The saying, “Make, Do and Mend” began during World War II, when clothes rationing was introduced. A pamphlet was distributed with tips and advice on how to be frugal when buying new was not an option. Housewives were encouraged to repurpose any existing items of clothing, whether that was from mending a hole or even unravelling woolly jumpers in order to re-knit a new garment!
80 years later and the saying has become an iconic mantra that instantly takes us back to the 1940s. However, today the ease of buying brand new has become so easy, especially with the internet. We are spoilt for choice with the endless possibilities of clothes but also soft furnishings. In today’s society we often see new as the best option and updating our interiors has become something we do on a regular basis.
Our homes have become a way of expressing ourselves and showing off our style, just like the clothes we wear! There is definitely nothing wrong with changing things around and giving our homes a refresh. But maybe we could consider a different option, other than new?
Alterations can give existing curtains or soft furnishings a new lease of life. The most obvious option is to shorten curtains! Perhaps you’ve moved house and your existing curtains are a tad too long and are sat bunched on the floor or radiator. By simply shortening them, they will now fit your window perfectly, as if they were made to measure. However curtains can also be made longer or wider by adding panels of contrasting fabric. As they say, no two windows are the same size, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways around it!
Likewise we can also look at a pair of curtains as simply a fantastic piece of fabric and with some clever thinking it can become something brand new! Curtains have great potential, as they often have a large amount of fabric in a really useable sized piece. There is often enough to make a roman blind and maybe even some cushions too!
Over the past year, we found ourselves in lockdown due to Covid-19 and the shops were forced to close. Suddenly, the ease of availability of buying brand new was much harder. Many of us turned our attention to our homes and started to tick off those jobs that were always bottom of the list. We occupied our days with home improvements and it gave us the perfect opportunity to make, do and mend once again.
So let’s make it something that we continue this time. Let’s consider what we could reuse or repurpose. Perhaps a simple mend or maybe even something brand new.
Jessica Sews 