when is it cheaper to make your own?

katieowl_2

Elliesmum wrote: »

:T knitting your own socks - brilliant. I still have 2 pairs of thick walking socks my Mum knitted me when I was about 13/14 which was about (errr ) 30 years ago... They are still going strong, wash really well and fit lovely in my dog walking wellies for a snug foot in the coldest of weathers.

So I reckon, £ for £ your lovely hand knitted socks will if they last half the time still be better value than shop bought and far nicer too.

EM xx

When my kids were little, we had a hand knitted pair of socks that somebody had made and donated to the local charity shop....those socks lasted through all three of my kids!!! My reason for having a go myself was to recreate the everlasting sock - so I relate to what you say!!!

I also find them quite soothing to knit as I can do most of it while watching TV and I don't have to pay much attention to the straight bits. I bought a second pair of needles too, so I can cast them both on at the same time, and have plenty of plain knitting to get on with in the evenings, saving the twiddly bits for daylight!

Everthing I've knitted has been using one of the stripy or self patterning yarns, so just looking at the wool gives me a little colour boost!

Kate

thriftlady_2

Definitely cheaper to make marmalade than to buy it. I've just made a large batch.

Waitrose Organic Seville Orange Marmalade costs £1.48 for a lb jar.

Ingredients for 12 lb of marmalade bought at Waitrose.

2kg organic Seville oranges £4.76
4kg sugar £4
2 unwaxed lemons 69p

total £9.45

This amount has actually resulted in 16 jars of marmalade. The jars vary in size a bit but they are on average 1lb each.

Cost for a 1lb jar -59p

smeeinnit

definitely agree that jam and marmalade is cheaper, I made various jams this summer with fruit mostly picked from country lanes, cost of sugar and electricity averaged out about 25p a jar, for luscious blackberry, blackberry and apple, and damson jams...marmalade I costed out last year about 50p a jar, perfick!