The story behind the title

The title "you can always make something out of nothing" is taken from the children's picture book Joseph Had a Little Overcoat, by Simms Taback, based on a Yiddish folk song "I Had a Little Overcoat."

The story traces the repurposing of Joseph's old and worn overcoat, from overcoat to button. At each stage the new form is used again until it is old and worn: from overcoat to jacket to vest to scarf to necktie to handkerchief to button. Finally, when the button is lost the story ends:

"Now he had nothing. So Jospeh made a book about it. Which shows...you can always make something out of nothing."

I borrowed these final words for the title of this blog for two reasons:

• The sewing and craft projects will all involve repurposing old and worn clothing and objects,and

• This blog is my "something out of nothing", as was the story for Joseph.