Litter couture
By Fleur
@Fleura (29214)
United Kingdom
March 11, 2024 9:50am CST
As I’ve mentioned before, when I’m out and about around the village I pick up litter that I see on the roadside. Luckily there generally isn’t much, just the odd chocolate bar wrapper or drink can (unlike the main road which is an absolute disgrace, but that’s a whole other issue).
Anyway one day I was walking down the lane and there I saw a black lump squished into the road surface. I scraped it up and dropped it into a bag along with a crisp packet, and took it home.
But when I got home and emptied it out I found it was a cardigan. It had been run over quite a few times so the buttons were scratched and the fabric was frayed in a few places, but I thought I’d have a look at it anyway.
I had to wash it about six times before the road dirt stopped coming out of it. Then I mended the parts where it had been damaged – luckily the lacy style means that my stitches don’t show.
Then I went to one of my favourite local shops where they sell fabrics, haberdashery etc. and bought three sparkly buttons to jazz it up a bit.
At the weekend I wore it for the first time. Several people commented favourably on it and asked if it was new. I didn’t tell them where it came from!
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2024.
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2024.10 people like this
9 responses
@Tampa_girl7 (49130)
• United States
11 Mar
I live my life by waste not, want not. It’s a lovely cardigan. Good for you.
3 people like this
@MarieCoyle (29001)
•
14 Mar
It's very pretty. I always wonder how some things get basically dumped, and why. People are so wasteful.
Last winter, I was driving on a small 2 lane highway due to being detoured from someone having a wreck. I saw a huge lump at the side of the road, no one was behind me so I stopped. It was a men's Carhartt jacket, and in perfect shape. Those are very expensive coats to buy, they are insulated and a lot of people who work outside buy that brand. It wasn't a size either of my sons could wear, so we gave it to a friend's son who worked outside shoveling snow in the winter, he said he wears it all the time.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29214)
• United Kingdom
14 Mar
@MarieCoyle I'm OK for buttons thanks, I have accumulated my own button collection and now I've added it to my mother's! But I do use them, only not as fast as I acquire them it seems!
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (29001)
•
14 Mar
@Fleura
Both of my grandmothers were huge advocates of reusing and repurposing. I have two huge containers of buttons they cut off of worn clothing to use on other clothing when they made items or needed to replace buttons. Just one example...need a button? 
''Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without'' was definitely their motto. They both said they did without so many basics in WW2 that it made them very frugal and not waste anything.
''Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without'' was definitely their motto. They both said they did without so many basics in WW2 that it made them very frugal and not waste anything.1 person likes this
@kaylachan (58214)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
11 Mar
I can't say I blame you. I'm glad that you were able to repair and make use of it.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (58214)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
12 Mar
@Fleura I know, that's sad really. Back in the day, sewing was the only job that most women could get. Now, man or woman, unless you're a fashion designer, you can't use a needle and thread.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29214)
• United Kingdom
12 Mar
@kaylachan I've read that it's even a problem in the medical profession. It used to be a given that any surgery student would be able to do some basic stitches. Not any more!
@Fleura (29214)
• United Kingdom
12 Mar
We always used to keep quiet about things that came from a charity shop - or even a jumble sale! Nowadays it's much more acceptable, trendy even.
It's not the only thing I've found on the side of the road, I also have two pairs of gloves, a scarf and a pair of socks (not all at once!). But they were just dropped, not run over and mangled! (and yes I did leave them there for several days to see if the owner came back for them, but they didn't).
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326127)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Mar
@Fleura Every time I see the in the garage they're 'the gloves I found in the bush'.
Once, at a folk music festival we had a torrential downpour and many in tents had a hard time of it. When we came to go home, someone had thrown out a kingsize blanket and left it hanging over a rail. Admittedly it was pretty muddy but, like your cardigan, it cleaned up nicely.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (157150)
• United States
12 Mar
That's a lovely cardigan. I won't tell where it came from!!! Have a good day.
1 person likes this
@andreea_v (241)
•
11 Mar
It looks great!! If you didn't tell the story, I would have never guessed!
1 person likes this
