Hand-me-downs from Heaven

If you're like me, most of the hand-me-downs you inherited as a child were not exactly something to brag about --awkward hand-knit leg warmers, faded jeans, shirts that would always be too big and too tie-dyed. So in a grab bag full of 20-30 year old clothing given to me by my mother-in-law's friend, I was surprised and delighted to find a real gem: a high quality 100% virgin wool skirt suit in a beautiful rich teal, only slightly dusty and in need of some good tailoring. A six-inch hack off the bottom of the boxy, over-long skirt quickly transformed it into this much more flattering and versatile above-knee length. I even taught myself a "blind stitch" from the...