 pm | delete
    I love finding what other people consider junk and making something useful and beautiful without spending a ton of money! Garage Sales!!
  • profilesincolor Jul 3, 2011 @ 8:31 am | delete
    Wonderful! :-)
  • awelldressedbullet Jul 1, 2011 @ 4:47 pm | delete
    Congratulations (belated) on your Lens of the Day!
  • PurplePansy Jul 1, 2011 @ 2:31 am | delete
    Thanks for posting this! After looking at this, I now have some new ideas for how to reinforce my jeans before they get worn out.
  • LTZoomer Jun 29, 2011 @ 10:21 pm | delete
    In my earlier days when money was scarce I sewed clothes for all my family and cut down old adult clothes into children's clothes and made quilts out of old clothing. I saved buttons off worn out clothes and cut the family's hair. Those were the days! great Lens, congrats.
  • vikksimmons Jun 26, 2011 @ 9:23 am | delete
    I used to try and do a lot of this but wasn't ever very good at it. Great job. Congratulations.
  • Waxing-Lyrical Jun 25, 2011 @ 10:14 pm | delete
    I can remember as a child my mum doing several of the things you write about here. Nowadays, it seems like a bygone age, but it's good to know that more and more people are becoming "recycle" minded again.
  • AdriennePetersen Jun 25, 2011 @ 1:01 pm | delete
    Fascinating lens, congrats on LOTD!
  • poddys Jun 25, 2011 @ 3:24 am | delete
    I remember that we used to darn socks, and repair holes in all our clothes. Now things just get thrown out when they so much as look grubby. Of course during the war imported items like cotton were less important to ship than food and munitions, so the government could not justify risking valuable shipping on less critical items. It is a shame that we throw things out these days, but when the cost of repairing something, especially an electrical appliance, costs more than buying a new one, you can't justify making do and mend. It's wrong really, and our whole society is based around keeping things up to date and having the latest products. Excellent lens Carol, blessings left behind, and congratulations on Lens Of The Day.
  • debnet Jun 25, 2011 @ 3:24 am | delete
    I remember seeing rag rugs when I was a child. My Mum and Aunties have told me about the gravy browning seams on legs too! I was born in 1958 and I understand that rationing had not long stopped before that. I don't think many people outside of the UK know that. Good to see you waving the Union Jack for us Brits and many congrats on a well deserved LOTD!! Blessed by a Squid Angel ;)
  • julietarot Jun 24, 2011 @ 11:09 am | delete
    I remember making a peg rug with my Nana, and I still sew. We had to be a bit creative and I still am. My youngest daughter makes clothes and bags-which are really good. I think you get a feel-good factor from recycling clothing material and it is unique.
  • draik Jun 24, 2011 @ 8:47 am | delete
    I tighten up my old loose bras by sewing some fabric together and recycle old towels to use as rag. I wish my fashion sense and sewing skill were better because my amended clothes often ended up disastrous.
  • Steve-SEO-UK Jun 24, 2011 @ 6:22 am | delete
    Yes, I'm just old enough to remember my mother sewing up holes in socks, even my school trousers had knee patches. It wasn't out of place then as most of my friends had knee or elbow patches. Doesn't happen now but could well be if our world does not recover from recession. Clothing that is hardly worn by many are discarded. I always give to charities collecting clothing. Just hate seeing stuff go to waste. Brilliant Lens and well deserved LOTD - plus definite Thumbs Up.
  • susannaduffy Jun 24, 2011 @ 3:30 am | delete
    I've always loved this page on Make Do and Mend. That's what they did in the 1940s and now we are learning to be frugal too
  • huvalbd Jun 24, 2011 @ 1:42 am | delete
    I live with a young Briton who is adept at reusing things, especially where fabric or yarn is involved. (Her business Luna Wolf makes cloth reusable menstrual pads, and sometimes offers some made of recycled fabrics for the ecosensitive.) A group of women in our area meets every Friday evening to knit together, often using yarn unraveled from an old garment.
  • little_diddle Jun 23, 2011 @ 11:40 pm | delete
    I was really into reusing old clothes and fabric when I was a teenager but I kind of lost touch with it. I would make purses and bags and modify clothing I still wore with cool bits of fabric I found around the house. I always hated getting rid of clothing just because it didn't fit me anymore, so I tried to repurpose as much as possible. Great lens :-)
  • elyria Jun 23, 2011 @ 10:54 pm | delete
    Wonderful Lens! Congrats on lotd!
  • marsha32 Jun 23, 2011 @ 10:39 pm | delete
    awesome!! Well worth LOTD!
    I love that video. I actually started making fabric bags on a request and just made up a pattern and how I sew it. I like how she puts the bottom on, I don't do that. However, I was amazed as I also measure my fabric 18 x 18 and the handles 18 x 3! I need to try her method of sewing the handles on as well. I do my top first and then add he handles.
  • Ilona1 Jun 23, 2011 @ 10:32 pm | delete
    From my father's side I was steeped in Scot's thrift. We like to "make do"- so I loved your lens. Congrats on LOTD.
  • GrammaLinda Jun 23, 2011 @ 10:30 pm | delete
    Great lens! It makes me think of my grandmother. During the depression, she saved soap scraps and melted them in tuna cans to make new soap bars. Thumbs up!
