Hello, and welcome to what has now, I guess, become My Make Do and Mend Life!
In September 2012 we embarked upon a challenge to buy NOTHING NEW for a whole year. We Made, we Made Do and we Mended our way though the whole 12 months, and proved that taking small steps towards a more sustainable lifestyle can make a big difference.
The year may now have officially ended, but the blog, and my quest for The Good Life lives on…!
Knitting ideas, inspiration and free patterns, plus crochet, weaving, and more
Other than my pants, the rest are charity finds
A money-saving, growing-our-own, making-do-and-mending husband-and-wife blog
Some of the cool and useful food, craft and sustainability skills that your grandparents knew, but probably didn't teach you!
Inspired by Make Something Month
Author, trainer, coach
connecting people, place and planet
by Jack Monroe, bestselling author of 'A Girl Called Jack'
Let's fix our relationship with electronics
On the 1st Saturday of the month we bring people together to give the objects we share our world with a second lease of life and to chat and have a cuppa whilst we're at it!
Makes, remakes, mends, darns, sews, arts, and crafts.
thrifty, creative & eco-friendly ways to raise children
Pin It, Make It, Blog It, Link It, Share It!
Proof that "We're going to live in a tent in a field" is easier read than done
My Make Do and Mend Year 
Hi there! I made slipper boots for my family last year, would you like me to put together a little tutorial on how? They were so pleased, they have all requested new ones this year 😀 xxx keep up the good work! x
Eleanor-that would be awesome! Sorry for the slow response-on hols this week in bonny Scotland with no WI fi and patchy reception…! A tutorial would be brill, feet are getting quite cold..!
I’d like this too!
I’m a bit confused Sue. What would you like too?!
I love this! I just adore this idea! So excited to follow along and get inspired some more!!!
Yay! Thanks so much for reading. I saw your video about not buying new clothes-great stuff 🙂
I have just found your blog Great Idea I will watch with interest.
Thankyou!
How’s your challenge going? I’ve learned to darn this year. The front of my jeans has more darning thread than the original weave! I’ve also darned socks which I found to be quite satisfying. Really tired of our culture of cheap goods cranked out by sweatshops and those poor children. Good luck on your adventure!
Hi Cherie. I am loving it! You are right, mending things gives such a feeling of satisfaction. I have yet to learn to darn, although I have been sent a beautiful bakelite darning mushroom, so I have no excuses-possibly my next project for The Big Mend-a monthly meet up in Bath, where we sit and natter and mend our stuff! I really want to try darning socks, but need someone to knit me some ‘proper’ socks 1st-mine are all cheapo supermarket ones and I don’t think they are darnable!
Started doing similar thing last year ( jan 2012), I did spend about £45 during the year, on fabric so failed on not using fabric from my stash. Continuing this year now as I obviously have far too many clothes and too much fabric in my stash. It’s ensuring I wear the clothes I love much much more. A great feeling.
I think I could probably go several years without buying any new (to me) clothes, and really making use of what I have, but it is still nice to have the odd ‘splurge’ even it is in the charity shop! Sounds like you are doing a great job, and as you say, very satisfying 🙂
This is all inspirational – I love the fact that others are enjoying the satisfaction of making do with what we already have. Having visited the landfill site I now feel guilty if I put “stuff” in the bin – trouble is I end up with “house-fill” instead!
House-fill, love it! I have to confess to being the same. I’m sure hubby thinks I am becoming a hoarder…
Thanks so much for reading and leaving such a lovely comment 🙂
I’m enjoying reading your blog – I think it’s not an insubstantial challenge you’ve taken on.
I’ve blogged today on my own site about fixing things, rather than simply throwing them away and buying something new – I’ve given My Make-Do and Mend Year a Mention :o)
http://nextstarfish.com/?p=9882
Thankyou so much. Fixing is the way of the future 🙂 Loving your blog too!
What a challenge Jen! With all that you do, and you have made time to incororate a whole year of make do and mend – its inspirational. Am most impressed with you making your own deodorant! Will keep all my bits that can be made into something to pass onto you. Keep it up!
Thanks Denise-love that you are a rock chick 🙂
What a fab challenge, its really quite gratifying isn’t it to recycle,repurpose fix and transform, I look forward to reading more
Thankyou! I am having a ball 🙂
Just come across you in my August edition of Grow your own Magazine looking forward to following you and getting idea’s I need to improve my sewing shills have a good weekend
Hi Linda!
Thanks for stopping by. Hope you enjoy it 🙂
Reblogged this on My garden and it's Wildlife by Wildlife Linda and commented:
awesome post
I would find this so challenging. With what I do I need to buy new things all the time – but I try to reuse containers and hunt down lovely glass containers at flea markets etc. I admire anyone who is willing to do this.
I have been surprised at how easy it has been. Sounds like you are making a good start though!
I think you would like my blog. I make lots of new things from old things. I have enjoyed catching up on the adventure, what a great challenge. Jo x
Hi Jo
I’ll check it out-thankyou!