really old style living?

witchwoopiggy

is this thread still going ? or has it been dropped off, shame if it has as loved reading it

mardatha

No, it can't drop off as long as we keep talking ! I am missing the old "tough" thread so much its spoiling this whole site for me now, quite sad. So lets resurrect this one!
I am reading a book called "Thrifty Tips from the War Years" or something like that- can't lay hands on it now and cant be a$$ed to go and look. Its a new book from the library.
Added to the news today which is all doom & gloom, with energy prices set to rise by upto 60% and the UK back in recession, we need to be as frugal as possible ladies!

witchwoopiggy

nice to see you mardatha
Well postie came about a couple of hours ago with a great big parcel which contained two great big stinky, filthy Rhyland sheep fleece for spinning. Now i am well aware sheep are not the cleanest of animals but they look alot cleaner than this when they are bouncing around the field

So now i am up to my armpits in sheep poo, mud and anything else they have rolled in trying to clean it enough for spinning, and all this with just a kitchen sink .... sometimes i really worry about me

and to think i only spin on a drop spindle and never done it from the start so to speak i think my jumper might be a long time coming lol

i only started all this cause wool is getting expensive and sadly for the farmer really the fleeces cost 99p each

Bobbykins

WPP - now that's what I call REALLY OS. Blimey, I wouldn't know where to start with a fleece - it takes me all my time to knit a little cardi for my Grandkids with bought yarn!
I'm, as my DD would say, "well impressed"
Mardatha - I know what you mean about the "tough" thread, a lot of the regular posters are missing now, I only ever lurked really but I miss it too. Maybe, in time, some of the old posters will feel like coming back so p'raps those that do still post need to keep the new "not mentioning the T word" thread going so there's something for them to come back to?

mardatha

Well one thing's for sure, this forum has never been more in fashion and much needed !
I live in sheep country WWP. I cudda told you how smelly they are... but you never asked ! :rotfl::rotfl: -However, If you can make even a pair of sheepskin slippers then they will be the warmest thing you have ever had. Well done ! :T am sure you'll do it ! Its a great idea.
I have got a spindle and some roving somewhere but I didnt have the patience to stick with it, I like knitting too much. But if wool got unbearably dear then yes, I would. They have that at yarn shows up here- "From Sheep to Sweater " - a team will card the fleece then spin it then knit it live at the show. But using wheels not spindles.

prepareathome

mardatha wrote: »

I am reading a book called "Thrifty Tips from the War Years" or something like that- can't lay hands on it now and cant be a$$ed to go and look. !

Thanks for the mention of the book, I had a look on Amazon and they had it, but best still two people selling it for 1p ( used) plus £2.80 pp so made sure I went through nectar site and have ordered them both - I called a friend and told her about it and yes as I knew she would want a copy but will never use a pc, but loves the fact I can get all the bargains for her on line lol. It sounds good, already have the Make and Mend book and a few others, so cannot wait for them to arrive. I love it when can get the book I want at that price, don't mind paying the pp then.
:T

witchwoopiggy

oo i would love to use a spinning wheel but there well out of my price range, in fact any range lol maybe i can dream. i have a few war cookery books and sew and save i too love these books and find it amazing how you can make a meal out of nothing really. Have spent the summer months pickling, jaming and storeing fruit and veg for the winter. i am lucky to have a allotment which keeps me and the in laws going. Hubby is pegfed so his food is delivered sadly, would love to cook for both of us, well theres no point in worring over small things theres loads worse off. Friend took me to sainburys yesterday and i made her go bright red lol dident realize how loud i was when i saw the price of there normal sugar £1.18 a bag cue me going how much!! lol not sure how they expect familys to keep body and soul together these days.

westcoastscot

loving the sound of that book Mar, shall look out for it. Witchy i'll be interested to hear how you get on with your fleeces - do keep posting. I spin with a spindle - just what i pick from the hedgerows - although we used to sell our fleeces when we had the croft, i've never had chance to learn to spin with a wheel. We have a group nearby if I ever have chance to join - its something i'd love to do.

Prices here are flying up - we're stumped for choice shop-wise, but I was stunned today when I had to pay £3.50 for a couple of bits of peppered mackerel!! sure it was only £1.50 last time I bought it! youngest is threatening to bring a barrel of salt-herring from the bait store on the boat - really back to the old days!

We did go back to having soup with dinner each night and that's made a difference - we're really stretched financially now so trying to make every penny work hard. I'm trying to do everything I can be more self-sufficient. Have worked out my 2012 budget and i'm determined not to buy anything that I can make myself - I'm sure its more cost effective to save money than try and earn more to pay for things.

I miss the old thread as well, haven't really found another that has caught my interest quite the same. I'm looking for other sites that deal with these issues - anyone know of any?

Edited this on to say - Mar I found a toaster iron that you can use in the stove - its basically a cast-iron toasy sandwich maker with a long handle that you put in the stove - will let you know how I get on with it once it arrives. (i'm assuming your stove was re-fitted fine aye?)

WCS

mardatha

I wouldn't be surprised if there were other sites like this - frugal is big nowadays !
The book is ok - not got right into it yet though. I cannot believe that sugar is £1.18 !!!!- are you sure ??
The stove. Well. You cant get it to damp down, it won't stop drawing. We're having to put on just one one shovel at a time or its a roaring furnace Be magic in the cold weather but its heavy on the coal. First few nights i got upto the loo in the night and it was like an oven !
Did anybody else read the fabulous post in the "ask yer granny" thread where the lady talked about her gran's range?? it had an oven at the side, a box at back to heat the water, and a trivet thing that swung over the fire for cooking pots . So the whole thing would work off one coal fire. Then other people were talking about a big flat stone built into the chimney, that stuck out and you sat the kettle on it. I think the old ways are the way to go now, esp after today's news that energy bills might rise by 60% .

ginnyknit

Oh I forgot about this thread - Yay its back, well done guys. Its funny that I have always fancied spinning but God knows where I would find the time.

I have had so many NSd's this week i am well ahead on the week so bought some felt letters on Fleabay to make little man an old fashioned alphabet chart. I got about 500 letters for a fiver, not bad considering one alphabet was anout 3 quid!:T

We have a voucher for extra points at Mr S and a voucher for 33 pounds off a £20 shop at Mr T but the winner seems to be going to Mr M and spending my £25 in stamps, 10% discount from Dd and 6p off litre of fuel. I have been racking my brains but think we are right with Mr M. Im going to stock up more, again, on basics as a shield against the prices rising (which I fully expect. We are so old style its unbelievable. i can see more of us on here stretching the pennies to breaking point.

Well Mardatha, you could take in washing and dry it with all that extra heat :rotfl: Its famine and feast tho isnt it - one minute you have no heat and then too much, not good when you are rationing the fuel. Im sat in my office ( ha old coal shed off the kitchen) and have switched everything off while Im in here.

I am going to have alook on the supermarket website in a min as I am not blooming well paying over a quid for sugar:mad:

We really need each other now, don't we, picking each others brains and sharing old ways to keep us all afloat - just hope we can all justify the 'tinternet' in our budgets cos I for one would feel adrift without my friends on here.