My First Burlap Stocking

     I just completed my first burlap Christmas stocking. I have never sewed with burlap before, but it was surprisingly easy. I created this one from some ideas I compiled off the web, and a little of my own. This is a little more taylored. The other two I have plans to add some ruffles to them. I also plan on making a tree skirt. I cant remember ever having one before. I am going to model my skirt after the gorgeous one created on      u-createcrafts.com Their skirt has to be the prettiest I have ever seen. Below is my new stocking:

Lysol Clean Flip Washable Covers

      I hate to buy things and throw them away. It seems such a waste of money and precious resources to buy the disposable cloths for those little mops. I had a coupon for $1 off the Lysol Clean Flip mop. I decided to purchase one  because my Swiffer mop had a broken handle. I decided very quickly I was going to make over some towels into washable pads for it. I thought at first it might be a little time- consuming, but actually they worked up very quickly.I tried to find some inexpensive microfiber towels, and maybe if I had looked at Big Lots or something I could have, but I was shopping with hubby and as usual, he was in a hurry. So I picked up a package of 5 barmops from Walmart for about $6.

After doing some measuring and comparing the best way to cut one from each towel, I came up with this:

Its hard to tell from this pic, but there is a blue border on this lower edge. I measured up 4" from the inside edge of the border, and the same with the left edge.

I trimmed off the blue border, and the left hem first.Then from the remaining 4" strip on the left, and the 4" strip across the bottom, I was able to get 2 more panels (for a total of 3) the length of the mop to lay down the center for extra absorbency. As shown in the center pic this will lay across the center of the panel from left to right  as shown in the main panel in pic two. The pic below is showing the main panel with the left side down at the bottom now.

The pic below shows the left edge of the main panel being folded over the center paddings about 3/8" Then this edge and the other 3 edges of the center padding will be zig zagged to hold securely. The same will be done to the other raw edge of towel.

Now fold over left edge to meet center padding stitching( approx 2"). Do the same with the right edge. Stitch the folded edge down with straight stitching along the edge. Be sure about double or triple stitch this and reinforce the edge where it will be pulled alot to pull it on and off the mop. Do the same with the other 3 corners.

This is the final product:

You can easily flip the edges of the mop up by pushing the rounded disk edge, and these easily slip over the edges of the mop. I didnt bother prewashing my towels, as I am always in a hurry, It may be a big mistake if these shrink much int he wash. So you may want to prewash before cutting. I only made two, so I will wait to make more until after these are washed.

UPDATE: I just used my first one and washed it in warm water and dried it. It came out beautifully. No shrinking, and washed perfectly clean. Now I can finish the rest of the set.

  

Beautiful Dames Rocket

      I had a few plants last yr, towards the back of this end of the bed. I wasnt sure I liked them. I even pulled a few out last yr. But this yr a bunch sprouted up in shades of purple and white, and look so nice near the purple iris's and the bright pink azalea. My huge weigela  just to the right of the azalea, and looks just as beautiful. I think I will let them stay.

PS: I edited the title as I at first thought these were phlox and later found out they are really Dames Rocket.

AreThese Tomato Seedlings?

I planted several different heirloom tomatoes last yr along with a couple early girl. I had so much problems with tomato hornworms and stinkbugs, I got very few fit to eat. Needless to say, a LOT fell to the ground. Now this same 4'x8' bed is full to the brim of these little seedlings. They appear, and smell like tomato plants. I dont know what to do with them. I thought at first they were marigolds, and was going to just leave a few sturdy ones, but now after they have gotten bigger and I smelled the leaves, I am pretty sure they are tomatoes. I hate to destroy them, but there is no way I have room for a few hundred tomato plants,lol. I didnt know the seeds would survive winter.

Hidden Dangers in Food!

           I thought the only time we had to watch for razor blades, and other dangerous objects in food, was only on Halloween. Well this evening, I learned that is definitely NOT the case. I always buy the little 6 , snack size packs of Sun-Maid Raisins for in my husband's lunch and my 5 year old grand daughter to snack on. I have bought these for years. A healthy, quick snack. But this evening my grand daughter grabbed the brand new pack off the counter and wanted me to open it and give her a box. I did so,as I turned to walk away ,she  suddenly brings something to my attention, asking : "whats this?". I looked at her little hand and couldnt believe my eyes. She had a raisin that was slightly mashed and pressed onto and wrapped 3/4 the distance around  a 1 inch long piece of wood that was about 1/8 inch wide. Had she just popped it into her mouth without noticing, there could have been serious injury.

Robot Baby Blanket

      My 21 yr old daughter just completed her first major sewing project. She is a nursing student right now and wanted to earn a little spending money. She made this gorgeous flannel and flannel lined satin baby blanket and matching burp, that she is now offering on Etsy.

    The set turned out beautiful. Take a look and see what you think.

My 4th Grand Daughter

   We just welcomed a new grand baby to the family in January. She is now 2 months old. Her name is Braylee. She weighed 6'4". A tiny little bundle of Joy. She is the first child to my youngest son.

Wintersowing for 2011

   It is such a warm beautiful day outside today ( a warm 65°) , I decided to get started on a little wintersowing. I am much later than last yr. But this yr I have no intentions of sowing over 200 containers either. I want to see how things filled out from last year. With perennials they frequently dont show their true glory until yr 2 or 3. Mostly what I sowed today are the fantastic seeds sent to me from Renee's Garden about a month ago (see link in side bar). I participated in a group grow last yr sponsored by her.It was a lot of fun. I got about 15 containers sowed this afternoon. It didnt take long as I saved a few bags of last year's containers. So I didnt have all the cutting to do.
   I also sowed some more rose seeds I had saved. last yr I got two wonderful rose bushes this way. I expected some weird looking thing with flowers no where near the parent, but I got a wonderful surprise when they bloomed. What a cheap,easy way to make more roses.
  Traditionally, winter sowing is started on Winter Solstice. But I avoid the cold weather as much as possible. This is such an easy method to start seeds. Mother Nature takes care of most of the gardener's duties. Give it a try and drop a line to let me know how it did.