  • FindingMyRoots Jun 23, 2011 @ 8:38 pm | delete
    I Love all of the vintage pictures!
  • Pastiche Jun 23, 2011 @ 8:29 pm | delete
    I've made clothes for my kids from all sorts of fabrics - adult clothes, sheets, and so on. I've been a patchwork maker for years, and never throw out scraps. The make do and mend lifestyle has been with me since I was a kid, and at least one of my children has embraced it with full commitment. I love to find new uses for old stuff, and I like to buy used or thrift items instead of new for many things. Older things were made better ... so they last longer! Congrats on this terrific lens ... I'm so glad it's cool to live a make do and mend lifestyle.
  • jwncoexists Jun 23, 2011 @ 8:19 pm | delete
    Great lense! Thanks for sharing these great ideas!
  • Blessedmombygrace Jun 23, 2011 @ 8:14 pm | delete
    Very neat. Congrats on LOTD, I keep thinking I need to make rag rugs from my worn out sheets. You have inspired me!
  • ShirlW Jun 23, 2011 @ 7:57 pm | delete
    Congratulations on an excellent LotD! We've been "making do" a lot around our home lately.
  • AddaptAbilities Jun 23, 2011 @ 7:56 pm | delete
    Well-deserved LOTD! I loved the Squander Bug.
  • candy47 Jun 23, 2011 @ 7:51 pm | delete
    Congratulations on LoTD! I'm not very handy with a sewing machine, but I buy clothes and household items at thrift shops then donate them back and buy more...and so on!
  • vallain Jun 23, 2011 @ 6:58 pm | delete
    Those who lived in the 1930s and 1940s have some great ideas for thrifty living. I made a lens about the craft projects that my parents made from rags. Nothing was wasted. We have a lot to learn from our elders.
  • SydneyH Jun 23, 2011 @ 6:35 pm | delete
    Congrats on LoTD! Nice lens. I like seeing the old leaflets. I reuse and recycle as much as I can. It's not always my favorite thing to do but I hate wasting stuff more.
  • YourFirstTime Jun 23, 2011 @ 6:18 pm | delete
    A lens for our times. Congrats!
  • EverythingMouse Jun 23, 2011 @ 6:01 pm | delete
    What a great theme for a lens of the day. It is so easy just to throw things away but we all really should see what we can conserve and use again.
  • pheonix76 Jun 23, 2011 @ 6:00 pm | delete
    Oh this is great. There's so much we can learn from the past. My grandpa has told me about how his mother re-used fabric from old aprons, curtains, tablecloths, and clothes to make quilts (which are now treasured). Thanks so much for putting this together and congrats on your well-deserved LotD!!! (:
  • BlueStarling Jun 23, 2011 @ 5:55 pm | delete
    Congrats on LoTD. Interesting lens. At least one of my grandmothers made the rag rugs and still used them when I was a child.
  • kwhiting644 Jun 23, 2011 @ 5:39 pm | delete
    congrats on LOTD.
  • Frankster Jun 23, 2011 @ 5:35 pm | delete
    Congrats on a well deserved LOTD! I do not sew but I do use and reuse cloth until I simply cut it up for rags. Bear hugs, Frankster
  • gypsyman27 Jun 23, 2011 @ 5:03 pm | delete
    Congrats on LotD, and a very well done lens. See you around the galaxy...
  • nancycarol Jun 23, 2011 @ 4:46 pm | delete
    Congratulations on LOTD. I crochet and use a lot of leftover yarn for various projects. My Mom used to crochet rag rugs, and I still have some tucked away that I don't use, but just keep because she made them, since she passed away in 1995. Thanks for sharing a really wonderful lens.
  • LizRobertson Jun 23, 2011 @ 4:41 pm | delete
    What a fun page to find in this throwaway society...it reminds me that my mom taught me to darn socks... something that is rarely passed down these days I'd imagine! Good work & Congrats!
  • TransientTimes Jun 23, 2011 @ 3:08 pm | delete
    Congrats on LOTD!!!!! Great lens!
  • CalamariFritti Jun 23, 2011 @ 3:07 pm | delete
    Congrats on LOTD! Great info.
  • szieja Jun 23, 2011 @ 3:03 pm | delete
    Thanks for this lens! :) And congrats on making LOTD!
  • jseven Jun 23, 2011 @ 2:46 pm | delete
    Great lens. My mother went through the depression and she knew how to recycle everything!
  • Donnette Jun 23, 2011 @ 2:42 pm | delete
    Congratulations on LOTD~!!
  • bikerministry Jun 23, 2011 @ 2:35 pm | delete
    I Up-cycle - using used wool sweaters and clothing items to make arm warmers, fingerless gloves, leg warmers, etc. I love being creative. Really like this lens. Thanks
  • Koupie Jun 23, 2011 @ 2:27 pm | delete
    I recycle a lot of old doilies and table cloths into fabric art, this is my kind of fun
    Great lens, congratulations on LOTD
  • Liquid_Granite Jun 23, 2011 @ 1:56 pm | delete
    Congratulations for the lens of the day!
  • purpleslug Jun 23, 2011 @ 1:34 pm | delete
    Congrats on LotD! What great information and stories. Thanks!
