Meet Dottie! My New/Old Sewing Machine

Meet my new sewing machine Dottie. 

She's a 1940 model with a very heavy wood cabinet, which needs a little love on the outside. 

She needs new wires that actually have a covering, yikes! 

But she moves freely when I spin the wheel and has 4 boxes of attachments. 

Best of all I got her for $20 at a yard sale. 

She's not the treadle machine I wanted but she will do what I need her to do after rewiring and a bit more cleaning. Refinishing the cabinet will come later.

See My Upcycled Shower Curtain!

I needed a new shower curtain as the one we had was very dark and not our style.  It's a postage stamp bathroom to light colors are much better.

I had a summer bedspread made of unbleached muslin and embroidered in a variety of bright colors.  It was almost a perfect fit, just had to cut off 10" from the bottom.

Then I added button holes to the top to slip over the hangers.

Quick & easy stitching project!

We love it!  And yes, there is a liner on the inside.

Save Money on Heat Costs

Want to save some money on heating costs?  Here's how I did it.

This is a small ceramic heater, they usually cost about $25 and they oscillate.

Some years back while I lived in Texas I did not use the central heat for January.  Instead I used 2 ceramic heaters.  My bedroom was roughly 16' x 12" and one of these on high for 2 hours made it toasty warm enough to either cut it back to warm or what I mostly did which was to turn it off and sleep under my quilt.  One heater I used in the dining area where my desk was.  That one ran for about 5-6 hours an evening on warm.  The one in the bedroom for 1-2 hours and maybe 1/2 hour in the morning in the bathroom.

My electricity bill that covered December 2012 with the central heat set on 60 unless I was home and then it was 68, was $124.  My bill for January 2013 which had about the same amount of cold days and nights, using only the ceramic heaters, was $53.

In October of 2019 I moved to Colorado.  We live in an apartment which has electric heat that comes from registers at the ceiling.  Electric is included in our rent so we have no idea what the cost is.  However, we have 2 Lasko heaters that oscillate, one we bought in November for about $50.  They work very well.  We keep the heat set on 65-70 degrees and run the Lasko heaters at night and when it gets really cold.  

From experience I know these heaters are more efficient than the register heat.  Closing off rooms not in use will also help greatly and of course dressing for the weather.  If you live in a cold climate and don't know about smartwool, you need to get some!  I got some leggings and a shirt meant to be worn under other clothes and they will keep you toasty!

How I Made a Down Pillow For Free

My s/o's chiropractor suggested he get a down filled pillow, but the fully down filled ones are $75 & up.  So made him one for Christmas and it cost nothing!

I had an old cotton sheet that I saved for crafty things.  The pillow is a little smaller than a standard pillow but it's big enough.  I embroidered words around the edges - good dream wishes. 

And about 2 weeks ago someone cleaning out their apartment had thrown 2 down filled jackets in the trash bin.  One was really worn and had holes, the other had a broken zipper.  I debated donating them but figured they would just get thrown out again by the thrift store.  So I removed the outer and inner fabrics.  Inside that was 2 more layers sewn into pockets that were filled with goose down.  One at a time I cut the pockets off and transferred the feathers into the pillow.  Took me three days working at night after my s/o went to bed.  I kept wearing the same clothes to work in because the down was stuck all over them.  Thankfully the feathery fluff blended into the carpet enough he didn't notice them the one time he came in my room and I vacuumed them all up when he was at work.  

I don't have a sewing machine so this was all sewn by hand.  And yes, he loves his pillow.

If you should want to try this I would highly recommend to work outside on a non-windy day when dealing with feathers of any kind.  And if you work with feathers other than down, use the heavy ticking fabric so they don't poke out.  Here's a link to a post about some I made some years back.

Making Socks Fit

It's cold here in Colorado at 7700 feet elevation in the middle of December.  

My feet were staying cold so my sweetheart gave me a pair of his wool socks, but my legs are wide so I had to make some modifications so the circulation didn't get cut off.

