Timeless Phrase ???

There was a phrase coined during the Great Depression or Dirty Thirties that might be relevant today during our current recession.  May I stress I did not live during the 30`s but remember my mother sometimes mentioning the phrase that went like this:

"Use it up. wear it out, make it do, or do without!"

I am optimistic that our current recession will never reach the depths of the Great Depression which was worsened by a lingering drought that made it nearly impossible to live off the land.  But the phrase brought back memories when I ran across it in a magazine.

Cases of Many Colors

After I retired from keeping Jett full-time, I found a new hobby.  The first week in March an article ran in our local paper about an organization that sews and donates colorful pillowcases to children`s hospitals across the country.  OKC hospital uses about 350 a month.  Terminally ill children get to choose a pillowcase to use and then take home with them.  The bright colors cheer those white sheets of the hospital.  I thought I can do that.  I pulled out all my cotton remnants and some I had brought home from Mother`s stash.  I threw them out on the table.  It was almost addictive seeing the pretty colors.  They seemed to pair themselves.  I use 2 different fabrics on each case.  The oddest combinations make striking cases.  For example, I paired a blue paisley with a tiny green dot and used orange stitching.  Beautiful!  One donated piece almost wasn`t given to me because the donor thought it too ugly.  I must say it is a kind of ugly pink and green flower.  I paired it with a tiny kelly green check.  The donor couldn`t believe the pleasing results.  I had enough fabric to make a dozen or so.  Becky and Karen brought me enough on Sister`s Date for another dozen.  A huge sack of fabric appeared at church one morning.  I`ve emptied all my and Mother`s spools of thread.  I even convinced Bill to buy me new machine with pretty stitching.  Our consignment shop happened to have a couple bins of new fabric that was not selling so I purchase some fabric from them at a bit of a discount.  I keep saying I won`t buy anymore fabric then the fabric section in Wal-mart lures me back.  I am in a small way stimulating the economy in the current "recession".

My original goal was 52-one per week.  I have to date  turned in 80, have a dozen more finished to be turned in, and more fabric on the table.  I must say it is a most enjoyable addiction!!!