Treasure-hunting at home challenge

Purpleclutterbuck

Loved the phrase "So much to do, so little time, but NEVER bored!"
I think it was by bellaquidsin :T

Thanks for the instructions as well budgeteer -its easy once you know someone to show you how!
I wanted a new knitting bag but they are sooo expensive so I rediscovered a jute bag which now has 2 or three knitting projects in it and its by the sofa looking tastefully rustic!
Going back to the "what to do with old tshirts syndrome" I cut mine into half or three quarter inch strips and knit them into stripey door excluders, kitchen mats and pot holders -if you use chunky needles they look great in garter stitch -I'm also working on a long plastic bag holder and a peg bag unless anyone has any other ideas? "Suggestion appeal please give generously!"

Purpleclutterbuck

OOPS! I've just repeated myself ! so sorry folks

Tregemred

I made cushions from the childrens favourite outgrown t-shirts which they have as scatter cushions in their rooms. I had to make an inner cushion and use the t-shirt as a cover as the t-shirt stretched too much if you stuffed it direct.

Herbaholic

This thread really has me looking at things in our house differently, thanks so much for starting it Budgeteer :A, more treasure for me yesterday. For 2 weeks I've been nagging my OH to take me to the garden centre so I can get a large tub and some compost to plant some tomato plants in that my Dad gave me, and a new hanging basket for a tumbling tomato plant. Still waiting to go and yesterday was such a lovely day, I decided to try my hand after the weekends success and I went treasure hunting in the garden, just to see what I could find...

In the garden at the side of the shed I found an old wicker washing basket that was supposed to have gone to the tip many moons ago. A rummage in the greenhouse turned up some of those heavy weight black plastic rubble sacks (no idea why I got them in the first place) and an old biscuit tin full of veg, herb and flower seeds I'd forgotten I had, some are a bit old, but still worth trying to grow some of them. Inside the shed I found an old hanging basket hiding at the back under a bucket and in the corner two huge bags of seed and potting compost!

So I sliced one of the rubble sacks in half lined the wicker basket, filled with compost and planted up my toms, after trimming the top it looks really rustic and will now take pride of place in the garden. I repeated the process with the hanging basket and my toms are now all planted up and it cost me nothing but time, I saved about £15 and if I'm lucky I'll save more money when my tomato plants fruit. Also found some plastic terracotta look pots in the shed that match some others I have which I bought when Wilko's were selling garden stuff off at the end of the garden season a couple of years ago (and had forgotten about). So today or tomorrow I'm sowing more basil and rocket in those and using a couple for putting some more herbs in to put near the back door.

I'm so pleased with myself, it really was odd the feeling that I got from rediscovering and using what I had in, odd but very good, better than retail therapy :eek: and if I'm honest, if I had gone to the garden centre I'd have found something else to buy and spent more than just what I was going for. DH's face was a picture last night when he offered to finally take me to the local wyevale this weekend and I told him I didn't need to go, he asked me if I was feeling well :rotfl: So I took him into the back garden and showed him my afternoons plunder and achievement, he was speechless Now what can I find today....

Herby x

Herbaholic

Tregemred wrote: »

I made cushions from the childrens favourite outgrown t-shirts which they have as scatter cushions in their rooms. I had to make an inner cushion and use the t-shirt as a cover as the t-shirt stretched too much if you stuffed it direct.

That's lovely Tregemred, lovely personal touches like that are what make a house a home. When I read your post it made me remember doing this when I got my first flat with two old animal print tshirts, they were my very first sewing project and I did them by hand, I was so proud of them. I got the idea back in the days when I used to get Prima when they always had good things to make for the house and a free pattern inside the mag every month (still have some of them in the loft), I'm sure it was one of the weekend project ideas.

I made myself skirts and leggings, my own cushion covers and curtain tiebacks (I always used to buy curtains a little longer than needed and chop the access off to make tiebacks with, worked out cheaper than buying the seperate ready made tiebacks), I remember turning some cheap duvet covers into bean bags to match the decor of the spare room. Blimey, I used to do so much myself, maybe its time to get DH to dig my sewing machine out of the loft. Does the rediscovering of old talents count as discovering treasure in the house?

Herby x

[Deleted User]

Tregemred wrote: »

I made cushions from the childrens favourite outgrown t-shirts which they have as scatter cushions in their rooms. I had to make an inner cushion and use the t-shirt as a cover as the t-shirt stretched too much if you stuffed it direct.

Good idea, especially if they were favourite t-shirts.

[Deleted User]

Herbaholic wrote: »

This thread really has me looking at things in our house differently, thanks so much for starting it Budgeteer :A, more treasure for me yesterday. For 2 weeks I've been nagging my OH to take me to the garden centre so I can get a large tub and some compost to plant some tomato plants in that my Dad gave me, and a new hanging basket for a tumbling tomato plant. Still waiting to go and yesterday was such a lovely day, I decided to try my hand after the weekends success and I went treasure hunting in the garden, just to see what I could find...

