I'm always making something for the little one. It just happens to be a pair of hilarious leggings right now. http://thewitknit.blogspot.com/p/patterns.html and look for Little Johns. The pattern price is $4.99.
I recommend using an inexpensive yarn if this is your first project or are new to knitting. The instructions are simple and easy to follow. YouTube videos are always available to help you too.
Project details to come. I'm having a lot of fun with these as I have most of my knitting projects. I cannot wait for these to be finished since I am a cloth diapering momma. Wool naturally repels water when properly lanolinized (washing the wool in a lanolin wash such as Eucalan no rinse delicate wash)
Happy Knitting :)
Monday, October 24, 2011
The Cottage Industry Continues...
My husband purchased hand-wrapped dryer balls a couple of years ago to help cut down drying time of our clothes. We have had issues not with our dryer but the amount of distance the vented air has to flow out of the house. This distance caused several problems including clogging of the roof-top vent, backing up of water in my home, and need for a dryer booster fan. I also feel that we lost a dryer because of the issues we have had in our home. Much of this could have been avoided if the property manager listened to us about the issue (as many people in my condo complex also complained about the same issue). But, that is not the purpose of this entry. The purpose: detailing why wool dryer balls are more superior to those plastic things. Oh, those plastic things don't help your clothes dry any faster. Not that I am an expert, but I do know 2 hour drying times from 40 minute drying times.
There are crafters on Etsy that sell a completed project or you can make your own. If you are a knitter, use scrap yarn for the inner core and a cost-effective yarn for the outer core. Obviously, you should be using wool not superwash, merino, acrylic, cotton, or any synthetic material for home-made dryer balls. The ones my husband purchased have been with us for over two years and keep helping us reduce the time our clothes need in the dryer. The down-side: they keep shrinking as they collect water and dry.
I look forward to crafting some more of these handy little balls from scraps of baby projects!
There are crafters on Etsy that sell a completed project or you can make your own. If you are a knitter, use scrap yarn for the inner core and a cost-effective yarn for the outer core. Obviously, you should be using wool not superwash, merino, acrylic, cotton, or any synthetic material for home-made dryer balls. The ones my husband purchased have been with us for over two years and keep helping us reduce the time our clothes need in the dryer. The down-side: they keep shrinking as they collect water and dry.
I look forward to crafting some more of these handy little balls from scraps of baby projects!
(Bath) Bombs Away!!!
The DH decided to make bath bombs - making them is a lot cheaper than buying them at places like Lush. So... how did we do it?
Purchase all your materials (I know, you already know to do this).
For a good list, check out http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-Bath-Bombs/
Some modifications: I used a spritzer for adding water to spread the water more evenly and make a more homogeneous mixture. See http://www.skiptomylou.org/2011/02/04/youre-the-bomb/ for another suggestion on how to construct bath bombs.
I used grapeseed oil initially just because I had some. I used it as a massage oil for the baby but didn't like it on her skin. I think I would go with apricot kernel with a touch of tea tree oil plus essential oils per recipes. Oh, with essential oils, less is better. Stick to the 2 tsp amount and you will be good. Any more can yield a very potent product.
Last but not least, use a mold rather than a snowball maker if you want a rounded product. I was only able to produce hemispheres with the snowball maker.
Check out http://www.notmartha.org/tomake/bathbombs/ for more info, experiences and happy (bath) bombing!
Purchase all your materials (I know, you already know to do this).
For a good list, check out http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-Bath-Bombs/
Some modifications: I used a spritzer for adding water to spread the water more evenly and make a more homogeneous mixture. See http://www.skiptomylou.org/2011/02/04/youre-the-bomb/ for another suggestion on how to construct bath bombs.
I used grapeseed oil initially just because I had some. I used it as a massage oil for the baby but didn't like it on her skin. I think I would go with apricot kernel with a touch of tea tree oil plus essential oils per recipes. Oh, with essential oils, less is better. Stick to the 2 tsp amount and you will be good. Any more can yield a very potent product.
Last but not least, use a mold rather than a snowball maker if you want a rounded product. I was only able to produce hemispheres with the snowball maker.
Check out http://www.notmartha.org/tomake/bathbombs/ for more info, experiences and happy (bath) bombing!
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