#makedoandmendhour 24th July

Here we go with the weekly roundup of our #makedoandmendhour Twitter chat (every Thursday 8-9pm!!)

Pics we shared:

1. Before and after of some re-painted cupboards from @NearlyHere
2. Shopping bags made from brolly ‘skins’ @SueArcher6
3. The shopping bags cunningly rolled up and secured using the original tags from the brollies! More genius from @SueArcher6
4. Broken crockery saved from the bin and given a new lease of life by @KarenCannard
5. Textile scraps made into pretty jewellery by @madebymrsm
6. @PrettyNostalgic are getting ahead of the game and drying out their lavender harvest ready for use in Christmas presents!
7. Chickens! @Bluebirdanielle is now the proud owner of some chickens, and looking forwards to living the Good Life
8. A spot of snazzy re-upholstery from @AGahlin
9. @Sweetmyrtle has been busy making calendula salve-it looks edible!
10. @GDUKStyle shared some more wine bottle inspiration (anyone else sensing a theme to Chris’ upcycles..?!)
11. Brilliant Freecycle find from @RachaelHodgetts
12. Ladder shelving inspiration from @nikkiw76
13. Brilliant headboard upcycle shared by @GDUKStyle
14. Beautiful craftsmanship from @Maker_of_Things making these wooden trowels-too lovely to use in the garden!
15. Hexapuffs! From @BeckyAnnison
16. Hexapuff blanket! From @BeckyAnnison
17. Gorgeous fabric and some VERY neat sewing from @Sweetmyrtle with this Tailors Ham and Sleeve Roll
18. Another ladder inspiration from @GDUKStyle
19. Some gorgeous patchwork from @JenMcGeachie
20. @SueArcher6 shared her cable inners last week, and now here they all are, on homemade reels, ready to be upcycled!
21. Loving the lace detail on these jeans shorts from @WardrobeAngel
22. @Maker_of_Things managed to get this lovely Singer going again for @SueArcher to work some more of her Make Do and Mend Magic!

Things we learned:

• It’s never too early to start thinking about Christmas!
• Ladders are possibly the ultimate upcycling project-they have almost as many uses as pallets…
• Umbrella skins can be re-used, and @SueArcher6 is not the only one doing this! I rescued an old brolly from Hubby’s tip pile last week, but wasn’t really sure what to do with it. Now I am inspired to have a go at making a bag 🙂
• I asked for ideas for Zero Waste or Plastic Free ice lollies, and was inundated with ingenious replies-there is a whole blog post to come on this..!
• The new style of lampshades (the ones with a ring at the top with the lightbulb holding bit on, and then a separate ring at the bottom that is only attached by the lampshade itself, can be tricky to fix! We had a couple of suggestions-one involved thin wire and beads, and winding it round. If anyone has any others, please shout!
• Calendula salve is made from marigolds, and good for cuts and grazes (see link below for recipe)
• Hexapuffs are a ‘thing’ and mean you can make a knitted patchwork style blanket!

Links we shared:

• Pretty Nostalgic magazine is launching a Kickstarte campaign to form a Pretty Nostalgic Society. They have a Pretty Nostalgic Pledge, which is to Spend Wisely, Waste Less, and Appreciate More. I love this! If you want to help them on their way, here is the link to the Kickstarter Project
• Mrs M Makes has got an e-book out, Fun Textile Projects, with some upcycling and textile projects
• Skirt to blouse tutorial from Maryom’s Home Page
• Beekeeper’s Quilt (the hexapuffs!) from Tiny Owl Knits
• How to Make Calendula Salve from Carl Legge and the Permaculture Magazine

It was a super busy hour-I nearly couldn’t keep up!
So pleased the warm weather isn’t putting people off their Making Do and Mending 🙂

See you next Thursday 8-9pm for another brilliant #makedoandmendhour!