  • Clipart Jun 23, 2011 @ 1:33 pm | delete
    Great lens and very timely. I suspect that many people these days have never thought about recycling clothing unless they like vintage. You need something - go buy it new! Having been very poor off and on, I've learned to find bargain clothes and will even grab old clothes that I like the fabric of - so I can save the fabric to make something new. (It helps to be small, too - LOL) My family came from old farm folk who learn - and pass on - how to make do. These days I'm glad I learned early how to make things do, recycle, reuse, and take care of what you have.
  • Writingnag Jun 23, 2011 @ 1:30 pm | delete
    I love this lens! Great timing, wonderful vintage pics and really good information. Congrats on LOTD!
  • badmsm Jun 23, 2011 @ 1:29 pm | delete
    I recycle yarn, fabric, furniture and packaging all the time. I have other things I want to spend my money on! Liked & Angel Blessed for a wonderful lens! :)
  • thrivingmom Jun 23, 2011 @ 1:27 pm | delete
    Congrats on your LOTD. What a fabulous lens! We may all have to learn how to make do and mend soon if the economy doesn't pick back up.
  • poutine Jun 23, 2011 @ 1:13 pm | delete
    My grandma and mom used to make crazy quilts out of our old dresses and shirts.
  • grandmapearl Jun 23, 2011 @ 1:09 pm | delete
    Both my grandmothers and my Mom were avid knitters, crocheters and quilters. I learned from them how to make do or do without. I now make quilts from scraps and love to come up with new designs. We burn fallen and dead wood in our wood stove, and that means a lot of wear and tear on my husbands jeans. Solution: new jeans are reinforced with the legs of old jeans before they ever get worn for the first time. Makes them last a whole lot longer!
  • Kylyssa Jun 23, 2011 @ 12:46 pm | delete
    Growing up, many of my clothes were hand-me-downs from my older sister. Unfortunately, we were built differently but my mom had the fix. She used patterned fabric from my sister's outgrown skirts that would have been too short for me to extend my sister's outgrown jeans and trousers so they fit me. She also used leftover fabric to add pockets to those trousers because little girls' trousers usually had none and I had (and have) a love of pockets. I was an extreme tomboy so I didn't miss the skirts as hand-me-downs. It was also fortunate that I liked jeans and trousers so much because my mom also altered my older brother's jeans and trousers to fit me, adding bits of skirt fabric as piping or pocket accents to make them more feminine.

    Make do and mend is how I've lived most of my life, even when I was in that upper middle class demographic for a time.
  • djroll Jun 23, 2011 @ 12:31 pm | delete
    Congrats on your LOTD. Posting this to my facebook page for my parents to read. They'll really enjoy it as they lived in the Great Depression era.
  • GrowWear Jun 23, 2011 @ 12:30 pm | delete
    Congratulations for LOTD! ...My mom told us about the clothes she wore made from feed sacks. And the rationing. Today, my hubby and I enjoy the challenge of making do. We've been called tight-wads, but would rather that than to be called spendthrifts. :)
  • sapheyerblu Jun 23, 2011 @ 12:15 pm | delete
    I love this lens. I'm always recycling fabrics to turn into new things. Being a kid who grew up "frugal", this is nothing new to me. I made my mom a quilted wall hanging from bits of things around my house and hers. I even included pieces from an old set of curtains that used to belong to her mother. She cried for days and displays it proudly in her living room.

    Awesome piece, glad I stopped by.
  • dfishbac Jun 23, 2011 @ 12:12 pm | delete
    Congratulations on your LOTD! Very useful information that I will tell my wife about. :)
  • GramaBarb Jun 23, 2011 @ 12:07 pm | delete
    Congratulations of LOTD! Love the subject - one of my favourite as I was a child of the 40's and my mother made use of everything - over and over - I still can't throw a button in the trash.
  • The_Idea_Gal Jun 23, 2011 @ 12:05 pm | delete
    OMG I use to love to sew and want to get back into it. Just being able to do your own hems saves you alot vs going to a tailor, not to mention how easy it is to make things like pocket curtains or throw pillows. Great, inspiring lens! Congrats!
  • KellyMartinSpeaks Jun 23, 2011 @ 12:03 pm | delete
    Great lens. Congratulations on your lens of the day! Some of my trousers are now cropped trousers for the summer, nothing goes to waste. Everything is useful, the same goes with food also.
  • JackalyeYe Jun 23, 2011 @ 11:38 am | delete
    I like to sew when I was young, rigtht now my daughter is learning sewing and she like it so much. Congrates on LOTD!
  • JennySui Jun 23, 2011 @ 11:31 am | delete
    Congratulations on LOTD!
  • ohcaroline Jun 23, 2011 @ 10:58 am | delete
    My mother made rag rugs. It was fascinating to watch her. Congratulations on your LOTD.
  • TenerifeLowcostholidays Jun 23, 2011 @ 10:19 am | delete
    I want the rug hat!!! I have a magic fairy that doesn my sewing - she's called Nana!!
  • dustytoes Jun 23, 2011 @ 10:16 am | delete
    I know how to sew but don't like doing it. It's amazing what we can do when we have to. Your quilt is gorgeous!
  • OhMe Jun 23, 2011 @ 9:51 am | delete
    Back to this great lens to congratulate you on a well deserved Lens of the Day! Congrats!
