Last days of Summer and Saving Energy

 Hello everyone I hope you have all had a good summer, I say that like it is over I am hoping not just yet but it is feeling a touch cooler and the nights are getting darker already so unfortunatley it is on its way out.  Still tme to embrace the Autumn I do love the colours and in past years there has been still lots of sunshine into September and the beginning of October so fingers crossed. 

I have been trying to think of ways to winter proof us this last few days, there is so much talk about the energy prices that it puts you off turning anything on but I think perhaps the main culprits are anything that heats up. We have a mini oven (very small) for the caravan and although you can only fit a couple of things in it, it is very energy efficient.  So we have brought that in and whenever I want to just heat up spring rolls or a garlic bread for family to hve with dinner I am using that.  All this time I have been putting on the main electric oven but when you think about it all that heat for one thing.  People do say use it to its capacity but what if you only need to heat one thing?? So we have brought that in but as I said it is tiny.  If I had the room I would buy another slightly bigger mini oven, or I am even considering removing the main one and just replacing in the space there.  There are only three of us and when we have company it would be hob top meals!  Drastic I know but up to 6K a year on bills for a family, I don't think so.

We had some of  our double glazing replaced earlier this year, the front of the house as that was the worst but there is one back window not done that is a bit drafty.  I have had the idea that my husband will make a secondary frame for that, we have turned the water heating temperature down and are experimenting with how far that can go. So the main thing is going to be the heating, now people lived without heating for a very long time and we didn't have it when I was a child up to a certain age, then our second house didn't have it at first for the first winter we were in. Therefore the thing is we don't need it on as much as we all do, unless you are older or ill.  Have we become just too soft? I am speaking mainly for myself here so please don't take offence, I have always said I don't see the point in being cold at home but now no way am I contributing to the profiteering, yes there may be a shortage but why then are companies having record profits?  I will be wearing lots of layers, exercising and keeping a close eye on our usage.  If you have any tips please leave them below.

Right back to sewing, over the weekend I made the Bertha Cardigan from Make it Simple.  My friend has let me borrow this book and while it is a lovely book I am pushed to find much I want to make out of it.  Mainly because a lot of the patterns are just things I already know how to make as they are just very simple shapes.  Great for a beginner though so still worth a look if you are just starting out and don't have these patterns, and as laways super instructions.  One thing I did like was the Bertha cardigan, so I ordered this fur backed sweatshirting to make it.  It is a quick make and I really like the shape so I think there will be more of these for my winter layering up.

I think I might choose a more sweater style fabric next time, so something softer like a nice drapey knit, any suggestions.  If you have made this and it worked well please let me know what you have used, I really need to make them in some solids but there I went again chhosing a print!

Well that is all for today, a bit of an energy rant really take care everyone.