CLOTH NAPKIN KNOW HOW

Since reduce, reuse and recycle is the responsible thing to do, I started using cloth napkins quite a few years ago. Initially, before the desire to learn to sew, I purchased them at various places and usually on clearance.

After the desire to sew came over me and a few sewing classes later, I began making my own cloth napkins. Fun for two main reasons...NUMBER ONE: I made them and NUMBER TWO: I had fun picking out the fabric! Initially, my method was very simple and was basically a double fold on all side and just edge stitching around the perimeter as best I could. Of course, the corner part drove me CRAZY and therefore, I began scouring the internet for a good mitered corner tutorial.  Alas, it did not take long to find the "go to" mitered napkin tutorial here!

The only thing I have changed from her instructions is to make my everyday napkins smaller. Making the napkins smaller helps when it comes to storage, since I have limited drawer space in my kitchen. The smaller size makes them easy to pack in a lunch, throw in the picnic basket, and less fabric means less cost...always a plus!

I have given napkins as gifts as well...Mother's Day, Christmas and just because. I have recently added some to the shop, so if you don't sew or would like some but don't have the time to make them, please visit and take a gander!

Thanks for stopping by...happy sewing and creating!

TEA TOWEL MADNESS!

The Texas heat has a way of making me stay inside for most of the afternoon. And there is only so much laundry and cleaning that can be done on any given day, right? 
In the attempt to get more inventory in the Etsy shop, I started making flour sac kitchen tea towels. The supplies are relatively inexpensive, the cost factor here is MY TIME!! Here are a few samples of what I have managed to complete over the last week...100+ degree days! 

What I use to make the towels:

• flour sac tea towels(they measure 28x28, I usually cut them in half to make a manageable size...you can leave them in the original state)
• embroidery floss
• embroidery needle
• embroidery hoop
• iron on embroidery pattern (Aunt Martha's are pretty common)
• iron 
• pins to hold pattern in place
• fabric remnant (i LOVE to visit the remnant bin at the fabric store)

A few common tips:

• Place a few pins to keep your pattern in place. I have been impatient in the past, not pinned the pattern, and it only ends in frustration.
• When ironing on the pattern, be sure to pick up the iron to move it to the next spot on the pattern...if you slide it across the pattern, it can blur the lines or ruin the design all together...not good
• When embroidering, make your stitches a consistent size...it makes a nice finished product, whatever the size of stitch you choose to make.
• Have a little bit of a plan when you are following the pattern. My grandmother told me that the embroidery needed to look as nice on the back as it does on the front! This takes a little practice and sometimes a little extra time.

As you can see, the fabric added for extra interest can be done multiple ways. The Going Green example is sewn flat, while the Bloom and Grow sample has two ruffles. Others have one large ruffle and my next adventure is to do a quilted type border.

Hope this has inspired you to get the embroidery supplies out, dust them off and make some tea towels!! Please share pics if you enjoy making these as much as I do :)

THE MAKING OF A QUILT

In the quest to get some inventory in the Etsy shop, I decided to try my hand a quilt making. A baby quilt is what I had in mind, that way I wouldn't feel TOO overwhelmed.

I was lucky enough to find a stack of precut 5x5 squares that were on clearance. At this point I had none of the other materials needed...batting or the fabric for the back...but I did not want to spend a lot of money if I was not able to grasp the concept of putting the top together correctly!

I came across a great tutorial on Pinterest, which you can access HERE. I did make some modifications because I did not have enough squares to follow her exact design.

After the success of assembling the quilt top, I ventured out to get batting and the fabric to make the border and the back of the quilt. I did the safety pin basting and used a walking foot, however, it was a little more difficult to keep all the fabric as taut as I would have liked. I think this part just takes PRACTICE!!

The overall product turned out better than I could have imagined. I hope that some sweet baby will enjoy, love, and have memories associated with this quilt!

FODDER FOR THE GIRLS

We are fortunate enough to have a one acre lot with our home. Growing up in the country, my family always had chickens for the eggs. (I don't recall actually eating the chickens.)  With all of the concern over what is actually in our food these days, my husband and I decided to try raising chickens....just for the eggs, of course! 

We started with Red Star chicks in March 2012. We purchased them from the local Tractor Supply, and since they require you purchase six, we got six new babies. They have grown into big girls and each are laying daily! 

Over the last year, I have researched different foods for our girls. While researching, I came across fodder systems. Fodder is sprouted from wheat, barley and/or sunflower seeds. It is used to supplement the diet and help your poultry feed budget be a little more friendly!  In the need to be frugal, I managed to make a tray for $1! Eventually, I will need to spend $6 more so that the girls will have fresh fodder EVERY day. But for now, they enjoy the fodder once a week.

What you will need:

• one plastic tray--I got mine at Dollar Tree and it is a 9x13
• ice pick or something similar to poke holes in your tray
• organic wheat berries, barley or sunflower seeds

Begin by placing 6-8 holes in one end of your tray.