  • livingfrontiers Jun 23, 2011 @ 9:46 am | delete
    Great ideas here, and I learned alot. Thanks for the great lens, and it is very timely for us all!
  • celeBritys4africA Jun 23, 2011 @ 9:24 am | delete
    Congrats for the Lens of the Day.
  • partybuzz Jun 23, 2011 @ 9:23 am | delete
    I was raised with Make Do and Mend in the 50's and my children were raised the same. Great lens. Congratulations on LotD!!
  • Sylvestermouse Jun 23, 2011 @ 9:09 am | delete
    Just had to return to say congratulations on LOTD!
  • Norma_Budden Jun 23, 2011 @ 8:58 am | delete
    Beautiful lens! My grandmother actually made a quilt for me which closely resembles the one featured above, in terms of the design. Lovely! Congrats on your purple star for this lens, by the way. :)
  • 67Shelbygal Jun 23, 2011 @ 8:54 am | delete
    Great Lens! Congrats on LOTD!
  • SereneSea Jun 23, 2011 @ 8:40 am | delete
    I am all for frugal living. Congrats on LOTD.
  • Wednesday_Elf Jun 23, 2011 @ 8:38 am | delete
    Congrats on LotD. This is a terrific story. Reminds me of my grandmother's New England adage, which is a philosophy I've lived by all my life -- even before 'Living Green' became popular:

    "Use it up, Wear it out..
    Make it do.. or do without!"
  • SheilaVine Jun 23, 2011 @ 8:27 am | delete
    I used to love making rag rugs as a child with my grandma and also seeing an old coat or dress mad into something else. Patchwork is great fun too and very creative.
    Love the lens
  • Jun 23, 2011 @ 7:07 am | delete
    I'd like to congratulate you on LoTD. Also - I think the Rag 'Rug' Hat looks real funny.
  • Jun 23, 2011 @ 7:07 am | delete
    I'd like to congratulate you on LoTD. Also - I think the Rag 'Rug' Hat looks real funny.
  • RenaissanceWoman2010 Jun 23, 2011 @ 7:03 am | delete
    Really great. Congrats on LOTD! I am very pleased for you.
  • AnnsHomeDecor Jun 23, 2011 @ 7:00 am | delete
    Very nice lens. Congrats on LotD
  • WeirdStuff Jun 23, 2011 @ 6:09 am | delete
    What's that creature with swastikas?? I dont get it at all :D
  • Ruthi Jun 23, 2011 @ 5:39 am | delete
    Making do and mending is something I was brought up to adhere to due to poverty, not war propaganda. Even when I've had a surplus to spend, I make do and mend. Great lens and so worthy of your Lens of the Day and Purple Star status!
  • bercton Jun 23, 2011 @ 5:28 am | delete
    Very creative ideas ...thanks and Congratulations on LOTD!
  • twilson17 Jun 23, 2011 @ 4:38 am | delete
    congratulations on lens of the day
  • prosperity66 Jun 23, 2011 @ 4:36 am | delete
    I was sure that one day this Make Do and Mend page would be featured as lens of the day - I just thought it was already done as it deserves the status!!!
  • Donnette Jun 23, 2011 @ 3:56 am | delete
    Very inspiring and creative, thank you
  • Irenemaria Jun 23, 2011 @ 3:10 am | delete
    I have most of my life been a woman that mend and try to reuse. I used to make clothes when the kids were small. In Sweden we had an expression: BUY - USE - THROW for those who did not want to mend or make do. I was not one of them.
  • tw006e6375 Jun 23, 2011 @ 2:58 am | delete
    Make do and mend was a catchphrase introduced at the time to encourage people to make repairs instead of buying new. Apart from not having the money to buy new clothes war time made things scarce so to keep ourselves dressed we had to make repairs.Tom
  • australiasbest Jun 23, 2011 @ 2:51 am | delete
    Nice lense, congrats on LOTD.
  • manfield3 Jun 23, 2011 @ 2:51 am | delete
    Very Awesome Lens!
  • elenareviews Jun 23, 2011 @ 2:16 am | delete
    Congrats!
  • pramodbisht Jun 23, 2011 @ 2:09 am | delete
    nice creative ideas, congrats on LOTD.
  • Joales Jun 23, 2011 @ 1:30 am | delete
    Thanks for a great lens. It reminded me of lots of old things from my past which were long forgotten. Congratulations.
  • bunyip Jun 23, 2011 @ 12:38 am | delete
    I remember my mother doing many of the things you mentioned like rugs made from strips of rags, recycling fabrics and unpicking jumpers to reuse the wool. She lived through the depression and the Second World War so got used to being thrifty and frugal.
  • Airinka Jun 23, 2011 @ 12:38 am | delete
    Very original and interesting lens!!!
  • scarlettohairy Jun 23, 2011 @ 12:37 am | delete
    I love this! I was raised to make do and mend but we didn't call it that. Love the graphics on your old pamphlets. Great way to live.
  • PipPipHooray Jun 23, 2011 @ 12:30 am | delete
    Awesome LOTD pick! isn't it amazing to think how much has changed in such a short time. I do think though we are becoming more of a re-usable society.. but instead of making clothes... we're buying them second hand... well at least.. I do. I find second hand shopping heaps of fun!
