Need some SS ideas

[tortoise]

Do you use rain barrels to catch your water runoff for the garden?

Would love to and my fiance is OK with it. Except we need new gutters first! It's on my "not this year" list.

Maybe some carpentry is in order. I don't have anything I need to make (yet).

 

[Dace]

This thread has flushed out some good ideas...I agree on the sewing and maybe that is why I still haven't bothered to pull out my machine, it can be costly.

I love the idea of making puppets for Christmas, perhaps you could expland on that and make all of your holiday gfts? That will keep you busy thru the fall

 

[FarmerChick]

holiday gifts to sell

like homemade wreaths etc

make a little cash and uses up that free time

then make starter flower plants and sell those in spring




I had Canna. That stuff multiplied like insanity lol I dug up the tubors and sold many hundreds of dollars of that plant in spring

 

[ORChick]

I realize that sewing is off the list for now - but a little tip that might be useful later (or for others) -
Sewing patterns are ridiculously expensive, but fabric stores have periodic sales, bringing them down to a price I am willing to pay. If you aren't a complete novice at sewing you can get some basic, fairly simple patterns that fit you - a nice skirt, shirt, pair of pants - and modify them as needed, so that you have a varied wardrobe in the end.

 

[PunkinPeep]

As far as crochet and sewing, and the expense, it's a good idea to see about Freecycle or similar programs in your area. I love to crochet, especially in the winter, and i have gotten a lot of free yarn from Freecycle members. I also see super cheap yarn from time to time in resale shops. The last couple of things i made as gifts (sil baby shower and god-daughter birthday) were made completely from free materials, but nobody knew that unless i told them. Lots of people buy expensive yarn that they never use and end up giving away. Yay for me! It's a great feeling to be able to make nice, appreciated gifts for those kinds of things without having to dip into a strict family budget.

I have also seen lots of offers for free fabric on Freecycle - especially quilting squares. I didn't take advantage because i am still holding out for my birthday sewing machine. I hope! I hope!

AND (i know, i just keep blabbing) there are tons of crochet patterns you can get for free online. I imagine the same is true with sewing, though it's not really the same.

Curious - you said livestock is out of the question - are chickens illegal where you live? They're so much fun, i think they would liven up your dreary winter if you could have just a few.

 

[tortoise]

I realize that sewing is off the list for now - but a little tip that might be useful later (or for others) -
Sewing patterns are ridiculously expensive, but fabric stores have periodic sales, bringing them down to a price I am willing to pay. If you aren't a complete novice at sewing you can get some basic, fairly simple patterns that fit you - a nice skirt, shirt, pair of pants - and modify them as needed, so that you have a varied wardrobe in the end.

Yup! I stocked up on the $3 patterns on the 4th of July! I picked out about 10 patterns that are versatile and cuts that will look good on me.

But almost all of them are stretch.

I desparately want a serger!

 

[tortoise]

Try reading The Encyclopedia of Country Living....it'll give you lots of inspiration!

I requested this book at the library. Should be shipped up here soon!

 

[PunkinPeep]

I'm putting that one on my wishlist.

 

[hwillm1977]

I realize that sewing is off the list for now - but a little tip that might be useful later (or for others) -
Sewing patterns are ridiculously expensive, but fabric stores have periodic sales, bringing them down to a price I am willing to pay. If you aren't a complete novice at sewing you can get some basic, fairly simple patterns that fit you - a nice skirt, shirt, pair of pants - and modify them as needed, so that you have a varied wardrobe in the end.

Yup! I stocked up on the $3 patterns on the 4th of July! I picked out about 10 patterns that are versatile and cuts that will look good on me.

But almost all of them are stretch.

I desparately want a serger!

I bought sewing patterns on Ebay... I got 155 patterns for $25, and although some are things I would never wear most are great. I got them mostly because I wanted retro patterns and these were from the 1940's up to 1970's.

I'm sewing and selling cloth diapers now that I'm getting closer to my due date. They are cheap and easy to make, and generally sell really well. I'm hoping I could make enough that I can take all my leave for maternity leave (we get 54 weeks in Canada)

You can also find FREE patterns online... www.burdastyle.com? is one that has some free ones (a lot that you have to pay for too).

I desperately want a serger too... I keep watching yardsales and online classifieds for a decent used one.

 

[urban dreamer]

What's a serger?