Do You Remember Free Towels?

by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

I don't usually dwell on where my towels originated, other than to contemplate how old the ratty ones are and consider if it's time for a towel shopping bonanza.

As all but the last few ancient, ragged towels are happily ensconced in the RV, awaiting our arrival, we are making due with some threadbare specimens.

No remaining borders, faded designs, frayed edges, thin fabric - this is the state of the towels piled in the cupboard. If my sister saw them, she would zoom straight as the crow flies to a nearby department store and stock us up with new fluffy towels.

But sister, never fear. We have plenty of good towels. They are just living in our other home.

Tonight, as I dried off with one of the antique versions, tiny in size but amazingly colorful, I had a flashback to when towels came free.

In detergent boxes! Do you remember those little plastic encased free towels? I'm not entirely sure that this blue floral number is not one of those freebies. It's still in use, at least 25 years later.

After an online search, I found several old detergent brands that offered free face cloths, knives, glasses, and towels. Breeze sounded familiar, but the images I saw only offered face cloths. Bonus advertised a full sized towel, but that name doesn't ring a bell. How fun to look at the old packaging, all the way back in the late 1950's and 1960's.

Wait! I found it. Breeze is one of the detergents that included free towels. Check out my Pinterest board (For the Home) and scroll to see the Breeze box. Angie's Pinterest Boards

Ahh, memories. I truly am not old enough to buy detergent in the 50-60's, but let's try the 70's. Back in the good old days. . . free stuff when one went shopping!

I still love free!

I'd love to hear your memories. Were you ever the recipient of free towels? Glasses? Dinnerware? Green stamps (you could buy all sorts of wonderful items with green stamps)?

Meet My New Sewing Machine ~ Old Reliable

Meet my new Singer Slant-o-Matic 500

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Meet my new (old) sewing machine.

My old (old) machine, one I've had since the early days of our marriage, has finally bit the dust. Kicked the bucket. Is kicking up daisies.

At a loss, and with pressing sewing needs, I borrowed my daughter-in-laws' machine. It worked great except for one thing. It wasn't mine and I had to return it.

Back to no-sewing-machine.

And then I remembered the old Singer in the cabinet that we had stored in the garage. At the time of my mother-in-law's move to a nursing facility, I couldn't bear to part with it. So there it sat.

Hmmm. Could it be? Would it work or even turn on?

Yes, yes, and yes!

May I introduce you to my Singer Slant-o-Matic 500? Heavy as an elephant and sturdy as rock, this baby can stitch with the best of them.

After a quick online search, the terms antique and vintage were both used. According to the copyright date in one booklet, the latest year of print was 1941. Which would make this machine vintage.

And, oh what a pretty sight, the vision of that vintage Singer Slant-o-Matic 500 whipping through my stitching to beat the band.

Thank you, mom and Singer. Quality lasts.

What make of sewing machine do you have? Have you ever used a Singer?