Life offers us inspiration in the oddest times and ways. My wife is a third generation rag rug weaver but also has many other endeavors, such as baby quilts. She has a craft show coming up and wanted to finish the three quilts she had started. My occupation stems from working in the operating room and I have developed a fairly fine sewing skill so I offered to help. Little did I know this would give me insight in the preparations I am currently working on.
As I was running a fine invisible stitch on the inside of the seams it dawned on me that in my seeking info on TEOTWAWKI, I hadn’t seen any articles on stockpiling sewing supplies. We take for granted buying new clothing easily and inexpensively. I began to ponder the rag material that she uses to make her rugs and the thread we need to attach one end of the rag to the next. These can be old clothing, towels or sheets as well as end of cloth bolts made by commercial material mills. Now apply this thought to a time when you can’t buy new clothes or, even more stressful, have growing children who outgrow clothes. Sure there may be some sort of bartering, but if we are seeking self-reliance, then having necessary items on hand for mending or tailoring new clothes becomes essential.
I have begun sending my wife out to buy patterns on sale for your basic run-of-the-mill clothes, such as pants, shirts, and jackets. I am a lucky man with such a talented wife! We are stocking up on patterns for men, women and children. This also serves a two-fold purpose, the first being self-provision but secondarily, it becomes a marketable skill that could bolster our household income. Patterns can be as little as 99 cents and we have even found them at yard sales for 25 cents.
Our next phase is to start stocking up on essential materials. Things like denim, cotton, wool, jersey, and so forth, allowing for a variety of necessary clothing items. Fabric store often run specials and sales. Another good source for material is the fabric stores in the nearby Amish country, they tend to have larger amounts for lower prices. Also their selection reflects more of the need to have items. While at our local supermarket we came across a closeout deal on needles. How many people have not given any consideration to sewing needles? We put several packages in our cart along with spools of corresponding thread. Once again there is a secondary purpose we can use for ourselves or barter for needed items. Yard sales have rendered many “bolts” of cloth from people who have given up on sewing and crafts.
Add to the sewing inventory items like stick pins, pin cushions, sharp scissors, snaps, Velcro, buttons. My wife has jars of buttons from every shirt or whatever that no longer had any use for that just in case repair. We have yarn and darning needles on hand as well. I also began to think of heavier duty materials and invested in one of those awl types stitching apparatus. I bought additional spools and needles for it as well. My wife used it to make me a denim wrap for my butchering knives and tool. It is awesome everything close at hand and well protected.
In a TEOTWAWKI situation we have begun to secure the tools needed to reused, recycle and repair in the area of clothing. Many of us have that favorite whatever and wouldn’t want to dispose of it if it had a hole but this becomes more crucial when you can’t replace the item. My wife is looking for other sources of education to support this phase of preparation. She is on the look out for any other type of sewing related courses like knitting.
My next venture is to learn more about tanning hides. We butcher our own beef and pork so learning to make full use of those hides would be invaluable. So now I want to acquire tools for working leather. We can only begin to think of the multiple uses of tanned hides in a time of need. The list of uses are unlimited by nothing except your imagination and available resources. Add to this list of material the hides of animals we hunt. You could make shoes, belts, slings, wallets, holsters and so on!
I realize the preparation must focus around the basics such as food, weapons and water but how will maintaining those items or acquiring them be impacted if you have leaking boots or a coat will holes in it. Tattered gloves will not protect you from frost bite. Most of these items can be packed in small packages other that large quantities of material but still are light weight. The plethora of usage is beyond the time required to gather.
This new area of prepping has allowed for us to prepare for the grown of our children as well as provide for others in our fledging group. It also gives us a marketable skill that can lend to bartering for things we need. Here is a starter list.
- 20 spools of thread in base colors: black, white, brown, green, blue and gray
- 10 spools of thread in secondary colors: red, pink, orange, yellow and so on
- 20 packages of sewing needles
- 10 packages of straight pins
- Sheers 2 regular, small, and pinking shears
- Basic clothing and undergarments patterns, male, female, and various children’s sizes
- Material, basic colors in cotton, denim, wool, jersey, flannel and fleece
- Add-ons, buttons, zippers, Velcro, snaps and latches
The second area of prepping I want to lend information on is to buddy up with other people who have jobs in operating rooms. The reason for this is the sheer volume of items that aren’t used but since they came in pre set up kits can not be used on another patient. These items can include but not limited to things like Army Battle Dressings (ABDs), various other dressings, sutures, sterile items and other useful things for TEOTWAWKI. A lot of these items have ended up in my stash and that even includes basic surgical instruments that have minor flaws.
A lot of times these items go to the local vet’s office which saves them a small fortune but they still charge you for it as if they bought it new. You wouldn’t believe the resources that are available if you find someone who works at your local hospital. At times supplies are opened for surgery and the case cancels leaving a great bounty of supplies for the cache of medical supplies. I just took home a huge bag of cotton balls. I have countless lap sponges which I used for rags and when they are worn out they get dipped in something to serve as fire starters.
I can not speak on other areas of a hospital since I have no experience there. You can imagine the money you can save if these people share a 1/3 of what they collect. Imagine adding band aids, dressings, ABDs, casting material, Ace wraps, suture and so on for no cost this would be a logistical blessings for preppers. This can free up some additional monetary funds for other crucial items.
With all the talk about food preparation I have been getting food grade buckets from another department within my hospital for free, These 5 gallon buckets were filled with soda lime used in the anesthesia machine to filter CO2. I bought some mylar bag and using a method I learned from JWR’s nonfiction book started going to my local grain dealer and buying corn, oats and wheat for long term storage. Companies who have the market on this may charge up to $60 for a 5 gallon bucket. I can buy 50 pounds of it for 15 dollars and that will fill about 2-3 buckets.
Not only does this serve as long term grain storage for our group but it will serve as grain for livestock as well till first crops come in. I find items that serve a more versatile area are what I seek out. To me it is better to have one item serve multiple purposes that to have several items that sever only one. I tend to shop around. I am working on picking up food grade plastic barrels with removal lids. I can collect rain water, store items and so on. My current venture is reloading equipment, lead bars and bullet molds. That way I not only reload but can cast my own bullets if need be.
Having kids in our group I have stocked up on regular board games, cards and books for the children when the event takes place. Add to it a stash of sports balls, air hand pump to help pass the time of life without electronic entertainment. I realize they will all be busy helping maintain our homestead but they need to have something to enjoy as well as adults on the rare moment things slow down. Books also offer education since many I own are about this for mention situation. But have added many works of fiction and non fiction, I have included army field manuals, medical books and how to books.
We are slowing prepping at our place in the country. Each week affords us new ways of becoming more self reliant.