Make Do and Mend

[MothMan]

WWII asked a lot from some our families. Here are some of the ways they coped. A whole strategy of how to make do with what they had.

I like the hemline idea!

Quick read.

What We Can Learn from the Make Do and Mend Campaign - My Patriot Supply

The Make Do and Mend campaign of WWII was designed to help with rationing, but the idea behind it is still useful today, especially in disasters.

mypatriotsupply.com

 

[Steal2B]

Who here was outfitted by their parents in brand new jeans or overalls with the knees already having leather or denim patches (or pockets) applied over the knees so that they would survive a few extra days of play before needing mending?

 

[1075tech]

Who here was outfitted by their parents in brand new jeans or overalls with the knees already having leather or denim patches (or pockets) applied over the knees so that they would survive a few extra days of play before needing mending?

Not when they were new. But I certainly had many with patches. Pants were always bought long and hemmed so they could be let down as we grew taller. And a lot of hand-me-downs from older brothers

 

[Michael]

Good ideas there. Being a mechanically inclined individual, I would rather fix something than throw it out whenever possible. In fact, I've gotten weird looks when I fix something that was worth only a few dollars. My answer is that I saved a few dollars, fixed it with what I had on hand, and only spent a few minutes of my time. Very confusing words to people if the throwaway society.
In reference to the list- borax does make a decent laundry detergent unless you have a high efficiency washer. In that case you will need to dilute it first. The HE washers don't use enough water to properly dissolve powdered borax.

 

[Mosinitis]

Oh how we suffered

 

[Jmac00]

the modern problem is, people are addicted to electricity. Most kids under 30 cant write cursive. hell some kids can't read a analog clock.

sewing is a lost art for anyone under 50.

almost all of my cloths were hand-me-downs from my brother. i remember what a treat it was to get something that was new.

I can fix virtually anything. my philosophy is: someone put it together, i sure as hell can take it apart and put it back together

 

[Acer-m14]

sewing is a lost art for anyone under 50.

hey now im 55 and can run this machine if you can find one . no clue what mom did with great grams machine .. them electric one i can fubar it fast lol

 

[Jmac00]

hey now im 55 and can run this machine if you can find one . no clue what mom did with great grams machine .. them electric one i can fubar it fast lol

that looks to be in great shape

 

[Acer-m14]

@Jmac just a search photo from what i used as a teen growing up .. but the one we had from great gram was in good shape .. used to sew moving pads to make tents with it .. the electric one had no guts and would stall out ..

 

[Robin]

I grew up with this mind set. My Dad tore down a rickety old shed and my job was to straighten all the used nails for the new shed he built off the back of the barn with the old wood. I don't remember him buying anything. Even the hammer I used had a handle that was real short because when it broke he didn't buy a new handle, he refit the broken one, I think the head was hand forged. wish I still had it.
Robin

 

[Paxal]

My attitude is, if its already broken, I can’t make it worse by trying to fix it. If I can’t fix it, well, it was already broken anyway. If I can somehow make it work again, I’m way ahead of the game.

 

[Phazer]

My attitude is, if its already broken, I can’t make it worse by trying to fix it. If I can’t fix it, well, it was already broken anyway. If I can somehow make it work again, I’m way ahead of the game.

Exactly.

I like to try and fix things just to learn how they work and to see if I can accomplish the task. Nothing beats practical knowledge gained by hands-on work. I've learned a lot by taking on projects that were outside my comfort zone.

My kids ask why I try to fix things that I could easily afford to replace. I tell them, "Well...what happens when there's nothing new available to buy and nobody else around to fix the old stuff?"

The new generation has no apparent interest in self-reliance or independence. They do not understand the satisfaction of personally fixing something and returning it to use. They live in a disposable society.

 

[Mosinitis]

hey now im 55 and can run this machine if you can find one . no clue what mom did with great grams machine .. them electric one i can fubar it fast lol

My mother still has one. It was converted to electric before she bought it. Little motor with a belt drive and pedal used as on/off switch.

 

[stokes]

hey now im 55 and can run this machine if you can find one . no clue what mom did with great grams machine .. them electric one i can fubar it fast lol

My grandmother had a similar Singer.She was legally blind wouldnt know it was me if I walked in the door til I spoke but she sewed like a champ.I remember when I was about 7 yrs old she called my mom to send me down to her house, she had an errand for me. I walked in her house and she called out,I went into the room and she was sitting at the sewing machine with the needle thru her finger at the base of the nail.Said she couldnt move her feet, would I step on the threadle to get the needle out for her,calm as could be she was,me not so much.After the needle came out, she was relieved she could now move her feet,told me to get her the band aids and she went back to sewing.

 

[repete]

I grew up with this mind set. My Dad tore down a rickety old shed and my job was to straighten all the used nails for the new shed he built off the back of the barn with the old wood. I don't remember him buying anything. Even the hammer I used had a handle that was real short because when it broke he didn't buy a new handle, he refit the broken one, I think the head was hand forged. wish I still had it.
Robin

When my grandfather passed we tossed out jars and cans full of old nails almost all were used and straightened, quite a few were old square hand made nails (those an uncle kept). That man didn't throw anything out, if he couldn't fix it the he saved it because the parts might come in handy for something else. I just figured out I'm a lot like him!

 

[tony]

I have my Grandmothers treadle and learned how to sew on it as a kid in the early to mid 60's. It's a Singer cabinet model in great condition...

 

[spat]

I grew up with this mind set. My Dad tore down a rickety old shed and my job was to straighten all the used nails for the new shed he built off the back of the barn with the old wood. I don't remember him buying anything. Even the hammer I used had a handle that was real short because when it broke he didn't buy a new handle, he refit the broken one, I think the head was hand forged. wish I still had it.
Robin

I tend to replace broken handles by welding some EMT conduit in their place.

Got hammers, shovels, rakes, a bunch of stuff like that.

I made a real sweet tool kit for my jeep with interchangeable heads that uses 1" sched 40 black iron pipe for a handle.

The handle is also used for my high lift jack, but I have a full sized shovel, an 8lb sledge hammer, an axe, a pick axe, and a 1/2" drive breaker bar that all thread on that pipe for a handle.

keep 2 different lengths of pipe and a coupler so I can have different handle lengths.

It's pretty sweet.

 

[Paxal]

Exactly.

I like to try and fix things just to learn how they work and to see if I can accomplish the task. Nothing beats practical knowledge gained by hands-on work. I've learned a lot by taking on projects that were outside my comfort zone.

My kids ask why I try to fix things that I could easily afford to replace. I tell them, "Well...what happens when there's nothing new available to buy and nobody else around to fix the old stuff?"

The new generation has no apparent interest in self-reliance or independence. They do not understand the satisfaction of personally fixing something and returning it to use. They live in a disposable society.

Sad truth. Hopefully your kids have benefitted from watching you do your Mr. Fixit routine. These skills and attitudes rub off.

 

[cgrutt]

Recently had to replace brakes/rotors all around and some front end linkages on my pickup. My son gets in passenger side to go someplace and I say to him first drive since I had all the brakes off and steering apart you ok with this? He laughed and just said "yeah". I said I wish you would help me with this stuff so I can teach you how to fix it. He said he would have but it was too cold... I said you go to hockey practice every week in your shorts how could this be too cold? He just laughed again lol...

 

[stokes]

Its never too cold for fun, Chris, hockey is fun.Work? Too cold, too hot, too sunny. too rainy........you know how that goes.

 

[libertysnake]

My attitude is, if its already broken, I can’t make it worse by trying to fix it. If I can’t fix it, well, it was already broken anyway. If I can somehow make it work again, I’m way ahead of the game.

And if it ain't broken, don't fuck with it. Even if it looks a little off, just leave it alone.

I've fucked up too many things trying to make perfect out of "good enough."