  • Retro_Loco Jun 23, 2011 @ 12:16 am | delete
    Congratulations on LOTD! You've shown some great examples of reusing and upcycling. Fantastic lens. My mother, grandmother and great-grandmother were all extremely frugal -- they wasted NOTHING!! My face is turning red thinking about some of the crazy things I wore in the 70's all in the name of frugality! ;-)
  • miaponzo Jun 23, 2011 @ 12:12 am | delete
    Very nice!!!! We have really forgotten what it is to take care of our things.. we are really in a totally disposable society now.. even for larger things like furniture! Congrats!
  • SocialpathFree Jun 22, 2011 @ 11:44 pm | delete
    Thanks for showing the fun side of recycling and living frugally.
  • Tipi Jun 22, 2011 @ 11:42 pm | delete
    That quilt on your office chair brought me back to childhood, it looks so much like the quilt Mom made for my sister's and my bed. I saw a lady at a craft fair with the most beautiful skirt that she had made of vintage neckties once. I particularly enjoy reusing leather in my creations. Congratulations on a very fun, practical and green LOTD!
  • Natural_Skin_Care Jun 22, 2011 @ 11:18 pm | delete
    Makes me nostalgic for the days when there were trading stamps and people were more frugal.
  • Kids-Birthday-Themes Jun 22, 2011 @ 11:04 pm | delete
    Congrats at LotD! Loved your lens!
  • Becksta Jun 11, 2011 @ 6:37 pm | delete
    Don't forget that you can knit rag rugs if you have big enough needles - I like knitting them :)
  • AbigailsCrafts Jun 1, 2011 @ 6:27 am | delete
    Great lens and a *gorgeous* quilt!
    I have a shibori felting lens showing off a textured scarf and bag I made from a holey old wool sweater.
  • Ladymermaid May 28, 2011 @ 11:31 am | delete
    I think that the current recession also has brought this shockingly back into focus. We have become such a disposable society that this may not be too bad a tradition to bring back ;)
  • vallain May 26, 2011 @ 12:23 pm | delete
    I loved the blend of history and family memories with the frugal tips you gave here. People are looking back for guidance when they hit hard times now.
  • hysongdesigns May 26, 2011 @ 8:45 am | delete
    My granny was a frugal woman, having raised 5 children during the depression. One thing she did was when towels wore out she cut them into wash clothes and crocheted edgings on them. When my own children were young a lady once gave me bags and bags of sweaters which I unraveled and re-knit into sweaters for my kids. Even if you can afford new stuff sometimes it is more fun to make over or recycle than to shop for new. Besides, old stuff is often better made and more durable than new. Great lens, thanks!
  • Matie May 18, 2011 @ 9:08 am | delete
    I love the historic context you gave to this lens, since curiously enough, these tips are more current than ever with the crisis striking the world.
  • FunkyJewelleryUK May 15, 2011 @ 1:32 pm | delete
    Great lens! Love it :)
  • GonnaFly Apr 27, 2011 @ 5:58 pm | delete
    This is such a helpful lens, I am adding a link to it in my Frugal Living lens.
  • Anahid Apr 18, 2011 @ 7:11 pm | delete
    Hi: great ideas to use, thanks I wish you a happy Easter. Anna
  • CruiseReady Apr 2, 2011 @ 7:02 am | delete
    Great lens! Sure wish i was better with my seweing machine... but I will keep practicing. Your lens gives me some of the incentive I need to do so.
  • poddys Mar 17, 2011 @ 8:33 am | delete
    Another brilliant lens. Although I was born 9 years after the war ended, the events were still very vivid to my Mum and the rest of the family when I was growing up, and I remember lots of talk about rationing etc. Lensrolled to and featured on my One Hundred Years Ago lens and also Blessed by a passing angel.
  • Mujjen Feb 26, 2011 @ 7:21 am | delete
    In Ethiopia it is still this way, they are so poor. Everything gets used again. One boy who worked for us used to sell all our old plastic bottles, cans and glass-jars. He was so happy for the extra money! After moving back to Europe it took me long time before I could throw away anything!
  • jackiebolen Feb 20, 2011 @ 8:59 pm | delete
    I love the idea, great lens!
  • Lemming13 Feb 13, 2011 @ 11:19 am | delete
    Terrific lens; my mum was a child in the war and often tells me how my gran used to refashion clothes to get around the clothing rationing. I like to recycle and often have good ideas but lack the technical know-how, so a resource site is great for me. Blessed
  • guardianstar77 Feb 12, 2011 @ 12:06 am | delete
    Excellent ideas for make-do-and-mend. I love the 1940s lead in and wrap through--it was a stroke of genius. All of these are great ideas, with the exception of the t-shirt bag. I don't know about elsewhere, but duct tape is not cheap where we live. Covering an entire shirt with it might not really be as "frugal" as one would expect. However, I loved your lens and your presentation was most excellent!
  • MichelleW Jan 17, 2011 @ 10:24 am | delete
    These are some really awesome ideas. I am trying to save every scrap of fabric right now because I am working on a handmade Christmas this year!
  • historybuff12 Jan 15, 2011 @ 10:31 am | delete
    You should really include a link to the British reality series, 1940's house. It was all about conditions during WWII and is very interesting, all about rationing and making do. Anyway, interesting lens.
