Friday 5 December 2014

Thrifty Sewing .. And Making A Penny Or Two ...



 Today's effort ... 
simple little hot water bottle cover ... 
just a bit of messing about with scraps of fabric.

Hello there ....
Well .... it seems we all like a lump of Manchester Tart ..
 it was very nice ...
 perhaps a bit sweet .. but hey .. it was tasty ..


As far as the recipe is concerned .. 
well I just kinda made it up .. with what I had ..
 as I remembered it from school dinners .

So ... I made a bit of shortcrust pastry and lined a flan tin (it was all I could find deep enough) ...
 baked it blind.
When cooked and cool I spread the bottom with jam
 (the jar I had open in the fridge .. I think it was Damson).

Sliced an old (seen better days) banana over the jam.

Found a packet of instant custard in the cupboard and made it up .. 
thicker than usual ... I think I used half the amount of boiling water... 
and spread it over the banana.

When cooled a bit I sprinkled dessicated coconut over the top.

Easy .. bit fiddly .. but easy enough ... and tasty.
Give it ago ... school dinners all over again.
 

 Today's important 'work type' job was to make myself a sign ... 
and I'm not great at freehand painting ..



Its something I perhaps didn't really want to get into ... 
I find mending a bit boring .. to say the least..

... But Needs Must As The Devil Drives  ...

Things work wise always slow down during the winter .. 
and although we are fine .. 
and have prepared for these slower months ..
 another 'String to my bow' .. will be a good thing.

The decision has come about because last week another two people asked me if I did alterations ...
 I am always getting enquiries .. its because I sell haberdashery ..
 I am seen as a 'sewing type person' .. 
apparently!

I have always done bits and bobs as favours for people ... 

After talking it over with Hubby P ...
 I decided to offer it as a service ...
 I can just put the board out when we are selling at out regular haunts ... 
and see if I get any work.

 

Thinking about this new venture ...
 and .. clearing the sewing table to make space to shorten a lady's new curtains .... 
I came across a nice scrap of flowered flannelet fabric.. 
just a little scrap I had saved .... 
the darker ridged fabric was an old vintage robe ... too damaged to sell ..

So it became the body of the hot water bottle cover and the flannelet an extra bit of decorative padding.

And the lacy bits .. well .. I just felt a bit .. kinda .. well .. lacy!

I quite enjoyed my bit of sewing  .. 
and it will be useful ...
 I have just 'invested' in two new hot water bottles .... 

A must for the cold weather and Hubby P's dodgy back!

And you know me of course ..
 I get a funny sort of thrill from making something out of nothing .... 
I know !... Strange Girl...!  ha ha ...!

Take care .. bye for now  x