Resourcefulness: The budgeter's friend

Baileys_Babe

Enjoy getting to know your new sewing machine and have fun making your toile.

foxgloves

Thanks, @Baileys_Babe. I have sorted out the bobbin & upper threading this afternoon, & enjoyed experimenting with different stitches on some scrap fabric. I've never owned a machine with a needle-threading mechanism before, so I had to have 3 goes at that, but I can do it now.
Yes, looking forward to the toile-making now. It's not as if I shall waste any money/fabric, as I'm going to use an ancient cotton duvet cover which used to be the one we took on camping trips. I was going to stash it in the shed for a free dust sheet, but thought it'd be more useful as dress-practising fabric.
F

ladyholly

Enjoy your new sewing machine. We will be expecting to see the results in the future.

foxgloves

Oh dear, @ladyholly. I'm not at all a confident dressmaker, so I can't promise. I have a feeling photos from me will still be more likely to be cooking, garden & cats!
F

kayannie

Do you ever read Pr!ma magazine? Subscribers get a free dressmaking pattern every month with their magazine - could be useful if you get into dressmaking in a big way! They currently have an offer of 3 magazines for £3.
KA

Sun_Addict

I used to have a sewing machine when the kids were little, I made quite a few clothes and also curtains. I wasn’t the most proficient dressmaker, probably best not to examine things too closely, so was really pleased when someone admired a pair of trousers I’d made and asked if they were from H&M 😆 

foxgloves

@kayannie - I have bought Prima magazine in the past & have attempted a couple of the patterns. In fact, my best ever handsewn garments was from one of their patterns, a jersey dress with a cross-over front. It turned out perfect....except that it didn't fit, despite me cutting it out a size bigger & doing very generous seam allowances. I am just not a standard size - curvy & short - so I think the way forward for me is going to be finding a top & a dress pattern I really like, adapting them to fit me, rather than a standard 'shop' size, then making them up in different fabrics for a variety of looks.

@Sun_Addict - Ooooh, I bet you were chuffed your home made trousers attracted such a nice positive comment. From the sublime to the ridiculous now, as I confess that back in the 1980s, I made a pair of stripey cropped trousers & managed to sew the legs up across the thighs, so I couldn't get them on! 
F

foxgloves

Afternoon Sunbeams,
I don't know where today has gone.....I am having far too many days like this. In fact, Mr F & I sat down for dinner last night, then he suddenly said, "HOW can it be nearly 9 o'clock?" And it was.....eating, then chatting, then assorted work gossip (I used to work for the same organisation) & that was the evening pretty much gone, as we are both early to bed, early to rise types. Anyway, before I go off on a ramble, has there been any budget-friendly activity today?
*Got tonight's meal in the slow cooker nice & early. Trying a new recipe, just need to add tomatoes & pineapple in about 40 mins time then prawns & coriander. It's prawn dansak from that chunky slow cooker recipe book I bought a couple of years ago. I remember borrowing it from the library first to check there's be sufficient things in it I'd want to cook, but decided to buy it before I'd even finished reading it so it was a good buy. I'm using up the last of a supermarket coriander plant but the homegrown potful in the greenhouse is about ready for picking so shall be self-sufficient in it for at least a while, plus shall re-sow very soon.
*Made tomorrow's packed breakfast. There appears to be a container of leftover Man Stew in the fridge which I am assuming is packed lunch.
*Watered greenhouse veg & bedding plants.
*Dug over greenhouse border now that most of my bedding plants are outside hardening off. Cut a big bundle of comfrey & chopped it over the newly dug border, got my pot rings into place & planted up the indoor tomatoes. When I say 'pot rings', I'm not referring to the quite expensive pre-made ones in garden centres, although I did get the idea from those. I am talking about some old pots which had their bases punched out by the resident caveman at my request! Been using them for years, as they seem to give a bit more depth for root development. All my outdoor tomatoes are grown in the same way, though they have bigger pots (which needed a bigger bash!)
*Did a couple of minor bit of financial admin.
*Did a very few surveys. Haven't earned enough yet this month to pay for a solitary cappuccino. Been slacking on the survey front as have had other things to do.
*Did meal plans for next week focusing very much on what we already have in stock, especially freezer contents. It's surprising just how much there often is lurking in there that we've both forgotten about. I was emphatic about there being NO lamb bhuna left in there - Mr F went for a rummage & found 2 portions, so free meal!
*Seem to have acquired a free silver-plated hammered 1920s teapot. Bit of a saga but have seen a photo of it & it looked so much nice than my teapot (neither of us drink tea, so it only comes out very occasionally for guests) that I said 'Yes please!
*Found some home made bread rolls in the freezer I'd forgotten about so have bumped bread baking until tomorrow.
*Knitted a very small amount of sock (the 2nd of a pair destined for the presents bag)
Right, that's it for today. I think I will see if I can call Ash in. He is keeping very odd hours at the moment as he's turned into a summer cat. I have a feeling he was one of the little horrors doing a whole lot of street yowling at 4am, which woke me up & I didn't really get back to sleep again. He hasn't even been in for his lunch today. Naturally Soot thought this should mean 2 lunches for him & was disappointed when it actually meant nothing of the kind.
Talk to you tomorrow if I manage any money saving activity,
F x

foxgloves

Morning Campers!
Today's planned activity which is budget-friendly in one way or another:
*Bake bread.
*Add meal plans to my diary planner & write grocery shopping list.
*Do Mid-Month Budget Check-In. 
*Check CC account to see if my statement is ready as I'd ideally like to reconcile that while I'm in the zone with financial stuff.
*Check for surveys.
*Make a list for town tomorrow when I'll be popping in for my hair appointment. Might as well make best use of the parking charge.
*Write a letter (card & stamp from stash).
*Weed spring onion troughs.
*Add petunias to my hanging baskets & feed them, ready to put up at the weekend.
*Pick lettuce & rocket for tonight's salad.
We've decided to progress garden jobs this weekend, particularly the veggie plot refurb, as the new raised beds need filling. One is very large so I can foresee a lot of free fitness shovelling/compost moving going on.
*Might get a tiny bit more sock knitted, I'll see.
Wishing everyone a decent day,
F x
 

rtandon27

Wow @foxgloves - you are an early bird!  Just looked at the posting time of that fabulous list of yours - I had only just got dressed for the day at that time, let alone formulated a list or even a thought!