I split the socks from the top to the ankle and whip stitched the edges so they would not ravel.

Then I cut up a pair of black socks I had - into a triangle from the top to the ankle and whipstitched those raw edges.

Then sewed the 2 parts together.  Worked great, the socks fit without binding and keep my toes toasty!

Economizing Measures ~ Saving On Heating Costs Part 1

Everyone knows to keep your thermostat set low, as low as you can 

stand it.  But how do you keep warm enough to not complain?

1- you must dress for the weather.  Layering your clothes is a 

great way to go.  And make sure they are loose layers.  I'm usually 

ok in slacks, long sleeved shirt and slippers at home.  If it gets 

colder I add fuzzy socks and a sweater.  If it gets to freezing 

temps I can add sweat pants and sweat shirt over regular pants 

and shirt and a sweater on top of that.  

2- decide what rooms you really use and only heat those.  

Close off the vents and close the doors to unused rooms.  I have 

a bath and 2 bedrooms that are rarely used and they are off their 

own hallway.  All vents and doors are closed  and I put up a curtain 

at the end of the hallway that enters my living room.  That also 

saves on cooling those rooms in the summer.  Just a simple 

curtain will do, make it match your window curtains if you want.  

A great Victorian idea we need to bring back!

3- if you have ceiling fans you can set them to reverse at a 

slow speed to push the warm air back down to the area you are 

sitting in.  This means it will spin clockwise in winter.  A good 

way to remember is clockwise while we are on regular time and 

counter-clockwise while we are on daylight savings time.

4- you can utilize space heaters to only heat the room you 

are in.  I have a small electric oscillating heater I bought at 

Dollar General for less than $20.  I only use it in the room I am 

currently in and it keeps me pretty toasty without using a lot of 

electricity.  Please be cautious as to what kind of space heater 

you use and make sure to use it properly with any required 

ventilation.  If you need to crack a window for ventilation then 

choose a south facing one to avoid the colder winds coming 

from the north.

5- use a quilt on your bed!  Grandma wasn't just saving 

money by making her own quilt and re-using those fabric scraps, 

they are much warmer than blankets.  You need it to be loose 

over you and not pulled tight, your body heat will fill the space 

between bed and quilt with warmth and you will be toasty all 

night.  I believe it has a lot to do with the insulation quality of 

the quilt which is made of fabric, batting and fabric.  Heavier 

is not always warmer.  If you have no quilt but you do have a

sleeping bag, use it!  And flannel sheets are much warmer feeling

than cotton. 

6- but maybe this should have been first, add insulation.  

Check for drafts and insulate and caulk where you can and add 

weatherstripping if needed to doors and windows.  If you have 

no restrictions in your neighborhood then spritz your windows 

with water and cover them with cut to size bubble wrap for 

insulation.  You can often get bubble wrap for free from sites 

like craigslist or freecycle.  Alternatively you can pull down 

your shades at night to keep out drafts and raise them during 

the day to let in the sun's warmth.  Grandma used to swap out 

her light and lacy summer curtains for heavy and lined winter 

drapes for good reason and we can do the same.

7- if you are going to be home, make it a day of cooking 

and baking.  That extra heat will be welcome on a cold day, 

especially if it came from a pot of homemade stew and home

baked bread or cookies.  When you are done baking leave the 

oven door open to utilize that heat as well.  I used to live in an 

apartment that had no heat source in the kitchen so I just 

turned on the gas burners.  No worries about ventilation, the 

place was 80 years old and very drafty, but do take care if you 

need to do this and never leave the room unoccupied with burners 

on, especially if you have children.  If you have an electric stove 

you could turn on the oven and leave the door open but I'm not 

sure how frugal that would be.  Also you can boil water in a pot 

to add humidity which makes you feel warmer.

