Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2017

[Deleted User]

misstara wrote: »

Really haven't posted here for ages, MMMing has slightly fallen to the wayside but trying to get back on track again

So to kick start my MMMing
- I cooked a piece of ys mackerel that's been in the freezer for ages and made pate from it. Had it for lunch today and there's enough for tomorrow and Friday
- I collected all the paper from around the house to put into recycling
- I paired the jam jars we have with their lids (were just all heaped in a basket), my parents will pick these up when they are visiting in a few weeks as they need more jars for hm jam

Hope everyone is well, love reading through what you are all up too. Welcome to any new folk as well

I'd love the recipe for the Mackerel Pate as I too have some smoked pepper mackerel in my freezer

debtfreeforlife

Does anyone have any tips for darning socks, please? I have big ol' feet (size 9) which for a woman is one size larger than the standard sock size (size 4-8). So my toes are constantly busting out at the top of my socks, even when the socks themselves are relatively new and good quality. It feels like such a waste to ditch them and buy new, so I want to try darning them.

misstara

JackieO wrote: »

I'd love the recipe for the Mackerel Pate as I too have some smoked pepper mackerel in my freezer

Roughly mash the mackerel, add some cream cheese (I usually add around a third of a standard 200g tub per mackeral) and mix well. Add a dash of lemon juice and some salt and pepper. Very simple but yummy

debtfreeforlife - unfortunately I have never darned socks before so no tips, however, I'm sure someone who knows will be along soon.

On a late shift today so got up fairly early and gave the flat a really good clean. It turned into quite a nice morning so got some clothes out on the line for a couple of hours.

Made some scones to use up some lactofree milk I opened at the start of the week. There's still some left so I'll use it up in porridge tomorrow for breakfast.

[Deleted User]

Thanks misstara I shall be doing that over the weekend I have some sweet chilli cream cheese which is very tasty in the fridge so I may experiment with that.

Re darning sock I have done a good few in my life
Turn inside out and with the thread/wool run it round the edges very gently pulling so the hole gets smaller and smaller each time then weave it in and out across the hole always gently pulling it and as you do so you will find it gradually disappears. back stitch a couple of stitches and make a knot so it won't come undone again ,turn the sock the right way again and all you will have is a very slight knobbly bit and the hole has vanished.

Failing that find someone over the age of 70 and ask them most women of that age have sewn many sock, and patched up lots of things because of rationing and lack of funds during the 1950s :):)
Once you have done it once, you will soon get better at it honestly :)

JackieO xx

crazytree

Hello everyone!
Make do - not really coz I've just been paid and done "the big shop"
Mend - nothing recently but today I've got to alter the chicken run so that the new chooks are separated from the others but can see each other.
Minimise - finally got another bag of clothes to the charity shop and a few bits on fleabay.

T

YorksLass

misstara wrote: »

I paired the jam jars we have with their lids (were just all heaped in a basket),

I keep mine separate, jars in a plastic crate and lids in a mushroom box, but I still need to go through them every so often to pair up - somehow I always seem to end up with mis-matches! :think: One of life's mysteries, I guess - a bit like odd socks!

debtfreeforlife wrote: »

Does anyone have any tips for darning socks, please? I have big ol' feet (size 9) which for a woman is one size larger than the standard sock size (size 4-8). So my toes are constantly busting out at the top of my socks, even when the socks themselves are relatively new and good quality. It feels like such a waste to ditch them and buy new, so I want to try darning them.

Not essential, but a darning mushroom might be useful. Most women would have had one in their sewing box before the days of "not darning" but you could probably still get one in a decent habadashery. Would men's socks work for you? They usually come in bigger sizes than women's and not just in plain black/grey/blue - lots of different colours/patterns etc.

Minimise: Took two bags of clothing to the Sally Army clothing bank today (at last ). Have also sorted out some cotton yarn from my stash that's now being knitted up into a short-sleeved cardigan - denim blue with 3 turqoise stripes around the lower body and sleeves; nice easy TV knitting. DH used to have several part-used body sprays but has slowly been using them up and another one bit the dust this morning. :j

Make do: The usual with food stocks over this last week including some baking.

Mend: Next year's holiday fund [STRIKE]mended[/STRIKE] boosted today with the surplus left over from Sept's GC. :)

debtfreeforlife

JackieO wrote: »

Re darning sock I have done a good few in my life
Turn inside out and with the thread/wool run it round the edges very gently pulling so the hole gets smaller and smaller each time then weave it in and out across the hole always gently pulling it and as you do so you will find it gradually disappears. back stitch a couple of stitches and make a knot so it won't come undone again ,turn the sock the right way again and all you will have is a very slight knobbly bit and the hole has vanished.Failing that find someone over the age of 70 and ask them most women of that age have sewn many sock and patched up lots of things because of rationing and lack of funds during the 1950s :):)
Once yo have done it once you will soon get better at it honestly :)

JackieO xx

Thank you so much! I will test it on the pairs I like least and build up to my favourites

YorksLass, I buy them sometimes but also tend to get socks as gifts a lot, probably because everyone knows I always have holes in my socks :rotfl:And those are always women's. And I do find them prettier. Might look out for some fun men's socks though.

charlies-aunt

debtfreeforlife wrote: »

Does anyone have any tips for darning socks, please? I have big ol' feet (size 9) which for a woman is one size larger than the standard sock size (size 4-8). So my toes are constantly busting out at the top of my socks, even when the socks themselves are relatively new and good quality. It feels like such a waste to ditch them and buy new, so I want to try darning them.

Try buying mens socks instead - there is a good mix of plain classic colours and more funky patterns/colours. Much harder wearing than ladies and they fit great

[Deleted User]

Made the Mackerel pate and it was delicious,highly recommend it for a nice change from just boring plain philly I mixed up some chilli soft cheese and it was very tasty.
I was given a big bag of fallers from my DDs in-laws tree and spent last night peeling & stewing them in honey and brown sugar and cinnamon . Crumble for DD this afternoon when I go to dinner I think.The rest will be used with plain yogurt for pudding or portioned up and popped into the freezer.

jackyann

I was thinking that you ought to buy men's socks!
JackieO has explained beautifully - my tip is to buy thread of a similar kind to the sock, and always leave it quite loose as tightens in the wash. If you find it rubs at all, consider darning 'inside out' so the knotand knobbly bits are outside - I always did this for walking socks. You could also think about doing a 'reinforcing darn' before you wear them.

Update on the new handle for my bain marie - OH replaced it, took a bit of care to line it up, but it is fine, so at least it wasn't a daft choice.