| The tips have started rolling in - (and a dose of | | | | living and growing in it. Well, we didn't have vacuum |
| nostalgia with them). | | | | cleaners, health visitors, etc, but didn't we have fun? It |
| An unusual one from Mrs Lewis of Wiltshire. She used | | | | was such a change from the usual cold lino with just |
| her old tights (legs only) for crocheting bath mats, and, | | | | the obligatory rug in front of the fire and often that |
| whilst the crocheting bug was still with her, used up the | | | | was made of hard coconut matting, which was not |
| rest of her old tights by treating the dog to a new | | | | exactly child friendly. |
| cover for the inside of its basket. As she says - "it is | | | | (You didn't have to play outside to get a grazed knee |
| simple to wash and quick to dry". She crochets these | | | | you could get it by playing inside on the coconut |
| circles along the same lines as we used to make | | | | matting.) Perhaps that is why most of the games |
| shoulder handbags. Do you remember them ladies? | | | | were played at the family table, as the cold lino was |
| We used to crochet two matching circles plus a long | | | | not the place to play during the cold winter evenings. |
| narrow strip and then join the circles to the strip and | | | | Isn't it funny how times have changed? Now, the focal |
| hey presto! a bag which was very fashionable at the | | | | point of any living/family room is the TV and, then, the |
| time . . . And as everything comes round in circles, they | | | | large family table dominated the room. In fact, it was |
| will no doubt one day be fashionable again. Come to | | | | often half the size of the living room as it had to |
| think of it, the same bag created out of old tights | | | | accommodate large families (several of my friends |
| stockings would make a very useful 'peg bag', one | | | | had six or eight siblings) and of course they all sat |
| which you could sling over your shoulder and so leave | | | | down together for meals |
| the hands free for hanging out the washing. | | | | Living rooms |
| Crocheting | | | | Note that I have mentioned 'living rooms' - the word |
| As soon as Mrs L mentioned 'crocheting with fabric', | | | | 'lounge' had not yet arrived in the family vocabulary. |
| my mind immediately flipped back to my childhood. I | | | | Lounges as far as our young ears could determine |
| can remember my friends' mothers and also | | | | were rather dubious places in pubs and hotels, places |
| grandmothers sitting together, chatting, and at the | | | | where good girls didn't frequent. Isn't it funny also how |
| same time pushing strips of old woollen cloth into a | | | | actual words come in and go out of fashion. I think |
| sacking backing (with a special metal dibber) and then | | | | lounge has done the complete circle now. The working |
| pulling the same strip towards them. The result was a | | | | class front room/sitting room became the estate |
| closely woven 'shag style' rug with an approx. 2" pile, | | | | agents' upmarket 'spacious lounge' and now the word |
| often of a beautiful and intricate design. Of course, the | | | | 'lounge' is considered a 'no, no' and we are back to the |
| children weren't allowed to be idle and they were | | | | estate agents' 'large, airy living room/sitting room', etc. |
| roped in to cut up old woollen coats, skirts, etc. into 4" | | | | And, can you remember when 'sofas' suddenly went |
| x l" strips. Most families were content with the making | | | | upmarket and became 'settees', and now 'settee' is |
| of just a fireside rug which could be taken up, thrown | | | | downmarket and it's back to 'sofa'? Which reminds me |
| over the washing line and given its once-a-week | | | | - last week I mentioned the word 'anorak' to my |
| beating, but my friend's mother had ambition and the | | | | grandchildren, and they looked at me blankly and |
| whole family (including the six children) spent the winter | | | | asked 'what's an anorak?' I wonder if the pre-anorak |
| evenings making a rug which when completed filled the | | | | word 'windcheater' will make a comeback. Hope so, it |
| whole of the living room. (I think she must have been | | | | was such an apt name and we could certainly do with |
| the Mrs Bouquet of her day). This was the first time | | | | a 'wind cheater' at the moment! |
| that I had seen a fitted carpet and Oh! what bliss! as | | | | All these memories from just one tip. Hope the above |
| we rolled around on it. Not very hygienic of course with | | | | has evoked happy childhood memories for you also, |
| six children, two dogs, cats and friends playing on it, | | | | but unfortunately all these meanderings means that I |
| and as it was too heavy for its weekly 'lift' and was | | | | am out of space ..... but, watch this space and join me |
| therefore only moved for its 'once-a-year' spring clean, | | | | for the rest of the tips .... Unless, of course, you've |
| it probably had a few more additions to the family, | | | | been encouraged to start making a rug or two? |