Resourcefulness: The budgeter's friend

themadvix

@2Scratters I use cotton yarn - made for knitting. I confess I don't bleach them - the food ones get a bit grey looking (because I tend to use paler cotton for the kitchen) but I'm not bothered about aesthetics! They regularly go through the machine, so I know they might look manky, but they're not! The pattern I use knits up on the bias - this looks like the right pattern.

foxgloves

@2Scratters - I use cotton yarn too, which atm is simply colourful stuff I have left over from long ago projects. The pattern I use looks pretty much the same as the one in the link which @themadvix posted. A square knitted in garter st on the diagonal with a border made from yarn overs. Size 4mm needles, dk cotton yarn & v easy to knit while watching TV.
F

EssexHebridean

Cotton yarn for dishcloths here too - although mine are crocheted rather than knitted. I tend to make the patter up as I go along - and they're not always the neatest, but a border crocheted round the outside covers up a multitude of sins AND ensures they last a bit longer, too! 

Makingabobor2

foxgloves said:

@2Scratters - I use cotton yarn too, which atm is simply colourful stuff I have left over from long ago projects. The pattern I use looks pretty much the same as the one in the link which @themadvix posted. A square knitted in garter st on the diagonal with a border made from yarn overs. Size 4mm needles, dk cotton yarn & v easy to knit while watching TV.
F

I've knitted a few dishcloths before, just garter stitch as you say. But what do you mean by "yarn overs" for the boarder? 

foxgloves

@Makingabobor2 - I mean the instruction you'd see in a knitting pattern written as 'YO', as in you put the yarn over the needle when instructed, usually in a lacy pattern or to increase number of stitches, etc. 
F

foxgloves

Good afternoon Monday Readers,
I wanted to get the week off to a good start & I do feel I've been productive. Today's budget-friendly things as follows:
*3 loads of laundry done & crammed onto heated airer but some periodic bursts of dehumidifier are helping with that. Quite windy but I'm so glad I didn't risk pegging out as we've had a long brisk spell of rain this afternoon & there would have been too much to unpeg & bring in quickly.
*Baked a loaf.
*Made chicken stock in the slow cooker using a carcas I'd frozen, some leek tops & other veggie odds & ends. Will put it in a large container to freeze & it will doubtless be earmarked for Mr F's Christmas Day gravy!
*Number-crunched latest energy bill - this is the 1st month in which we have used a little more than our monthly DD covers but we have a good credit balance for the remaining Winter months. £3-11 more than the same billing period last year, so nothing to worry about atm.
*Did my usual Monday morning budget updates.
*Did a bit of present knitting - not a lot, but finished a heel flap, turned the heel, picked up sts & started on the foot shaping.
*Wrote 6 Christmas cards (today's quota!)
*Wrapped & arranged items in our friends' hamper. Some good Project Surbiton activity going on there - a supermarket cardboard box covered in the nice paper Mr F saved from a skip, ribbon from my Mum's craft stash, handmade gift tag & covered in a big sheet of salvaged cellophane for which I've been trying to find a use for ages. I think it looks quite nice & festive, anyway.
*Made tomorrow's packed lunch & breakfast.
*Did a few surveys - once I have been paid, my November PA earnings will be over £50 so will be a useful addition to my December Spends.
*Entered a competition.
*Doubtless a bit more funky dishcloth knitting tonight while watching TV quizzes.
*Effortless nosebag as Mr F made enough lovely butternut macaroni cheese on Saturday to feed us tonight as well.
The only task which is going to fall off the list today is jotting down some ideas for December's master meal plan. We find it's well worth getting this done up to Christmas Eve, to keep non-festive food shopping to a minimum while using freezer supplies to free up room for all the batch cooking I do after Christmas. I will do that tomorrow instead. I still need to strain the chicken stock, so shall do that as soon as I've signed off my laptop. There was a brief power cut at lunchtime & although the supply was restored very swiftly, I was unable to turn the oven on afterwards. The outage had somehow shifted the control panel to 'timer' & as soon as I got rid of that, I was able to light the oven. The TV also went a bit peculiar, but I've left that for Mr F. TVs 'going peculiar' are one of his fortes!
I keep finding Soot with his head in people's Christmas gift bags. He is obsessed with going in bags. he can't walk past one without a good nose inside. My little HQ room is a nice cosy space for them, but I'm having to keep the door shut while I am not up there to supervise, in case he actually opens any presents!
F x

PennysIntoPounds

Project Surbiton box sounds great, as does butternut mac cheese

It might not be this year, it might not be next year, but one day you might have an embarrassing mix-up and be about to gift all your nearest and dearest dreamies for Christmas, and Soot will not be found wanting in his duty to protect you from such an eventuality. Bravo brave Soot 

Makingabobor2

foxgloves said:

@Makingabobor2 - I mean the instruction you'd see in a knitting pattern written as 'YO', as in you put the yarn over the needle when instructed, usually in a lacy pattern or to increase number of stitches, etc. 
F

Aah, yes. I get it now

themadvix

PennysIntoPounds said:

Project Surbiton box sounds great, as does butternut mac cheese

It might not be this year, it might not be next year, but one day you might have an embarrassing mix-up and be about to gift all your nearest and dearest dreamies for Christmas, and Soot will not be found wanting in his duty to protect you from such an eventuality. Bravo brave Soot 

🤣🤣🤣 Well done, brave Soot!

KajiKita

themadvix said:

PennysIntoPounds said:

Project Surbiton box sounds great, as does butternut mac cheese

It might not be this year, it might not be next year, but one day you might have an embarrassing mix-up and be about to gift all your nearest and dearest dreamies for Christmas, and Soot will not be found wanting in his duty to protect you from such an eventuality. Bravo brave Soot 

🤣🤣🤣 Well done, brave Soot!

He’s a brave little soldier, isn’t he! 🤔🤩❤️😂

KK