Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2021

Laura_Elsewhere

Siebrie said:

So, I've googled Shetland woollie horse, and the results are lovely pictures of adorable Shetland ponies in woollies! Well worth the google and the giggle; thank you!

Hee hee, I can imagine!   

These are the less-adorable ones I actually meant...  https://www.hazeltindall.com/jumper-boards

2Scratters

Morning Peeps,

This is a make do definitely there is a minimise involved of sorts and same for the mend.

Last year I made some wreaths with the intention of making a bit of money, I didn't bother selling them but gave them as gifts. We also had a collection of them stored away so I dug them out. I was not feeling it at all and have never in my life not had a Christmas Tree. I did miss the smell of the tree but as the log burner has no off switch for the heat they were being dried out too fast and not lasting. 
Make do again as am going to make 2 more wreaths this year and add to the collection and am going to dig out my VERY OLD ornaments for a wreath and each will have a story to it.

We will save floor space as they will be on just one wall and no dog tails knocking off the ornaments
I will also minimise spending on new ornaments too and the cost of the real tree. I will scrat around for some sawn off branches so they can be used and then when finished will be recycled into the log burner (ash goes back into the ground)

2 Scratters

Siebrie

Mended:

- hole in hot water bottle cover, which was knitted by my Mum, and I'd like to keep it going for a while (she's still alive and kicking, but doesn't do much knitting anymore)

- holes in 3 socks

- tear in dd2 denim jacket (where the cuff meets the sleeve, but running into the sleeve for about 4 cm. The cuff will be upturned when wearing the jacket, so the repair doesn't really show)

- hole in dd2 winter tights

- hole in husband's T-shirt (he always wears T-shirts underneath shirts and sweaters, which I appreciate,as it keeps his outer things nicer for longer)

prepareathome

A minor mending done - tag for hanging up bathrobe went split and frayed as its all made from thick towelling.  Been having to put it over door handles or just laying it down and at last was annoying me enough today for me to take time and remake it. So, at last, it can be hung on its hook out of the way.  Robe is about 10 years old at least but was very expensive and still looks brand new, still brilliant white and no thin areas, tag went as it is very heavy.  Yet this little repair could have meant a shorter life for it as it was always slipping onto floor and being stood on so needing extra washes.   

Why I kept putting it off no idea but cheaper than paying out for a new robe years before I need to, if I need to as it might actually last longer than me the way it's going.   I think it is because it was such a quick fix always though will do it tomorrow and that has gone on almost a year. 

Thrifty_Taylor

Mended my son's coat this afternoon, he needed the main zip & also the ones on two pockets replacing. He took zips off a hoodie he no longer wears, not the same colour as the coat, but there's a placket to cover it, so he wasn't bothered!
Make do - Started to knit myself a jumper from the wool in my stash.
Minimise - been selling some things online, lots more to go yet!

2Scratters

Minimise - 3 double bed sheets passed onto DS as we now have a deep mattress.  Also read a borrowed book yesterday now ready to back to its owner

Make do - Getting items from freezer so can do Xmas/winter stock of meat. Getting one walking boot stretched to widen a bit for me. Fed up of struggling trying to break it in.

Mending - not quite a mend but wip a crochet blanket. I do have 2 on the go. (which is minimising the wool balls)

Siebrie

Make do: husband bought a lot of lamb after a visit to the abattoir (by invitation of the butcher), more than would fit the freezer. So, I made tahin for the first time. It was tasty, but with far too much water! We ate it twice, and the rest is now in the freezer as 'tahin soup'

p00

My son mended the toilet today. It started making an horrendous noise when flushed so after it finally getting on my nerves I You Tubed it and voila, done. Complete replacement part £4.40 from Screwfix and 10 minutes with an adjustable spanner and no more noise. How much would a plumber have cost? The flushing part that was in was over 20 years old so it did well.

Ive also minimised all my excess sheets to animal welfare and some craft people. Now I only have what I need.

My 9 year old granddaughter had a massive clear out for her bedroom to be redecorated so a big minimisation for her also. I sold £125 of her stuff for her to go towards her room, the rest is in the car to go to charity. Start them young, that's the best way.

2Scratters

Morning Peeps,
Well making slow progress but is a headway.

Make do - had to take my boot to another cobbler as the first one didn't do such a good job now feels brilliant.
 Whilst in the shop was faffing around putting said boot into my bag and spotted some wool sole liners for my *gg slippers as lining is past its best. Had been thinking about getting new any how this has saved more pennies and will last a lot longer. ( I did get them years ago on FB) Very MSE
Minimise - this was a travesty find my Clar%s polyvelt shoes have gone on the side where it is not possible to mend. Straight into the bin minus laces! This also means I'm going to minimise some £££
Mend - I have a very fine Cashmere sleeveless jumper (not quite a tank top!) that has a hole right in the middle of the front. Need to dig out the shy sewing machine to repair it with some other cashmere off cuts (not feeling very creative at the  moment).
Stay safe 
2 Scratters x

Laura_Elsewhere

I'm impressed with My Intended! We had kept our old Ikea wooden-slat shoe-rack, dismantled, "in case it came in useful" - and it has done! 

He's sawn about 2/5 off one shelf, and what's left is exactly the right dimensions, to a millimetre, for our narrow kitchen-cupboards, so he's adding an upper shelf in one which will then take a long narrow box (actually a wooden drawer from an Ikea set of mini-drawers! Lots of re-using of Ikea bits today...) with a load of small glassware safely out of the way but easily accessible when I want it!

So by making-do with what we have, we've minimised some "in case" bits and mended, or at least improved, the kitchen storage!