Thursday, January 2, 2020

... and so.....



Wishing you all a very very lovely 2020.... I am unable to come up with profound things to say but I do wish you lots of happiness

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I made a start in the sewing room.... (no surprises there) 

I had this plastic box marked 'Baby'... with a mixture of minky, chenille, muslin, flannelette, cotton, cotton bedlinen (new).


Our youngest grandbaby is 4 ... so they have been languishing a while.... mostly leftovers...




first up I chopped the muslin and chenille and got out my overlocker… which I tried to kill a month ago by sewing over a pin, then thinking I could change the blade, and instead I broke a needle, so I sent it for service and paid enough for 5 metres of fabric but it works very nicely thank you Mr Fixit ....




These make just lovely washcloths for bubz, and Mums too.....




Then some good used baby items got the chop... a towel and a muslin wrap.... overlock raw edges...


these are now dishcloths ...




 Then I went to put the dishcloths away in the drawer and took out horrible stained old ones ….


Which I took to put in the laundry to become dusters.... and saw the cupboard was full of all sorts so I started tidying.....


and discovered I had all the things to make up my cleaning stuff.....


.... decided I needed more laundry powder...…




MY LAUNDRY POWDER RECIPE... 


4 cups grated soap..... (this is the only bit of labour intensive - you can use an electronic thing but I have broken 2 with soap so I just use the good old grater)
2 cups washing soda
1 cup bicarb (or borax but all our water is recycled into the garden)
1 cup nappy soaker (optional)


Mix it all together... need 2 Tablespoons for a wash....


I think I have enough for a couple of years now.... this is a 4 litre container....




Then I made up my all purpose cleaner....




ALL PURPOSE CLEANER RECIPE (I do 4 lots at a time and have a heap of bottles ready)


1.5 litres water (1 cup boiled) 
300ml vinegar
60ml dishwashing liquid
25mil eucalyptus oil
3 Dsp washing soda (60ml) (same stuff I use for the laundry powder)


Mix washing soda with boiling water to dissolve.  Add remaining ingredients


I use it almost everywhere, wonderful for sinks, stoves, soaking cooking things (especially oil fried pans), kitchen bench, toilet..... blah blah blah.


Do not use on timber with a varnish... the eucalyptus ruins it.....


I have a few spray bottles in strategic places in the house....


Of course I recycle as much as possible but I do find they need replacing - I think the eucalyptus slowly messes up the plastic....






Then I went on to make my glass cleaner..... (good for windows, mirrors, shower glass)


GLASS CLEANER RECIPE


Equal quantities of: 


alcohol (I use methylated spirits)
water
vinegar






None of these take much time to do at all (just grating the soap does a bit) and they all work fine for me... and have saved me a lot of money over the years.


There are a few stronger cleaners that I do buy and use periodically... so these don't fill all my needs.


Then I went back to the box that started it all....


and made a bunch more washcloths.....




... isn't this the cutest fabric, I think it's vintage and it was passed on to me by someone who had a bunch of lovely old fabrics....  If there had been enough I would have made myself a Bondi top with it....




Righto, Gotto Go..... there is cottons in there that can be made into little quilts.... with some help from other coordinates from my stash.... I would like to empty that box.....

Karen reminded me that bibs can be made... always useful and I do have a bucketload of press-studs!  I can use some of the fabrics and the towelling that is in there..... 



May your 2020 be fun... and happy.... and creative in any way you like

20 comments:

kiwikid said...

Thank you for sharing your recipes, I will try them. I used to make laundry detergent but got out of the habit. Younhave been super productive with your wash cloths, is that tub empty now??

Pink Rose said...

Good morning my lovely friend ,oh boy you sure have been productive and how kind you are to share your cleaning recipes with us,I will make these up too when I get back home from the beach.
Hope your day is a good one Fiona xx

Jeanette said...

You have been very productive there. I must get back into making cleaning products, I used to but just got out of the habit. Did you empty the tub?. Hugs, xx

Jennifer said...

You have had a productive start to the new year......well done, Fiona!

Louise said...

It's always nice when a scrap bin like that can be turned into all kinds of useful goodies! It reminds me that I need new kitchen hand towels. The white ones get dingy so fast, time for darker colored ones maybe? I don't make my own, though, so I'll watch for sales. Something about the new year makes us want to tidy up, doesn't it? :)

Michelle Ridgway said...

What a great way to start a brand new decade. Thanks for adding all the recipes. Happy New Year to you my friend xx

Chantal said...

You started the New Year on the right foot; emptying a bin of old leftover, getting all your detergent ready. I think you are on roll.
I used to make my laundry detergent too, then I discovered Soap berries. Wonderful! Not that much on stain but I like it for regular wash. ;^)

Anorina @SameliasMum said...

Happy New Year!
I must try your glass cleaner recipe. The blue spray just seems to make my car windows all smeary and streaky.

Janice said...

It's funny how one thing leads to another, but it was a very productive side track. I'll have to try your recipes. Good luck with emptying your fabric bin.

Jane said...

That was quite a journey from the box and back again :) nothing ever stays as one job

Karen S said...

You have really jumped into the new year feet first and running. Lots of busy work going on. At this rate you will have the UFOs done by February!

Karen's Korner said...

You are certainly off to a great start. Have taken note of your cleaners for future use.

Tracy said...

Don't you love it when you get so much done. Great recipes Fiona. Happy 2020 to you and yours.

Sue SA said...

Thanks for the cleaning recipes!

Helen said...

A great start to the New Year, wonderful post....

Maria said...

Oh once you start one thing it does lead to another. Me DD always says it's like the song "There's a Hole in the bucket Dear Liza" But you did get a lot done...
Love all your useful projects and recipes...

WoolenSails said...

It looks like you made good use from old items. I tend to clean more in the winter since I am stuck inside. I like lemon products, hate ammonia smells.

Debbie

Cheryll said...

I'm exhausted just reading all that you did...lol
Well done...xox

Kathleen said...

Can your laundry detergent be used with the new HE washing machines?

Susan said...

Oh My Gosh - that is far too domesticated for me...isn't it funny how we get side tracked??

hope that box is sorted now.

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