  • WhitePineLane Jan 14, 2011 @ 12:14 pm | delete
    What an interesting lens - and very timely too! *Blessed by a Squid Angel*
  • MirandaBrooks Jan 12, 2011 @ 7:03 pm | delete
    This is a really useful lens, I love it, thanks! :)
  • wordstock Jan 6, 2011 @ 9:04 am | delete
    Great lens, full of great ideas. Angel blessed.
  • marsha32 Dec 9, 2010 @ 8:26 am | delete
    what a wonderfully fantastic lens!! Just awesome! I even see my own $80 sewing machine in amazon there.
    I also love the quilt you made using your hubby's clothes. It made me chuckle because my boyfriend has 3 or 4 totes of clothes he never wears stored in the basement and just the other day he told me to start going through them and making quilts out of what material I can use. You might just have inspired me to do just that...and what's really funny....that's the same pattern I intended to use.

    Blessed by a Squid Angel
  • Swisstoons Nov 10, 2010 @ 11:13 am | delete
    An excellent lens which allows us to glimpse the everyday activities of how the Brits (and, I would imagine) we Americans, too...although it was a bit before my time) made do during the dark days of WWII. Thumbs up!
  • asiliveandbreathe Oct 14, 2010 @ 12:24 pm | delete
    I do unpick knitted garments and use the yarn again, and recycle old buttons onto new garments. I don't sew but have used strips of old fabric for crochet, including making small rugs. I have even crocheted shopping bags from strips of plastic carrier bags and bread wrappers!
  • the777group Sep 7, 2010 @ 9:25 pm | delete
    My mother gave me a journal of 4-frame recipe cartoons that she had cut from newspapers with all sorts of powdered egg & spam recipes etc. It's a fantastic piece of history.
  • Yume_Tenshi Sep 7, 2010 @ 10:22 am | delete
    What an interesting lens! :) You'll love South Africa. My country is such a diverse place (rich and poor, black and white etc etc etc) That almost every second day you come across somebody creating art out of "junk" and thereby supporting families. Here nothing ever goes to waste. :) Everything can be recycled and re-used in some way. All it takes is a little bit of creativity!
  • Stazjia Sep 7, 2010 @ 1:02 pm | delete
    Using up everything that can possibly be used and re-used must be the way of the future. We can't go on being profligate with the earth's resources in the way we have been. I've also seen some fabulous things made from recycled material.

    I'm glad you like this lens.
  • CDT Jul 13, 2010 @ 7:11 am | delete
    My mother learnt the "make do & mend" habit during WW2 and carried it on throughout her life -
    my grandfather was a tailor and my grandmother was a dressmaker though, so she had a head start!

    We waste so much nowadays, I wonder how many of us would cope if we were suddenly plunged into a situation where we HAD to be resourceful...nowhere near as well as people in the 40's did I'd guess!

    A wonderful lens which I really enjoyed reading - thanks :)
  • NaturalMindset May 2, 2010 @ 8:43 pm | delete
    Love your lens and lensrolled on Eco-Friendly Craft Ideas and Supplies.
  • WordCustard Mar 27, 2010 @ 3:59 pm | delete
    Sent here by Kathy and what a treat! Once again we need to get more from less and it is both valuable and encouraging to see how it once was done. There is in any case some pride to be had in making or growing something yourself rather than just handing over the cash.
  • d-artist Mar 27, 2010 @ 3:02 pm | delete
    if you have gone through a war or have done without, then one knows what it's like to make do...I can't change my habits and can't stand waste..too bad this country is so wasteful, I love making things from scratch and sewing recycable things for art....great lens! 5*...thanks for sharing!
  • KathyMcGraw Mar 27, 2010 @ 1:54 am | delete
    Hi...just came back to Bless this lens and highlight it on my facebook page :) We all need to make do at times.
  • Stazjia Mar 27, 2010 @ 5:27 am | delete
    Thank you so much, Kathy, for the blessing and the plug on Facebook. A blessing always gives me a thrill and is a great thing to see when I switch on the computer first thing in the morning. :)
  • ToniCorset Dec 9, 2009 @ 7:11 pm | delete
    My grandfather was a tailor and taught me the love of sewing when I was 7 yrs old. I've been sewing and crafting ever since, saving and recycling remnants to create new projects. This lens is a gem that I can connect with. Thanks!

    Toni
  • kimmanleyort Dec 8, 2009 @ 12:21 pm | delete
    Love the title Make Do and Mend. This is such an important topic - the seniors who lived through this time would be invaluable in teaching younger people how to make do. Congratulations on your well-deserved nomination.
  • OhMe Nov 30, 2009 @ 7:49 am | delete
    Super lens. Congratulations on your nomination for the Giant Squid Awards
  • Jewelsofawe Nov 30, 2009 @ 12:16 am | delete
    Wonderful and blessed by an angel!
  • KathyMcGraw Nov 29, 2009 @ 11:02 am | delete
    I was half way through reading this and kept telling myself I loved it when I wanted to see who wrote it, what a nice surprise! Carol this is just the type of lens I love....how to make do with what you have. And as you said, todays economy is the perfect time for sharing this story of what people had to do after the war. I am not at all surprised this is nominated for the 2009 Giant Squid Awards :)
  • prosperity66 Nov 29, 2009 @ 6:08 am | delete
    Noticed your lens entered the 2009 Giant Squid Awards!
