It started to rain again, late Saturday night and rained throughout the night. It was still raining when I woke up this morning and it rained into the afternoon. There was a break in the evening and I went to the garage to start the car, since I haven't driven it since Thursday. It started without any problems! Then, it started raining again later in the evening and it is still raining! We are supposed to have more rain, tomorrow.
Today, I "renewed" my half-slips or underskirts as I grew up calling them. These are the ones I wear with my skirts and dresses, not the ones I wear with my saris. I can't quite remember when I bought these half-slips, but it has been several years. Long enough for me to have renewed the elastic of one of them, already.
I used a packet of elastic I had bought some time in 2015; I can't remember how much I paid for it, but I am pretty sure I bought it on sale and I don't think I paid more than $2 per packet. I do remember I bought several packets of varying widths:
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| Elastic |
I measured out a length of elastic a few inches less than my current waist measurement and sewed it to the waists of the underskirts, stretching the elastic as I sewed:
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| The Wrong Side, Showing the Elastic Sewn in Place |
I didn't have black elastic for the black underskirts, but that didn't worry me. I wasn't going to buy black elastic just for this particular project. Besides, the white elastic doesn't show on the right side:
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| The Right Side |
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| Underskirts, Ready to be Put Away |
So, I guess the big question is why didn't I just buy some new half-slips. After all, these are already several years old. Well, there are several reasons. One, there's nothing wrong with the slips, except the elastic had got stretched out. They still fit me, the fabric is fine, not torn or stained. Two, I couldn't donate them as they were, all stretched out, I didn't want to recycle them to make anything else out of them, and I certainly didn't want to toss them in the trash to be dumped in the landfill (not at all an environmentally friendly thing to do, in my opinion).
And finally, perhaps the most important reason for me: renewing them is the frugal, thrifty thing to do! I looked up the label on one of the underskirts and checked the price for it on-line at the store from which I bought them. They are selling for $7.99 each. A different brand is selling for $17 each. Instead, I was able to renew all five of my underskirts for the price of a packet of elastic, electricity to run my sewing machine, and a couple of hours of my time. Yes, I can afford to spend $7.99 on an underskirt. But I'd rather save that money or spend it on something else (like more elastic!) instead! In the meantime, my renewed underskirts will last me at least another year or two.
How was your Sunday? What are your plans for Monday?
I put new elastic in half slips, slacks, and pajamas as needed. I also darn my wool socks. As you say, one can't donate an item that is in need of repair and it's a waste for items to go in the landfill. Money I save on mending clothing can go into savings.
ReplyDeleteHi Granny J. Glad to hear that you, too, renew your clothing to get more wear out of them. Thank you for stopping by to leave a comment. Hope to hear from you, again.
DeleteGosh, I never hear of anyone wearing slips these days including myself. I'm not sure why. You're going to have a whole new wardrobe soon from your own closet by just doing a little work. A winning situation for many reasons.
ReplyDeleteWell, I guess a lot of skirts come with some sort of lining or slip attached, so one probably doesn't need an additional slip. Yes, I'm shopping from my closet! At least, it's easier to take in clothes than to let out! My immediate goal is to put together at least five outfits to wear to the office. :)
DeleteAnother big frugal victory for you! I'm sure your garden is loving all the rain and I hope all the reservoirs are getting filled up in California but I hope your area is safe from flooding!
ReplyDeleteAlso: I'm sure you know this, but don't run the car in a closed garage, you don't want to be overcome by the fumes. Make sure you always have the garage door open when you do this!
Have a great Monday, Bless.
Thank you, Nathalie. Yes, the garden is loving the rain and I'm not in a flood zone. However, several of the intersections in my neighborhood tend to get flooded! Driving through them (I encounter at least two of them on my way to the freeway) can be a bit of a problem, unless one is driving an SUV or similar vehicle. Occasionally, they close the intersections due to the flooding, but, so far, it's been OK.
DeleteYes, I have the garage door open when I start the car, but thank you for the reminder and for being so caring. :)
Hope your Monday is going well, too.
I am laughing as I read this because I have 4 half slips that I have had since before Son3 was born (he is 22) and I just keep adding new elastic to them. I see no reason to get rid of them since the nylon is still perfectly fine.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that someone else does the same, Anne! My sentiments, exactly - they are perfectly fine, except the elastic got stretched out. :)
DeleteI'd say that's an excellent way to spend a couple of hours on all accounts. I've just had to throw away a perfectly good pair of PJ bottoms because the elastic had gone. Changing it is something I could just about do but could I get the old elastic out - not a chance. I've no idea who sewed it in or how, but it was put there to stay. Such a shame because there was nothing wrong with them at all.
