×
×
homepage logo

Aunt Norie’s Sewing Room

By Eleanor Mckee - | Nov 1, 2006

When I am about to “go” with a corduroy project, my mind just goes back to an old corduroy vest I still have, been so many years now, however I’m like that, it still fits, still “goes with ” almost everything I wear. It’s still so warm and comfy, a great garment for layering for more comfort. I’d found it at a garage sale, this large pair of men’s slacks — new, never been worn — still had the tags on beautiful blend of colors. I just couldn’t pass them up.

I could make something out of them, a skirt my first thought. No, maybe a vest.

It would be a real challenge I thought as I looked and measured (I always carry a tape measure).

The trousers were well made, the plaid perfectly matched, I carefully ripped the seams out, even the waistband, I was sure I’d need every scrap. I was being also very careful not to stretch the fabric edges. The legs were of course narrower at the bottom, so the bottom of the legs had to become the top or shoulders of the vest, it took a god bit of piecing and splicing, and of course I had to cut the fabric so that it all is cut in the same direction.

It was fun to make and a real nice addition to my wardrobe. Having grown up in those depression years when you wasted nothing, I even used an old silk dress to line it with. Often at a garage sale I’ll buy a garment just for the fabric — to rip it apart, press the seams out and re-use the fabric.

One of my earliest memories is being “mom’s third hand,” tugging and pulling on one side of a seam as she pulled the other side and with a razor blade she ripped out those seams. Even if she was just going to cut it into strips for a rug, she used every scrap. Neighbor ladies even traded worn out “rags” for their projects.

Oh those “were the days.” But no I wouldn’t want them back, even though … So many things are moving too fast, like I don’t like to see 3-year-old children in preschool. Kid’s are pushed too hard, too fast. Their lunch hours even are too short.

“Oh well.”

For now stay happy and God bless.

— Aunt Norie, P.O. Box 265 Tonganoxie 66086, auntnorie@bdc.net.