8- if you have a pet like a dog or cat and they like to 

snuggle, indulge them.  A dog or cat's body temperature is much 

higher than a human's (100-102.5 degrees Fahrenheit) and they 

are portable heaters that cost very little.   I used to have one 

cat that would sleep under the covers with me so I stayed nicely 

warm all night and so did he.

9- try a heating pad to warm up your bed 30 minutes before 

you crawl in, just like a bed warming pan of hot coals like your 

great grandma used to use.  A hot water bottle at your feet

works well too.  If you do use a heating pad, only use it for a short 

period of time, it is not meant to be slept with, would save you no 

money and could cause a fire. 

10-  don't be afraid of looking silly wearing clothes to bed.  A 

sweatshirt and sweat pants are much warmer than a cotton gown.  

Also wear your fuzzy socks to bed.  A knit cap on your head in 

frigid weather  works nicely too, we lose a lot of heat out the top 

of our heads and it's a good old idea we have lost sight of.  

Remember the line from 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' about 

"Mother in her kerchief and I in my cap had just settled down for 

a long winter's nap."

11- some other ideas I have read about.  If you have 

radiators you can add a metal panel behind it to bounce that 

heat back into the room rather than letting the wall soak it up.  

For fun put up a tent in the middle of the room and only heat 

that.  Think your house is cold? go outside for a bit and it will 

feel heavenly when you come back in.

So there's 11 ways to stay warm while trying to save some 

money on heating, at least for those of us without a wood

burning stove or fireplace.

Economizing Measures ~ How to Save Money on Groceries

I've always been careful when it comes to buying groceries.  I check the sale papers, the clearance sections and know that things like rice, potatoes and pasta can stretch one meal into 4.  I've also canned my own food for many years.   However I rarely use coupons because they are usually for items that are more expensive and for processed foods. 

I made a major change in the way I buy groceries some years back and it has saved me a lot.  I started out by buying a bit extra if something was on sale, whether it was peanut butter, fruits & vegetables or meat, etc..  I would can or dehydrate the extra if it was called for.  Many items can be frozen too if you have the room in your freezer.  For example if you are buying one bag of rice because it's on sale, get a couple extra and store it in containers, food saver bags or those mylar bags you can find pretty cheap on Ebay.  

I have bought chicken breast when it went on sale for 99¢ a pound, boiled it and canned it and the broth.  Ready to eat meat in a jar for making  sandwiches, casseroles, tacos, soups and more.  I have bought beef roast when it went on sale for $1.99 a pound.  I slow roasted it and canned it just
like the chicken.  I can leftover turkey and broth.  When those large bags of frozen vegetables are on sale I pick up some extra and dehydrate them. When I buy celery I chop up and dehydrate the stalks from the old bunch and store them in a jar to use in soups and casseroles.  

No matter what you are buying on sale, if you pick up one, why not pick up two or three if you have enough cash.  You will soon have a little stockpile in your pantry and you can now go shopping right at home.  What happens after a while is that you are now pretty much only buying sale items, so the $100 a week you used to spend on 50 different things is now more like $50 on multiples of a few items that are on sale or clearance.  Because you have a nicely stocked pantry you can still put a balanced meal together.

You can do this with any item, canned veggies, flour & sugar, coffee, etc. Even one extra will help you to save money in the future because prices will go up and you are buying at a discount today.  Don't be afraid to check out the dollar stores in your area.  I buy a lot of canned goods and fruit juices as
well as cat food at Dollar General, Dollar Tree sometimes has great deals on canned items.  Many of the chain dollar stores take coupons too.  A 13 pound bag of cat food at $8.99 is already less than Walmart, take off the 75¢ coupon I had and I now have a great deal.

Though I rarely use coupons, I have gotten some on Ebay, like for the cat food.  I paid $1.75 for 20 coupons and I bought cat food to stock up for almost a year.  There are many sites online where you can print out coupons for items you like though some stores will limit how many you can use and some
will not take them at all.

