Have you ever made men’s handkerchiefs ?
 

We always buy new socks & underwear to donate to the Veterans Center before Christmas. I wanted to include red or blue handkerchiefs but they’re hard to find and the quality is like gauze so I know they won’t wash up nicely. I’ve looked at farm stores, hunting stores, hardware stores with no luck. I was told by a clerk that men who work outside use disposables. Yes, road construction workers carry a box of tissues with them ! ! I bought about 2 dozen soft ones at a garage sale for 50 cents so our son got most of those.

Suggestions if I decide to sew up some ? Does not have to be bandana print but I don’t want white.

Make them in any fabrics you like. Colorful is something many who are Vets do not have in their lives. I am sure the flashier sometimes the better. Don't only think in solids. Be creative.

I have made them as Christmas gifts for several of the hunters in my family. (and we have quite a few).

Yes, I've made my husbands for many years now. He like white ones only & wants a very substantial hankie & the best fabric I've found that he likes is the white from Connecting Threads. He does not like the thin, thin ones that are store bought.

Wal-Mart is where I've purchased hubby's in the past. He likes them! They are the blue paisley type design (and I think I've gotten him some red ones too).

My daughter in law made some for my son one year, and included them in with my husband's Christmas one year. She made my sons in plaids etc. and my husbands in a good white fabric with his initials on the corner done on her embroidery machine. She always embroiders something on blouses she buys me.

My Husband gave up on handkerchiefs years ago and use bounty paper towels. I still use tissues. Both can be tossed after use.

I would ask at the VA Centre to find out if the men there would use Hankies. I only know one person in Canada who does and he is almost 91. My family in NZ do use them.

I have made my husband a few, using colorful cotton fabric. Many years ago I bought colorful plaid ones from the Lands’ End catalog. Reminds me of a humorous piece I read. Woman washes her husbands clothes and one day sees him use his cloth hankie, then carefully fold and put back in his pocket. She comments that she always figured all folded hankies were clean and didn’t wash them.

Sorry for this but this is how I feel about this, who want to put those nasty things in the laundry. I never did like the idea unless it is one in the top pocket of a suit coat that matches the tie. I always notice Steve Harveys nice dressed man.

had to giggle at this--when you think about it, it certainly is gross--but having had men in my house all my life that work outside (and frequently use hankerchiefs), the hankerchiefs are sometimes not the grossest thing going through the laundry. Work clothes sometimes need to be run through a prewash and then a long wash cycle with double rinses. Kind of like cloth diapers.

Let's face it--using disposable hankies in a setting such as a care facility is a lot cleaner. How many of those cloth ones will be put down/dropped and then used by the next resident coming along? Plus the laundry staff has plenty to fold without adding to their chores.

When my husband was in a small facility, one of the nurses noted the quilt and such that I had made for his room. She inquired if I'd make coasters to put under the glasses that sweat. They were using washcloths, which cut down on the number available for use intended and were a bit thick under the glass anyhow. I had quite a bit of double knit fabric from days gone by and that worked up quite nicely for such a project. Two layers of double knit was sufficient and would launder well. It made the rooms look a bit more homey, too. Passing this along, only as a suggestion if you are wanting a project for donation.

This time last year I was looking for men's handkerchiefs for my father in law. I finally found some at Pennys. Weird colors to them, but they were handkerchiefs. I can't stand the things but every day in his pocket is a handkerchief and a pocket knife. Old habits are hard to break. I think it's a great idea to make some out of good quilting fabric in plaids and prints instead of solids.

I would think most men would like bandana's for handkerchiefs for the most part. I just found two soft white handkerchiefs in my sock drawer while cleaning out. I keep them because they were my husband's.

I put the handkerchiefs in with the dirty socks - and wash the whole batch twice.

I'm glad they invented Kleenex :D

Oooh! Bounty paper towels! :shock: This totally made me smile! His poor nose! I'm such a wimp...I buy the kleenex with lotion.

Have fun with making fun ones. I think you could enjoy being creative.

If you want a little inspiration, do an online search for 'pocket squares' - you get to see quite a variety of colors. Construction workers can rock paisley!
:)

https://www.pinterest.com/MensAccess...ocket-squares/
oops....this link seems to be broken. I'll try to fix it.

try this one instead: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/685039793302720340/
hmmm....that's also not working.
Maybe just do a pinterest search for images

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=pocket+squares&t=ffnt&atb=v177-1&ia=shopping


https://sewing.com/diy-handkerchief/

of course, Amazon has them

I used to make mens hankies with the serger, but haven't for years now. They aren't different than napkins, really: just a square with a rolled hem. You get to decide what size you want.

How about buying layer cakes