Make Do and Mend

exlibris

I use off-cuts from fitted carpets as additional mats to cover hard wear areas like the floor in front of the chairs we sit in regularly and the doorway into the kitchen. I must confess it costs a little extra to have them whipped but the laast longer as they don't fray!

[Deleted User]

janb5 wrote: »

Old odd pillow cases fit the mattress of a Moses basket and once tucked in look like a fitted sheet. Very useful when you have run out of sheets!

I had to buy specialist bras with pockets in for my 'boucy bit' (as my DGS calls my prosthesis) I have used an old pillow case cut up and modelled from a template that came with it, and sewn to my ordinary bra instead of having to throw the old ones away.specialist ones cost from about £20.00. My one's that I had already didn't cost as much as that, and an old pillow case cost me nothing. I just hated to waste the ones I already had, and it just holds everything where it should be;)

SunnyGirl

Lalaladybird wrote: »

I nearly threw away my dd's outgrown vests and sleepsuits yesterday but they are lovely soft cotton so I kept them but, other than dusters, what can I use them for?

I went through a phase of making peg bags for everyone out of my dd's little dresses when she'd outgrown them (luckily I had 2 sons after her ) I don't see why it wouldn't work with sleep suits & vests. I used to hem the bottom of the dress together then put a hanger through the shoulders as normal and use the buttoned area at the back to get my hand in to get the pegs :rotfl: Sometimes I'd oversew round the hanger to keep it more secure & sew up the sleeves. HTH

Bambywamby

I recently use the old microwave plate as an actual serving plate and put sausage rolls and mini samosas on it at our Boxing day buffet.

Hardup_Hester

When I got rid of my old cooker I saved the shelves & grill tray & they fit fine in my new one

pigpen

Hardup_Hester wrote: »

When I got rid of my old cooker I saved the shelves & grill tray & they fit fine in my new one

That is what I am hoping to do as well! My new cooker should come next week!

Just need to bung my old dead TD on freecycle .. it needs a new element I think.. but I hate it anyway so any excuse to get rid is a good one!

I leave the plastic packaging on new mattresses to save one waterproof sheets! (we go through a LOT with a heavy bed wetter!)

I raid other peoples paper recycle bins for old magazines to read and newspapers for the composter and rabbit cage.

Charis

Bambywamby wrote: »

I recently use the old microwave plate as an actual serving plate and put sausage rolls and mini samosas on it at our Boxing day buffet.

I've got my old one on the dining room table with the Christmas fresh fruit on it. It's big enought to spread everything out so people can see what's there and because it's not all crammed in together we haven't had any mouldy satsumas and oranges this year, which makes a change.

Caterina

Hi all

Reporting back from my visit to the Whitstable museum and the Make Do and Mend exhibition. The museum is very nice, but quite small, the entrance is free. The exhibition was mildly interesting for a seasoned OSer, all the tips that they gave are nothing new to our hardened bunch, but as a piece of history it was good, and to raise awareness of environmental issues.

I bought the booklet Make Do and Mend, the original cost 3p but the reprint that they were selling was £4.99(!!!). Still, a good way to take home a nice souvenir and support a little local museum.

All in all a good day, a lovely 3 course meal for under £9 each (DH and I could not face sandwiches in the cold wind and decided to treat ourselves) and a bracing lovely walk along the seafront.

Caterina

dolly_day_dream

A lot of my Christmas presents were homemade. Purses, bags, juggling balls, masks, slippers, hats, mittens, pincushions, needle cases, wheat bags, covered journals - all made from recycled clothes. Money was so tight this year I HAD to look at everything I already had in a new light. That meant that my large stash of no longer wanted clothing was put to new uses. There are loads of patterns available on the net. In the past I used to love jumble sales and would just look for the most interesting fabrics and lace. Obviously I still remove zips and buttons and trimmings and it was my stash of these that made changing old clothes into something else more feasible. I have made a cube for my 8 week old DGS from a range of different textures and have filled it with with a film canister with some bells in it and some left over quilt wadding. My 4 year old SGS received a homemade advent callendar of 25 stockings on a line, filled with little treats - all made from recycled clothing. The present for each of the children in my class was a set of juggling balls - stuffed with scraps of fabric that I just could not think what else to do with. I am planning on making a rag rug with the pile of yukky mens trousers I seem to have - hard wearing and in the right colours for my lounge. Having discovered how to make purses and the joys of applique as well as quilting I am convinced that I will never throw any fabric away again. One of my favourite recycled gifts I have made has been carrier bag type bags made from old trousers which fold up into their own pouch. These are so useful in these days of reusing our bags and each one is unique.

No food is thrown away if I can possibly help it and I will always try and find a use for anything if I can. I can remember my ex husbands grandmother using old tyres as planters in her garden. I have been amassing a collection of Golden syrup tins as they are too good to throw away and will be using the idea of planting my herbs in them - they will look good on my window sill.

midge61

Wow dolly that all sounds wonderful.

I have found an old fish tank in the shed and intend using it as a mini greenhouse.
I quite often mix odd bits of left over paint to get a unique colour and stretch it.