As The Workhouse Approaches....How To Do Everything To Avoid It, the Old Style Way

maryb

Thinking a bit more about how you learn old skills. DD1 would never let me teach her anything but she has really got into patchwork and taught herself from YouTube videos. Once she got to a stage where she could do the basics she was much happier for me to show her tricks and techniques and we can now share an interest. And I pointed her in the direction of Attic24's blog and now she's really getting into crochet, again with the help of YouTube.

I think blogs and YouTube will make sure skills don't die out and it's probably much more in tune with the way people want to learn these days

DD wants to learn dressmaking when she's home in the summer and she says she'll let me teach her that - the responsibility!!. Expect shouts and screams (not saying which one of us will be doing the shouting and screaming.....)

Molly41

I was very lucky as we had Home Economics at school in the 80's. I even got the school prize one year for the subject. I really enjoyed it and I learnt all my basic skills - rubbing in, creaming, puff pastry etc. I also watched my grandmother make jams etc and my most loved kitchen implement is her preserving pan which must be 30 years old. All my kids have taken/ are taking Food Technology at GCSE. There is a different emphasis but they do seem to do a lot of cooking.

r.a.i.n.b.o.w

Just been into Mr S - I bought a pack of their Basics teabags last week and it cost me 27p. Today I noticed it's now 30p - that's an 11% price rise!

Where are the government getting their figures from?? It's nowhere near 5% in my experience!

.


One thing that is a bargain at the mo is Mr T's 1% milk, 6 pints for £1.10 in the Purley (just outside Croydon/London) store.

greenbee

Softstuff wrote: »

Thanks for the advice and reassurance. The airline would sort me to some extent, it's one of the reasons I fly with them. I hadn't thought about simply asking for a bottle of water though, that's so obvious yet I'd totally overlooked it [\quote]

I always tell them that it's easier for them to give me the bottle as then I won't keep hassling them for more... Saves you having to buy expensive water at the airport.

stiltwalker

Hi all,

We had home economics at school for 3 years half term and term about with needlework but in a girls grammar it was looked down rather and the teacher was so OCD about her kitchen getting dirty that we only "cooked" about 5 things in all that time (one of which was sandwiches!) and spent more of the lesson cleaning the cookers than using them! Fortunately I came from a family where food was deeply important and was cooking properly by 7 and totally independently (with supervision) by 10 or 11. I always wondered how my fellow classmates would ge on at uni when they had to fend for themselves and even suggested cooking classes for the 6th formers but was shot down in flames by the teachers for being to lowbrow!!!!! Our "gels" were going to be doctors and lawyers they wouldn't need to cook!!!! It was all terribly Miss Jean Brody and this was the early to mid 90's.

Well hope everyone has survived the storms - been to check on the garden and miraculously everything looks to have survived ok, even the plastic greenhouse but then again I had made OH weigh it down with about a dry stone wall quantity of quite large rocks.

Been signed off by the midwife today as both me and the little man are doing fine, just waiting for the argument with the HV now over the fact that I'm not going to be able to get to their silly sure start centre and tey'll have to come to me! Ok idea but in practice it's not good, no safe parking for those of us who live out of town and rubbish buses round here and they don't let you take your pushchairs inside for "Health and Safety!" Fine if you have one small light baby but how does that help me with a new one and a non toddling 2 year old with associated bags and potty? Equally how does that help the mum who's had a c section and can't lift for 6 weeks or the mum with twins? Makes my blood boil at how daft it all is - can't you tell!

floss2

Molly41 wrote: »

I was very lucky as we had Home Economics at school in the 80's. I even got the school prize one year for the subject. I really enjoyed it and I learnt all my basic skills - rubbing in, creaming, puff pastry etc.....

Molly, I also did Home Ec like that but late 70's until I dropped it for Drama in my 'O' levels.... made a gingham apron, a gypsy skirt, baked apples (but they had no filling by the time I had walked 2 miles home!), cottage pie, quiche, crumble, victoria sponge, etc etc....also learnt all the basics like nutrition & balanced diets, putting a zip in, button holes, creaming, making pastry (think I was off that day though as mine is like concrete!)...all the things that are "useful"!

scottishminnie

Well good news - the power is back on, although we are told it may have to go back off tomorrow for 12 hours or so:(

I'm leaving the freezer well alone until tomorrow before I take a peek but I patrolled the garden earlier tonight and found that my big teak garden table and 2 chairs are what can only be described as firewood now! We''ve had them 3 years now but since the Scottish weather is so bad they had only been used 4 or 5 times. Makes them very expensive barbeques we had!

I'm smiling at the memories of home economics - I seem to remember it taking a whole school year to make a pinny and a drindl skirt. I've never made anything with a sewing machine since although I do hand sew quite a bit.
I would like to make my own curtains though - that's on my list of things to do at some stage.

lovebargainshatewaste

Pretty much everything I know to do with cooking, fixing and mending is self-taught. I've still got plenty to learn, as I'm not any good at sewing. Lack of practice and experimentation, I suppose. I would like to get a sewing machine, but I'm not sure I'll use it enough to justify buying one. I've got enough clothes, although some of my jumpers will need replacing later in the year. Not sure what else I'd need a sewing machine for, to be honest, as I've got the curtains I need and I don't need any cushions.

I do enjoy being able to fix things. I've taught myself to tile, hang wallpaper, paint, drill, filling damages in walls etc etc. Now, if I can do it, I reckon anyone can - especially as I'm quite clumsy. I think it's a matter of wanting to learn things. I'm trying hard to get better at knitting, but I'll persevere and won't give up.

I've a question though. Some of you might be horrified I don't know the answer, but here goes: I know I can use vinegar to clean windows (and mirrors?). Which type of vinegar do I use? Do I dilute? Basically, how do I clean my windows with vinegar? Step by step instructions please Thank you.

Hope the peeps in windy areas are ok.

r.a.i.n.b.o.w

GreyQueen wrote: »

Hun, my council has given a blanket pre-premission for all tnts to have a water meter installed and it may be the same where you live. Fire off an email (cheaper than phoning, we are OS and must watch the pennies) to your council's tenancy services dept or whatever they call them there. We still get tnts being told by numpties at our water company that they have to ask the council when the pre-permission has been in place for many many years.

Good luck!

Ahhhhh...! Crossing everything that's the case - if not, I might just write to the council leader/head and MP - we should be allowed to choose to save water/money if we want!
:money:

EstherH

I had 'Domestic Science' lessons in the 70's and did it to CSE level which was the lower level than GCE O'level. I remember learning to do all the pastries and different cake making methods and for the CSE exam I think we had to make a meal. We seemed to have a lot of theory lessons, probably one week theory one week practical. I do remember one lessons making fairy buns and the teacher coming and rubbishing my effort which she said had cuddled. My friends was perfect apparently. When they came out of the oven mine had risen and my friends had flopped. Funny how something like that sticks in your mind.

We had needlework half the year too in the first three years. I hated that. I seemed to spend the whole time queuing up to have my work inspected and being told to go back and unpick it and start again. We made a gingham apron in the first year too. A skirt in the second year and a pinafore in the third. I have never sown since except one attempt at making curtains which my mum finished, same as the skirt and pinafore that still hadn't been finished at the end of term.