Some time ago I bought a large bag of cheap wooden clothes pegs with the intention of developing them into a gift idea....maybe a simple addition to the clothes peg bags I make
or decorated...
like the ones in the top photo by "Mama's Little Monkeys".
The idea of something inexpensive, simple, necessary and thoughtful appeals to me.
Mama's Little Monkeys has a clear step by step with photos on her blog regarding the type of ink and finishes for longer lasting results. (Basic Mod Podge is PVC glue)
Co-incidentally I came across a post from the Deliberate Agrarian
He and his son are HAND MAKING good old fashioned pegs and he has wonderful step by step photos on his post too. He plans to sell his first batch soon via his blog.
Which got me thinking....
about the ingeniousness of the peg design
are there pegs made other than in factories in china?
do people still value something so simple made by hand and crafted with care?
do people look after and care for their pegs as precious commodities still or are they just thought of as cheap replaceable throw aways?
Is that what happened to the demise of the peg bag?
I also found....
also hand made in America from beech and maple with brass plated springs.
Sixteen pegs cost $25.
They really are a thing of beauty aren't they.
If we appreciated the hand made process and paid for it I imagine we would look after them a lot better. I certainly wouldn't be leaving them to weather on the clothes line like I do with my plastic ones.
Which me got to more thinking....
if I am trying to ditch the plastic I should be gradually replacing my pegs with wooden ones shouldn't I.
(proper ones like these, not the temporary Chinese ones that fall apart within a few weeks)
I also found these stunning beauties hand crafted from oak.
They are giant ones and used for home decor rather than the clothes line.
They are 12 pounds from The Gorgeous Company
As for caring for wooden pegs naturally don't leave them to weather on the line (that goes for plastic ones too I guess and a bad habit I have gotten into)
I searched high and low in all my housekeeping books including Mrs Beeton's and I couldn't find any other tips but I seem to remember reading/hearing once way back when I was a child that placing pegs in a tin or jar with a rag impregnated with turpentine and linseed oil revitalised and conditioned the pegs. Can anyone remember anything like that or shed light on peg care? That is the trouble with the most mundane things, the how to is often not written just generally known and then a couple of generations pass and it is lost.
So what are your thoughts on pegs/pins?
Sadly, I don't have a clothes line anymore, but I still have my Mother's clothes pins (pegs). Many of them are over 60 years old. I have wonderful memories of hanging the laundry on the line, even in the dead of winter when the clothes quickly froze into stiff forms.
ReplyDeleteI have clothes pegs (dolly pegs) made by my great uncle, but i don't want to use them and wear them out! I guess they are the sort of thing that boys might have whittled in front of the fireplace during winter evenings. i will suggest that to my son!
ReplyDeleteI love that you are hunting for well made pegs, and ways to look after them. I always bring my (Australian made plastic) pegs inside after using, and they do last much longer than when I left them in the weather on the line.
And you are right - this kind of simple housekeeping information is disappearing. I have just spent a long time working out how to make the perfect cup of tea. Only today worked it out perfectly with the help of a wonderful British blogger - I haven't been stirring the pot before pouring. During my lifetime, my grannies only used teabags, so the skill of making tea with loose leaves in a pot had disappeared from my family..
I use dolly pegs here, although given the way many of them broke easily, they are cheap knock offs. Still, th wood will either decompose in the garden or can be burned in the fireplace so I feel less guilty than I would should they be plastic if that makes sense. Still, the ones that split but weren't entirely broken were glued up to return to active duty. I love my dolly pegs and have no regrets about rehoming my plastic ones.
ReplyDeleteAnd the added bonus of dolly pegs is we can grab 1 or 2 for dolls whenever needed. :)
Thanks so much for linking to my blog post! I love the versatile uses of clothespins. They can do so much more than laundry! Chore charts, decor, homeschooling! I hope you make something fun!
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