Astonishing Estonian Darns « tomofholland. July 28, 2012 by tomofholland Earlier this year my friend and sound artist Dr Felicity Ford went on a month-long residency at the MoKS Center for Art and Social Practice in Tartu, Estonia. Dr Felicity Ford spent some time travelling, recording sounds, visiting sheep farmers, interviewing amazing makers, before staying at MoKS for her British-Estonian textile traditions swap-out, using native sheep breed fibres and traditional indigenous plant dyes. You can read all about it in this wonderful blog post here. She also visited a couple of local history museums, which showcased some of the amazing textile traditions in Estonia. As it turns out, not only were the Estonian women (as traditionally it were women who did all the needlework), amazing knitters and weavers, they were also astonishingly good at darning. A beautiful knitted jumper, with darning in contrasting colours, how could I not like this mend? There were also incredible socks.
Classic darn for rips in fabric. Like this: Urban Chicks. I know I talk a lot about things from a rural perspective, but can I take just a minute to encourage all you urban dwellers that homesteading can be done in the city as well? Including raising chickens? You would need to check your city ordinances, but assuming they allow poultry, look at what you can do in a small space! Photo Credit: Homestead Revival™ The photo above was taken in Santa Barbara, right down town in the back of one of my favorite shops Rooms and Gardens. Check out this coop! This is a great compact coop for your city hens. Here's another urban coop that has made good use of land space by keeping it right up next to a fence. this leaves the bulk of the yard for other activities and needs while giving the hens a front row seat to all the action! Perhaps you live in an upscale neighborhood and need more class for your hens to quietly "fit in" and be accepted. And Heather Bullard's coop comes with all the amenities.
No dresser to recycle? Now it's your turn... Clothesline, Posts, Rope, Clotheslines, Umbrella, T-Post, Retractable,and more. 26 Free Clothes Pin Bag Patterns. Here is a collection of free clothes pin bag patterns and tutorials I’ve found from around the net plus I tucked in a vintage embroidery goody at the bottom (a dancing wooden peg on a bar of soap, too cute!). Most of the tutorials are for sewing but there are a few crochet projects too. Enjoy! Madewithlovebyhannah.com Dirndle: Could this be more adorable?
With Grommets: Open top with two grommets along the back to sit on a hanging bar. k8tykat.typepad.com marthastewart.com Two-Tabs: This buttons over the line, holds all the pegs you’ll need, and conveniently slides along the line as you work. Easy Oil Cloth: Details are sparse but that’s all you need to get this made, front slit pocket is finished with zig-zag stitch and seam binding. thehemline.blogspot.ca littlegreybungalow.blogspot.ca tipnut.com myluckychicken.typepad.com Front Pocket: Features open front pocket and fold over top flap that is buttoned over the line or child size hanger. Craftleftovers.com blessingsoverflowing.com Original Notes: Money Saving Mom® :: Helping You Be a Better Home Economist.
50 Household Uses For Baking Soda: {& More Quick Tips. You’ll often find baking soda (also known as bicarbonate of soda or bicarb) a frequent ingredient required in many recipes, but here are 50 ways you can use it to make the job easier and save time when cleaning and freshening around the home. Update: I’ve just added several quick tips for also using it in health & beauty remedies and some not-so-familiar ways in the kitchen, you’ll find these organized in their own sections at the bottom of the page. There’s a lot here, enjoy! Stovetop A Mess? Generously sprinkle it around the top of stove then spray hot water (boiling hot if possible) over top–-enough to dissolve the soda without making it run all over.
