Been working on not purchasing “things” so much as purchasing materials to make the things I need/want and it’s been paying off in spades.
Needed new bath mat. Had the last one for 7 years, paid $20. So $2.86 a year.
Bought cotton cording and I’m stick weaving some of the best mats I’ve ever owned, and I’m not even good at this.
1/2
They’re going to last decades for 6 sticks and some cotton cording, cost $34. I’ll have two mats from this cord which brings it to $17 per mat. No joke these mats with the right care can last 20 years.
Brings the bath mat cost down to $1.18.
Less than half the cost for better thing for longer.
Makes the time worth it, because time has value, but it’s fun for me so I get the entertainment as a “cost.”
That looks fabulous! (And I'm not particularly happy that you've encouraged me to learn yet another fiber skill...😂)
@Agatha @Coffee_and_Salt same. I've been wistfully adding to my "weavings" board on pinterest for years without actually having woven anything. this post might push me right over the edge
I've looked at rope weaving for rugs that doesn't need tools. But, tools are half the fun. 😕
My husband is a woodworker. It's time we join forces! 😍😍
He's far more picky than I am. He'll work on sanding FOREVER. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. 😂
@Agatha @fernfren hehe that’s rad really, you’ll have the finest tools! He’ll be right too, the smoothness helps.
Used to do it as a kid with dowel rods, a hand turn drill and a pencil sharpener. Was usually too eager to get going to take any further steps. Can confirm, did get splinters, sanding would have helped 😂
He just made me a yarn box from wood from a set of shelves my dad made me as a teen! He knew smooth was vital for the yarn. He's all self-taught, but he had 2 step-grandfathers who were carpenters, and their work inspired him. ♥️
Fingers joints by hand. No nails or screws. Made it to my specifications. Inside you can see a vertical "scar" left from when it was a shelf. I asked him to leave it as a reminder. Dad would be proud. Dad threw the shelves together quick - not his finer work. So this was a good use for the wood. Hus made a 2nd one for my sister who also knits and crochets. ♥️
I'm going to add some rubber feet and nice handles.
😂He's mostly working on the house.
WIP. He's converting all doorways & windows to look "fancy". He's also replacing all baseboards and crown molding, and eventually the stairs. Nothing is square in this house, so every cut is custom.
Those shelves were once a second doorway into the guest bathroom. There were just too many doors. Since we ripped out the nasty cabs, we needed the storage. We opened space bet wall studs to add more shelves & make it feel more open.
It's all messy atm. This weekend he will finally put up the new door. We're replacing all the hollow doors with solid paneled doors.
We had a plumbing issue that required removal of the old giant double sink. I said NEVER AGAIN. 😂
This house has a lot of storage. Almost excessive. We figured we could do without some cabinets. Besides the giant double sink cabinet, there was another huge floor to ceiling one next to the toilet. We found mold on the ceiling when we pulled it out. 🤮
Doors were constantly in the way of each other, too. Super annoying.
@Agatha @Coffee_and_Salt @fernfren Ooh, can I join this conversation? We’re getting our bathroom renovated in about two weeks!
@Agatha @Coffee_and_Salt @fernfren Yay! I don’t want to steamroll over someone else’s story, so please stop me if I do!
But we have a double-brick flat from 1960 and there’s a bit of galvanised iron pipe SOMEWHERE between the sink and the shower/bath that is gradually rusting closed so we have no hot water pressure. They have to take out an entire section of wall to find it so we figured we may as well do the whole thing!
@Agatha @Coffee_and_Salt @fernfren Of course, that’s just the main issue. I’ll gladly regain you about everything g else that’s wrong with it 😅
@fernfren @Coffee_and_Salt @Agatha For example, this place has never had a proper exhaust fan. The previous owners DRILLED HOLES in the window to allow some steam out, and when we moved in there *was* a crappy little fan in the window, but because it was an after-though, it meant the bathroom couldn't have a fly screen and we need one so that if the window is open, the cats don't slip and fall out.
@Nimthiriel @fernfren @Coffee_and_Salt
What is up with people and fans?? Texass code says if you have a window nearby, builders aren't required to put in an exhaust fan. That's NUTS considering 9+ months of the year it's too hot and humid outside to open a window!
Some genius here put in a regular ceiling fan in the primary bathroom - the kind you'd put in a den. 😬😭 (We remedied that already.)
@Agatha @fernfren @Coffee_and_Salt First thing we did when we bought the place was get rid of the old gas heater and install a split system. How it’s legal for any residence in Australia to not have air conditioning is beyond me.
@Nimthiriel @fernfren @Coffee_and_Salt
It's funny when southerners make fun of people who can't take the heat. Take away their A/C and they start SCREAMING. 😂 😂
@Agatha @fernfren @Coffee_and_Salt Next nightmare: WHAT THE HELL IS WITH THESE EXPOSED PIPES???
@Nimthiriel @Agatha @fernfren popping back in here…
The drilled holes in the window. Helped with a few remodels in my day and I have to sincerely say, that’s the first time I’ve over send holes drilled in window framing to let steam out. I just… I mean that’s a needs must solution.
@Coffee_and_Salt @Agatha @fernfren This whole flat is one massive kludge istg
@Nimthiriel @Agatha @fernfren and I had two sips of coffee and reread my post. So. Many. Typos. But you understood so that’s something!
Our home had some issues we’ve discovered along the way, and some still to be discovered that I know are just waiting for us to find.
What’s your end goal for your remodel design?
@Nimthiriel @fernfren @Coffee_and_Salt
I wonder if this flat originally had plumbing? I know you said 1950s, but I know not everything was plumbed yet in the 50s. So much shoddy post war housing was built EVERYWHERE.
@Agatha @fernfren @Coffee_and_Salt I suspect this flat had plumbing but not for a washing machine. There would have been a communal laundry downstairs originally, but it’s just storage now. The plumber told me that the waste water pipe from the washing machine is plumbed illegally :/
@Nimthiriel @fernfren @Coffee_and_Salt
Ah that makes sense. Of course it's done illegal. It usually is... 😡
@fernfren @Coffee_and_Salt @Agatha So the upstairs neighbour’s shower leaked, hence the damage to the wall.l (also getting fixed) This was the original rail for the shower curtain which bent at 90° and gave you half a bath’s space in which to shower. So I got a temporary rail from Daiso and that’s been our shower ccurtain for over 5 years 😅
@Nimthiriel @fernfren @Agatha I don’t know it would have ever occurred to me to bend a rail at 90 at a shower.
@Coffee_and_Salt @fernfren @Agatha It definitely occurred to somebody :/
@Nimthiriel @fernfren @Coffee_and_Salt
Half a bath? HALF? That'd drive me nuts. I don't like the curtain touching me when I'm shampooing my hair. I got one of the kind that bows outward for extra elbow room.
@Nimthiriel @Coffee_and_Salt @fernfren
We have mostly copper, but our gas line is galvanized. I'm waiting for it to go. (1976 house)
He's doing it all with pine, amazingly. He knows how to make the cheap look $$$.
He wants to do the stairs in reclaimed hardwood, since they will get a lot of abuse.
@Coffee_and_Salt @fernfren
Thank you. He said he learned a lot from making it, so that's a nice plus. ♥️