What Preps are you doing this week? Part 10

[GillyBee]

Got a small, cheap second hand sewing machine and going to start out with new lined heavy curtains for the winter.

As an aside, when did sewing machines get so expensive and complicated?!? Looked at some in JL and was really a bit freaked out by both cost and complexity, assured by colleagues that £300+ is reasonable for a sewing machine, too embarrassed to tell then how basic my machine is, but I am working on the assumption (maybe mistaken) that less complex means less to wrong, and more likely I will be able to fix and issues myself.

They were unobtainable during the pandemic so prices went up. Still not at 19040s levels though when a sewing machine cost between a week and several months wages. Nowadays machines fall into four main groups. "Beginners" machines - up to about £400, more advanced hobbyists, £400 to about £3000, vintage machines and industrials. For a sturdy machine for curtains etc on a tight budget a vintage machine can be ideal as long as you have someone handy to do basic maintenance.

[preppermike]

Added a 3rd slimline water butt to the garden. I have 300 litres total capacity now for the garden. My plans are to only water the vegetables and fruit trees in an extended drought. It's also going to be used for other non-potable uses, washing etc.

I'm also re-stocking my vehicle preps. I usually keep 2 litres of water in the boot. It got me wondering, would canned water store better?

[Nurseandy]

I always keep water 5 litres of water in the car and just rotate it. Either drink it or top up screen wash and refill. Canned water seems an expense when it's practicably free out of the tap.

[pseudonym]

Got another 10 Military retort main meals from my Ebay "dealer"


I can give up, anytime I want

[Yorkshire Andy]

I always keep water 5 litres of water in the car and just rotate it. Either drink it or top up screen wash and refill. Canned water seems an expense when it's practicably free out of the tap.

And to be fair 5l of water is a better quantity if you have space Morrisons bottles are square so so don't roll about ... My screen wash bottle is 5l capacity ... The cooling system takes 5l capacity.... 5l is just right

Better carrying water and a small bottle of concentrated screen wash makes sense Vs just screen wash .... You can't drink screenwash...

[Yorkshire Andy]

2 tyres ordered from the local tyre man cheaper than buying them on line and paying him to fit...... Had a none repairable puncture a few months back and fitted a part worn (my own tyre I kept when the tracking ripped one apart I put a pair on and kept the good tyre with about 3.5mm left on it..) so before autumn/ winter sets in I'm putting a pair on and again keeping the better tyre as a spare ... very few garages carry stock and having a serviceable tyre in my shed means I can stay on the road easy enough got a great mobile guy comes to the house £15 last time for a puncture repair...

He's usually greeted with the tyre off the car waiting and a brew or cold drink thrust in his hand ...

Gone for a more off road bias tyre over my usual all seasons the back end of the car seems to want to slip sideways in the mud / slop done some digging and the V pattern tyres are notorious for it but these still have the winter duty mountain and snowflake markings should we ever have to go abroad in winter (wife's brother lives in Germany)

[ForgeCorvus]

Got a small, cheap second hand sewing machine and going to start out with new lined heavy curtains for the winter.

As an aside, when did sewing machines get so expensive and complicated?!? Looked at some in JL and was really a bit freaked out by both cost and complexity, assured by colleagues that £300+ is reasonable for a sewing machine, too embarrassed to tell then how basic my machine is, but I am working on the assumption (maybe mistaken) that less complex means less to wrong, and more likely I will be able to fix and issues myself.

They were unobtainable during the pandemic so prices went up. Still not at 19040s levels though when a sewing machine cost between a week and several months wages. Nowadays machines fall into four main groups. "Beginners" machines - up to about £400, more advanced hobbyists, £400 to about £3000, vintage machines and industrials. For a sturdy machine for curtains etc on a tight budget a vintage machine can be ideal as long as you have someone handy to do basic maintenance.

My current favourite machine is a handcrank Singer, still working after a hundred years.
I bought it for a fiver and then got it serviced by a 'Man in a shed' (check bookface for that type of tradesman)..... He offered to fit an aftermarket electric conversion that would of been an extra £15 on top of the £25 for the full strip-down service.

However, I've just had a quick nose about on Evilbay and you can pick up a decent late 40's/early 50's electric machine for under 50 notes delivered* ( most probably need a little TLC and cleaning)

OK, I'll admit they just sew in a straight line forwards and backwards and wind their bobbins but that really is all you need for most jobs around the prepstead

* Roughly half the sub £100 machines are collection only so check how close those are..... A two quid machine isn't cheap if you have to travel the length of the country to pick it up.

[pseudonym]

+1 for the Handcrank Singers.

My Jackery powerbank will run my 1950s Singer but my 1898 Singer will work anywhere if required.

[diamond lil]

I used my mum's foot treadle Singer all the time when my kids were young, made my daughter's dresses, altered curtains and recovered old chairs etc. That bloody thing drove me mad. I ended up painting it purple and using it as a plant display unit.

[Frnc]

All this talk of sewing machines prompted me to check what sewing stuff I have. Not much, but my BOB has a tent repair kit, including adhesive and thread. And in home I have a sewing kit I've put togeter, plus material such as waterproof nylon or polyester. My sewing is pretty bad. Last I did was tighten the leg ends of my over the knee autumn/spring cycling knicks, which were made for people with massive calves. These I did ok and the stitching is all intact. I didn't cut the material, so if it fails it just reverts to original.