Before zigzag we did what was called overcasting.

You went all up and down those raw edges, after cutting out your garment pieces, with a needle and thread gently looping over and over with the edge, leaving a loop over that raw edge, never pulling too tight — just enough to encase those thread ends.

Otherwise, the fabric would of course ravel out in laundering and cleaning.

That took a lot of time and patience.

I have a unique friend who calls often, she never has given her name.

“Just call me Grannie Z,” she chuckles. One day she said, “Oh that new zigzag, as great as plastic bags were when they first came on the scene”

Her grandson couldn’t believe Grannie had even made her own band-aids. Oh yes, that, I too, remember. We had adhesive tape and we would scorch a piece of soft cloth to sterilize it.

Then with that over the wound we would tape the cloth on.

The other day she said, “I think we need to reuse some of those old-timers’ tricks,” she said.For instance, when paper towels first came out, she continued using real cloths.

She would tear worn towels and sheets up into squares and use them to make bandages and cleaning rags. Some of those were washed and used again and again.

It was such fun chatting with you again, Grannie, thanks so much for calling.

Mickey Rooney says, “I’ve learned the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.” Till next week bye and God bless.

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