Preparing for Winter

Gigervamp

oliveoyl wrote: »

Glad you asked this... from what you're saying it sounds the same as what I want. Can you let me know how you get on... and post a pic of your door for comparison if that's not too cheeky an ask please.

I'll let you know.

dreaming

northwest1965 wrote: »

Are they easy to make?, we need a couple here, have to say I'm not the best with needle & cotton

I made some very, very easy draught excluders a couple of years ago. First I rolled up some newspapers (quite tightly) and taped them. Then I wrapped them in a piece of fabric (folding the edges under). Then I tied the ends of the fabric with some string/ribbon so that it looked a bit like a christmas cracker, and voila! the easiest door sausage in the world.
I have also made them by stuffing the legs of old tights (with other old tight (clean!) tights) and covering them as above.

Reverbe

Thanks Ollie. No we cant really use candles and tealights as they are not bright enough. We have a tree outside our window which is very nice but means it's quite dark and not light enough to read or compute etc if you dont put the light on. We also do not have a mirror!!!:p

We dont have an Ikea near us sadly and they are not really reachable if you do not have a car. If I ever see my OH again I will try to persuade him to take us to the one near him and our charity shops never get bedding or blankets etc in.

But thanks for all your great suggestions. Hopefully someone can make use of them here

Skintmama

anguk

Try the following:

Draughtproof windows and door.
Curtains in a warm thick fabric.......fleece is both light and warm. You could go for a neutral colour or something brighter that looks nice with the yellow as lots of colours go with it.
Use a net rod and put up voile in between the glass and the vb. I know it is thin but it all helps!
I was once advised to shut off all the radiator valves and then starting with the furthest rad to open them enough to get the heat through. This worked for me as the rad closest to the boiler was raging hot and the farthermost one was cold. Sorry I am not technical enough to explain more!
Maybe try a heat lamp overhead.....if your ceiling height allows?

greenpixey

Any ideas on how I can stop draft coming in through the cat flap, It makes the kitchen really cold during winter?

Gigervamp

greenpixey wrote: »

Any ideas on how I can stop draft coming in through the cat flap, It makes the kitchen really cold during winter?

Could you fix a little curtain over it? Something a bit wider and longer than the catflap. The cat will still be able to come and go through it.

frosty

greenpixey wrote: »

Any ideas on how I can stop draft coming in through the cat flap, It makes the kitchen really cold during winter?

You could try magnetic strips,B&Q sell them in rolls.You just cut them into strips to fit around the cat flap and it should stay closed.

Savvy_sewing

Today I managed to swap the sittingroom and the diningroom around. (Well most of it, the furniture anyway). So that we can use the woodburner instead of the open fire.
But the Warmfront have not come back to draughtproof the front door, which opens straight into the room. So its pretty draughty. I have a metal screen that has fabric inserts, but its not good enough to stop any draughts. Think I will have to make different fabric panels in that, and chase up Warmfront!.
I am sitting with my outside fleece jacket on, rather then try and heat the place.
(And I havent had my wood delivered yet. Its £55 for half a load. However I have no idea how half a load is.!).
My sewing machine is set up ready to go, in the other room now. The light is better in there as well.
I have a Feux fur bedthrow which I am using on the sofa, and lots of cushions, that make the leather less cold to sit on.
I close the curtains early in the evening, although it means I am using more lights at the moment!. But I would rather a few lightbulbs on rather then an electric fire.!
No central heating in this cottage.
I use heated wheat pads for my spondylosis, and they are handy to throw in the microwave, not only to use on my neck, but to use as hotwater bottles in the bed too.
I plan to make some Wheat Teddy bears for the grandchildren as well.
I have my candles, and my torch ready. (And matches).
Still need to get my act togther and make my paper logs though. Think I will put that at the top of my list for things to do tomorrow. At least to start.

Barneysmom

Mooloo, according to this site, a half load is 3 cubic metres so it should last you quite a while?
http://www.woodlogsscotland.co.uk/buy-logs-delivery.html


I've bought lined 90x90 velvet curtains from EBay but have also bought some thermal linings form Dunelm to hang behind them for extra insulation. I hope it works, it's cost enough?

I'm also awaiting delivery of a 50 metre roll of bubble wrap for the conservatory window.

I asked hubby to measure the upstairs windows so we could get some roller blinds to put up behind the curtains and in front of the nets, but when he said our bedroom window was 6 metres wide I realised I better do it myself! :rotfl:

Patchwork_Quilt

Bargain_Bunny wrote: »

Thinki am going to throw a fleece blanket over the curtains, we have dg but i had problems last winter -i sleep next to our en suite but i do put a blanket at the bottom of the door, for some reason there seems so be a draft round my face all night and i wake up with red/sore eyes (u should see me trying to put my lenses in)i put myhead under the duvet but hubby thinks i will suffocate during the night..BB

Could he sleep on that side of the bed?