Preparing for Winter

missychrissy

Happy new home confuzzled.

I was quite chilly last week and added a 13.5 tog quilt to the 4.5 tog summer one. Arg! I was so hot last night had to take the 4.5 out. It's nice to have a warm spell but September can be so variable.

I love my wind up lantern - it takes me to bed at night instead of putting on the stair lights. I've got 8 50w halogen bulbs on the landing and 6 of them in the downstairs hall so would be expensive to use them. I have them all over the house but I've got a lamp in the hall with a low energy bulb that I switch on after my moon jar fades and similar lamps in other rooms and I also use candles. I was paying £79 per month for gas and electric until June when e on had to pay me a big rebate. They have now reduced it to £57 but I still think that's too much and am hoping they will have to reduce again. I think that's quite good for a detached house.

I have dug out the fleeces, one on each settee and armchair and one on my computer chair. I have a wind up torch in the house and one in the car. I also carry a blanket in the car to keep me warm if I break down as well as a first aid kit, comb, spare pair of glasses, sunglasses, road map, kitchen towel, duster etc cos it always pays to be prepared all year round.

I am covering a section of garden with large pieces of cardboard and carpet, weighted down for the winter, to kill off the growth and weeds. I can then, in the spring, lay down some black plastic and grow potatoes through slits. This should help to break up the soil without much digging.

I still have the thermal vests 3 shortsleeved (can wear these under my short sleeved uniform at work), 2 longsleeved and 2 pairs long johns I bought last year. They were wonderful and well worth the money. I also found wearing my leggings under my jeans worked quite well too and t shirts double up as vests. I got very much into layering last year and will be doing the same again this year - vest, t shirt, polo neck and tunic type jumper.

I always have lots of candles as my sons' girlfriends know that I like them and buy them as presents. We always hint heavily and I got the fleece pyjamas and dressing gown I was after last year for Christmas as well as candles and toiletries. I hardly ever seem to have to buy the latter two now.

I think the only thing I have left to do is to add the winter quilt in one of my bedrooms for my sons' visits. I can then start to get my head around finishing the Christmas shopping. However, being OS I have been picking things up all year and my present box is quite full.

shaz_mum_of__2

someone ?? asked about poncho patterns
http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/ponchos.php

I may try the arrowhead one looks quite easy but not too plain.

I am on the lookout for some thermal vevet curtains where would be cheapest? our Dunelm has had a makeover and put all its prices up extortionately and got rid of its bargain tables ...

valk_scot

twiglet98 wrote: »

This should be obvious, but I must be missing something: how do you hang 'double' curtains? I have rails with big rings, and all my curtains are pencil pleat or pinch pleat (charity shop or ebay bargains), and I just can't see how I can get two hooks into one ring. Is it better to safety-pin another layer to the existing curtain, either room side or window side, depending how attractive it is, or otherwise? I have aluminium DG windows but they are all a bit draughty as the house is a funny shape and twists on the clay soil!

Do separate ready-made curtain linings fix onto the curtain, or the same rail as the curtain? Same problem really, I just can't picture how to do it.

Ready made linings have different tape on the top with the hook holes right on the edge...you use a standard small curtain hook through the holes of this then hook it onto the required pocket of the pinch pleat tape.

It's easiest to assemble them by pulling the header tape ties out and laying both the curtain and liner out on the floor, hooking the two layers together then pulling the strings up again so that the double layer is the correct width for the window.

If you were using spare curtains as liners, put them so that the insides face together then hook the linings (on glass side) to the main tape (room side.) using standard small snail hooks and hooking the top pocket of the liner to the lowest pocket of the main curtain. Then pull up the gathering strings as above and use a second hook in an upper pocket of the pinch pleat tape to connect it to the ring.

newlywed

twiglet98 wrote: »

This should be obvious, but I must be missing something: how do you hang 'double' curtains? I have rails with big rings, and all my curtains are pencil pleat or pinch pleat (charity shop or ebay bargains), and I just can't see how I can get two hooks into one ring. Is it better to safety-pin another layer to the existing curtain, either room side or window side, depending how attractive it is, or otherwise? I have aluminium DG windows but they are all a bit draughty as the house is a funny shape and twists on the clay soil!

Do separate ready-made curtain linings fix onto the curtain, or the same rail as the curtain? Same problem really, I just can't picture how to do it.

I tried to hook black out linings into the header tape of the actual curtains to hook them on and it made them sag really badly. So I bought an extra set of rings and my linings now hook onto alternate rings than the curtains. Works much better

NualaBuala

shaz_mum_of__2 wrote: »

someone ?? asked about poncho patterns
http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/ponchos.php

I may try the arrowhead one looks quite easy but not too plain.

.

That would be me! Thanks for the link.:T I'm sure there's something there I'll be able for. The arrowhead one is lovely but the basic turtleneck seems even cosier (I love a high neck). I'm either going to try knitting a poncho or a sort of "patchwork" blanket for an extra layer on my bed.

nippyone

missychrissy wrote: »

Bring on a heat wave cos I'm feeling chilly. I'm determined this year to last til Nov before switching on heating but I'm already using a fleece when watching tv.

I'm sitting here just now finally catching up with this thread and after two days of howling winds and torrential rain today we have had blue skies and sunshine with temp of 18deg and its meant to stay til weekend? We'll wait and see??:rolleyes::rolleyes:

nickynoo08

Had quite a productive day, got draught proofing strips for my french doors - thanks to all who suggested it - and OH fitted it. Can tell the difference already in our dining room. Been to primark and got myself and ds a load of fleece pjs. Got ds a pair of all in one fleecy ones they are georgeous i'm sooo jealous i wish they did adult ones:p.
I'm also making headway with the blanket i'm crocheting for the front room only thing is i've just ran out or wool so need to go and get somemore:rolleyes:
For those wanting ponchos last year i got a cheap fleece blanket from primark (£2 i think) i folded it across to make a triangle and cut a slit for my head - so it looks like one of those diamond ones - i stiched around the cut so it didn't tear and job done. Ok so i cant go out in it but its perfect for lounging around on an evening and it's toasty warm;)

shaz_mum_of__2

NualaBuala wrote: »

That would be me! Thanks for the link.:T I'm sure there's something there I'll be able for. The arrowhead one is lovely but the basic turtleneck seems even cosier (I love a high neck). I'm either going to try knitting a poncho or a sort of "patchwork" blanket for an extra layer on my bed.

The oversized one is really simple its on a man but i think could be a unisex .......................it looks a bit "the good the bad and the ugly" though:rotfl:

La-Cara

so far this year I have:

• got out thick fleece blankets to put under the bed sheet
• bought an extra fleece throw
• found flasks, dressing gown & clothes airer that goes over the radiator
• bought an extra pair of slippers
• stocked up the storecupboard with tins, pulses, cereal etc.
• put mats down on the laminate floor in the bathroom (still to do w/c, but it's hardly used)

still to do:

• buy new boots, jumpers/cardis
• find the hot water bottle
• make space in the freezer so i can cook in bulk & freeze meals

cyclingyorkie

last night daughter (one with ME) requested a cup of tea and a hot water bottle.

I duly brewed tea...........and poured it straight into the hot water bottle!:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: