make do and mend for tougher times

Sunshine4

suzybloo wrote: »

Yes D&DD you can still get jars of Malt from the chemists - up here you can anyway. Cant remember the makers name on the jar though. We were given the spponfuls of Malt and Codliver Oil every morning too, and that was in the 70's!
On the clothes dying front I have dyed three pairs of black trousers this week for work - they were faded but otherwise fine, so I tried the new style Dylon Machine Dye where you dont need to add salt - costs £5.50 - and these trousers look like new again and will see the winter out! In the machine at the moment are the two thick cotton bathroom sets - they were a lovely colour when bought - now faded but once they are dyed they will look as good as new again. Give it a go - so easy now you dont have to faff about with salt etc.
I looked at these readicut rugs kits in hobbycraft, they were really expensive, but they did have the mesh and hooks to allow you make up your own designs. Would it work if you cut up thin strips of t-shirts etc and make it like a rag rug possibly?

Thanks for this I have 2 large bath towels that are still very good but faded so will try this. Also navy pants that fit really well but faded also.

Pooky

I've picked up some redicut kits at bootfairs, they're great fun but they do make my hands hurt so I can only do a bit at a time, currently have a sunflower rug on the go for the conservatory. Have a noahs ark wall hanging on that someone has started but they've done maybe a 4 inch square and the everything was jammed in a black sack on the floor at a bootfair, I got it for 20p :j

LidI had some hessian sacks in last week (for covering plants for the winter), I got some last year for rug making and they're ideal. I've saved tea shirts for years for rug making purposes and I did have a spate of cutting them all up into strips ready but it's now sitting in a suitcase under the bed, I'll get round to it one day.

I learnt how to card, make a rolag (I think it was called that) and spin on a drop spindle when I was at school. The textiles teacher had sheep, loved the smell of that class room.

Still no sign of moggy

SDG31000

Morning all

BigJenny You poor thing I hope you have a speedy and painfree recovery.

kidcat I really hope that the new tablets work.

Congratulations Monogran :T

fuddle I thought this might be useful if you want to buy ticking at charity shops http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-ticking.htm# Another idea might be to buy a cheap duvet, sew and cut it into squares and make covers for those.

I am feeling sorry for myself today as I have my first lot of lurgy of the cold season. I woke up at 3am with a sore throat and ear ache because of it. Whenever I get a sore throat the pain travels to my ears as well. I'm hoping this one shifts by itself as I have another busy week next week.

I was at the charity shop again yesterday morning and nearly walked out when I got there. I spent hours last week sorting out all the books, only to be told yesterday that one of the area managers had been in and said that we have too many books out and I had to reduce them by 4 shelves worth. They are now piled in boxes in the book cupboard and I felt like all the work I'd put in was a waste of time. Thankfully I managed to let go of that resentment before the end of the shift. That's unusual for me and a good thing for me to learn how to do.

I need to write a shopping list and I'll send DH out shopping later, one less thing to worry about.

Take care everyone xxx

prepareathome

Morning, well woken up to very bright sunshine but freezing, amazingly exactly as weather forecast said.

Some one was saying how expensive crafts are now, well here is the yarn I bought on Thursday, all wool mix some more some less and I will not say how much this little lot cost but could have bought a trolley load of food in Ald* if they had let me (oh phoned and asked about cc policy, they are trialling cc payments it in Wales but elsewhere not accepting them.


Yesterday was the best day I have had in ages, actually toddled to newsagent and picked up a few more tins for my stores - he has a policy of only buying tins that have a price on them which means very often things are cheaper than elsewhere including sm - like he/nz big breakfast hubby doesn't have it often, once, twice a year but my local newsagent £1.09, sm £1.49 and approved food £1.29. Owner told me he doesn't make a vast profit on each item but everyone can see he is charging less than sm, so I buy carefully from him. He obviously isn't doing to badly as he bought the next nearest newsagents as well

I also got my last vegetable plants into pots, need to go into ground but not quite up to clearing it but as the came Wednesday poor things needed to get out of the box they came in, so are all snuggled under fleece. There is 10 Kale plants which I know would please Mar:rotfl:

Did also manage to get old pc working but wireless card seems to have a problem as it will not log on, this pc that old it came with Ethernet connection only and that connection totally gone and we bought the wireless card for it, it about 11 years old as Windows XP had just come out when we bought it and had managed to keep it going but now need it, its packing in :mad:

Postman was here at 7am delivering my Crisco, so many american friends say it is so good in baking so been wanting to try it, bought the 1.3kg size as could get it cheaper using subscribe and save option so should do me quite a while.

Right back to knitting as want to finish DGS7 hat today, he requested black,green and blue so hope he likes it.

Hugs and Love to Allxxxx

kidcat

Oh Mardatha, had totally forgotten malt, my mum used to give me a spoon a day - no idea why but it was lovely, and could have eaten a jar.