Let soak for about 30 minutes then scrub clean. Beauty & Health. Dawn Dishwashing Detergent: It's Not Just for Dishes Anymore! Ton of emails circulate the Internet that offer hints, tips, suggestions, warnings, funny stuff, and information. Honestly, most of these emails are complete bunk, and you can often find out the truth to these myths, rumors, and information by visiting a site called Snopes.com. However, one interesting email that has wandered into my inbox several times was one about alternative uses for normal household products. There were many suggestions for things like Bounce Dryer sheets being used to repel mosquitoes or tossed into a dresser drawer for nice fragrance and freshness. One of the suggestions in particular caught my eye, and that was alternative uses for Dawn dishwashing detergent. The reason this one stuck with me over the others was because of the recent commercials that Dawn dishwashing detergent has had on the air about how Dawn is used for wildlife organizations helping to clean oil from birds using this liquid soap. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Alternative Uses for Dawn Dishwashing Liquid. Household products aren't always used exclusively for their intended purpose, and Dawn Dishwashing Liquid is one of those products. Dawn Dishwashing Liquid has been used to clean the feathers and fur of animals that have become victims of oil spills, and Dawn Dishwashing Liquid has proven to be a very safe and versatile product in and around the home as well. The following information provides alternative uses for Dawn Dishwashing Liquid. Chances are you'll be able to utilize this wonderful grease-cutting product for a number of fantastic purposes other than washing dishes. Greasy Hair Problems Finding a child with chunks of petroleum jelly or half a bottle of baby oil rubbed into their hair is a nightmare to say the least. Laundry Pretreatment Many of the stains that end up on clothes are oil-based, and I've been disappointed many times by products that are suppose to remove them. Laundry Soap Alternative One of my best friends let me in on a little secret the other day.
Soap Scum Remover. Vinegar: (Almost) the Only Cleaner You'll Ever Need | The New Homemaker. Ost cleaning products fall into one of two categories: toxic or expensive. While both types will clean almost anything (or at least, anything within their limited range of capabilities), there's a third option. It's inexpensive and not at all poisonous to humans. It's multi-purpose as well--one container will take care of laundry, kitchen cleaning, even bugs and weeds. This "miracle cleaner" is vinegar. Vinegar is a weak form of acetic acid that forms through the fermentation of sugars or starches. It is completely edible, and cannot harm your stomach. And luckily for us, many things can be cleaned using it.
The uses of vinegar are nearly endless. In this article, we are focusing on the uses of vinegar as a cleaner. Your Vinegar Spray Bottles In addition to your regular bottle of vinegar, a really useful item is a spray bottle. All Around the House 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. In the Bathroom 9. 10. 11. 12. In the Kitchen 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. In the Laundry 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. Frugal Cleaning. Spicy Sauteed Okra - Recipe for Spicy Sauteed Okra. Sautéing okra over high heat with spices brings out its essential grassy flavor. This method also mitigates the "slime factor" that prolonged cooking or stewing can bring out. This recipe works equally well with small, young okra pods or larger okra pods cut into small pieces. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes Ingredients: 1 lb. okra1 Tbsp. vegetable or grapeseed oil1/2 tsp. cumin seeds1 small onion, minced4 cloves garlic, minced1 to 3 hot chiles, halved, seeded, and thinly slicedSaltLemon juice Preparation: Rinse and trim okra.
Makes 4 to 6 servings of Spicy Sautéed Okra. 10 Homemade Laundry Soap Detergent Recipes. Here is a nice stack of different recipes for making homemade laundry detergent that I’ve collected over the years. Do they work? Yes, I’ve had good luck with them. At the time I was using them, we had a relative who was in trade school living with us. Every day he was mechanic grease from head to toe–the clothes still cleaned up nice! Making your own is a discipline and it’s not for everyone, but it definitely saves money–sometimes just costing pennies a load! Before you get started, here are a few tips: For the bar soaps required in the recipes, you could try Fels-Naptha, Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk’s Hardwater Castile, and Zote.
Here are ten different recipes you can try, I’ve also added a very useful Frequently Asked Questions section at the bottom of the page. 1 quart Water (boiling) 2 cups Bar soap (grated) 2 cups Borax 2 cups Washing Soda Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water and stir until soap is melted. Hot water 1 cup Washing Soda 1/2 cup Borax 1 Soap bar #10 – (Powdered) Sewing. Double Duty | Surprise Spring Cleaners | Photos | Cleaning. Home Improvement and Remodeling: This Old House. Delicious Food Recipes - Arts and Crafts Ideas - Entertaining Tips - Gardening - Pets - Martha Stewart.
Baby. Garden.