Preparing for Winter

Butterfly_Brain

Here is a slanket pattern I will definately be making some of these ( when I have been to ikea to pick up a few of their 99p fleece blankets ) nice cheap and warm http://www.ehow.com/how_4698851_snuggie-blanket.html

funkymonkey849

Oh I now live on the side of a hill so I must buy a sledge for winter and keep fingers crossed for snow!!!!

Also knit some more socks

sammy_kaye18

Im wondering if making a sort of fleece poncho would be good because he likes to sit with his legs covered cuddled under the blanket. Wonder if i got an ordinary fleece and cut a hole for his head if that would work ok.

parsonswife8

sammy_kaye18 wrote: »

Im wondering if making a sort of fleece poncho would be good because he likes to sit with his legs covered cuddled under the blanket. Wonder if i got an ordinary fleece and cut a hole for his head if that would work ok.

It would work fine Sammy, fleece doesn't fray. Just make sure it is not too long so he will trip.

jcr16

i found out all my babies cot duvets from the loft at weekend. i've washed them and i'm thinking of making some fleece duvet covers for them then the kids can have 1 each as there snuggle blankets for the sofas or in the car. then by making a duvet cover as and when i have more children i can just re-use the duvets on the cot bed later on. but not too sure how to make the duvet covers. weather poppers or velco would make a better fastener ? whats everyone thoughts on it ?

shaz_mum_of__2

Have been doing a winter disater audit

I have a box in the electric cupboard(indoors) with candles matches and a wind up torch , each of the bedrooms has a torch or a wind up lantern in. I lso bought some solar outdoor lights from poundland and these couls sit on the windowsill during day to charge and give off a bit of light to use as a safe background light in rooms

Food wise we have a huge stockpile, stuff in garden etc so not too worried but need to stock up on chook feed just in case.

Have been putting together a winter meds box too got throat pastilles paracetamol and flu tabs/lemon drinks also going to make some elder rob to add to this . Also have a months spare prescription meds for us all ( painkillers etc for me, anti -d's for OH and ADD meds for DS )

Kitchen wise we have gas cooker and and my microwave is a convection oven so if we lose gas or electric i can still cook something . I have put the camping kettle in the kitchen cupboard too in case of power cut. If we lose gas and electric we have 2 portable gas stoves with 8 spare canisters and a gas BBq with a spare bottle its butane though so wont work if its freezing(butane gas freezes solid!) but too much hassle to switch to propane which doesn't


we have lots of books and board games so entertainment will be sorted . We ahve no alternate source of heat if the electric goes off but we do have some elecrtic heaters should the gas go off.

We have talked about installing a wood burner in the lounge but worried about the mess both during fitting and use (cream carpets ) at the moment theres a picture frame electric fire and the old back boiler is still in the chimeny breast so not sure how complicated it would be to remove as i assume the chimeny will need a liner , what type of tradesmen do i need to consult about the possibilities of installing one


The only things we need to buy seem to be clothing /bedding ie thermals and pjs plus we are getting a new sized bed so woill need bigger flanelette sheets ,also want to buy a sledge (to drag to shops if needed) and a snow shovel .

Still to do is make up the car boxes but we have all the bits i think


Overall i feel quite prepared ....bet its a nice warm dry winter now


Dishwasher salt is good for paths we buy the big box at lidl for about 80p (2kg i think) nice big granules too so gives a bit of grip and dissolves slowly, staying useful longer could be mixed with sand as a a grit alternative

Reverbe

sammy_kaye18 wrote: »

Wondering if a cheap pair of jogging bottoms and a t shirt might be good idea to have in there too.

I think so Sammy . tho would personally go for a sweatshirt/fleece/jumper/hoodie.

shaz_mum_of__2

What about one of these for car boxes , no good if car broke down i guess? but ok if just stranded in snow or stuck in traffic etc

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/12V-WATER-HEATER-ELEMENT-CAR-HOT-DRINKS-/380263209296?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5889741950

Obviously need water tea coffee dried milk ,cup a soup,pot noodle etc too

spare a thought for these guys.........but at least it wasn't snowing

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/7961325/Chinese-drivers-stuck-in-the-longest-traffic-jam.html

maryb

smileyt wrote: »

Oh, no, I didn't think you were being dismissive at all. I was trying to reply in a light-hearted manner as I didn't just want to ignore what you said and your greater experience of bristly things! No offence taken at all, and I hope none given. It does show how things can get mixed up on forums though, doesn't it?

None at all

And it's true, Barbados would be the answer to ice and snow problems. One can dream

ChocClare

jcr16 wrote: »

i found out all my babies cot duvets from the loft at weekend. i've washed them and i'm thinking of making some fleece duvet covers for them then the kids can have 1 each as there snuggle blankets for the sofas or in the car. then by making a duvet cover as and when i have more children i can just re-use the duvets on the cot bed later on. but not too sure how to make the duvet covers. weather poppers or velco would make a better fastener ? whats everyone thoughts on it ?

I think this is a brilliant idea. We still occasionally use babies' cellular blankets as wraps and my "babies" are 18 and 14!

For the duvet cover: I don't know if you've ever seen those duvet covers (Laura Ashley does them, I know) where instead of popper fastenings the cover folds over and is buttoned? Can't find a picture of a duvet cover, but kind of like this cushion cover here ?

If you are using baby duvets, you wouldn't even need the buttons - you just cut out two pieces of material. The top of the cover is slightly shorter than the duvet. The bottom of the cover is long enough to cover the duvet PLUS AN EXTRA EIGHT INCHES TO A FOOT to fold over the top.

How you make it is:

Turn under and hem one short edge on both pieces of material;

Overlap and pin these two short edges together, right sides together;

Still with right sides together, slide the two pieces of material together so that the bottom edges match. You should now have a double thickness of material with a pinned "seam" about eight inches from the top and a fold at the top.

Machine around the three raw edges, press and clip seams, unpin your opening (oo-er missus) and turn right sides out through the opening. Press.

You can now slide your duvet in like a pillowcase. You MIGHT need a button or two, but you probably wont. You can have the opening on the back if you prefer.

HTH!