Over, Over, Overalls

I’ve written before about overalls.  For several years, I had a great pair. Then, I got another great pair. I pretty much wore out those overalls a few years ago. When I began to need a new pair, I discovered that overalls had become a fashion statement. A sort of teen-age statement. But, still.

I saw some overalls at Target. I got the largest size they had, and worked in them, quite happily, for some time, in my yard. Those were long overalls, and I appreciated their fall and early spring warmth. When summer came, I was thinking that I’d need to cut them off, or . . . And, yes, indeed, there were short overalls on the racks at Target. I bought some. However, I did see that there were some issues with the newer overalls on the racks. They were, in the style of the time, rather, um, pre-used, They had the “fashionable” rips in them. Every kind of overall had some sort of “used,” “well-used,” or “quite used” look. I bought them anyway. It’s not like I’m going out shopping in them. Even to a nursery, where, I guess, I could have smeared mud and grass stains on them, and rushed into the nursery and said, “I need plants! And I need them right now!” (Gardeners may do that, I suppose.)

Also, I learned to check the pockets. When I’m outside working, I have my phone with me. Some of the trendy overalls have the tiniest pockets. When I’m overall shopping, I always make sure that my hands go ‘way down in the pockets. I don’t want my phone plopping down into some muddy patch of dirt.

Some of the short overalls are pretty short. I let the straps down as long as they’ll go; the crotch is then farther down, which, frankly makes sitting down to do the yard work more comfortable, and that makes the overalls a bit longer. In a good and comfortable way.

These overalls had a QUITE large area of just horizontal strings. And maybe I will get around to adding some extra length to them, also

Because the overalls I buy at Target are really for teen-agers, I have done a little adapting. Often the overalls have pre-distressed elements, like rips and areas of just strings, instead of complete areas of fabric. I solved that problem by sewing pieces of this plaid fabric underneath the string areas, and then cutting the strings away. And, on these overalls, I also added some of that plaid fabric to lengthen the legs a bit.

Here’s the whole complement of overalls. Three pairs of shorts and two pairs of longs. The long pair at the top left has a lot of stringy patches. When the weather cools down next fall, I’ll probably find a way (plaid?) to make them adaptable to yard work in the chillier (but sunny) days.

For now, I’ve done about all I can do in the yard, beyond keeping things watered. Here in Central Texas, and, frankly, for most of Texas, at this point we’re just trying to keep things alive.

I’ve planted seeds. I’ve planted plants. I haven’t actually planted anything that’s grown up to be a large tree. But, I am keeping the existing trees and shrubs alive and green. And, if you come to visit, I’ll give you some thyme. Come on over!