i have to admit i can’t help but think “preserve the vintage hankies!”

It reminds me of my Sicilian grandma, who taught me how to keep a hankie rolled up in my t-shirt sleeve - making me look like James Dean with a pack of cigarettes. : ) So, I’m smiling. And thinking of buying a hankie.

Hankies were required by the school back in the 50s - tissures were purely a luxury. By the 60s, tissues were required.

Are hankies any less squeamish than non-disposal menstrual pads? No, I don’t think so. Both can be soaked, disinfected and washed easily.

Luckily for us, husband and I have not required use of tissues for the last 5 years. The occasional nose-blowing due to dust has been taken care of with toilet paper.
So, on the off chance of getting a cold/flu we’ll use cut up squares of a clean old t-shirt I have saved for just that reason.

Long Live Hankies! The last post just fired up my love of hankies, so I ordered a few more flannel ones from Etsy, and some plain ones to increase the stack that I use in lieu of paper towels.

I’ve got one of my brand new pirate parrot hankies in my pocket this morning, and couldn’t be happier! :)

I also dug out the humidifier, and have found that running it for a couple hours when I get home is also decreasing the need to blow my nose.

I also was fired up by the last hankie post and checked out eBay. I’ve wanted to try linen handkerchiefs for a while so I took the plunge and bought some. They were from an estate sale and clearly had never been used - for decades - there were original “Pure Irish Linen” stickers attached to most (and a price tag from F.W. Woolworth Co. for 25 cents on one) and a couple of handwritten notes tucked in indicating when and from whom some were received (1949 and 1953). I understand the urge to preserve vintage but these are made to be used!

I just received them yesterday and handwashed a couple last night. I haven’t been sniffling much lately so I’m not sure when they will get a true trial but I am excited to try out linen [what a geek]. And although they are 50-60 years old I don’t anticipate them disintegrating as linen is very durable.

Okay, I may preserve a few of the tatted-lace-edged ones but fortunately most of them aren’t so fancy.

I went back and read the rest of the comments on the original post. Fascinating hearing about the food allergy journeys. My childhood food allergies abated after puberty but did come back in a mild form in my twenties. I’ve been feeling that I’ve developed hayfever but maybe it’s really my body telling me to go back to avoiding those foods — lesser symptoms isn’t the same as none. I’ll have to check out the books mentioned.

I prefer using hankies, it’s softer on my nose. I use them all the time at home. I have a couple of white ones that look like tissues that I use when I go out in public. When I don’t find them I sometimes use tissues because I receive weird looks from people… Maybe I’m not being enough self-assured and I should use my coloured hankies anyway.

I like having hankies around for wiping hands and faces and maybe the slightly drippy nose. Thankfully I haven’t had to really test my serious nose drip situation on one!

those are SO pretty! I bet it makes having a cold not so bad!

I have a hanky I made from an old T-shirt. My roommates said “cool, a hanky” and my family said “gross, a hanky” (but my mom doesn’t seem bothered by washing it along with the rest of the laundry). I still use tissues a fair amount because I only have the one hanky and it’s not always usable. Actually, I take that back–I have another hanky but it’s old and pretty and I don’t know what it’s made of, so I save it for decorative purposes. I should order some more off Etsy–I’ve seen some really cute ones there.

One of my first “duties” as a new wife was to embroider a couple of hankies for my husband. He still uses it, and we’re still married (34 years). :)

I’ve been wanting to switch to hankies for a while, but I’m not really a vintage/cute person. Does anyone know where I can get some plain hankies? Do department stores still sell them?

When I use hankies, I get an interesting mix of reactions. Most are either positive or nonchalant, very very few are negative. The person most negative about my hankies? My mother! She grew up during the transition period phasing out older, “inconvenient” methods in favor of the new, hip, disposable items.
While my grandmother applauds my handkerchief use (and canning, home cooking, and conservation techniques), my mother thinks I’m foolish to pass up convenience and “sanitary measures” in favor of the environment.
I wonder if many late baby boomers have that same mindset.

when i whip out my bandana hankie, mostly people seem jealous that i can get a good, full blow, unlike kleenex, that will fall apart in your hands.

i do have to remember to wash them often. i tend to get lazy.

[…] Choices chooses vintage hankies on eBay, with varying degrees of […]

I’ve been using my Grandmother’s hankies for about 4 months now. No complaints. Perfect for the little nose drips that accur after I come inside from walkin the dog in the snowy cold weather.

I haven’t had any reactions one way or the other when I’m using my hankies. Frankly I don’t think my husband’s even noticed my switch. Although he has noticed that we aren’t always going through disposable tissues, which I still keep around in the case of flu.

I have cotton hankies but I might have to try making some flannel ones. They sound very soft.

Bellen’s comment:

Hankies were required by the school back in the 50s - tissures were purely a luxury. By the 60s, tissues were required.

I remember when I was at primary school (back in mid 80s, in Turkey), we were checked for clean, ironed ‘handkerchiefs’ and trimmed nails every Monday. Again, my memories of my mum ironing my handkerchief are still vivid and clear… Disposable ones got popularized in the late 80s (no kidding, yes that late)…

I think the fabric ones are still around, back at home…

Koray

This was my tiny choice a few years ago. My husband used to think they were gross and disgusting. On top of how quickly they are used up, I hate the feeling of wet tissue that falls apart. YUCK!

He forgot to bring a tissue one morning and needed something as we waited for the train. As I try to keep two clean ones with me each morning, I gave him one. He now helps himself to my stash as he’s found them usable and not gross at all.

My local discount store (National Wholesale) sells them. Or they did. They’re undergoing a re-org and I’ve not been in lately. One day when I can do nice small tiny hems I’ll try to start making them myself.

I use them to wipe the dust from my hands, the “glow” from my upper lip, and the drips from the nose, but generally use a kleenex for actual nose blowing, but I don’t do that in front of people in public anyway.

They certainly make my life easier.

Cool! Hankies! I’ve been looking for some “ladies” since bandannas just don’t go with some outfits… :-)

I remember shopping for them at a local department store near my grandmother’s. I thought I’d ditch the tissue habit, but it isn’t easy. Thanks for the ebay suggestion… I’ve just bid on a lot of 10 - wish me luck (some even have my initial!)