Lenten Challenge - Update 4

I'm now working on past 20, and trying to get to 30. This seems to be working quite well for recycling, not too bad for fixing, moderate for donations and woeful for created. It is interesting how I can't keep all 4 columns going evenly at once.

I do have two scarves hemmed which need decorating and two scrunchies partly assembled, so may be able to get those 'Created' totals up a bit.

I decided not to count DBF refinishing the garden bench, since my only involvement was to find him a paintbrush, the stain and a drop cloth before I went back inside to do work stuff. Happily a couple of work deadlines have now passed so hopefully next week will be more manageable and give some time in the evening.

Off to the sewing room to finish those scrunchies.

Adding laces to boots

I had some Khahki knee high boots which were a bit tight in the leg for wearing over trousers as I had planned.

They are a good tone with my hair though so I decided they were worth keeping.

I cut up the back elastic section with scissors and applied fray check. I decided to use a length of twill tape down each side (with a twist at the bottom). I measured the length and unpinned the twill tape, then I used the stitich on my Janome which sews a little circle eyelet and spaced these every 1.5" down the tape, fray checked, and cut open with my dinky buttonhole cutter (it has a tiny circle which was perfect and a straight for normal buttonholes) then sewed the twill tape on and then laced up with some purchased boot laces.

I can now make them whatever tightness I like on the leg and easily get leggings or whatever underneath. Success.

Lenten Challenge Update 3 (half way to my goals)

Hi All, I have finally managed to get 20 items in all four columns.
This means I am half way to my challenge totals and I still have quite a few weeks to go, so lots of time to really make an impact.

I was really struggling with the last two columns, but then I had a go at sorting paperwork and generally tidying the study, which seemed to unblock the recycled column a bit.
And then tonight I managed to find a few things to add to the donation bag, I must say this part was quite hard to do, however I tried to be rational about it. So for example I had four tan coloured bags, I kept the two tone leather one and the larger structured one, but released a very small leather one (too small for my uses and scale I felt) and one which was very floppy and had a lot of zipper detail as I thought I would always choose one of the other two. I also found a paperback and some uncomfortable boots to donate. Phew! It felt like a challenge today.

Lenten Challenge Update 2

Here's my update since last time (just over a week).
I have paused on creating new things but I have fixed 4 more things, recycled 8 more things and donated 9 more things. So it is looking a bit more even.

If I can get all the columns over 20 then I'd be half way to my target, how great that would be. Obviously I have a bit of a way to go there, but definitely made progress in the recycling and donation columns in the last few days.

SWAP update (or lack thereof)

I don't seem to be doing SWAP any more. I lost some weight and its now slowed up so a lot of existing older clothes are now back wearable so I don't have the driver that I need clothes. I also have quite a heavy workload at work, had a trip, am sewing for a charity craft stall in May and am catching up on all the minor repairs and shortening curtains etc. I have put off for a while. I am still enjoying seeing what everyone else is doing but currently don't feel the urge to sew new clothes for me. I might join in with the Summer 6PAC on Stitchers Guild once I get the summer clothes down from the loft and see what I've got up there and how it pans out for work.

The main thing I've done recently wardrobe wise is buy items which help support wearing the clothes I have (if that makes any sense), so
ankle boots in various colours in the sale.
XL tights so they are comfortable to wear.
little shoe liner type socks to wear under the tights with the boots.
Belts in toning colours which hold trousers up,
also some elastic belts for a smooth finish under tops (did these myself)
new bras as the old ones were a bit stretched out.
And I'd also caught up with lots of minor repairs so favourite items are back in circulation.

So I've been making a bit more effort to wear nice outfits. I have worn suits, dresses, skirts, trousers + jackets, shirts instead of just knit tops. I've used coloured bags instead of just the black one and I've thoroughly enjoyed myself

Lenten Challenge - Update 1

Today is actually the start of Lent but I've been going on the challenge since 18th February and I'm including those things here.
Some people might see this as cheating and giving myself extra time, but my thought was if I wanted to do something good why would I wait until an artificial start time. The 40 number is a minimum starting target and I'm hoping to go way over that, but saying 40 is the target will hopefully spur me on.

As you can see as I'm making small items for the charity craft stall I have done quite well in the 'Created' column, less well on 'Fixed' and even less on 'Recycled' and 'Donated'.
However I now have the whole of Lent to work on this and really make some progress.