Turning into my Gran?

I can’t darn socks but I do wear a vest!

Like Gwen I also have the button box (actually a beautiful old tea caddy) that I dip into when creating craft items. It has been a great source of soft toy eyes, fasteners for doll’s clothes and even decoration for clothes I’ve made. My mum always used it to keep any buttons she cut off old clothes before they became dusters and cleaning cloths. Thrifty habits learnt from my Nanna (Grandma).

I had my mum’s one until it broke in half ! Bought another on Amazon and have tried to teach my granddaughter how to darn, not enough concentration to finish a small hole in her jumper!!

I never knew either of my grans, who died years before I was born, but wondered if I was turning into my Mum, when I caught myself looking at some of my son's decrepit boxer shorts and wondering if I could turn them into dusters - I remember doing the dusting as a child, using old pants of my Dad's!

I do make lace, using some antique bobbins circa early to mid 1980's, so does that count instead of inherited darning mushrooms?

You don't have to turn into your gran to realise it truly makes sense to darn socks, repair and adjust clothes, etc, surely.

I know people who throw away really expensive shirts because a button is missing, or other minor 'ailments' easy to fix. I agree that life is too short to stuff a mushroom- but we must all learnt to go back to simple repairs. Simple enough.

I only knew one gran, a socialite, cold and snobby- who would have had staff to do that sort of menial things! The other I think I would have loved, but she died just before I was born. Kind, simple, down to earth, social and fun. I am sure she darned things, as a widow left with 5 kids.

BTW, got one antique darning mushroom, and several darning eggs, all inherited, and used.

Wish I still had my Mushroom for darning. Thanks for the tip about coffee jar lids - I never thought!
I had an attack of moths some months ago and quite a few of my jerseys/sweaters sport darns which I display with pride. Strange thing is nobody comments on them. Are my friends so nice that they think I am too poor to buy new or that I am just too mean not to throw away, which I don't because of the planet.

There are several videos out there on how to darn with style and turn into a feature. But I can never remember- looks so easy ;)

I wish! One was an American, who told me hundreds of stories I wish I'd written down. The other was the chicest (if there is such a word!) creature I ever saw. DH on the other hand is turning inexorably into his mother. Over the last decade he has acquired all her mannerisms and habits. He now has his own cupboard full of every sauce known to man (or Heinz actually) because he won't eat anything unless it's been anointed with something, plus a cup of salt and vinegar. As I'm a good cook and season everything as I cook it I think this might be grounds for divorce....

My gran never wore jeans or trousers and now I see why. Dresses are so comfortable. I use her recipe to make salad dressing and I knit, plus read a book in daylight hours. I don’t share her love of snooker and wrestling though!

I've still got my mum's mushroom. Good on you.

My son, aged 35, asked me to teach him to darm at Christmas. I suggested buying new socks, but he said I cantafford that, I'm a student! I had to Google it to tell him. I bouhta modern darning gadget, but can't work out how it works...

Asforbecoming my Gran, a would hate it, as she was a spiteful woman. My Scottish gran I only met 2/3 times but she seemed nice?

I still have my mums button box - my children used to play with it for hours - wouldn’t dare let my GC play with the buttons though - for obvious reasons ?

Lol. I used to knit my childrens socks! A) because I was broke and b) because I could. I don’t darn them though! My grandmother was quite nasty and had a man she met for tea every Wednesday afternoon, throughout her three marriages.

I found myself buying & sewing on elbow patches the other day, they were on husband's favourite sweater! Does anyone else do that?

My maternal grandmother died before I was born, but her interest in crochet, knitting, embroidery and dressmaking was handed down to my very skilled mother. I didn’t start any of these crafts until I was in my twenties. The one I did not take to easily was dressmaking, but I’ve tried again recently and am more patient. My daughter started tapestries as a child aged 6 and later taught herself cross stitch. I wonder if these interests run in families?

3 grandparents were deceased before I arrived, the remaining died when I was 3 so no grandparents memories. My own DM was terrific at knitting and crochet but sewing absolutely no, no. I took up the gauntlet and from early teens started sewing making clothes,curtains, upholstery, anything in fact. Still have my first sewing machine now 62 years old and a modern one, 35 years old. I do darn socks, repair tears in clothing etc. Don't have a mushroom, always fancied one though.

I've got my Mum's darning mushroom, but I must confess to never using it. My Gran used to knit all my Dad's socks, even when he married. I knit but have never tried socks. I have my other Gran's thimble and would use it a lot but it's full of holes. Had an Australian friend who was the most wonderfully neat darner. She darned all her husband's socks and put me to shame.

As a student nurse 50 years ago we had to wear particular stockings as part of a strict uniform policy. The only place to get them was Cole Brothers which later became John Lewis. They were in pale grey shade, expensive and were soon laddered by unforgiving hospital equipment. I became very popular as my waist length blonde hair made the ladder repair almost invisible. We’d have been straight in front of matron if we appeared with a ladder and carpeted for even a hint of nail varnish ?

No Marg75 I don’t do elbow patches any more, but have to repair trouser pockets where the coins have worn through the fabric. Did a pair of my SILs the other day too!

Yup, I'm definitely a clone of my Grandma :

I darn things and if it's a torn blouse or dress I do some embroidery over it .
I've repaired all sorts of clothing even moth holes in knitwear .
I love handstitching .

I handwash my favourite clothes and she did .

Like her, I'll use a dustpan and brush rather than use the vacuum cleaner .

On a cold winter day I love a lamb casserole just as she made them .
Her cooking was great .In making her dishes I remember her .

Up early ,busy all morning and love a nap in the afternoon, read or better still a nice old black and white film on the TV with tea and biscuits as she did .

She despised snobs ,bullies ,cruelty ...
and so do I .

And I pray every day and usually read my bible - just as she did .

I use a wooden dibber meant for planting bulbs in the garden. I use to darn the heels of my dh thick socks he used in the winter, as long as the hole was not too big the top of the dibber was perfect.

We had a lingerie shop in my village and the lady was great at 'lifting' ladders in stockings and tights, with a tiny tiny hook. Do you also remember stopping a ladder with clear nail varnish!

The key with darning socks is to darn when an area is thin, but not yet broken. I use the up and down weaving method. So easy to do in fron of the telly, honest.

Glad these life skills of make-do-and-mend are making a comeback as reuse and recycle. My daughter bought herself a darning mushroom recently. The throwaway mentality needs to change.

I told my husband only recently that he had my wonderful Gran to thank for how well looked after he is Gran taught me to cook and how to look after guests whether expected or not and the grandchildren will always find a battenburg in my tin I don't have my Gran's patience but I do hope I'm as loving and loved as she was