In the garden at the side of the shed I found an old wicker washing basket that was supposed to have gone to the tip many moons ago. A rummage in the greenhouse turned up some of those heavy weight black plastic rubble sacks (no idea why I got them in the first place) and an old biscuit tin full of veg, herb and flower seeds I'd forgotten I had, some are a bit old, but still worth trying to grow some of them. Inside the shed I found an old hanging basket hiding at the back under a bucket and in the corner two huge bags of seed and potting compost!

So I sliced one of the rubble sacks in half lined the wicker basket, filled with compost and planted up my toms, after trimming the top it looks really rustic and will now take pride of place in the garden. I repeated the process with the hanging basket and my toms are now all planted up and it cost me nothing but time, I saved about £15 and if I'm lucky I'll save more money when my tomato plants fruit. Also found some plastic terracotta look pots in the shed that match some others I have which I bought when Wilko's were selling garden stuff off at the end of the garden season a couple of years ago (and had forgotten about). So today or tomorrow I'm sowing more basil and rocket in those and using a couple for putting some more herbs in to put near the back door.

I'm so pleased with myself, it really was odd the feeling that I got from rediscovering and using what I had in, odd but very good, better than retail therapy :eek: and if I'm honest, if I had gone to the garden centre I'd have found something else to buy and spent more than just what I was going for. DH's face was a picture last night when he offered to finally take me to the local wyevale this weekend and I told him I didn't need to go, he asked me if I was feeling well :rotfl: So I took him into the back garden and showed him my afternoons plunder and achievement, he was speechless Now what can I find today....

Herby x

You're a star Herby and I agree. It's very odd, but treasure hunting at home IS better than retail therapy isn't it?

[Deleted User]

I was digging away in my knitting basket and found a practically finished lacy knitted dress that I had made for a teddy bear (Gift). Sadly, it was too small and I was disappointed. I left it for many months not wanting to throw all that work away. However, as I looked at the dress this morning, I picked up my trusty little bunny that sits on my bed and tried the dress up against her. It fits perfectly and looks beautiful. So that's my treasure today.

How often do I find myself saying 'Now why didn't I think of that before?'

BigMummaF

There's a thread on here with ideas for Gifts in a Jar :j

I used a plastic 'jam jar' that had had fruit in it, for my cotton buds. It has a wider neck but even then it was a palava getting them in but it does hold almost a whole pack of about 200.

Be prepared for a whole host of posts in the coming days as we've to make access to every blummin socket in the house for a wiring check. I can tell you now that some of 'em have not seen the light of day since the last one about three years ago, so I'm anticipating this will be somewhat of an epic as opposed to a short info-mercial
What Joy

Tregemred

Herbaholic wrote: »

That's lovely Tregemred, lovely personal touches like that are what make a house a home. When I read your post it made me remember doing this when I got my first flat with two old animal print tshirts, they were my very first sewing project and I did them by hand, I was so proud of them. I got the idea back in the days when I used to get Prima when they always had good things to make for the house and a free pattern inside the mag every month (still have some of them in the loft), I'm sure it was one of the weekend project ideas.

I made myself skirts and leggings, my own cushion covers and curtain tiebacks (I always used to buy curtains a little longer than needed and chop the access off to make tiebacks with, worked out cheaper than buying the seperate ready made tiebacks), I remember turning some cheap duvet covers into bean bags to match the decor of the spare room. Blimey, I used to do so much myself, maybe its time to get DH to dig my sewing machine out of the loft. Does the rediscovering of old talents count as discovering treasure in the house?

Herby x

Hi Herby,

Yes, the t-shirts were those that drew tears when I tried to pass them on. I too used to subscribe to Prima, I wonder if I subconciously drew inspiration from something I'd read back then? It sounds as though you were really making the most of everything! I love sharing ideas and I think rediscovering old skills is a strong candidate for buried treasure.

On the subject of re-purposing old t-shirts, I was just in the kitchen when I noticed something I'd made after my LBM which has become so part of the furniture no longer notice it.

I had bought one of those duster things that has a plastic handle and replaceable paper duster heads. Well, buying the replacement heads was no longer an option but I was loathe to throw it out. I had some sweatshirting remnants from a project way back in bright primaries so cut out 8 rectangles, about 10cm larger all round than the part that the head would have gone on. I sandwiched 4 together and sewed a pocket large enough to fit over the plastic bit, then, because my machine could only sew 4 layers at once, hand stitched the remaining 4 layers, 2 each side, IYSWIM. I then made cuts 15mm apart almost to the stitching all the way round to create the duster effect. I have several now and they work really well. I just chuck them in the washing after use and round they go again. I think this would work with t-shirts and fleece.

One of my works in progress is a dishwashing mop. I was going to unravel a worn out cotton jumper (I've been crocheting dishcloths from them up to now) but I'm going to try t-shirts cut down to 1cm strips.