Make It or Make Do!

Vintage quilt pieces highlight this wristlet

This sentiment sums up so much of the ethos I absorbed as a child. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I do think I’ve thoroughly internalized it.  No doubt it has roots in my Mennonite heritage. The Mennonites are known to be a thrifty people. In their defense, thriftiness does have Biblical underpinnings—we are to be wise stewards of all that God entrusts to us, including the land, our families, and our resources. 

 When I was really young and lived in rural NY state my family raised and butchered chickens (and an occasional pig), tended beehives, made maple syrup, hunted, and made many of our clothes. My dad built himself a muzzle-loader (colonial era gun) and he can sew and knit. Funny story—once, when he was the administrator of a nursing home, the activities director called upon him to teach the residents how to knit. Every spring, before Easter rolled around, my sister and I would head to the fabric store with our mom and page through the pattern books to pick out our Easter dresses that mom would sew for us. As a middle schooler I recall going to the mall, basically window shopping. I’d find a style I liked and then we’d head to the fabric store (remember So-Fro Fabrics??) to find a pattern for a close facsimile. In those days it was cheaper to make clothes than to buy them ready made. Fast Fashion has changed that, but that would make a great blogpost itself! Halloween costumes were always homemade.

Feed Sacks represent the ultimate Make It or Make Do ambitions! They harken back to a time when everyday products were repurposed for beauty and utility.

 Trends come and go. What was considered penny-pinching and miserly 20 years ago is considered eco-minded today! I’ve always washed and reused my Ziploc bags. I cook mainly from scratch because it’s better, cheaper, and healthier. We grow some of our own vegetables because, well, otherwise there would be more grass to mow! Speaking of grass, our lawn is untreated because biodiversity is better! Most of my clothes are from thrift stores. I’m excited to inherit the shoes my girls outgrow. I remember a friend told me once that her dad had a drawer for “pieces of string too small to use.” Sometimes I feel that way about my fabric scraps! I’m definitely not a hoarder and I regularly clean out my closets, but some things stick around longer than others. Early in my marriage I read a few helpful books (back before the internet was the first place we turned) about saving money, particularly as it relates to grocery shopping. I created a “price book”, which compares the prices of grocery items at regular price, sale price, and best price. That helped me to know when to stock up and which store had the best value for different items. Eventually I was able to internalize those prices and know in my head what was a good price. My friend Zoe (@zoedawnshop) posts EcoTips in her Instagram stories. I find them fascinating! Check them out in her Highlights.

Wash and reuse!

 I often wonder, if I suddenly came into gobs of money, what would I change about my lifestyle? It brings me joy to make things, so I wouldn’t switch to buying everything ready made. There are environmental benefits of buying used clothing and appliances. Being a wise steward of my finances allows more freedom to give it away to bless others. So what would I change??

 What are your favorite “Make it or make do” stories?