Place enough wheat berries in your tray to be about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. 

Run water over the wheat to really get everything good and soaked. Then let most of the excess water drain out of the holes in the one end of the container.

I left the lid under the container to catch any water that might continue to leak out. Place a few damp paper towels on top of the wheat to help keep the moisture level high.

Each day, remove the paper towel, run water over the wheat until it is thoroughly soaked, and let the majority of the excess water drain. The first few days I did take my hand to "stir" the wheat and to make sure all of the wheat was wet and replaced the wet paper towel on top. Around the fourth day or when the green part of the sprout starts to appear, I no longer used the paper towel.

           

Day One

Day Two

           

Day Three

Day Four

           

Day Five

Day Six

Day Seven the girls got to enjoy some fresh fodder and they LOVED it! 

Have you ever made fodder for your girls? Have you ever sprouted a different grain? If so, I would like to hear about your process and any tips, tricks or suggestions you may have. 

Thanks for stopping by and happy homesteading to you!

REDWORK REVIVAL

Learning to embroider at the age of 12 means that some type of embroidery has been a hobby of mine for quite a few years.  I did not begin to do redwork until a few years ago, but I really enjoy the finished look.

Just for kicks, I looked up a little of the redwork history. Surprisingly, Turkey Red was one of the first colorfast threads. Redwork was initially done on household items, as I have done. Later it was used in quilting, as there were pre-stamped quilt blocks being sold.  As with patterns today, redwork covered subjects of all types: animals, children, flowers, and toys to name a few.

The flour sack tea towel I bought was 28"x28"...a little too big for my taste. I did wash, dry and iron the towel then cut it in half. Not wanting to just hem the raw edge, I chose to place a ruffle down the one side for a bit of added decoration and interest. The finished product turned out great!  However, my husband did ask permission to use the towel this evening!! I made it to use, so of course I told him YES!

I would like to hear about your redwork projects and any additional tidbits of history...feel free to share and happy redworking!

RED, WHITE AND BLUE!!

I enjoy having a red, white and blue themed porch from Memorial Day through Labor Day. A lot of my decor had become faded due to the west sun my front porch receives, so what a good excuse to do some shopping!!

• I had picked up the wicker chair and table a few months ago at the local thrift store for a whopping $25! 
• The wagon was given to me by my in-laws due to a move they had to make...hate they had to move but I am enjoying the wagon.
• The flag banners and the small flags were purchased at Home Depot and Wal Mart.
• The metal flower was purchased at Hobby Lobby...and on sale of course.
• Now I needed a pillow for the chair. After searching Pinterest for ideas, I spotted a bandana pillow in one of the posts. Already having a pillow form in the closet and bandanas in my hutch ( normally used for napkins when we have BBQ), I set to work on this pillow.

             Items you will need:

                 Pillow form (mine was a 14"x14")
           2 bandanas

           thread
           scissors or pinking shears

The bandanas were ironed and placed wrong sides together, matching up edges as much as possible.  Folding the bandanas in half and then half again to find the center and mark with chalk. I was able to follow the crease marks from the folds to create a "cross" to then measure out in each direction for where I wanted the seam.

Measuring out 7" from each line I created the outer lines to be a guide for the seam. Pinning three of the sides together to keep fabric from shifting...not pinning the fourth side to remind me not to sew it up!

After the seam in sewn on three sides, insert the pillow form, pin bandana together and SLOWLY sew a seam on the fourth side to close the opening. You can leave the pillow as is OR choose to cut with pinking shears/scissors to create 1" tabs around the border for knotting. Preferring the more ragged look, I cut slits about every inch (I just "eyed" it) and then made knots.

The pillow completed the porch! Now time to have a cookout so I can show off this RED, WHITE AND BLUE front porch!!

SOIL TEST

I had picked up a soil testing kit at one of the home improvement stores a few months ago. At the time, I had great intentions of getting the soil tested, gathering all of the needed supplements and integrating them into the yard this spring. However, since it is June 11, I think I missed the original target date.  Today presented with a little extra "free" time while the girls finished up Bible testing, perfect time for soil testing. (I had gathered soil a few days ago so that it could dry out.)

Starting with the pH test: This basically revealed that our pH is around 7.0 to 8.0. That is basically neutral. Not starting off so good.  I knew that our soil was basically strip farmed but I was holding on to the belief that it really couldn't be "that" bad.

Now on to the nutrient testing: Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium (NPK)

And yes, it really was "that" bad. Basically finding that the soil that surrounds our home is worthless :( I tested it THREE different times...I couldn't actually believe that it had NOTHING!!

I guess in some ways it should make me feel better, right? I mean maybe it wasn't my gardening techniques after all!

Now the daunting task of knowing where to start in fixing this problem.  I think we will have to start with having it tilled up, ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING added, and a whole lot of patience.  Any and all suggestions are welcome.