Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without

Bag made from left over twine, made by Elvira Smith

Elvira Smith grew up on a Westport farm in the 1930s.

“We were very frugal.  For example we would use the cotton from the flour sacks to make our aprons. I remember that instead of throwing our old sweaters away, we would unravel the yarn, then wash and clean it to take out the wrinkles. I still have two vests that I knitted from old sweaters. My mother had the expression “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without”. We lived by that slogan then and I still do now.”

Apron made from a grain bag