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Food
A waste that’s truly terrible
Undignified is the word that probably best describes the sight of a middle aged mother of three upended in a supermarket skip. Fortunately the night was dark, and the strategically posted lookout ensured that nobody witnessed this less ...
Garden
Get an allotment – ask the experts
Allotments used to have a whiff of austerity about them. During World War Two people were exhorted to 'Dig for victory' and make hearty meals with turnip tops. Allotments were about wellington boots and corduroy trousers. There were jolly ...
Videos
Our guide to festival frugality
Festivals have become a fundamental aspect of the British summer. With a few Make It and Mend It tips your festival experience needn’t be a case of waterlogged tents and overpriced hamburgers. The August and September festivals are just ...
Food
Making jams, pickles and preserves
Some of the most popular posts on our website are about making jams, preserves and pickles. One of the keys of our make and mend philosophy is to take advantage of things we can grow. We've published lots of pieces on this topic as well ...
fashion
Project! How to make this cute little wrist bag
You couldn't get enough of the Tote bag we posted recently, so here are some step-by-step instructions for an even cuter zip-up wrist bag, complete with an inner pocket and a lovely big bow on the front! You'll need a little sewing ...
fashion
The beginners guide to swishing and clothes swapping
Going to a swishing part for the first time? Here's Penny Golightly's guide to some of the main formats. Like-for-like swapshops At these events you all keep your garments or accessories with you and look around to see what other ...
Garden
What about a wormery?
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap) recently undertook a study which shows UK households throw away about a third of the food they buy. Roughly half of the 6.7 million tonnes of food thrown in the bin each year is edible and ...
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Even more practical Christmas gift ideas
You've told us you want some ultra-practical gift ideas for this Christmas, so we've updated our gift guide, with new ideas for homemakers and including a DIY section
Have you got an idea for an article or story?
Whether you’re a seasoned wordsmith or turning your hand to writing for the first time - we’d love to hear from you. Send an email to the address below and we’ll send you our free guide to Writing for Make it and Mend it. It’s full of great advice and could help you get published elsewhere on the web. (Just remember who gave you your big break.)