SDG - I would have been cross too, all that work for nothing.

Am feeling really tired and woozy today but thankfully the swelling has gone down a little, am hoping the pain starts to subside today and I can ditch the pain killers

Pops I watched gordon during the night too, and was pleasantly surprised, although my personal bug bear is that every recipe seems to have chilli in it, I cannot stand any hot dishes at all, a very mild chilli con carne is the most I can handle, I am not alone why do chefs not realise this.

kidcat

PAH - you can buy special plugs that you plug into mains socket then plug the ethernet from PC into it, and then another special plug into mains with an ethernet into modem we use them for kids gaming (I can then control when they play - wireless they control) they are called something like ethernet adapters. Not that expensive and easier than installing a wireless card.

valk_scot

fuddle wrote: »

Valk I looked into hand spinning a short while ago. I thought it would have been a money saving way to knit with pure wool but all I could find was bundles that cost just as much and then I needed to buy the dye. I really would like to hand spin though. I think it would be a real stress reliever. Do you use a wheel? My jaw dropped when I saw the cost of the spinning wheels?

If you want to save money then you start with fleece straight from the sheep which costs buttons, relaitively speaking. The prepared and dyed roving you can buy online is as expensive as yarn sometimes, especially if it's artisan stuff. Prepping and dyeing your own takes a fair bit of time though and there's a learning curve to go through. It is a very satisfying hobby though, to be able to go from sheep to sweater can make you feel pretty smug!

Ginnyknit, washing dirty fleece for use is a bit like washing a pure wool jumper, you have to be careful not to turn it into a lump of felt. It's not difficult though, I do it in a B&Q builders bucket in the bath, with a bit of Value baby shampoo. I can type out the process if you want, it's a bit long winded though!

Fuddle, youcan learn to spin on a drop spindle made from an old CD, a chopstick and a bit of blue tac or a basic spindle will cost under £10. A friend of mine runs an Etsy shop, she sells beginners packs with a selection of fibres, a spindle and good instructions for £15 which is a very economical way to get started. (Shop is shut for the weekend I see, she'll be back on Monday.) New wheels are expensive, yes, but there's a good second hand market and a sound second hand Ashford Traditional, the VW Beetle of the spinning world for popularity and versitility, can be found for about £150 usually. It will hold its resale value too.

I teach this stuff in RL btw, I've got several wheels and a lot to say on the subject, don't I Mardatha? (She's seen me in action, it's difficult to shut me up tbh...)

fuddle

Was the Gordon programme wholesome homecooking?

Mrs_Chip

I think the ones I have used were called Powerline. Very good where there are connectivity issues due to wireless signal interference.

Not as cheap as buying a wireless dongle for the Pc/laptop which you can prob get for less than a tenner now.

The Gordon prog is about basic techniques, tips and recipes that can be adapted.
We are watching and if you can forget his style, some useful info.

Kidcat - you can always leave the chilli out, or get a mild chilli powder or the milder dried chillies (available online), they are not all screaming hot!

I never used to like really hot stuff, but have grown into it and love a really good chilli kick - but not Indian hot for some reason, the spice mix is different to West Indian spicing, which I can take as hot as you like. Chilli is a mood enhancer, so is medicinal (like chocolate) as far as I am concerned!

fuddle

valk_scot wrote: »

If you want to save money then you start with fleece straight from the sheep which costs buttons, relaitively speaking. The prepared and dyed roving you can buy online is as expensive as yarn sometimes, especially if it's artisan stuff. Prepping and dyeing your own takes a fair bit of time though and there's a learning curve to go through. It is a very satisfying hobby though, to be able to go from sheep to sweater can make you feel pretty smug!

Ginnyknit, washing dirty fleece for use is a bit like washing a pure wool jumper, you have to be careful not to turn it into a lump of felt. It's not difficult though, I do it in a B&Q builders bucket in the bath, with a bit of Value baby shampoo. I can type out the process if you want, it's a bit long winded though!

Fuddle, youcan learn to spin on a drop spindle made from an old CD, a chopstick and a bit of blue tac or a basic spindle will cost under £10. A friend of mine runs an Etsy shop, she sells beginners packs with a selection of fibres, a spindle and good instructions for £15 which is a very economical way to get started. (Shop is shut for the weekend I see, she'll be back on Monday.) New wheels are expensive, yes, but there's a good second hand market and a sound second hand Ashford Traditional, the VW Beetle of the spinning world for popularity and versitility, can be found for about £150 usually. It will hold its resale value too.

Thank you so much. I love the beginner pack DH is going to get me it for my Christmas present :j I searched ebay for sheep's fleece. I need to learn about amounts and value for money but this is something that come the new year I want to get to grips with. I'm passionate about knitting (although still very much carp) and love the idea of from sheep to jumper.

Valk don't be going anywhere! I'm going to need your help!