Preparing for winter II

LittleBrownFrog

The_Thrilla wrote: »

I've made a haybox out of a laundry basket and some old sleeping bags. Works fine.

I will be living on the contents of my freezer during the autumn to get it emptied. This winter I will try turning the fridge/freezer off during the cold months. It doesn't make sense to have piles of snow outside, while inside, in a cold kitchen, you have a fridge running.

We turn our fridge off in the cold weather - our kitchen is right out at the back of the house & it's not uncommon for it to be colder than the fridge!! We found that we had to keep the fridge slightly open though, because no matter how clean it was, it started to smell awful pretty quickly (we used cardboard and duck tape for that modification - very high-tech!).

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

MrsRogers wrote: »

Hey ladies

Thought id let you all know Littlewoods online are offering Buy One Get One Free on bedding.

I have just bought some flannelette sheets in the sale (lovely pattern which will match my bedroom:j

Because of the BOGOF I got

2 x King Flannelette Sheets and 4 x Pillowcases = £11 :T

Delivery is free too

thank you mrs rogers for this tip! I have gone through quidco and got 6% off too!
I bought:
1xflat sheet king size (bogof)
2xflat sheet single (bogof)
2xduvet cover single (bogof)
3x pack of 2 pillowcases (bogof)

all for the princely sum of £46 (before quidco)

Thank you so much for the heads up on this one, I have been looking out for flannelette sheets and not a lot of places seem to do them, those that do are very expensive.... :j

so that me and hubby and the 2 kids sorted for winter bedtime :T

MrsBunny

Whoo, just a quick post, I have finished my knitted blanket and have just sewed it to a Mr A fleece blanket to make it extra snuggley warm :-). Lovely and colourful and I will now be alot warmer watching TV this winter, onto blanket #2 now as i have a new love of knitting! xx

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

MrsBunny wrote: »

Whoo, just a quick post, I have finished my knitted blanket and have just sewed it to a Mr A fleece blanket to make it extra snuggley warm :-). Lovely and colourful and I will now be alot warmer watching TV this winter, onto blanket #2 now as i have a new love of knitting! xx

well done on finishing the blanket as they take a while.
I usually knit a log cabin blanket in the winter as it covers my knees as I knit and nobody can pinch it as I am still knitting it!

pattern is as follows... cast on 8 sts, knit 15 rows, cast off to last st. turn a quarter turn, pick up and knit 8 sts, knit 15 rows, cast off to last st, turn a quarter turn etc..
Keep doing this and you will find you will be knitting sts in multiples of 8 and it will go as big as you like, stop when big enough, great way to use up scraps of wool.

muffin_man_7

Desperate_Housewife wrote: »

well done on finishing the blanket as they take a while.
I usually knit a log cabin blanket in the winter as it covers my knees as I knit and nobody can pinch it as I am still knitting it!

pattern is as follows... cast on 8 sts, knit 15 rows, cast off to last st. turn a quarter turn, pick up and knit 8 sts, knit 15 rows, cast off to last st, turn a quarter turn etc..
Keep doing this and you will find you will be knitting sts in multiples of 8 and it will go as big as you like, stop when big enough, great way to use up scraps of wool.

Thanks for the knitting instructions i'm a bit rusty with knitting haven't done any since youngest was a baby( and shes 14 now )
if i could just check does pick upand knit 8 sts mean the side of what has just been knitted i'm better with things i can see not written iyswim and what size needles are best thanks

Rainy-Days

On Thursday I got all my scarves out and washed them all on a wool wash with wool detergent, dried them and they came up beautifully. I am gradually going through my jumpers and cardigans making sure that they are in top notch. I put neat lavender essential oil onto cotton wool balls and put those in the wardrobes to keep the moths at bay - this time of year they are more likely to come in so I am deterring them by doing this.

Roof of the seated arbour needs to be rubbed down and wood staining treatment put on, that will be done in the next couple of weeks - just need a whole dry day for it because it has been on and off raining nearly every ruddy day! Been cleaning the guttering, I will do this again later on in the year but it will only be leaves mainly and not the bits of moss and dust and dirt in there, I have also washed the outside of the guttering as well (I live in a bungalow so easy to get to )

vodkawitch1

Just bought snow/moon boots for myself and daughter £10 a pair on sportsdirect might stop my toes freezing this winter

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

muffin_man_7 wrote: »

Thanks for the knitting instructions i'm a bit rusty with knitting haven't done any since youngest was a baby( and shes 14 now )
if i could just check does pick upand knit 8 sts mean the side of what has just been knitted i'm better with things i can see not written iyswim and what size needles are best thanks

yes, up the side....here is a link for a pattern
http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns/afghans/log-cabin-square.htm

Rainy-Days

I really did forget to tell you all that the early indications for this winter 2011/2012 are that we could be in for another bad winter again possibly on a par with 2009 and 2010. Last two years the old sage in me kept saying to OH that the hedges were laden with berries and that is a sure sign (grandfather taught me this) and this year the damsons on the trees are laden in the orchard next door. We have pine cones on the old Christmas tree already and someone mentioned that the El Nino effect (yes it's still going apparently) is suggesting that the trend is on a par with winter 2010 but that this year could break all records in terms of temperature drops! I also noted that just before the bad weather set it the moon at half was sitting on it's back as well (another one of grandfathers pointers) and sure enough we had within two weeks that dumping of snow! I really think at the very least we should all be prepared.

One place that I have used recently to gleen info accurately predicted the last two bad winters and they say we are on a course for a third one now as well!

Did you know that the Met Office knew one month before hand that the UK was going to be hit by horrendous snow and they gave no advanced warning? They claimed that because of previous predications of berbeque summers and being laughed at the didn't tell anyone!

helen_jelly

I looked at that site too - interesting reading even if I didn't understand all of it - the guy is very clever and I for one believe him and am trying to get everything ready for the end of October!

Helen