Everyday and Long Term Projects

So far, it has been established that everyday activities help towards recycling and composting - collecting aluminium, cutting up junk mail and envelopes to make patches for quilting, stamps for charity and any excess cut for composting and fire logs.  

LONG TERM PROJECT - PATCHWORK QUILT

My long term project (one of many) is to make a double-sided padded patchwork quilt for my retirement, with matching pillow cases.  Okay, I've still got plenty of time to do this (about 20 years).  By doing a little of something every day helps towards the future.


The colour theme of the quilt will be purple and it is possible to pick up lots of lovely fabrics in remnant boxes at fabric shops. 

Paper patches, using a 7cm wooden square, were cut out and 8cm purple fabric squares were cut out.
  
The paper square is placed centrally on the purple fabric square and the 1cm fabric hem folded over and pinned in place. The hem is then tacked in place and the pins removed.  

The paper inserts will keep the patchwork rigid and it should be exactly 7cm square. By keeping to the exact size the eventual quilt will stay neat and tidy when sewn together.

Recycling Aluminium Cans

Good day today, after weeks of saving aluminium tins, thought it was time to recycle. 

Tesco Extra, Chichester has a recycling centre and if the Tesco Clubcard is used, it is possible to collect 1 point for every 2 cans deposited. The points can go towards something that not necessarily needed but wanted.  Personally, I use the points towards Christmas.

By reading the information on the cans it is possible to recycle more than you think.  I was able to recycle soft drinks cans, antiperspirant spray cans and air freshner spray cans.

There is nothing more satisfying than throwing into the "recycle munchers" mouth and hearing the metal being shredded and knowing the few minutes of time being used is not only therapeutic but also has a monetary value.

Today I gained an extra 50 Clubcard points. 

 

Fire Logs

RECYCLING

FIRE LOGS

How many of us have a bbq, chiminea, wood burners, open fires etc and need something to get the fires started?  Outside, we can use  commercial bought bbq fuel lighters or fluid, which can be expensive.  So why not make the starters yourself out of items that are already in the house?

Fire logs are made out of cardboard tubes, paper and address labels.

The cardboard tubes are the inserts from toilet rolls and kitchen rolls.  The pieces of paper used to stuff the tubes comes from the cut up pieces from leaflets, envelopes, etc, which are cut up on a daily basis and kept in the sweet tin.

Tape an address label over one end of the tube (managed to find a pack of 1000 address labels in a sale for 10 pence).

Stuff the tube with the pieces of paper as solid as possible.  Once full, another address label is placed on the end to seal everything in.

It only takes a few minutes of time, cost less than a penny to make and a lot cheaper than using the starter fuels.

Recycling envelopes and leaflets

  

Dealing with the daily post can be a chore, especially when it normally comes with advertising pamphlets and leaflets.  

However, there is a positive to this.  What may be somebody’s rubbish can be turned into somebody’s useful item.

What do you see in a used envelope?  Just an exterior wrapper for your private correspondence???  

IT IS SOOOO MUCH MORE :)

NO REALLY IT IS :)

If there is a stamp in the corner carefully remove it.  The stamp can be collected and passed onto a charity. 

As a general rule envelopes thickness is good for becoming the paper patches inside patchwork quilting.  I make sure that the envelope is folded and cut out as many 7cm x 7cm squares to act as inserts.

If there is a cellophane window, that can be found on business envelopes, save it as it can be used later.

Any left-over envelope does not go to waste.  Cut the excess up into small pieces directly into an old biscuit tin/sweet tin and save it, to be used for later.  (Only takes a couple of minutes and it will be a money saver later).

As for the leaflets, just cut them up into small pieces.  Try and keep on top of the little darlings, as they do have a tendency to take over and can get to run wild on the work surfaces.

 

cut up pamphlets, leaflets and envelopes

The Beginning

Over the years, like so many, I have learnt to scrimp and save.  I’m not here to lecture or to tell others what to do, just to share and have fun.

A lot of what I do includes recycling and composting.  Personally, I cannot see any point in paying out good money when it is possible to make the same practical item for a lot less.

KNITTING

Recently, I attended a knitting workshop held by a lovely lady by the name of Tanya Marie.  I did learn the basics of knitting when I was young, but getting a  little older, I have premature senior moments  and was grateful to attend the beginners workshop.  We were taught how to casting on/off, different knitting stitches and how to make items from the basic knitting as presents.  This can all be done by using remnants of wool.  (Worth a visit to the local charity shops).

Although Christmas is over 6 months away, it is a good idea to start early and to think ahead. I also think that a present from the heart is more valuable than a present from the pocket.

I thought it would be a good idea to make some pretend food for a children tea party as one of the presents and thought I would start with Fondant Fancies.

FONDANT FANCIES

Using a pair of 4mm knitting needles and Double Knit wool I cast on 12 stitches and garter stitched 37 rows, then cast off.  It took only 20 minutes to knit.

The cast on/cast off edges were sewn together.  The stitches from outer edge of the tube were picked up using a needle and wool, holding the tail end to make sure it doesn’t run through.  It looks like a basic running stitch.  When the two ends meet they were pulled together to gather the knitting and were tied off.

The tube was then turned inside out so that the seams are inside the fondant fancy.

Two cardboard circles measuring 3.5mm were cut out from a cereal packet.  One of the cardboard circle was placed at the bottom of the fancy (where the knitting has been gathered together).  It formed the structure.

Wadding was gently and evenly stuffed in the tube.  The second cardboard disc was placed on top of the wadding..

As previously, using a wool needle and wool, stitches were picked up from the edge of the tube. The wool was pulled gently to gather the knitting up and then tied off.

The cream on top was made up by casting on 8 stitches of White Double Knit wool and 4mm knitting needles,   The wool was cut leaving a long end and threaded through the stitches.  It was pulled up and gathered tightly and fastened off.  The wool end was cut off.

Using multi purpose glue a small amount was put on cream topping and placed on the fondant fancy and allowed to dry.

All in all, it only took me 30 minutes to make a fondant and I was watching television at the   same time.