More Recycling

Use it up

Wear it out

Make it do

Or do without

That is of course what all our grandparents did. They didn't throw away anything they thought could be useful. I remember visiting an old farm house museum here. Up in the attic was a big rolled ball of the narrow hems torn off the shirts/sheets/towels/dresses, saved to used later in a rag rug or something similar. Frugal doesn't begin to explain the folks a couple of generations ago. It is fascinating.

I love old linen, old embroidery, crocheted trims and window treatments. And I seem to have a penchant for things that others want to throw away (see the previous post!). When we go to markets, the linen stands always draw me to them and I ususally have some idea of what I might do with a little bit of lace torn from a pillowcase that fell apart or a linen sheet that was just too worn for the next generation to use -- but good enought not to throw away!!

Sometimes it takes a while to get to the finished product.

Our visits to Aunt Mary and Aunt Ruth got me going. Actually, I'd wanted to get this done BEFORE the trip but that didn't happen. Now it has happened: I made some lavender bags.

Here's the recipe: Find some old linen, the older the better. Find some old lace, the older the better. Grow some lavender (or buy it from the market). Make some bags, fill them with the lavender. Done.

Here's the finished product. I only did the sewing; the artists did the work. Aren't they nice?