DIY Embroidery Pattern Transfers Most people don't own the specialized printer used to make the iron-on embroidery transfers sold at many craft stores and online embroidery pattern sites. Sometimes they still want to make an easy transfer for an embroidery pattern that can be given or sold to someone who doesn't feel like tracing or poking holes into the sheet of paper, then dusting it with chalk powder. Some people want the pattern transfer to be washable, especially if they're using a light colored embroidery thread. The iron-on patterns are not. After extensive trial and error (and I'd rather not detail all of the error here), I've come up with a simple, low cost method of making an embroidery pattern transfer. The markings can be easily and completely removed from fabric once the embroidery is finished It lasts for many more transfers, while the iron-on transfers are only good for 2-5 in ideal conditions It requires no iron to transfer, so it's safe for children to use on their own embroidery projects
Homemade Laundry Detergent | Great Oak Circle, blog design, logo and print design, DIY blog I think my sister and I are channeling Laura Ingalls these days. We totally made our own clothes soap. It was really cheap. Under $7 and this will last forever! You can totally do this too, it’s super easy. To make about 4 mason jars full you will need: 6 cups Borax 4 cups baking soda 4 cups washing soda 4 cups Fels-Naptha bar soap (almost 2 bars) UPDATE: This is totally your decision, but some new studies are showing that Borax powder fumes may cause reproductive harm in men. “I have made as a liquid. Grate the bar soap, I have read that you can use Dove or some other soap if you can’t find this particular one. But I will say… I live in the city. The C.I.T.Y. No chickens. And my Publix sold all this stuff. Now put it all in a bowl and mix it really well. Also, you should know, this is very powdery and was starting to go everywhere. Up our nose, in our mouth. Just sayin. Now put it in jars or an air-tight container. Done. You will need 2 tablespoons per load. And this is, so you really should be fine.
Lavender Sachets Far and away, the most useful flower in my garden is lavender. I use it for a number of different projects including Lavender Eye Pillows, Lavender Bottles and Sachets. I love they way it smells… clean and not too sweet. Lavender sachets are not just for my lingerie drawer. A sachet is wonderful in a linen drawer, or even in a desk drawer. Your stationary will take on the slight scent of lavender. If you don’t want or have time to sew, a sachet can be made from a lace handkerchief. If you have a small amount of fabric and a couple minutes, it’s easy to sew a sachet bag. Here’s how to make sachet: To dry lavender from your garden, cut the stems on a dry morning. The quickest way I’ve found to remove lavender from stems is to lay the dried lavender on a clean dishtowel. Fold up the towel and roll it with a rolling pin. Unroll the towel and discard the stems. For a sachet, I prefer fabric with 100% natural fibers, such as cotton, linen or silk. Cut a piece of fabric 11″ x 8″.
Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner For our day six task of the 31 days of Spring cleaning DIYs, make scrubbing your bathroom easier with the help of a homemade toilet bowl cleaner that really works. And this commode cleanser leaves your powder room nice and fresh and costs just about nothing to make. Vinegar and baking soda mix together creating serious bubbling action, which does all the dirty work for you. What You'll Need: 1/2 cup baking soda1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide1/4 cup vinegar1/4 cup liquid castile soap1 cup hot water10 drops essential oil (optional)Squeeze bottleLarge mixing bowlMeasuring cupsWhiskFunnel Directions: Measure and add the baking soda to a large bowl along with the liquid castile soap, which you can find at your local health food store. In need of more affordable cleaning supplies?
Easy and Inexpensive DIY Recipes for 10 Common Cleaning Products You can't give up cleaning -- no matter how much you wish you could! -- but the cost of store-bought cleansers, laundry detergent and other cleaning products can feel like highway robbery. Instead of shelling out money for store bought, follow these recipes to make some common cleaners yourself; they're easy to put together and will cost dollars less than your store bought version. Super Frugal Laundry Detergent I stumbled across Glenda's recipe (adapted from Michelle Duggar's recipe) for inexpensive laundry detergent (which works in high-efficiency machines) and in December, I made a batch for myself. Ingredients: 1/4 bar of Fels Naptha soap2 Tablespoons Borax powder1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda)2 empty laundry detergent bottles or 1 - 2.5 gallon water jug Grate the 1/4 Fels Naptha Bar using a cheese grater.
Cross Stitch Addict turkey feathers: STATE FLOWER QUILT Well. I finally got this one done. It was SO nice to pick up my needle again! I'm starting on the Black-Eye Susan (for Maryland) next. In fact, I just stamped the next eight blocks and am ready to get busy stitching on them again. This is an interesting little flower. Now back in the day, this was done mainly to express feelings within the boundaries of a strict etiquette, and was mostly practiced between "sweethearts" as a means of communication. It is possible that the 'National Garland of Flowers' project of 1893 may have been inspired by all this sweet talk about flowers and their meanings. The Vermont Secretary of State proclaimed it to be, "Both an integral part of many cultivated hayfield and a common sight along numerous Vermont roadsides, the Red Clover is symbolic of Vermont's scenic countryside generally, and of its dairy farms in particular. I found out some interesting facts about Red Clover. DMC COLORS: This flower ranges in color from pale pink to a true red.
