Monday, January 28, 2013

Cooked Sweats

This isn't my normal kind of Monday cooking post. But back up too close to a wood stove, and you just might "cook" your buns, literally. You can see that I did just that to a pair of sweat pants.

The synthetic fabric first melts, then becomes brittle. A hole in a critical spot in the cold country can make for quite a draft in unwelcome places.

So, after a few wearings of my holey sweats I got out my trusty needle and thread, and a piece of flannel sheet fabric from my sewing drawer. First I stitched the melted edges back together.

Then I sewed a flannel patch on the inside to keep the rough edges of the melted pant leg away from my skin. Then I repeated the process with another patch on the outside to hold the hole together during washing and wearing.


Now I can back up to the wood stove and warm my buns without burning.  That's what I call a recipe for success.

Do you mend and patch still?  It was something my mother and grandmother did regularly.  Now that we are doing things in a more simple manner up at the cabin, I've put into practice some of the things I saw growing up. -- Margy

9 comments:

  1. I mend. I have to darn some black socks. Most people don't though. Too much of a throw away world (hubby thinks I am a bit crazy for mending socks though as he never met anyone who actually wears out their clothes before getting rid of them)

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  2. Too funny, Margy! I don't mend anymore unless it's a small tear or something that won't show. But I used to all the time put knee patches (the brighter the better) on my girls' jeans when they were young.

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  3. I can only imagine your reaction when your bottom side was starting to feel the heat that was melting your pants! Thank goodness you didn't get burned... I have plenty of socks that need mending, I keep telling myself I should pull out my needle and thread and somehow always find something else to do. You have inspired me:)

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  4. Yes I still mend and sew. I am in the process of mending a very old Crazy Quilt that was made by my great aunt. I do it as I get time to do it, a work in progress.

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  5. I'm glad I'm not the only one wielding a needle and thread. Must be the little bit of "Scotch" in me. - Margy

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  6. When I first read the title of this post, I assumed I would be googling 'sweats' to see what type of food it was!!!!! I do use a needle and thread when I have to, but only at a push xxx

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  7. I like that arrangement, good job.

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  8. Ah, so true ~ great post ~ we all need reminders to 'pay attention' ~ stay warm safely!

    Carol of A Creative Harbor

    Thanks for coming by and your comments. ^_^

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  9. OOPS! Luckily you knew what to do to repair the hole. Yes, I do mend...but I do it reluctantly. :))

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We welcome your comments and questions. - Wayne and Margy