ReplyDeleteI used to wear underskirts when I was at school, my favourite one had a slit in it to go under my back slit pencil skirt - I felt very grown up when wearing that one. xx
Oh, that's too bad you had to throw away the PJ bottoms, but not much you can do if you can't get the old elastic out. Next time though, maybe you can cut off the waist band with the old elastic, sew on a new waist band with a matching or coordinating piece of fabric, and put in a new elastic. A little more work, but you'll be able to wear the PJs a little longer.
DeleteNylon underskirts, etc., were a novelty item when I was growing up - there was a ban on imports and no one manufactured nylon undergarments, locally. My mother used to sew my underskirts (and what we called petticoats, which were more like a full slip to be worn under dresses) out of cotton fabric, when I was going to school.
Good for you! I think these days we do too much of the replacing old with new instead of just fixing. I admit to being guilty of that myself.
ReplyDeleteYesterday we took another trip to the lakeshore - this time further up - to take a walk along the beach. Foggy, but nice. Today I'm back to sorting out bits and pieces. I posted a card I had made to my sister who sent me a lovely hedgehog calendar at Christmas.
I think it is because it is easier, especially these days, to replace the old with new than to fix and mend. Often, we don't know how to fix things. Occasionally, it might even cost more to mend and repair than to buy new! I once bought a pair of shoes on a clearance sale for $4.00. After several years of wear, the sole on the heel came off. I took it to the cobbler (not too many of them around these days) and he said it would cost $12 to fix it! I chose not to get it fixed.
DeleteGlad you got to go for another walk! I'm sure your sister will enjoy receiving your handmade card. You make some lovely cards. Enjoy sorting your bits and pieces. I need to do that, myself, one of these days.
Have a lovely week, Sharon. Keep warm!
Smart lady...
ReplyDeleteI agree totally, why? would you buy new ones, when these were an easy fix and the fabric is still good.And most likely if you bought new ones. they would not be nearly as good /as the fabric now a days are not as lasting..
Proud you had a good day.. I sew alot during rainy days.. One of my best times.. Nothing better to do.ha
Have a great week.
ps I think my 1/2 and whole slips are about 15 years old and still doing fine..
Glad you agree with my way of thinking on mending and renewing clothing items, Judy. :) Any time we can get some sewing done is a good time, isn't it? Hope you have a lovely week.
DeleteMission accomplished ... you've successfully avoided shopping! Haha!
ReplyDeleteI've never sewn (or is it sewed?) with elastic. A great way to extend the life of items, for sure.
And it's wonderful to hear that you're still getting rain after all those years of drought. You're lawn will surely be lush and green this Spring!
Yes, indeed, Carolyn! I've avoided shopping for at least now! :D I still need to shop for a few items I can't alter or sew, myself, but I can wait another week or two for them.
DeleteWe had more rain, today! Hopefully, the garden will grow well.
Hope you have a lovely week, Carolyn.
I was all set to do something useful today. I had read that when those towels with the band insert get shrunk up, you can cut off the band and the edge part and make washcloths out of the centre part of the towel, hemming them on the sewing machine. Well, the only towel I found with that problem was a small one, and it would only make one decent sized washcloth. I needed a bath towel! So I can make one washcloth or donate the whole towel to the animal shelter. Unless you have some good ideas.....
ReplyDeleteBushlady
Well, if the center of the towel is still good and not torn or worn out too much, I'd continue to use it, shrunken band insert and all! :)
DeleteIf it is an extra towel which I don't need, I'd keep it to use to line the cat carrier for when I need to take Dancer to the vet's. Or I'd add it to the stack of old kitchen towels I keep under the sink for when I want to wipe up spills, etc.
I currently use two old bath towels as rugs for Dancer (he likes to lie on them sometimes) or to absorb any water which might drip from clothing I hang up to dry or to wipe up any water I spill when I use the massaging foot bath to soak my feet, occasionally.
I also currently use two old bath towels that frayed on the outside edges (the two long sides). I trimmed the frayed edges and used a piece of scrap fabric I had in my stash to make a sort of "binding", which I sewed in place. It's not very pretty, but it has extended the lives of those two towels by several years and the towels are functional. I took some pictures, just now, but I don't know if it is possible to attach a picture to a reply to a comment. Maybe I'll show them in a post.
I can't say how much I agree with you re the slips (what I called them growing up). They look perfectly good. AND you get the satisfaction of knowing that you had input into these, they're not just disposable. They have a certain value of time.
ReplyDeleteI am in awe of your sewing skills x
Thank you, Lyssa. I feel rather virtuous for renewing them and saving myself something between a little over $16 (I'd have wanted a minimum of 2 replacement slips at $8 each plus sales tax) and more than $40 (had I bought 5 replacement slips).
DeleteDefinitely a good job jobbed, and I approve of the waste-avoidance!
ReplyDeleteThank you! :)
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