Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

purpleivy

cheerfulness4 wrote: »

Katkins - this youtube video might help with that wingback chair problem. He says its simple. They always do don't they.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmSVqaGffOQ

Argh someone had to mention Lakeland, didn't she. tut tut. That's the sort of site where I fill my virtual basket with all the things I'd love and then empty it before the debit card comes out.

I got myself removed from the mailing list!

amandaatnumber7

Im hoping to dust off my sewing machine today and go through my fabric stash, Im thinking of making some shorts for DS3,,, cross your fingers for me lol

daydream_believer_2

Love this thread....even though I am hopeless and can't knit sew or cook (OH is the cook!), I'm interested in picking up tips, and just staying on the right track regarding making do and mending.

My Nan was fab at this, having struggled through the war on rations, one wage, and 2 kids and an evacuee to feed, she never got out of bad habits.

We used to live in US, the land of mass consumerism and throw away, but now live in Europe, surrounded by the most thrifty of people, where make do and mend is a way if life for all.
And as we have huge debt (caused by property crash in US), we need to be very thrifty to get ourselves back on track, so looking forward to learning some new techniques in 2015.

thefrugalflirter

My Nan's the same Daydream Believer - there wasn't anything she couldn't make or mend before her arthritis kicked in. Such a shame - I still have some knitted clothes she made for my Barbie dolls when I was a kid, I can't bear to part with them so I've been using the jumpers as Christmas tree decorations!:rotfl:

I'd love to be as crafty as she is, and you've all inspired me to give crochet a go - not really sure where to start!

Sometimes she went a bit too far though - she once told me that during the war all the children in the village would collect the used chewing gum that American soldiers dropped and re-roll it with flour and sell it on! Ewwww!

cheerfulness4

I have this vision of all these sewing machine suddenly whirling away across the country and beyond judging by the posters locations.
Where in Europe are you now Daydream? I'm sure I spotted a poster from Australia, too.


Well I feel a nit. I was browsing my bookshelf last night and came across this.



DH had bought it for me from Amazon Marketplace cheaply and I was all enthusiastic about it after watching the second series. Then I popped it on the shelf and forgot about it along with all the other 'must have' books that I've purchased.


Just look what I found.





All that time and effort to make up a pattern and there was not one but two apron patterns in that book. Loads of other great stuff too including the pencil skirt pattern I spent a whole evening searching the net for.


How many other treasures have I on my shelf that I don't even realise. What a waste. I must start making use of these brilliant resources.

cheerfulness4

thefrugalflirter wrote: »

Sometimes she went a bit too far though - she once told me that during the war all the children in the village would collect the used chewing gum that American soldiers dropped and re-roll it with flour and sell it on! Ewwww!

:rotfl: They were tough in those days, weren't they? Could you image kids doing that now. Its wet wipes this and antiseptic gel that. :rotfl: I can practically hear the NO WAYS now.

Crochet is my nemesis. I know it can't be too hard or so many people wouldn't be doing it. It's so much easier when you have someone beside you to help you sort it out but I only have one friend who can and she's so busy full time working. She uses youtube herself to learn more so that's the way to go I think.

I've a couple of books and one is pretty good to learn the very basics. I'll look it out and pop up the title. Learnt quite a bit from that.

jk0

When I was about 6, my mother made a crochet bikini. I said, 'Mummy, I think you ought to fill in those holes with some wool.'

Bobarella

Hi All
Just did a good weeks shop for £21 & now have meals till next Monday. Which is good as I am hoping to bag a few NSDS now. I'm just off to make some mince pies with the 10p per jar mince I picked up recently. Each jar is 822g and I have 3 so we are all set till Kingdom come I reckon:)

Bob

Luvplacebo

Do any of you have any ideas about how to repair / cheaply replace the plastic covers of those cheap greenhouses you can buy? We have two that we use to grow food but the covers have been ripped several times by the wind. The frames seem to be fine, they just clip together so I'd rather replace the covers than have to buy new greenhouses.

bubblegumcola

Luvplacebo...saw your post about your wee greenhouse. Not sure how to fix it but our local primary school was asking for donations of 2 litre plastic bottles so they could make a greenhouse out of them. Maybe an idea if you can get enough plastic bottles?
Am going to google instructions on how to make one.
Just an idea for you anyway. HTH.