Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

misstara

Just popping on to say hi to everyone. I haven't really been doing much related to this thread due to the stupid amount of hours I've worked in the past few days but have been reading. Last double shift today so hope to get back into it tomorrow. Top of my list are making banana loaf with some past it bananas (gingerbread will have to wait until next week) and I have a very loose button on my winter coat so want to repair that before it falls off. Hope everyone has a good day.

princesskitty29

Thank you so much for your responses, I agree that it is a good idea to buy second hand initially. I did post on Freecycle just in case but have not had a response so will move on to ebay to see if I can get one locally. Unfortunately the only family I know with a sewing machine is my Grandma and she uses it regularly so I couldn't borrow it. I also live 80 miles away so can't just pop in to use hers which would be ideal. I really can't wait to get one! I want to make some napkins out of one of the pieces of material she gave me and I thought that would be a good place to start as it will just involve cutting out the squares and hemming them - probably not the right word for it sorry!

GreyQueen

Hemming is exactly the right word.

Your iron is as important a tool as the sewing machine in order to get a good result. Iron your fabric well beforehand, and use the iron to turn over one thickness and then another for your hem. Pin and/ or tack, machine stitch and then iron the finished result.

You can machine over sewing pins, if the pins are inserted at a right angle to the direction the machine stitching will go. Every now and then, the sewing machine needle will strike the pin, which won't do it any good and somethimes it will break the needle. It's best to either pin the same way as you stitch, with the pin head towards you, withdrawing the pins as you proceed, or to pin and tack. Happy sewing.

joedenise

Absolutely agree with GreyQueen, you need to press your work as you go along. I have to admit it's the only ironing I do, LOL!

I think it is best to tack when you first start sewing. Once you have a bit more experience then try just pinning and removing as you sew or pin at right angles and sew over them.

Denise

Sam1984

Morning all! Awful night here with two poorly littlies so a quiet day for us today, was planning on making some cranberry scones to use up some cranberries I forgot I had, will have to see how they go before I start doing anything like that but have some candlesticks and side table to finish painting so hopefully get those finished today!

Knitting looks fab Cheerfulness4! Looks complicated though! I can't knit or crochet but want to learn one or the other this year! Well done on fixing your laptop!

Elaine the beekeeping course sounds great, we are hoping to get some rescue chickens this year, would love bees but not sure it's a good idea till little ones are a bit bigger though!

Wow vhalla, you certainly had your work cut out for you! It's definitely all taken more money and longer than thought you are right there! We thought it was mostly a bit of redecoration and a bit of replastering in a few places and taking the wall down we wanted but ended up having to hack off black lime plaster off every single wall! :eek::eek:

[Deleted User]

Morning all and walking stick renewed and working fine I found the camera case and snaffled the cord wrist strap off of it :):) no cost and I am quite happy with the result Thank you chums :):)

well done on fixing your lap-top.Sometimes its just a case of trying out something different or as in my case asking on the Techy board as I knew someone would be able to help.Son-in-law replaced the battery and my 'puter works perfectly again :):)

NSD this week as far as I can see I got my food budget cash from the ATM yesterday which was situated outside the big Tescos in Gillingham yet had no inclination to go inside for a shufti :):) put my cash away and came home :):) I am goning to make a lasagne for my sis-in-law and I for lunch tomorrow when she comes .She usually says 'Oh lets go out to lunch '
I'd rather have a HM one indoors I have some forceccia cheese and onion bread in the freezer plus salad so that's lunch sorted at no cost :):) This month should be a pretty good one foodwise as I have cupboards and f/freezer full of food.
Onwards and upwards chums
JackieO xx

silvasava

Wow - everybody's up and about early this morning!
Cheerful Knitting's looking good & well done with the Laptop - I do find that DH sometimes over emphasises the difficulty of things - usually when its a job he's not keen on
Can you please tell me how I post pictures - I've gone on about these covers for so long I thought you deserved to see my handiwork when its done (only the first cushion - not all 6!!)

GQ - sounds as if you sew like me - lots of pins & foot down - haha. Only reason I tacked the zip was because I didn't have much seam allowance.

Ah well - must get my arris in gear - start the baking & finishe the zip.

Have a good day all

silvasava

vhalla - you mentioned you had access to a pallet supply. I remembered that DS! saw a great garden bench made out of pallets & a couple pf paving slabs - great for barbecue etc. This site has lots of other ideas if its of any interest - indoors & outdoors, some very simple & some very ambitious!
http://www.1001pallets.com

zebedy

Morning all,

I sewed my lined, waterproof squares this weekend, so won't get a wet bum when sitting down for a cuppa on a country walk anymore. I'm really please with them and if i had any idea how to post a picture I would

They were very easy to make, just like making a cusion cover really but no stuffing inside.

I'm also making some wine bottle sized drawstring gift bags out of the arms from the waterproof mac - waste not want not!

vhalla1478

Thank you, Silvasava, my daughter-in-law has been on this site, and lucky girl, her father has made her a wonderful vegetable rack with a counter top for her pantry, which is even bigger than mine. He and my son also made a larger top for the kitchen table - there are sometimes up to 16 of us round it, and used the old top for the vegetable rack! I'm absolutely green as I would love one for my kitchen as I have a distinct lack of work tops! I'll definitely go on the site now; I'm intrigued.

I've stopped for a cup of coffee (warmed up from the leftover pot this morning and none the worse for that - I don't want to run out this month) to see what everyone has been doing - productive as usual!

I've made seven chicken pasties out of one of the leftover chicken portions and they are now in the freezer. the chicken stock from yesterday's leftovers is simmering on the cooker and smells heavenly and I'm marinating the last piece of chicken for the following recipe. The original recipe is for chicken breast, but I'm sure this will work as it's on the same principles as the orange chicken recipe, but in any case I'll give you alternatives.

It's called warm chilli chicken salad- for 4

4 chicken breasts cut into strips (but I normally buy the small pieces as you're going to be cutting it up anyway and they're generally cheaper than whole breasts) 8 medium sized potatoes, a red pepper, a yellow pepper, salt and pepper, salad leaves, oil.

For the marinade: 1 tablespoonful lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 3 tablespoonful sherry or white wine (but I often use wine or sherry vinegar), 1 crushed clove of garlic, 4 dessertspoonfuls of chilli jam.

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees/gas mark 4. Mix all the marinade ingredients together in an ovenproof dish and then marinade the chicken in the mixture for a minimum of an hour. Meanwhile cut the potatoes into wedges and the peppers into strips, toss them in a little oil in a roasting tin and season. Roast the vegetables on the top shelf of the oven for 25 minutes or until cooked. if you're using chicken breast pieces fry it off with a little oil until browned, then cook on the middle shelf of the oven for 10 minutes ensuring it's cooked through. If you're using whole portions, you don't need to fry it off, just leave it in the marinade and roast in a separate tin at the same time as you are cooking the vegetables.

Put salad leaves (I have some of those living ones 39p YS that I've been nurturing even while using them for the last couple of months) into a serving bowl, add roasted vegetables and chicken, then pour over the juices from the dish. the recipe says serve with a warm ciabatta. I personally don't because that's too many carbs for me when there are potatoes in the dish.

The egg wash I have left over from the pasties will join another whisked up egg to make me a nice omelette for breakfast.

Right, back to the kitchen to tackle the rest of the leftovers and then I've a very complicated Vogue pattern to fathom for a dress for my daughter-in-law! How did I ever find time to work full-time? This retirement thingy is hard work!!

Have a good day, Folks