Father's Day, Sewing

Well, another holiday is creeping up on us again. Advertising, greeting cards, expensive meals, getting together with family, and spending money. Again.

The really interesting thing for us this year is that my husband's birthday is Saturday. So he will be getting a double whammy. At least I know what he will be getting. We have satellite radio that we got for his birthday a few years ago, and it renews itself every year on his birthday. Happy Birthday Sweetie!

It is one of our few vices these days. We really can't afford it, but it is only $12.50 a month (paid once a year) so at least if something happens, we can still have it at least until his birthday comes around again. And it is a ready made gift.

Father's day on the other hand is really a greeting card holiday. It is an excuse by the greeting card companies and the advertisers to extort more of our hard earned cash into their coffers. That bugs me. If you honor your mother and father like the Good Book says to, every day is Mother's and Father's day. Why do you need a special day to treat them? I call my folks every few days anyway. We go see them whenever we can ( They live in Paragould) and I tell them that I love them every chance I get. Isn't that what Parent's Day is all about anyway?

Well, this year for my husband, I am making him a shirt. It isn't going to be anything fancy but I can sew well enough for that at least. He had made the comment that we needed to get him some more short sleeved shirts for work so I decided to make him one. I haven't had my sewing machine out for a few years so it will definitely be a surprise. I have been working on it while he is at work and having everything put away by the time he comes home. I hope it comes out alright.

And it costs a lot less to make one than to go buy one, even if it is on sale. And he is so tall (6'6") that it is hard to find one that fits so at least this way I can add an inch or two to the tail so it will stay tucked into his pants. Who knows, he may like it so much he wants me to start making all of his shirts. He liked the ones I made for him when we were doing the Civil War reenacting so who knows.

Finding a used sewing machine or even buying an inexpensive one really can save some cash as well. Even if you don't use it for anything but mending, it is still worth the time and effort. I finally got around to doing all of the mending that needed to be done a week or so ago. I didn't realize how much I had just let it pile up. In one afternoon, I repaired 3 pairs of jeans, a skirt, 3 or 4 pairs of pajama pants, and a couple of tank tops. That is a lot of clothes that otherwise would have just been thrown away. Replacing buttons is so easy that 9 year old Boy Scouts do it as a required project.

So don't throw away your clothes just because of a small tear or a missing button. Repair them and get some more life out of them. Or learn to sew and make new ones. It really is worth the time to do.