Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2017

THIRZAH

I have bought darning wool from a charity shop-one of the cheaper shops that had lots of bits in baskets. Once I got a ball of grey sock wool for 50p which has been very useful. Or you could ask a friend who knits if they have any oddments. Most knitters hate to throw away small balls of wool-I give mine to a friend who crochets granny squares which she then sews into blankets for a homeless charity.

I darn my walking socks and wear them up around the house in the winter.

Slowdown

I realise I'm joining a little late here but may I chip in with my MMMing please?
I have just resigned from my job and will be leaving at Christmas and I don't have another one lined up. I will definitely not be earning the same as I am now so MMM is essential.
I have already started on this track but have just spotted this thread to keep me on track.
Make do - I returned a new top today that I know is a bit fancy for me and will not wear it often so will make do with what I have. £30 :-)
Mend - the zip on my son's jacket this week
Minimise- ebayed two bits from around the house, threw away/ recycled a drawer full of nonsense

I'm enjoying reading everyone's efforts so thank you.

misstara

Glad you enjoyed the pate JackieO, I'll try it next time with sweet chilli.

Welcome to the thread Slowdown.

Yesterday I tried darning a hole in the toe of a bed sock (inspired by your tips ). It worked very well although have been left with a wee knobbly bit inside the sock so will definitely do what jackyann suggests for next time. Used up some thread from a wee hotel sewing kit I found.

Saturday night we had noodles for tea using up a variety of bottom of the fridge veg and some YS prawns. I also used up a wee soy sauce that I got in a sushi pack. Yesterday was roast beef and I'll make stovies today from the leftovers.

I minimised the ironing pile last night while watching some catch up TV. It was getting a bit out of control so glad to get through it.

Hope everyone has a good Monday

YorksLass

Slowdown wrote: »

I have just resigned from my job and will be leaving at Christmas and I don't have another one lined up. I will definitely not be earning the same as I am now so MMM is essential.

Welcome Slowdown. MMM'ing is addictive - over time you'll come to realise just how much "stuff" you have and what you don't really need, not to mention saving cash and satisfaction gained.

misstara wrote: »

I minimised the ironing pile last night while watching some catch up TV. It was getting a bit out of control so glad to get through it.

Yep, that's on my "to do" list for this week. There's not a huge amount in the basket but it's been hanging around for too long!

Another bag of unwanted/not needed clothes sorted to go to the Sally Army clothing bank tomorrow. That's a category finished with - just need to tackle all the other "stuff"!

Slowdown

Hi there,
Thanks for your welcomes. Much appreciated.

Today was ....
Make do- with the slightly mushy banana rather than dumping it
Mend- not today, too busy
Minimise- my fringe! Cut it myself instead of going to the hairdressers. (Not so straight) I've ignored the rest of my head. Would have had a whole cut if I'd gone to a salon.

YorksLass

Slowdown wrote: »

Minimise- my fringe! Cut it myself instead of going to the hairdressers. (Not so straight) I've ignored the rest of my head. Would have had a whole cut if I'd gone to a salon.

My hair is extremely thick and grows very quickly. I like it in a short "wash & go" style, so I need a cut every 8 weeks to keep it in shape but somehow my fringe seems to grow at a quicker rate than the rest of it! Luckily, my hairdresser kindly trims my fringe for free inbetween cuts so I avoid the wonky look (I do pop some change into their charity tin though).

Half of the ironing minimised today, will do the rest tomorrow.

Slowdown

Hi

Today -

Make do - a small glass of rose wine left over from a while ago rather than opening the red I really wanted.

Now that's dedication to the cause!!!!!:rotfl:

YorksLass

Slowdown wrote: »

Make do - a small glass of rose wine left over from a while ago rather than opening the red I really wanted. Now that's dedication to the cause!!!!!:rotfl:

Cheers! (I hope it wasn't too much of a hardship! )

Today's minimise has been bed linen as I know I have far too much, a lot of it not used any more. I got it all out of the linen cupboard and had a sinking feeling of "how on earth is it going to fit back in"? I started by putting back everything I wanted/needed to keep and yes, it did all go back in - phew!

Then I sorted through the rest. I've put some things on one side for DS & DDiL; they're moving house in 3 weeks' time so won't want them yet, but I'll keep them until they're settled in. The rest is bagged up for the CS - an assortment of pillow slips, 2 duvet covers, a candlewick (a bit thin in parts so might only be good for rags), a bed runner and a throw with matching pillow shams.

Second half of ironing still waiting to be done but there's no rush as it's all summer clothing that won't be seeing the light of day for a good while!

Making do, apart from the usual of not wasting any food, has been to retrieve 2 large lidded storage jars I'd put on one side for the CS and I'm now using them for the 3kg red lentils I bought the other week. The plan had been to ask at the local newsagents if they had any large sweetie jars they didn't want but it seems they've moved away from selling loose sweets and now only stock pre-packed bags. Shows how long it is since I bought any sweets!

A little mending of sewing up a loose hem on a skirt. I probably won't be wearing it again until next year when the warmer weather arrives but at least it's done and ready. Next week's mending will be to make some new cushion covers from my fabric stash. The bed linen trawl reminded me there were 2 cushions on the spare bed that would work better in the lounge. They had covers sewn on (no zip fastener so not removable for washing) but I've unpicked those and will make new covers with either zips or an envelope opening.

celtic_moon

Hi All

Managed to completely mess up my MMMing this month

Had a shopping list in my bag for the storecupboard things we buy from a shop we have to make a particular jurney too. So went and got it all and congratulated myself on sticking purely to the list :j Only to get home to discover I had already done that shop a couple of weeks earlier (must've put the list back in my bag at the checkout)

I now have enough sandwich bags, hair dye, jars of curry sauce, shampoo (no conditioner though!) etc to last until well into the New Year!!!! Budget completely goosed too:(

I am consoling myself with the fact it will minimise the need to do that trip again and it will even out in my budget in the coming months :A

Winchelsea

To darn a hole, stretch it out (not too much) over a darning mushroom (or a small jar, (a pesto jar or a bit bigger, depending on the size of the hole) then cover the hole with parallel lines of thread, running up and down.
Then fill in by weaving (under, over, under, over) with the thread running to and fro).
And where it was "under" on the previous row, have an "over" on this one.
(Does that make sense? - hard to describe!)