Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2021

halfamo

This weeks mending was sewing up some thumb tears in underwear yet again. They always go just under the elastic.
Then I took my shirt jacket which I got before xmas as a gift and was enormous LOL and turned it inside out and cut the excess away. Had to remake pockets too. 
Lastly took some things to the charity shop that were gifted to me new but we couldn't find a use for them.
I now have my mending bag right beside my underwear drawer so if I take a pair out and there is a hole, I can mend them and then just put them on LOL Much more efficient than adding them to the mending pile to maybe get done some time.

London_1

Just about to hand stitch my knitting bag handle that one of my DDs little dogs managed to have a nibble at .If I do it now before it gets any worse its another small job off my to-do list , and on to my been -done list  

One kilo bag of carrots peeled and diced and cooking to make my spicy carrot and coriander soup for this weeks lunchs ,plus  made a banana custard for the fridge pudding that gets used up.

Bananas were starting to get a bit speckly so saved from the bin and into a pint pudding dish and topped with custard.

Using up what I can and no shopping this week needed so far only spent £27.90 this month of my food budget and day 14 of the month I am quite happy with that 

YorksLass

Today I've made a big pan of spicy parsnip & potato soup using a ys bag of parsnips I bought yesterday, so that's 6 portions for just pennies.

I've also made a fruit loaf in the BM instead of buying one.  The recipe called for mixed fruit that I haven't got (not keen on candied peel) so I substituted that with sultanas and chopped dried apricots.  I also added some cinnamon as well as nutmeg.

I've nearly finished making a small shopping bag from the legs of an old pair of jeans that were too tatty for the CS.  I've used some twill tape for the handles and a cotton lining, both from my stash.  No cost to me other than a bit of time.

Wraithlady

Make do: WFH, I get cold legs if the wind is in the wrong direction. Found a bag of patchwork panels that I'd made yonks ago and just not done anything with, used spare fabric and blanket material and made a lap quilt instead of buying something ready-made

Mend: Holes in a pair of jeans (an ongoing progress)

Minimise: Clearing out MIL's house as far as we can, there are a lot of cashmere jumpers in a bit of a sorry state (moth holes, mainly) which OH had put to go to rags. I salvaged 3 to try and make cushion covers with - I have an embroidery machine so once I cut them avoiding the larger holes, I can embroider them.

If it's successful, I can a/ make some more and b/ try and sell them on one of the online selling platforms - proceeds going to the DEC appeal for Ukraine.

At worst, I've wasted a bit of thread and a few hours and got a few cushion covers out of it.

oystercatcher

Wraithlady said:

Make do: WFH, I get cold legs if the wind is in the wrong direction. Found a bag of patchwork panels that I'd made yonks ago and just not done anything with, used spare fabric and blanket material and made a lap quilt instead of buying something ready-made

Mend: Holes in a pair of jeans (an ongoing progress)

Minimise: Clearing out MIL's house as far as we can, there are a lot of cashmere jumpers in a bit of a sorry state (moth holes, mainly) which OH had put to go to rags. I salvaged 3 to try and make cushion covers with - I have an embroidery machine so once I cut them avoiding the larger holes, I can embroider them.

If it's successful, I can a/ make some more and b/ try and sell them on one of the online selling platforms - proceeds going to the DEC appeal for Ukraine.

At worst, I've wasted a bit of thread and a few hours and got a few cushion covers out of it.

Turtle Doves (company who upcycle cashmere) used to do an offer where they sent free gloves if you sent them a cashmere garment. Not sure if this still happens but worth a look at there website. I don't know how to post links from this device, sorry.I love their gloves though.

QueenJess

More making do to report. Yesterday I made a Mother’s Day card almost entirely rescued  the stuff in my recycling box. I used a pretty looking square tissue box and made the circle cut out the front of the card. Put white baking paper on it (made from an envelope from a bank statement) and then cut out a daffodil flower and stem shape from useless small bits of coloured card in my craft drawer. Job done!

I also listed a handful of items into my local buy nothing group, so hopefully a few more things will be leaving the house.

mandy47

Mended, the corner of a hand made patchwork quilt. 
Minimised, an old bun tin and an insulated travel mug that doesn't actually keep my coffee warm. Both binned.
Make do, planted some flower seeds left over from last year. Hopefully they will grow.

Thrifty_Taylor

Minimise - sorted all my fabric yesterday. Donated some to CS. 
Make do - cut out & sewed bunting to give mum for Mother's Day, as she mentioned recently that she'd like some
Mended - DS3 asked for some thread & a needle & has repaired a pair of gloves

QueenJess

Make do: planted some leftover flower seeds inside from 1-2 years ago using pots I already had. Didn’t have anything on the bottom to stop water going over the window sill, but found a large plastic box lid that works fine.

Minimise: Got rid of a bunch of cushions/cushion covers that we have no use for.

YorksLass

Minimise: Raided the food cupboards and have used a tin of fruit salad, a tablet of blackcurrant jelly and a couple of pieces of cake that was getting a bit dry to make 4 dessert pots that will do us for a couple of puddings each this week.  I'll add a dollop of Greek yogurt on top just before serving.

Make do/Mend: I've recently replaced a couple of bathroom hand towels that were getting a bit thin and have cut each of the old ones in half to make into small kitchen hand towels.  I'll be hemming the cut edges tonight and will add some tape from my stash for hanging loops.