One last thing, you can save the most money by cooking at home rather than eating out.  I love eating out, but if I choose to eat good food and not fast food I have to limit how often I eat out, that means cooking at home most of the time and taking my lunch to work.  And I don't have to deal with lunch time traffic!

Economizing Measures ~ Thrift Store Buying

I have written before about buying things you need from thrift shops like Goodwill, Salvation Army and a myriad of others you may have in your local area.  I thought I would bring up the subject again just as a reminder to those of you who don't usually shop these goldmines or have never thought of it.  I'd also like to clear up some confusion some folks have about these shops.

The items in charity thrift shops are usually donated by local people when they declutter or clear out after someone has passed away.  Sometimes local stores donate unsold items that are brand new with tags still on them.  A local motel donates used but very serviceable sheets to one of my nearby stores.  What I am trying to show is that it is not all junk no one wants or worn out clothes only fit for rags. 

Items I have gotten include 2 beautiful jackets nearly new for $17 that I am positive would have $75 or more each retail,  2 new corner shelves for a kitchen redo for $1 each, brand new books with the dust jacket in pristine condition for $1 each, peruvian wool yarn, enough to make a sweater for $5, a stack of about 20 or so cross stitch patterns to resell, some brand new, a box full of evenweave linen in various colors for cross-stitching, some still marked at $20-50 per piece and I paid $20 for the box full.  Several 

really nice shirts at $3 each and a vintage basket to keep my knitting in for $5.

Think about what you need and before you go off to the local department store or big box store, check the thrift shops first.  You may not always find what you need but sometimes you do and always at a rock bottom price.

One blogger I like to read set out to not buy anything new for an entire year and they are still mostly living this lifestyle.  They have discovered the joy of the hunt, the mystery of what can I do with this?, the satisfaction that they are reusing something that might have ended up in the landfill and the blessings 

that come from giving your money to a charity that uses it to help other people or animals.

Why not try your local charity shops this week.  You may be able to cut your Christmas present budget and not use that credit card, you can feel good about where the money went, you can even use it as a tax write off!

Economizing Measures ~ Soup to Save $

I have written about making soup before, about how time saving and money saving it is as well as how nutritious.  This week I tried something new I read about on another blog on cooking.  It was so very simple and delicious and saved uneaten food from being thrown out 

which is very wasteful, especially in the pocketbook.

What you do is take all your leftover vegetables and whizz them in the food processor or blender with a bit of water or broth.  I had leftover potatoes and carrots from a roast pork dinner and we were tired of eating them, plus the pork roast was all gone.  So I whizzed up

those while also sauteing some onions and garlic for a flavorful addition.  I whizzed those too.  Then I took some leftover smoked sausage and peeled off the casing, cut into chunks and whizzed that to add to the pot.  We had a bit of gravy left so in it went and of course water to thin things a bit. 

It was wonderful, a thick flavorful soup that we had for supper and lunches the next 2 days.  The lady who wrote the blog article says she uses anything left over and it always seems to come out good.  The one she had made was a green color from the green vegetables 

she used, mine was orangy from the carrots.  Make it as thick or thin as you want, it is wonderfully warm comfort food.

Excellent for someone not feeling well or who can't chew well and for babies too! 

Remember you can home can the leftovers!

Economizing Measures ~ Stockpile It!

Creating a stockpile of food is one of the best ways to save money and to be prepared in case of an emergency situation.  Some folks have a 2 week stockpile, others have 2 months or even 2 years worth of food.  The choice is yours.

The easiest way to do it is over time, a little at a time.  Buy extra when something goes on sale.  We are talking non-perishables here.  Filling your freezer with meat that is on sale is great until the electricity is out for a week, then whatever you haven't cooked and eaten is lost.  This is why I recommend learning to can foods using a pressure canner. That way even meat will last indefinitely.  You can also buy food or condiments in the huge cans and can it in smaller jars, it saves a lot do that also.  But if you do not can your own food you can still purchase a little extra each trip.  If you can buy in bulk like at Sam's or Costco you can save money on your extras that way too.