    Just wanted to wish you the best of luck :)
    Dom.
  • JenOfChicago Nov 28, 2009 @ 3:44 pm | delete
    Great tips!
  • Demaw Nov 13, 2009 @ 11:00 am | delete
    I have a sewing basket that I keep all the clothes that need darning, new buttons or altering. I am methodically going through it. I refuse to buy new clothes until I go over all the sewing projects I have. 5*
  • Treasures-By-Brenda Sep 22, 2009 @ 8:13 am | delete
    Nicely done & blessed.
  • momto4 Sep 14, 2009 @ 5:39 pm | delete
    A very educational and interesting lens! The quilt you made was beautiful! I hope to someday make a quilt out of all my kids baby cloths. Of course I have to learn to quilt first. Great job! 5 *'s
  • paperfacets Sep 14, 2009 @ 11:44 am | delete
    Enjoyed this. I tend to wear things over and over. Nowadays some go out and buy something new for every occasion.
  • BarbRad Sep 11, 2009 @ 4:52 am | delete
    This is a great lens. I will have to find a way to feature it on one of my lenses. It's very timely given our present economy. I've never been good at the needle crafts or sewing, which is strange because both my mother and my mil were. Any kind of needlework makes me very nervous, although I did make a few of my clothes early in my marriage during periods when I did not work outside the home. I did appreciate all the clothes my own mother made for me. i'm afraid I will have to get my sewing machine repaired so that I can at least start mending again.
  • Susan52 Sep 8, 2009 @ 2:58 pm | delete
    Wow, very cool! I love the t-shirt bag. Great lens!
  • Stazjia Sep 7, 2009 @ 2:28 pm | in reply to cjsysreform | delete
    Get someone else to pin up the hem for you. When you hand sew it, only pick up a couple of threads from the right side of the garment so that it will barely show or not show at all if you're lucky. When you've finished, press it well with a steam iron or, if you don't have one, use a damp cloth over the hem as you press it. I think steam pressing as you sew, either by hand or machine, gives a more professional finish to all sewing.
  • cjsysreform Sep 7, 2009 @ 1:42 pm | delete
    Purple star, yay! Fascinating page. I hope to get some use out of the links offered here, as I am not the most gifted seamstress... could use tips on hemming, in particular, without a sewing machine. Like, how do I make it look professional when it isn't. lol
  • KarateKatGraphics Sep 6, 2009 @ 12:30 pm | delete
    We would do well to take some of these lessons to heart now, given economic and environmental problems. Great lens! 5*
  • GonnaFly Sep 5, 2009 @ 5:22 pm | delete
    My mum, who grew up in Holland during the war, knew what it was like to have to "make do and mend". Some of that has rubbed off on me and to a lesser extent, some of it has rubbed off on my daughter. We have so much available now and many imports are so cheap. We must make sure that we don't lose these skills else we could be in real trouble one day! Great lens!
  • ElizabethJeanAllen Sep 5, 2009 @ 12:22 pm | delete
    Awesome lens!
    5* and lensroll to Recycling Fabric and Recycling Buttons
    Lizzy
  • whitemoss Sep 5, 2009 @ 10:57 am | delete
    Just great! I remember so much of this.
    I've added it to my favorite list on my favorite decade site !
  • WindyWinters Sep 5, 2009 @ 12:12 am | delete
    Congratulations on your Purple Star. My mom made my clothes as a child and I made many outfits and dresses as a teenager. The only thing I never sewed was a coat. I mended all of my hubby's logging clothes including the socks when he worked in the woods. I still wish I had a sewing machine but a new one is on my wish list. I've always recycled clothing so others may make beautiful quilts like yours. I wish I knew how to do that. Congrats again!
  • Sylvestermouse Sep 4, 2009 @ 11:27 pm | delete
    Wow, this is a great lens. It is full of so many good ideas and information. I love your quilt! I better mark this lens. We might need it very soon.
  • Heather426 Sep 4, 2009 @ 5:41 pm | delete
    Wonderful job, and I love the quilt you made. I sew and have always recycled everything, fabrics, trims, buttons, etc...I still love making things. 5*****
  • oneskms Sep 4, 2009 @ 2:55 pm | delete
    Great lens with usefull advice especially in todays throw away world
  • Wednesday_Elf Sep 4, 2009 @ 2:51 pm | delete
    This lens was wonderfully done. The necessity of Make Do and Mend during WWII fits in well with today's recycling as a way to save our world. We have it better now, but being 'frugal' and careful with what we have is a wise thing to remember. I've spent my life living by my grandmother's New England adage: "Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, or do without!"
  • Stazjia Sep 4, 2009 @ 1:18 pm | in reply to Evelyn_Saenz | delete
    How wonderful for your oldest child to get an internship in Italy. It's great to see that the way you brought up your children has given them skills to equip them to compete and do well in the modern world.
  • Evelyn_Saenz Sep 4, 2009 @ 1:09 pm | delete
    I grew up with just that philosophy. My grandmothers made my clothes and we kept a ragbag for making doll clothes. Our pillow cases and curtains were made from grainsacks.

