A delightful piece of wartime publishing from B T Batsford, reissued to inform and delight all readers about life on the home front during World War II. The make-do-and-mend ethos helped win the war, from knitting balaclava helmets for the navy to making croquet games for the floor and table for blackout days. It reveals a great practicality and ingenuity. With dozens of diagrams, patterns and instructions, this book is not only a delightful look at the past but can be used for reference even now. The suggestions are, by turn, funny, charming and useful, and are a fantastic insight into a nation's psyche.