Think about what foods you want to buy extra of.  Rice, beans, canned goods, cereals, flour, sugar, peanut butter, nuts, dried fruit, pet food, toilet paper, soap, etc.  Only buy items you like as there is no sense in stockpiling stuff you will never eat or use.

Some items like pastas, beans, cereals and flour you may want to put in the freezer for at least 3 days to kill off any potential pantry moths or weevils. Transfer items to sealable containers, good plastic containers or empty jars with tight fitting lids of all kinds work well.  Clear containers work best for me as I can see at a glance what I have.  Check freecycle and thrift stores if you need to get some more containers.

Once you start stockpiling and your pantry is full, where do you put more?  Organize closets to give you more space or store things under the bed.  It's amazing how much stuff can be put under the bed and hidden by a bedskirt.  Some of those under bed storage bins are helpful.   How about under the sofa?  There are lots of unused spaces in our homes if we get creative.  Attics, sheds and garages are not good choices because of the temperature
fluctuations.  Very short term only or for items like bottled water. Those who live in hot climates sometimes build out cold rooms with insulation and a small A/C unit, some people have basements or root cellars which are excellent as long as they are not damp.

One thing you will want to do is to go through your stockpile and organize it as you use items and replace them.  Put new stock at the back just like the grocery store does.  You can use a marker to date the cans and boxes to make it easier.  Remember that the canned items are not bad just because the date on the can is past, as long as it is not bulging or rusty or leaking, it should be ok.  Cereals will not be at their best for more than a few months.  Most home canned and tin canned foods from the store will last years.  If you ever open anything and it smells bad, throw it out.  Older fruits and vegetables sometimes will not be at their best color or they may break down but are still fine to eat, you can always taste test a tiny amount and spit it out it it taste off.

Some folks, especially those with a large stockpile, make a list of what they have and keep it up to date.  It's best to clean and organize at LEAST twice a year so you don't end up throwing food away because it is no longer good to eat.

Economizing Measures ~ Banish the Vampires!

No, not your favorite movie vampires....electricity vampires!

I had just received my newest electricity bill (Oct 2009) and it was half what it was the past year at the same time, less than $70.  Why?   I can only put it down to the fact I was using less electricity in 3 areas.

One was not using the dryer.  The other things were putting the computer to sleep when not in use and only turning on the powerstrip for the DVD player and TV when I was actually watching a movie. 

Here's your guide to things that suck electricity like vampires suck blood even when not in use.  If it has a light that stays on or a clock that stays lit up even if you don't have it turned on or if it is run by a remote.  In my house it was the TV, DirecTV box, DVD player, clock/radio which I need for the alarm, microwave, window a/c unit, stove, power strips and battery chargers for phone, camera and weedeater.

Power strips are easy to just switch off when not in use.  The a/c unit can be unplugged when not needed, and unplugging chargers when they are done. 

So if you want to save some bucks on the electric bill, turn off and unplug.  One of the easiest ways is to plug stuff into a power strip and then when you're done using the stuff, just flip the off switch.   I can't promise your bill will be cut in half, but if you put up a clothesline as well it just might!

Economizing Measures ~ Mend & Alter Clothes

I'd like to give a crash course in mending clothes because it will save 

you from buying more clothes and spending too much in having items repaired.  Most people either own or at least have seen little sewing kits, they can be found in most stores, even grocery stores.  Handy to have, especially when traveling, but not the best for real mending.  The threads in these kits tends to be inferior and break easily.

The minimal items needed: needles, thread, scissors, tape measure, pins, seam ripper & thread.