    I never saw much point in buying patterns so my children have learned to sew by making their own patterns. My oldest has now been offered an internship in Italy and I believe that that is because she has learned how to create something from nothing.
  • Stazjia Sep 4, 2009 @ 12:35 pm | in reply to aj2008 | delete
    I only knew I was going to tackle this subject on Wednesday. I'd spent from Monday onwards trying to come up with something to write about under the heading of 'Favourite Decade'. I think I heard or read the phrase 'make do and mend' Tuesday evening and on Wednesday the idea for this lens popped into my head.
  • Light-in-me Sep 4, 2009 @ 12:03 pm | delete
    This is a great lens, I love the quilt you made !
    I love quilts, nice job !

    Robin :)
  • aj2008 Sep 4, 2009 @ 12:03 pm | delete
    Lizzie has just handed in a WWII project - wish I had seen this a couple of weeks ago!! Excellent lens and SquidAngel Blessings to you.
  • prosperity66 Sep 4, 2009 @ 11:54 am | delete
    That's a wonderful lens! I struggle at sewing - while I learned at school - but I love the ideas you come up with ; particularly your nice quilt! Congratulations on your deserved purple star as well!
    Dom.
  • The_Party_Animal Sep 4, 2009 @ 10:01 am | delete
    Well deserved Purple Star - great lens
  • whitemoss Sep 4, 2009 @ 6:43 am | delete
    Excellent lens Carol- a fine example to all us new Rocketmoms!
  • Stazjia Sep 4, 2009 @ 3:21 am | in reply to BevsPaper | delete
    I think anything that reuses old fabrics is romantic and nostalgic. I look at my quilt and I can remember occasions that I wore the dress or a skirt when I spot their fabric patches. They should really come with a little book of memories for later owners.
  • LindaBee Sep 3, 2009 @ 11:38 pm | delete
    I remember my mom saving things just because they might come in handy again. She always found a way to recycle stuff. It is funny how old becomes new again.
  • bdkz Sep 3, 2009 @ 7:42 pm | delete
    Super neat lens!
  • BevsPaper Sep 3, 2009 @ 7:01 pm | delete
    Wonderful lens, Carol! My grandma used to take clothes, curtains, sheets, and aprons that were just too worn to use anymore and cut them into strips. She would sew the ends together and I would help her roll them into balls. She would send them to a friend who would make "rag" rugs out of them. I used to sit for hours and pick out the different fabrics...oh that was Grandpa's shirt...Grandma's apron...etc. What memories!
  • 24websurf Sep 3, 2009 @ 5:26 pm | delete
    Wow! I had always wondered about those bedsheets with the seam in the middle. This was a great look back and great info for today as well all struggle to make ends meet. Thank you for this!
  • shajo Sep 3, 2009 @ 5:12 pm | delete
    This is great! A 1940's idea that is still very useful for today! Love it!
  • theraggededge Sep 3, 2009 @ 4:57 pm | delete
    Excellent - I remember my gran doing 'sides to middles' with the sheets. She ran a B&B in Cornwall and the guests always had the best linen sheets - when they wore out, she did sides to middles by hand - she hated sewing too - and used the sheets for the family. Those irritating seams! Going to hijack that 'bag from a t-shirt' video for my Teesonline lens!
  • oztoo Sep 3, 2009 @ 3:40 pm | delete
    Great lens, and a useful reminder that we can find ways to survive the economy
  • TheWhistler Sep 3, 2009 @ 3:20 pm | delete
    Great idea for a lens and great lens for the times. Thanks.
  • OhMe Sep 3, 2009 @ 3:14 pm | delete
    This is wonderful! I can usually find a use for most anything which is why my house is so cluttered. You really have some excellent information here and so interesting. Thank you.
  • Ramkitten Sep 3, 2009 @ 2:49 pm | delete
    I love that quilt you made! I don't have the patience or skill to make one, but I sure love them. And I've been of the "use it up, wear it out, make do, do without" mindset, so I found this really interesting. And so well written.
  • Stazjia Sep 3, 2009 @ 2:40 pm | in reply to Mickie_G | delete
    I need patterns and ideas too except when I do a crazy quilt, of course. I'm glad you like the lens.
  • Mickie_G Sep 3, 2009 @ 2:27 pm | delete
    I absolutely LOVE this lens. I am going to bookmark it so I can come back to it often. I am someone who needs ideas and patterns to redo or reuse fabric! Thanks!
  • clouda9 Sep 3, 2009 @ 2:15 pm | delete
    From then to now, somethings really don't change. Excellent information and resources.
  • Stazjia Sep 3, 2009 @ 12:09 pm | in reply to MeltedRachel | delete
    I love your lenses so much, Rachel, that I wanted to feature them. In fact, I had to stop myself featuring all your fabric lenses. I can't recommend them highly enough.
  • MeltedRachel Sep 3, 2009 @ 12:02 pm | delete
    Awesome lens, Carol! And very important too! Thanks for the feature :D
  • Margo_Arrowsmith Sep 3, 2009 @ 6:44 am | delete
    Very interesting and timely! 5*

This So Crafty page written by

Stazjia

I am English and and was brought up with stories about 'Make Do and Mend' during World War II from my mother and grandmother. More on my more »

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