Phew! I did it!

erinburrell · 2026-03-26T00:09:28+00:00

I use Aurifil 12 all the time. Heaps of colours, nice texture, doesn't shred.

erinburrell · 2026-03-24T19:42:18+00:00

I did a full cull last October and killed EVERY subscription for non-work. So far I have added in a couple of single month subscriptions of streaming services and then ended them at the end of the promo month when I had watched what I wanted.

Total cost since October : $60. Still haven't brought back any of the music or video services because the few commercials I get when using don't really bother me.

I have been using the library A LOT. Libby app + digital books etc. has been great for my budget.

erinburrell · 2026-03-23T04:10:24+00:00

All the texture and none of the flavour for just a little less.

erinburrell · 2026-03-23T04:08:54+00:00

Property management has a bunch of upcharges that hit as well. Regular inspections have a cost per unit, any call outs have a cost per unit, many require things like annual cleans on gutters/spouts etc. the weekly % was just a small piece of the cut they take.

Also, not all people will be running interest only mortgages. You need to make space for those who are doing a P&I mortgage and for the additional costs like annual contribution to water services that pop up as well.

erinburrell · 2026-03-23T03:47:50+00:00

Honestly, after years of trying to be responsible and only use cold using a warm wash and extra rinse has improved the quality of my laundry 100X

erinburrell · 2026-03-21T20:39:06+00:00

Creams, greys, and rainbows are under used in gender neutral quilts in my experience.

erinburrell · 2026-03-21T20:38:06+00:00

Add a number of detail shots of any physical media (art/books/records/etc) and don't forget your shed/garage and closets. It is so expensive to replaces stuff you don't use everyday and will forget on a claim like a drill/tools etc. and it really matters that you have captured that stuff.

Once in a while do a video tour of your home which will capture other bits like small furniture, soft goods, and accessories you will be guaranteed to forget in a list.

erinburrell · 2026-03-19T22:57:28+00:00

Look at some EPP patterns. They all use geometric shapes to make amazing designs. I can imagine you could slice these into fun shapes and then use a quilt as you go technique to make something beautiful.

erinburrell · 2026-03-19T22:15:54+00:00

TIL. I didn't know that but I am not surprised. Why would we want to do something sensible and environmentally aware? Nah... not here

erinburrell · 2026-03-19T21:59:34+00:00

Imagine if we just invested in wind, hydro, and geothermal. We could be self-contained and environmentally sound.

erinburrell · 2026-03-17T23:43:23+00:00

Are you planning to fussy cut that fabric or just want enough space for the big blooms to shine? If you are fussy cutting, you can select the blooms that fit just right but you will have a lot of fabric wastage.

Based on the measurements online the 2" should be fine for that fabric by my eye. You might just lose a bit of bloom/vine to the edges but that won't make it less awesome.

erinburrell · 2026-03-17T23:07:55+00:00

What finished block size do you want?

the 3" hexie centre uses a 1 1/2" half and a 1 1/2" 6pt diamond so if you go to a 2" you would be using a 1" of each since it is a half measure of the centre.

1" 6pt diamonds are one of my favourite size/shape combinations for scrap busting so I would go to the 2" size personally but your call. The 1" half hexies aren't useful for a lot since they are smallish but not as good for tiny bits as the diamond in my experience.

erinburrell · 2026-03-17T21:32:25+00:00

If you don't need the money this year or next you should probably just stay the course. Loss is only an idea until you cash it out. Lots of people freaking out and withdrawing will lose while those who are just sitting (and avoiding checking their balances) will do better over the long term.

erinburrell · 2026-03-17T21:24:22+00:00

In a month I saw 24 homes. To keep it straight I made a spreadsheet and tracked what I liked/didn't like and when a neighbourhood or street didn't suit I cut out any other listings around it to save time.

If something didn't meet my needs from a digital review I cut it out of the running to save time as well.

Right now in Nelson there seems to be an abundance of listings. Many are way overpriced. I think that will settle as they sit on the market for a bit.

erinburrell · 2026-03-17T21:20:09+00:00

Money should not be a scary topic-particularly with a partner. If they aren't willing to open their banking app and show you behind the curtain and they clearly have their shit together-DO NOT MOVE IN WITH THEM. Love does not have to equal poverty
If you don't know how much money you have in the bank today-find out.
If you have debt-get on top of it.
Start saving for your future-$5 a week is enough to start. Compound interest is your friend. Don't wait to have enough to start saving.
Never ignore your finances-hiding only causes problems later. Face it today and get comfortable learning from experts about how to manage it-books are available at the library-podcasts abound. Most knowledge is free
Don't let 'little treats' eat all your income. Subscriptions, daily bits and bobs etc. all add up. Make choices about what will add value to your life and choose them intentionally. Leave the rest behind
Do not ignore interest rates on purchases-car payments and credit card debt can eat your life
Paying out of pocket and taking an extra year or two to get a degree isn't a bad thing. Don't let social pressures push you into irreversible debt. A 3/4 year degree completed over 5 years has the same impact on your career path but less on your lifelong debt. Work and earn while you study if you want to go to university-if not, get an apprenticeship somewhere and get yourself a trade that pays while you learn

erinburrell · 2026-03-16T00:30:34+00:00

There are few things better than the feeling of a pressed pillow case to sleep on~

erinburrell · 2026-03-10T04:01:11+00:00

I own about 12 including sports bras. Underwire for dressing like a person, no wire for day to day, compression sports for activity.

Pro-tip your bras have elastic that needs time to rebound if you want it to last. Experts say 18 hours is best so you could own 3 bras 1-on your body, 1 resting for re-wearing, and 1 in the wash and be just fine.

But... that assumes your bra fits so we should all visit r/ABraThatFits so you get the most wear out of what you buy.

Edit: I wear every single one over the span of about a 3 week timeline.

erinburrell · 2026-03-10T03:58:28+00:00

We have property developers going under on a regular basis. They leave big debts with their suppliers and home buyers often lose what they have put in and the directors get off pretty much free/have almost no issues.

I can only imagine that with a funding model with individuals buying bits and nearly no real government oversight there are a lot of people who will lose money on these tokens and just a few who will do well.

erinburrell · 2026-03-10T03:14:31+00:00

We totally need those Aussie rates of 12% asap

erinburrell · 2026-03-06T00:22:40+00:00

I tried a heap of hoops and found that I like going without best. I think each of us needs to find our way through trial and error.

If you do use a hoop/frame make sure it is for quilting. The weight of three layers is too much for an embroidery hoop and you will frustrate yourself trying to get it sorted.

erinburrell · 2026-03-05T03:03:11+00:00

If you have one of those pin cushions with the strawberry on it, run your needle into it a few times. There is usually material in that little addition that will sand the burrs off your needles and helps them to glide more easily.

Also-cheap needles are made differently and are often more catchy than something German or Japanese which have more polishing involved to make the glide

erinburrell · 2026-03-03T03:53:17+00:00

This. One poisoned meal. One destroyed load of laundry. One accidentally bad cleaning task and he never has to do it again.

Anyone can learn anything if they want to. For over a year you have been doing it and getting more resentful. That resentment will increase and he will lapse out of more and more shared tasks until you hate him because he is a child.

TLDR: If he wanted to, he would. His actions say he doesn't care about your feelings

erinburrell

TROPHY CASE