Gabby - Winter - Preparing

  Well, I love being a Nana. Gabby is doing great. She sleeps at times up to 5 hours. And only really cries when it’s time to eat or we change her diaper. She has kept us on our toes. :)

  I need your help. I am looking for a knitted soaker pattern ( cloth diaper cover). A friend gave us some all in one cloth diapers, but I have a lot of the old cloth diapers so I need the soakers for them. And I’m getting ready to start knitting my first sweater (baby sweater). For some reason I have a fear of knitting a sweater. So someone said to start with a baby sweater. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

  The farm is doing good. The house is ok, I rather spend time with Gabby than clean. :) TommieLynn and I are getting ready for school to start, and looking forward to something new. So we have been busy.

I am still looking for new ways to stretch money and make more things at home. More people are cutting back on extras ( turning off: cable, phones-home and cell, internet, etc.) and winter is not here yet. And I have just started preparing for winter. Having put so much information on stocking up and preparing last year on this blog, I am not sure what else is need. So if you don’t tell me what you need, I  will just write about what I am doing now and about things that come to mind.

 Things I need to make/do before winter:

*knit: soakers, baby sweater, house socks for all

*cut and sew more napkins/tissues/baby wipes

*keep a check at thrift stores for wool sweaters on sale, to take a part to make wool socks and soakers. Most times I can get a wool sweater for $1 and it will make 2 pairs of socks plus. And flannel sheets to turn into  napkins/tissues/baby wipes.

*look for ideas/items for Christmas gifts ( that time of year again)

*looking for sales at the grocery stores to keep stocked up. I only buy items on sale. I need to get stocked up on bath paper(not using homemade yet, but can use the flannel napkins if needed).

*need more fire wood. I have a small stock from downed trees in yard. I’ll use for an outdoor fire for cooking if needed, power goes out and I’m out of gas. If not needed, will use for fun fires( roasting hot dogs and marshmallows in the summer).

*I am sure there is more to do but I’ll start here.

 Ways I save money:

*I try really hard to go to town no more than once a week, it was every two weeks. But with Gabby doctor appointments it’s once a week now.

*Hang clothes outside to dry. Wash in cold water. Wash only full loads of clothes..

*Turn off everything not being used. TV’s, computers, etc. Lower hot water temperature. This has dropped my power bill by over $70 a month.

*When we do go out to eat- have to have a coupon.

*Only buy on sale items.

*See if I can make it before buying it. Even better, can I do without it.

I’m off to see what I can get into today.

Happy 4th of July. Have a great weekend.

Becky 

Things I Have Been Making

This is a knitted oven door towel. "Shake , Rattle and Roll" Pattern can be found HERE .

A knitted placemat, and pattern found HERE .

Rachel's Knitting Corner Blog has a lot of patterns for sale and free patterns, too. A great site.

Knitted dish clothes. These were really fun to knit. The patterns were free on line.

Here are a few of my home made pads. I used flannel baby blankets from the thrift store, 25 cents a blanket and each one made two pads.

This was a flannel king size fitted sheet for $1 , and is now going to be napkins.

This is a knitted clothes pin holder.

This is the 8 foot bench that Tommy made for the kitchen table, to hold all of our family. They all signed it before they left. It's heavy and takes two big men to move it.

Have a blessed day.

Becky

Comments:

I love that bench! It looks beautifully made. And hurrah for cloth pads, especially the thrifty use of recycled fabrics. =) Comment by Put a Sock in it August 23, 2008

Wow, you have been busy! I do not mind clicking to see your pictures. I only mentioned the resizing because when I first started on homesteader, I was so frustrated to have my pictures disappear and not know why. I have another place on Google BlogSpot and it is so much easier. I put many more pictures there because it is less time consuming. All your hand made products are so pretty and thrifty! I love your way of recycling. Comment by hopefulheart August 25, 2008

What a clever idea and use of baby blankets….cloth pads. Where did you get your pattern? Comment by plantinthings September 6, 2008

plantinthings,
Thank you for stopping in.
Here is the link to the cloth pads pattern:
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/sanitarypads.htm Comment by jordansfarm September 6, 2008

Thanks dear…..your full of knowledge and helpful tidbits. Comment by plantinthings September 6, 2008