• For needles, any sharp needle will do, I suggest ones with large eyes for ease of threading.  Most people wet the thread and poke it into the eye, I wet it, hold it tight between finger and thumb, the end barely showing, then slide the needle eye over it. 
• For thread I suggest getting small spools of general sewing thread in white, black, brown, beige, blue and any other colors you normally wear.  There are 3 types of thread you will find in a fabric store; general sewing, quilting which is thicker and stronger and buttonhole twist  which is even thicker and stronger.  If you sew a lot of buttons on you might want to consider the buttonhole twist in the color you use most.
• For scissors I suggest the small embroidery scissors as you can use them to cut open seams or cut off old buttons.  A regular pair of sewing shears is very handy if you need to shorten hems quite often or need to cut pieces of fabric.  The #1 rule with these is to never ever, NEVER EVER use them for anything other than fabric or thread.  Paper, plastic and so on will dull them to the point they will need sharpening and it is very hard to find someone that does it and does a good job these days.
• A tape measure is needed if you are going to be hemming slacks or skirts and dresses.  Most are a coated fabric for durability.
• Pins are used to hold fabric in place and any kind will do.  I've even used safety pins when that was all I had to hand.
• A seam ripper is the handiest to use for opening seams although you can use embroidery scissors if you are careful.
• Full size sewing shears will be the most expensive item and they are optional.  Most of these items are about $1-2 each.

Most everyone's grandma had a box or tin with these items and more than likely lots of odd buttons too.  I suggest that when an item is past wearing, to cut it up for rags and save the 

buttons for use on something else.  If you lose a button or 2 you may find enough in your stash to replace the whole lot on your shirt and give it a whole new look without buying any.  If you've looked at the price of buttons these days you will know they are worth saving.

Sewing on lost buttons is the easiest thing to do, simply go in and out the holes enough times to hold it on well.  It if is a shank button with a flat back and a loop sticking out the 

process is similar in that you are tacking down the loop part to the fabric.  It is best to take your first stitch not too tight and then to wrap the thread several times between the loop and 

the fabric before making more tacking stitches.  This strengthens the whole thing which you will need as mostly these kinds are used on coats and jackets.  Sewing snaps is pretty much the same as buttons. 

Most blouses and shirts come with extra buttons --I save mine in a decorative box in the bedroom-- If I don't have any extra but totally lose one,  I will often use a button from the bottom that gets tucked in a waist or from the top if I never button the collar as they will never be seen or missed.

The other main thing you will want to learn is to hem.  Pant legs, skirts, dresses and shirt sleeves are all hemmed the same.  It usually costs around $10 (2019) to get something 

hemmed, which isn't a lot but what if you can save that much and only use 30 minutes of time while watching TV? 

If you only need to turn the hem up once it is usually easier to leave the old hem in place and fold it up and stitch, then press with your iron.  Keep your stitches about 1/4 ' apart 

and do not pull them tight or you'll get puckers.  Thread a needle with about 18", knot one end.  Pull through the old hem or the inside edge to secure it.  Move forward in 

either direction about 1/4' and catch 1-2 threads of the fabric which is the back side of the main body and then up through the hem edge on the inside.  Just keep repeating till its done and knot the end.

If you are short and need to remove several inches of fabric then you will want to measure the inseam (inside leg seam) of a pair of pants that is the right length - same 

with a skirt using the side measurement.  Alternately you can put them on inside out and have someone else pin them up in place for you.  Trim the extra off but leave 

1 1/2 -2" for the hem.  Measure twice, cut once!  Moving around the hem turn the raw edge under at least 1/4" or more and pin it in place as you go.  Then you are ready to hem it.  You can make shorts from long pants, short sleeves from long sleeves this way and extend the life of the garment. 

These are the most needed alterations and they don't even require a sewing machine. 

One other thing you may need to do is repair a split openseam.  Match your thread color and just resew the seamwith a running stitch -- up, down, up, down -- taking thesmallest stitches you can.  I sometimes go back over it several times depending upon where the split is and how much strength it needs.  If you have a sewing machine it's even faster to mend.

From here you can go on to learn to put in gussets to give you a little more room, let seams in or out, replace zippers and so on.  About the only repairs I recommend taking to the professionals is if it needs re-weaving because of a hole or tear.  It is worth the money on a quality item.