Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

Ches

The smallest paintbrush in the packet to use as a pastry brush.

meritaten

I hold my hands up - I bought some 'bobble makers' - not the 'Brand' but Chinese knockoffs.
I am rubbish at making bobbles with cardboard rings - the darn things look misshapen, the wool falls out - they are awful.
tbh - it was money well spent. I learned from Youtube how to use them (no instructions) and the bobbles came out looking great!

taking heart from this I then purchased a flower loom (figuring it would work out cheaper than buying motifs to decorate hats, sweaters etc). it turns out beautiful little flowers - in whatever I want to use it with. (the instructions were a hoot tho, very badly translated - it called the results 'funny floriations'! rofl).
but I do know what you mean - I have lost count of the number of 'gadgets' I tried and discarded over the years.

kittym

I use the wire in the wire ties from freezer bags to help me thread cotton through my sewing needles.

Rose your doll is wonderful, can't wait to see the boy one.

Went shopping on an empty stomach..... Big mistake. Came home with 4 extra packets of biscuits, muffins and three bags of sweets, one of which I ate in the car on the way home:mad: Won't be doing that again.

Enjoy the rest of your evening. xx

vhalla1478

Because of my broken elbow,I break glass flower vases, so I use jam jars and an old oil can for flowers.

janb5

Viv- the cheesecake `went down a storm`! according to my son and they want the recipe. I think I am going to hold on to it a bit longer as otherwise I wont be able to use it for the weekly cakes! So your advice re the stem ginger was spot on- many thanks indeed!

cheerfulness4

Oh my, kew on a plate is on and so colourful and wonderful. I'm going to enjoy this programme I think.


Rose, that doll is so great! Your granddaughter is a very fortunate young lady.


GQ - your time at the allotment reminds me why I miss mine so much. Even my previous large garden was a mass of birdsong and wildlife. Not so here unfortunately but DH saw a little wren this morning. I'm hoping my careful planting of shrubs will encourage more.


Back after Kew.

cheerfulness4

Spends for today and yesterday:


SUN 15 MAR
DAY 15

Money Spent Today - £2.47 Vouchers Spent - £1.80
Money Spent in Total - £41.47 Vouchers Spent in Total - £0
Money left in purse - £0.53 Float left- £0.17/£15
Jan non-foods left- £8.35/£15

We spent £2.47 on milk@ 88p and Lrg box cornflakes @ £1.59.


MON 16 MAR
DAY 16

Money Spent Today - £3.53 Vouchers Spent - £1.80
Money Spent in Total - £45.00 Vouchers Spent in Total - £0
Money left in purse - £0 Float left- £0.17/£15
Jan non-foods left- £6.12/£15

Spent a very extravagant £5.76 today on Lrg jar Hellmans Mayo @ £2, 2x milk @ £1.76 and 500g of Morris spreadable butter @ £2. This is the point where I had decided to take a little from the very rich non-foods budget as I know we don't need the money there but could do with it in the grocery budget. So £3. 53 charged to grocery monies and the remaining £2.23 to non- foods monies.

The good news was that the till spat out a £5 match and more voucher so that will come in very handy over the next few days.

mrssnowy_2

Hi JackieO
The pattern I have got says DK wool,3mm needles and cast on 42 stitches.
That is trial and error according to tension needles etc,measure against your own hand.
6 rows in 2x2 rib(K2,P2)
Then you work 26 rows in stocking stitch ending on a purl row.
Thumb shaping
row 1:K19,place marker,M1,K4,M1,place marker,K19
row 2: purl
Increase row: knit to first marker,slip marker onto needle,M1,K to second marker M1,slip marker onto needle,K to end of row
Continue making and increase row on every K row until you have 16 stitches between the 2 markers ending on a K row
Cast off thumb:P to 1st marker,cast off the 16 stitches between the markers and purl to end of row
close up thumb:K18 stitches,you should have1 stitch left before the cast off edge begins,K into back of stitch on the left needle,then K the stitch that is left on the right needle Bit fiddly but twists stitches together to make strong neat join.
Continue another 8 rows stocking stitch then 5 rows 2x2 rib.
Cast off.Sew up.
I do adapt the pattern depending who I am doing them for,and like to add a couple of rows 2x2 rib on thumb before casting off but then you would have to fudge the close up thumb bit-IYSWIM
Good with longer wrist rib
They look lovely in whacky stripes
Have fun,hope you don't get too addicted!
mrssnowy

cheerfulness4

Thanks for that pattern Missnowy. I rather fancy a go at those myself as I have lots of bits of wool.

silvasava

GQ - my DS1 has a saying 'All the gear and no idea' which is applied in our household frequently! DH made me a tool from a piece of dowel stuck in a piece of steel pipe which was cut along the length to make a 'poker' to get Dandelion roots out - works a treat as its about 18 inches long & I can usually get all the root out
Saw a large flock of migrating birds coming in last night - stopped & watched as they changed shapes & leader - such a lovely sight. Ain't nature wonderful.