make do and mend for tougher times

fuddle

Hi and welcome When I'm in charity shops I have an eye on clothes that I quite like the look of the fabric. You can make allsorts out of any old garment. My fabric basket is getting fuller by the minute with off cuts from clothes.

Ebay is alright for fabric but what I find is you get charged the same as you would per metre else where, it just feels cheaper as you tend to buy by the fat quarter on there. I find anyway. Personally I feel like fabric buying by the metre is just out of my league at the minute.

Plenty of fabric on duvet covers

Cross posted with you Kate, sorry to repeat.

Niknoo83

Thank you! I have some old curtains, too be honest I'm a find making them for the door rather daunting! I'm ok with draught excluders and such. I am a complete novice when it comes to the sewing machine!

GreyQueen

smileyt wrote: »

I
Does anyone else feel whacked after being in company? I've just been to a meeting, which was interesting, and I love some of the people there as we take the mickey out of each other, but I've come home and I feel as if I could sleep for hours. This happens most of the time when I've been with a group of people, no matter how much I enjoy the activity we might be doing. I seem to need extortionate amounts of down time. People think I'm incredibly bouncy and sociable and funny but it takes a lot out of me as in reality I am an introvert and refuel by having peace and quiet.

Right, off to have another cup of tea and look for my ooomph! :rotfl:

PS Jennie, your daughter sounds wonderful.

Ahh, hun, you're not alone. Even before the ME hit me (aged 20) I needed a lot of down time on my own to recover from other people. I'm not anti-social, I'm a classic introvert and have always been the same. If people express sympathy that I live alone, I tend to think they're bonkers, I spent years wanting nothing more than my own place and didn't achieve that until my late thirties. Bliss, pure bliss.

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Think Mar meant 'don't' take sugar Fuddle! Heinous crime in my book, sugar in tea! When I was a kid I used to have heaps - I remember spooning it out of the bottom of the cup. At some point in my early teens I decided it was grown up to not take sugar and stopped it - now I could no more drink a cup of tea with sugar in it than fly.

I did that exactl same thing, went from 3 spoonfuls of sugar per cup down to nothing half a spoonful at a time. Just lost the taste for it and at about the same age.

Niknoo83 wrote: »

Hi all, this is my first post, although I've been reading the forum for a few years! Not sure why I have just hung around in the background till now, probably because I know I'll never leave! Anyway, I have just purchased a second hand sewing machine, and I am waiting for it to be serviced. I like the idea of making my own things such as draught excluders and door curtains ready for winter, but I'm just wondering, after the cost of the fabric, and bits, and bobs, will it really work out cheaper? or would ebay be my best bet?
Thank you!

Wotcher, Nik, glad to have you posting.

If you buy new fabric it'll almost always be dearer than buying 2nd hand but you stand a much better chance of getting what you like. But you don't have to buy new at all and with a sewing machine a wonderful world of recycling and upcycling opens up to you.

A lot of the gang are lining curtains for winter with cheap fleeces (IKEA seems to be the first port of call for many fleecehunters). If you haven't seen it already may I recommend Jocasta Innes' The Thrifty Decorator which is full of useful stuff inc covering furniture, curtains and blind-making. It is always turning up at charity shops or your library may well have it.

I've just been mugged by a cat. Hadn't been home long when I heard this cat yowling repeatedly outside my door. Heartrending. Was worried it was hurt and went out to see but all it wanted was a fuss and having mugged me for some strokes and rolled around to have it's tummy tickled, off it went. Cute kitty.

Right, gotta do some other stuff and see ya later.

Byatt

Hiya Niknoo, I look through charity shops mainly, although I don't have a sewing machine yet, I just love fabric!

My tea intake varies but it's around 15 mugs a day, not always fully drank as I forget sometimes that I've made myself a cuppa!

mardatha

Sorry Fuddle, of course I meant DONT take sugar lol. Trust me to forget the important word in there. I having a bit of a scatty day here lol.
GQ and smiley I'm the same. I used to always put a face on in public and thats tiring, so when you come off duty so to speak you're knackered. Now I jsut be my normal wee ratty unsociable weirdo self.

