Old sayings + wise words

Alexa said:

I couldn't work sewing machines and couldn't understand why I was expected to make an apron for cookery lessons (which were the other female-only compulsory subject) when I hated cooking.

Ditto

B said:

9 more stitches. 

Heh. I guess that was about broken stitching? I could never figure out how to repair those.

B said:

My generation (in my 60s) were taught sewing in school.  Only females of course!

I so hated that. I wanted to do woodworking, but only boys were permitted to do that, even though I did it at home. I was always in trouble because I couldn't work sewing machines and couldn't understand why I was expected to make an apron for cookery lessons (which were the other female-only compulsory subject) when I hated cooking.

Alexa said:

What does it save nine of, do you think?

9 more stitches. 

So if you sew something early enough you can stop the tear etc getting worse and then needing more stitches. 

B said:

'Fur coat, no knickers'.

I've come across that as a midlands/northern English expression: fur hat and no knickers, to denote someone who is all show and no substance i.e. fine outer clothers but ignoring the essentials. A cruder version I've heard (possibly more southern English) is "all piss and wind", which it took me years to work out. 

B said:

'A stitch in time saves nine'.

What does it save nine of, do you think?

I’ve heard that said in many pubs.

“They went Doolally” is one I can relate with.

Deolali Camp: Derived from Deolali, a British Army transit camp and sanatorium located near Mumbai (Bombay), India

I didn't know that!

Being P••s  Poor, I looked this up a few weeks back, urine was used in the tanning of leather, the poor sold their urine to bring in a small amount of money. Hence P•ss Poor.

Another for you Roy - you will understand the reference:

'Fur coat, no knickers'.

As a side comment, thank goodness real fur coats are no longer a thing - they were when I was young.

Cinnabar_wing said:

though my stitching is more practical than good! 

My generation (in my 60s) were taught sewing in school.  Only females of course!

Clothes (and other goods) relative to salaries were much more expensive than these days, so the ability to knit and use a sewing machine was a great advantage in making rather than buying garments.

I think that to encourage younger people not to throw stuff away, mending skills of all kinds being taught when they are young would be good.

That's good to hear CW 

The less waste in the world the better.

B said:

I'm curious about whether anyone under 50 mends (eg sews) their clothes to make them last in these days of cheap throwaways items

(This is reference to this part rather than the sayings)

I have my sewing box to fix things, mostly my husband's trousers as he can never find new ones he likes so I keep having to patch them. Fixing seams, re-sewing buttons and the latest is I need to give them new pockets. I've also mended tops and others, though my stitching is more practical than good! 

My daughter is also quite small in the waist, so I normally have to buy leggings that fit for length, then re-elasticate them so they actually fit her! 

It probably helps that we grew up on the poorer side, so my mum was always fixing things too.