Turning the sheets inside out (sides to middle)

foxgloves

Well, I have to admit I have 2 double sheets which I have done 'Sides to middle' so I could keep using them. I wouldn't bother with cheaper polycotton sheets, but these were lovely vintage cotton candystripe which Mum can remember my Nan buying in about 1959!! They come up lovely & clean every wash and I didn't want to chuck them or cut them up when they started getting worn in the centre so I tried 'Sides to middle', just an ordinary seam on my sewing machine and they have lasted another 5 years......they are now just getting to the point where I shall have to make them into something else, but over 50 years old? I think my Nan (who never ever wasted a single penny) would have been proud of that!

rachbc

I rememeber my sheets having been sides to middled - you couldn't feel the seam that I rememebr. When my dd was borns I was gobsmaked at the price of cot and moses basket sheets so bought single ones and cut and hemmed them - got 2 cot and 2 moses basket ones from each for about 1/4 of the price

vouchersrme

You are right valk_scot, how do youngsters learn? I had a young parent at school who brought a cardi back 'cos a button had come off.:exclamati I showed her how to sew a button on.

We have cut up an old lounge carpet in to shapes to fit the treads and risers of a staircase and tacked them on. We were then able to turn the shapes when they showed signs of wear.:)

short_bird

Frugal wrote: »

oooooh if anyone has a spare darning mushroom, or knows where I could get one please do let me know as i would love to have a go at that

Have you a toy ball anywhere in the house? That would do for a practice run. I was going to suggest a tennis ball but that might give you fluff issues:D

Also, don't wait too long before sides to middling sheets as the edges may be too fragile to tuck in!

[Deleted User]

I can remember back in the early 1950s sitting with my Mum and we 'turned' the sheet sides to middle .Once she had tacked it into place , I sat at one end and she sat at the other and we would hand sew towards each other she always beat me to the middle but she was an excellent stitcher, and had been taught to sew by her Mother when she was a little girl.She made the tiniest stitches you could imagine, and God help me if mine had to be redone. We would have the wireless on listening to something whilst we stitched.
Strangley enough ony last week I took the frill off a fitted sheet that had gone very thin and holey and I will cut it up to use as soft cotton dusters and cleaning cloths.The frill I have cut into 8 seperate pieces and will use as a pressing cloth when I am 'blocking' my knitting. Nothing ever goes to waste in my house

Mrs_B

Another one here who remembers Grannie turning sides to middle on her sheets. Think I still have some of those here - albeit they are now demoted to dust sheets. And the darning mushroom too - I could never get on with those - I find I do better using my hand as a mushroom!

Did any of you darn and mend your tights? Not woolly ones, but your 'nylons'? I mentioned that at work the other day and received some very strange looks - but my Mother would always mend her tights, and I did too - thinking nothing of wearing a pair of tights with a small repair for work - not sure I could do that now though - but I still have the special thread for doing it in my mending box.

soupdragon10

Yes I remember darning tights! They were too expensive when they first came out to throw away if they had a small hole. Seem to remember mum buying some thin nylon repair 'thread' to do this (was a bit like clear fishing line but thinner.

Still have mums old mending box and use it regularly.

valk_scot

Yes, I remember mending tights too. Tights were expensive compared to nowadays and it was fine to have a little mend or two when I was at school. I remember buying little cards of assorted colours of nylon thread for this in the haberdashery department of Woolworths.

I also remember that if you ripped one leg of your tights badly you saved them till you did the same to another pair of the same colour then cut the damaged legs off and wore the two one-legged pairs.

Caterina

I have side-to-middled sheets and provided they are done with flat seams (I zigzag-ed the seams in place) they are not at all uncomfortable.

Also turned one collar and it came really good, DH is still wearing that shirt for work (and he is a fussy so-and-so about his clothes!).

Here is a link to darning mushrooms and also a Youtube video on how to use them, hope it helps:

http://www.greenfibres.com/product/27/6114/darning-mushroom.html

MrsRogers

vouchersrme wrote: »

You are right valk_scot, how do youngsters learn? I had a young parent at school who brought a cardi back 'cos a button had come off.:exclamati I showed her how to sew a button on.

We have cut up an old lounge carpet in to shapes to fit the treads and risers of a staircase and tacked them on. We were then able to turn the shapes when they showed signs of wear.:)

I'm a youngster well young-ish 29 ..Personally I think its down to attitude. Everything I have learn't has been from either going out and asking someone or coming on these lovely forums and picking up top tips. Its the new (over the fence):rotfl:

A lot of it is down to me not wanting to waste my hard earned money on things I can make myself or mend.

I purchased my first sewing machine a couple of months ago and am totally addicted :T I will most certainly be trying the 'Sides to Middle' when my Egyptian cotton sheets are wearing a bit thin.. they cost me a lot of money so I will be making them last to the bitter end if it kills me.
Thank you all for the brilliant tip :T