Niknoo83

Thank you! I'll have a look out for that book, the works normally have loads of books about that sort of thing too

stiltwalker

Welcome Niknoo - I've also had good bargain bags from www.abakhan.co.uk and by the metre from a place called fabric land.

Last day of DD's practicing at nursery - tomorrow she goes for real without me!!! so DS and I have a quiet morning on our own. DS enjoyed going to nursery while I was with DD so much that we have decided that we can afford for him to go 1 day a week to give me some respite so he starts on Wednesday! Going to go in and have a chat with the team in the baby room when I drop him off so they can ask me any questions about Jouberts and how it affects DS and what they can do to best promote his development but other than that I will have the day free. I don't know what I'm going to do with myself.
Should probably do some housework as I've hardly touched the place but for thi first week I may just treat myself to a lazy day and some wedding dress making.

GreyQueen

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

LMAO. Would've loved to have seen Mr Macho's poserhounds dragging him away from a terrier. Gotta love such plucky little dogs, haven't you? Bundles of energy and attitude and so loyal.

Pooky

My get up and go wandered back in shortly after 11am with its tail between it's legs.;) Got the apple chilli jam jarred up, 9 lovely jars of suspended chilli wobblyyumminess. Had a bit left over which of course had to be sampled tonight with gammon and new pots, just the right heat to apple ratio, sweet but with a kick.

We went to a local town for a CS mooch and had a wander along the pier with an ice cream - would have rude not to. Spotted an independent green grocer on the way back so popped in for a look - got some local damsons for wine and jam, the wine needs the juice, the jam needs the fruit so another double duty fruit!

Niknoo - hello :wave: mention to friends and family that you'd happily take first refusal on any fabric/bedding/clothing that may be of any use to you and you'll be surprised ow quickly you'll build up some stocks of different bits and bobs.

prepareathome

I had some tomatoes in pots in garden - they were bushes and then single plants in grow bags in grow house and all affected

[IMG][/img] chimnea by prepareathomeearth, on Flickr

I have realised I can if can find pots small but deep enough cook things on top of chimnea as there is a mesh that fits about 3ins down inside chimney from top or find something that would work as a pan holder . Haven't taken Dutch oven out to check if it would fit inside fire basket, but could certainly cook things wrapped in tin foil in it. Two holes unfortunately that should line up holding heavy mesh to contain fire onto base don't line up but as its two screws that should go in side by side and other is fine I can leave it without that screw, as this was last one in the store so no chance of replacement and don't want money back as won't find another for £20. (Reduced in sale).

I read somewhere on here how someone is using on of these in their fire place as they don't have a grate as yet. I think that is a great idea and if I get that horrible gas fire out will see if this fits in the space, would much prefer looking at that in fireplace than horrible gas fire.

Counted my tea bags and have 50 boxes of 80 in:o (all bar two packets are Mr S Basics) each plus the other box we just opened today so nearly got my years supply. Sounds grand doesn't it having a years supply of teabags yet all it cost is approx £15 which could get a years supply of everything else so cheaply.:D

Just renewed my broadband with O2 for another year, starts off at £25.50 but by time offers and discounts are taken off I continue to pay what I have past year £6.25, so at least something not gone up:T

Ended up doing spaghetti Bolognese for hubby as felt could not trust myself with hot oil to make fish cakes and I have just thrown some lamb chops in a gravy to cook. They are two fiddly for him, he only likes lamb steaks but none in although when digging around in chest freezer to see what I had found a piece of lamb for roasting I had totally forgotten about so will make that when it goes a bit cooler. I just buy ys food and throw it in, its amazing what it swallows up but then I find I tend to use what is at top and forget what is below so emptied it into laundry basket to find what I had in, some interesting surprises and that reminds me need to ask advise.

Way back in June I had picked up some YS strawberries, but I started feeling exhausted and when we got home just through everything that could be, into freezer including two punnets of strawberries still in plastic punnets, went to bed and forgot them till I came across them today. Now will they be usable for jam, which is what they were originally for?

Hugs and Love to all xxxx