Cheap Craft Ideas - Inexpensive Crafts Adapted from Clare Youngs’s The Perfect Handmade Bag ($19.95; Cico), this cute carryall requires little more than a pair of small wooden spatulas and two tea towels ($15 each; motherlindas.com). Cut six strips of fabric from one towel. Two, measuring 33⁄4"W x 141⁄4"L each, will serve as the decorative horizontal bands at the top of the tote and should incorporate the towel’s graphics (as shown, left). The other four, measuring 31⁄2"W x 8"L, will form tabs for the bag’s handles. To make a tab, topstitch one of the long sides of a 31⁄2"W x 8"L strip near the edge. Lay the second towel on a flat surface, right side up. Flip the towel right side down. Fold the towel in half, wrong sides together.
DIY Beeswax Survival Candles I was surprised by the overwhelming reaction to our post on DIY Survival Candles back in February--it has become by far the most popular single post on T-Blog. I wanted to follow up with a how-to for using beeswax for candle making. A good, 100% natural, chemical-free beeswax is the highest quality wax you can get, burning brighter and hotter for longer than other waxes. All good qualities in a survival candle. Beeswax is more expensive than the soy wax that we used on the survival candles--around three to five times the cost, I've found. It can be purchased on Amazon and elsewhere online - look for 100% beeswax, organic, filtered, cosmetic grade and collected from bees who aren't exposed to pesticides. Because of its expense, beeswax is probably best when you really need to maximize your candle horsepower in a given size/weight package. Beeswax also has a high melting point of 144 to 147 degrees, so if you want to leave a candle in a vehicle, beeswax is your best bet. Supplies Needed:
Bramble Berry® Soap Making Supplies A Little [Embroidered] Love Note « pinksuedeshoe On Sunday during naptime I had a sudden urge to embroider something. I have never in my life embroidered anything. I am still not quite sure what came over me. I follow the blog Style Crush, written by Amy of Peptogirl Industries. She is a queen of embroidery and sells darling patterns in her cute etsy shop (and jewelry and pillows and you should just go check her out). Anyway, my Sunday afternoon beginner embroidery project turned out so cute I decided to make another one tonight. First gather up your supplies. 8″ wood embroidery hoop (I got mine at Hobby Lobby for $.99 a few months ago)11″ ish square of white felt (any white/light colored fabric would work)blue thread + bobbin for the sewing machinepink crochet thread (or floss or yarn or whatever)black embroidery floss (I kinda wish I had gray, but black was fine)needle, thimble, scissors a pen and a ruler.also a pattern/doodle/marker and paper to make your “note” template Now start stitching! [ image ] Happy Stitching! Like this:
Candle Making Directions If you are making paraffin wax candles, DO NOT use these directions. These directions are for container soy wax candles only. First, gently melt the soy wax in a Presto Kitchen Kettle or microwave. Let the wax sit in the pouring pot until it looks as though it is starting to set up (around 100° or a little less.) Next, pour the soy wax into jars that have a wick glued into the bottom with Silicone, high melt point glue or Candle Wick Stickers. Please read the Items Needed to Make Candles page for information on choosing candle wick size. No need to heat jars. Recommended amount of candle fragrance oil is 1 to 1 1/2 ounces per pound of soy wax. Do not trim the candle wick of a soy candle as short as a candle made with paraffin wax. ** You can pour the wax hot, however, the tops will look flaky or crusty. NOTE: Testing is an important part of candle making and is a step that cannot be skipped. Each individual candle maker is responsible for how his or her own soy candles turn out.
How to Make Wax Tarts Step 1: Gather all items needed. Melter for wax (such as a Presto Pot or double boiler) Digital scaleThermometerCandle waxFragrance oilCandle dye (if desired) Ladle for dipping out candle wax Pour pot or pitcher Dixie Cups for measuring fragrance oil Tart molds: portion cups, clamshells, metal tart molds, etc. Step 2: Add candle wax to melter and heat to approx. 175°. Step 3: Place pouring pot on scale and tare the scale to 00. Step 4: Ladle the amount of melted candle wax you need into the pour pitcher. Step 5: Add candle dye (if desired) to reach the desired color. Step 6: Measure candle fragrance oil in a disposable Dixie Cup, add to melted candle wax and stir for approximately 2 minutes. Step 7: Check temperature – it should be around 150° - 155°. Step 8: Let tarts cool completely before adding lids to cups or packaging.