Denys McCracken: Daft Laddie Days – The secret stitch in time was fund oot!

By Denys McCracken.


The secret stitch in time was fund oot!

The shepherd on a farm I worked on was from Harbottle and he had married a lass whose fathor was a pitman from Seaton Sluice. One day they were going to see the family for the day and I was left with the firm instructions – "Nuw divn't let that collie pup in the hoose or it'll chow something up."

Later in the day I was washing my car and I had left the door into the kitchen open. The pup was playing around beside me and I suddenly noticed a feather on his nose. I looked around the corner and there was this cushion off the chair facing the door in the kitchen in pieces. I quickly gathered it up and phoned my mother who I knew was coming up to see me in the afternoon. I asked her to bring a needle and white thread.

She duly arrived and went to work on the cushion and we placed it carefully back on the chair. Actually it was not a major restoration as only the hem stitches on the opening side of the cover opening had been broken. Mother made what I thought was a perfect job.

But would you believe it: when the shepherd's missus walked in that evening, she said – "You let that pup in the hoose didn't ye and it's been at that cushion. That's not my stitching on the hem"! Eagle eyes I can tell you.