Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Let’s do this together
Dress for the job you want, the old saying goes, in which case, I’m already over-qualified to be a medieval peasant.
I’ve seen better dressed sacks than my current look of indoors scarf to save on heating, and saggy, grey sweatpants to catch the biscuit crumbs.
But it’s so long since I’ve been out properly, I don’t know what I’m supposed to be wearing this season. I rang my fashionista friend in London for help. “Hi Sal, what are they wearing on the streets of the capital?”
“Um, dunno, I’m still WFH,” she sighed. “But I can tell you that my takeaway delivery driver is rocking the high-vis vest and black lycra look. And urban overalls are still on trend for mechanics – and yummy mummies in my local coffee shop.”
So I decided to take a tip from our Lemon-aid newsletter (below) and have a good sort through my wardrobe to see what can be revamped for my own Covid winter collection.
As my Scottish granny said, “Waste not, want not,” although to be fair, she couldn’t have been thinking of my denim on denim phase.
I also thought I’d try and pass some of my treasured wardrobe items on to The
Dark Lord and hope she couldn’t still smell the tequila on them, but she was having none of it.
“I’m not going out looking like an old lady,” she said rudely about my noughties staple – a floral tea dress.
Talking of older ladies, I’d like to say happy 90th birthday to my Auntie Rita in Portadown, Co Armagh. Her secret to a long life? “Five meals a day and old reruns of Fawlty Towers.”
Plus she only takes medical advice from Doc
Martin. Wonder if she needs a tea dress?
Email me at siobhan.mcnally@mirror.co.uk or write to Community Corner, PO Box 791, Winchester SO23 3RP.
“I’ve always considered selling but I wasn’t sure where to get started,” says Jessica Hubbard, in Worthing, West Sussex, who’s become a Covid crafter.
The 23-year-old is using the launch of waste app OLIO’S Made section to find buyers for her knitting hobby that’s developed into a side-hustle.
She says: “My grandmother taught me to knit when I was young, but she sadly passed away in 2010 before she passed on all of her knitting knowledge.
“Since then I have learned so much and was considering selling my knits. Homewares are my speciality and I love knitting giant blankets, slippers and decorations.”
Already an OLIO food waste hero picking up surplus food from businesses, Jessica says: “Now as an avid crafter, I can’t wait to share my knits on the app’s Made section and see what my neighbours think of them.”
Like Jessica, I’ve downloaded the app, which told me I have 1,310 neighbours in my area who have also signed up for it, and checked out the Made option. I now know where to come when I need homemade cakes, bath bombs and crocheted Christmas trees!
Have you made something you’re proud of or do you have a hobby you’d like to share? Send a photo of yourself and your craft work, your age and address to siobhan.mcnally
@mirror.co.uk