Resourcefulness: The budgeter's friend

themadvix

Ooh Foxgloves do you have the recipe for the chutney. Tons of rhubarb here as ever and trying not to eat too much crumble! Can think of a few recipients (beyond us) that might like that chutney too.

foxgloves

@joedenise - Yes, I did think that Boyes may not yet have reached the South, My Mum used to love coming up to see us & visiting our local branch with a shopping list of craft items, as she said there was nowhere near her where she could get them for such a good price.

@themadvix - You're welcome. I always gift at least one festive hamper & a jar of both this chutney & the jam often appear in those, so doubly useful. The chutney doesn't use anywhere near as much rhubarb as the jam, though I might make a 2nd batch of chutney at some point as our rhubarb has triffid genes. Recipe is on Lakeland website. I don't use dried cranberries in mine as don't usually have them to hand, so I replace with sultanas or raisins. I also just bung everything in all at once as I do for almost all chutney recipes.
F

rtandon27

Down here in the south, $aver$ stocks the stardrops brand & also pink stuff - can't remember how much it is now as it has been a while since we've had to purchase any.

ETA - MrS does a$t0nish products which are similar - their version of the spray stain remover for laundry works a treat at about 1/3 of the price

Sun_Addict

I follow Gemma Bray aka The Organised Mum Method of cleaning and she always advocates washing up liquid as a great cleaner. Apparently her parents used to run a fish and chip shop and that’s what they used to degrease everything. 

BrilliantButScary

foxgloves said:

Enjoyed the sewing machine nostalgia, @Suffolk_lass & @rtandon27. Haven't even unboxed my newbie yet. It fell off my list yesterday, is very likely to do so today & tomorrow has very much been earmarked as a gardening day. Soot tried to unbox it for me earlier, but his was exactly the kind of help (ie Cat Help)I DIDN'T need, so he was distracted with a flake of tuna.

@BrilliantButScary - It's SESI All Purpose cleaner (Lavender & rosemary) & I get it refilled at our local eco-refill shop. It can be used neat on tougher muck, but I mostly use it diluted in a spray bottle. Previously, particularly when we were debt-busting, I used the standard Stardrops liquid....don't know if it is still made.....again, diluted & used in a spray bottle I'd salvaged from something else. It used to last a long time. Also, you probably know this already, but don't overlook how useful simple washing-up liquid can be for all sorts of cleaning jobs, I rub it neat into stains on clothing & it's great used neat on a scrubby cloth to lift baked on gunk off the hob. A squirt in a bowl of warm water with a splash of vinegar is great for cleaning windows too.
F

Thank you,
I have checked local stockists for SESI products, and think there may be a couple of stockists convenient for me. I presume it smell nice, as it is lavender and rosemary.
I am really lucky, as I have an independent 'bargain shop' in a nearby town, where you can buy all sorts, including things like soda crystals, grease proof paper etc. 

Have you got any projects planned with your new shiny sewing machine?

foxgloves

@BrilliantButScary - You're welcome. Yes, it does smell quite nice. 
I'm not that confident with sewing. I'm primarily a knitter. Not many knitting patterns I wouldn't try, except for steeking. I've sewed plenty of household stuff over the years but find dressmaking frustrating, as even if my sewing is decent & I successfully create a garment, it doesn't fit, because like probably most people, I am not a standard size or shape (short & curvaceous in my case). Last year, my fave lime green linen summer dress wore out & because I like the style & casual fit, I saved it to take apart to use as pattern pieces. My sis (excellent dressmaker & has actually toyed with the idea of applying for Sewing Bee) says I need to use some old cotton fabric to make a practise-dress, so as to be able to try on as I go & make any alterations, re-do bits, etc, without wasting expensive fabric. I think that's exactly what I need to do, so I have put aside an old duvet cover to use for getting the fit & construction right. Then my aim is to make 2 or 3 in different summer prints. I like an interesting dress over footless tights & chunky sandals so I'm determined to work on getting this pattern right. 
However, there may be sweary posts while I do!
F

Working_Mum

All this talk of Stardrops and Boyes. I live in the north of England and LOVE Boyes - such a marvellous shop - my daughter bought me this picture (now proudly hung in my utility room) - it's a play on words really as some don't pronounce Boyes as "boys" they say "boyzez"
Thought I'd share

foxgloves

@Working_Mum - Lol, we mostly hear 'Boyes' here, but I reckon without a doubt that Mr F's Nan would have said 'Boyzez'!
Yes, v useful shop indeed, esp the haberdashery. Also, every now & then, I find an unusual bargain. One year, when we were still hard at the debtbusting, a few people received Estee Lauder body cream for gifts because there was a pile of them in stock for about £4 each. Another time, I bought several cleansers from a sustainable brand I'd read about in a magazine but was outside my everyday budget at a v reduced price. But then I can go in a dozen times to get an item or two on my list & not find any such treasures. I think it's one of those shops where if you do go in for anything, it can be well worth having a quick whizz around to seek out anything a bit interesting.
F

BrilliantButScary

@foxgloves - I always learn something on your thread! This time I've had to 'look up' what steeking is, it sounds like a combination of knitting and sewing.

In the past I have been quite an avid knitter, but I have a cardigan that has been waiting to be sewn up for about the last 5 years! I had a knitting machine, which I subsequently sold on Facebook.

I have also thought about buying a new sewing machine. I visited a contemporary quilting exhibition, for inspiration, but as yet have not bought one. I have made curtains in the past and have been pleased with the finish. I think space makes me think twice, as this kind of hobby can take up a lot of room.

Your dressmaking plans sound excellent and it sounds like you have a good mentor in your sister, if you need any help or advice.

foxgloves

@BrilliantButScary - I think steeking in my case would be a mixture of knitting, sewing & fear! Can't cope with the thought of taking scissors to something I've just spent ages knitting!
My hobby stuff is pretty much confined to 'Foxgloves HQ' which is a small upstairs home office.....well, apart from lots of books, CDs & my piano which are downstairs. When I need sewing space, I bring my sewing machine downstairs & use the dining table in the conservatory. 
F