Sailor's Trousers

[tony1941]

A saying turned up in a recent conversation which I had heard used years ago but it now seems to be rare. If the sky is cloudy but a break appears, the blue is described as "enough - or "not enough" dependent on size - to make a pair of sailor's trousers" . How common is this saying? Where does it originate? Thanks Tony

[madboutcats]

i wish i could help as it was one of my dads favourite sayings especially after a rainy day and the rain had stopped and the cloud was starting to break and blue skies were appearing "theres enough blue to make a pair of sailors trousers"

[kempie]

This seems to be in reference to ancient weather folklore found throughout Europe and North America which forecasts clear weather after a storm based on the appearance of a sizeable patch of clear sky through the rainclouds.

Various garment descriptions exist for this patch of blue sky in addition to the aforementioned Sailor's Trousers, such as:

Dutchman's Breeches
Scotchman's Jacket
Old Lady's Apron
Handkerchief

[crisgal]

My mum has always said this to me - as did her mum and grandma.
Try it next time you wonder wether or not to hang washing out - it always works!
(they have to be bell-bottoms and cut with one piece of fabric - not patchwork!)

[Ethel]

I've always said it - as did my mum and grandmother.

If there is enough blue in the sky to make a pair of sailor's trousers in the morning, it will a sunny afternoon.

I'm in the Black Country, and it is a common saying here, but I don't know where it originates from.

[andy-hughes]

I remember an Enid Blyton story based on this phrase - when, I think, the children's granny used magic to snip out the piece of sky and make it into a sailor's trousers, hence the nice day to play out.

It's possible that EB is responisble for the urban myth that a swan can break a man's arm - again in a story (boy broke bird's leg with a catapault, had his arm broken by swan) - but loads of people believe this to be true - which or course it's not.

[Doug36549]

I remember it being....enough to make a Chinaman's pants"

[Corianndah]

Something made me think of this saying recently. My grandfather (born in 1903) used to say it often when I was a child (1960s). His family were from the south coast of England and his father had been in the merchant navy. I wondered if this is where he got the saying from.