Monday Message

"Let us be in a position so we are able to not only feed ourselves through the home production and storage, but others as well." (President Ezra Taft Benson)

I think things are still hard for almost everyone. We need to do what we can to help others.

My sister came for a visit and we stopped in at a thrift store and oh my goodness, the prices were awful  - very high for used things. I haven't been into regular stores perhaps those are really high as well but we sure weren't buying at those high, high prices.

So we need to keep building our skills. We can execute repairs on things in our home and try to keep things going for as long as possible. We must try harder than ever to be more frugal. We could be in this for a while.

When we visited a yarn shop when visiting our daughter the skeins of yarn were $35.00 a piece...YIKES. Making my own never looked better.

We need to fine-hone skills, if we know how to sew you can learn to do even better.

While my sister was here she wanted to sew some bags for her purse so we looked online for some patterns that were free...

https://craftygemini.com/pop-pouch-video-tutorial/ - we did this without the embroidery. This is the little cat bag in front. HOWEVER...she had hardware that you needed to purchase to close the top of the bag. I knew something we've done from another pattern could work instead of the hardware. I still had tape measures from the Dollar Tree back when I did that other pattern (that was when the prices were really a dollar there). We cut the tape measure tape. I put duct tape around the end to keep the tape part from going inside and then set the rest aside for other projects. We cut the two per bag, just under the size of your bag top. We did ours a bit bigger than hers here. When you fold down the top part, it makes a channel for you to slide it through at the top. We then put duct tape on each end of the sections of tape from the measure. 

I used an old paper scissors to cut the metal tape. Now when you go to slide it in the channel, make sure the curve of the tape faces the inside of the bag. We then just put in a few stitches so the tape won't push out and that was it. You can pull apart to open, get out what is inside, then let it go and it will snap back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRVFwGUODts&t=1112s - this one we used for the other bag in the picture, only we did the bottom and top with two different fabrics.

So challenge yourself to learn more skills.

I have gotten this sheet that I am thinking to maybe make a dress with, this was given to me...

https://www.roseryapparel.com/videos/sewing-a-vintage-pattern - this gal does many dresses out of sheets. Scroll around, they are pretty and she does the full tutorials to show you how.

I had this metal tin and some watercolor paint replacement pans of paint I got for ten cents a box at a yard sale many, many years ago. So I constructed this paint palette.

Really look around to see what you can do with what you have.

These are the vine balls I am making from a weed vine. Free is a great thing!

This tomato cages package someone did not want. Looking at first pic, I can understand, but I got them together and out in the garden - whew, it is hot out there!

Missy says you won't be sorry you built a skill, just keep at it.

Tippy Longstockings says be sure to rest between hard jobs.