How to Make"Real" OilCloth: Who Knew?

Oilcloth is really popular waterproof fabric.  I was perplexed by the name.  Why is it called Oilcloth? The oilcloth I found in the marketplace reminded me of vinyl.  I am not a big fan of vinyl fabric.  This fabric does seem to have  better qualities than vinyl; but, I was still not sold on the product.  Come to find out, the fabric IS coated with type of vinyl.

Then, what to my wondering eyes should appear but, an article written by Modhomeecteacher.  This article discusses the origin of oilcloth and includes tutorial on how to make your own oilcloth using fabric and refined linseed oil.  Who knew, it was sooo easy. Click here to read this informative article.   Make sure you read the comments section at the end of this article too.  There are a few hints and a warning about linseed oil.  Careful, linseed oil is combustible and should be used in a well ventilated area.

After you make your oilcloth you may want to make some of the items in this book from Sofie Bester.  I really like the bag on the front cover. It looks there is ton of good stuff in it.

Get inspired, make something.  It will give you a new outlook on life!   :)

Beach Tar Balls and Baby Oil

I found this article while searching the web. I thought some of you might find it interesting.

Bare feet covered with TAR after stepping on a peskey tar ball during a day at the beach?

Remove it with baby oil. 

See more tips here.

Mosquito Bite Itch Relief Tips

Mosquito season is in FULL swing.  They are feasting and leaving behind big itchy welts.  I found these itch relieve remedies at Tip Nut.com.  Some of the remedies are pretty interesting; but, when the mosquito itch is driving me crazy, I am willing to give most anything a try.  Most of the relieve comes from common household items.  It is certainly worth a look.

Blog Face Lift

In case you haven't noticed, Judy Creates got a face lift! I want to thank Mama Dubs at eb Design! She did a fantastic  job. I love, love, love it. If you are in the market for a new look, Mama Dubs is the bomb. You can see the awesome blogs she designed, here.

 You may also want to check out her blog, Life in the Dub Lane.

One Yard Wonders: 101

I was very pleased when I received this book and saw all the great ideas and patterns in it.  I don't know where to start. This book is great for both beginning and seasoned sewers.  It is sprial bound making it easy to lay flat when working on a project.

The patterns are divided into sections such as "On The Go" (bags, lunch bags, lap top covers etc), "Household Affairs" (tea cozies,aprons, hot& cold packs) and "Outfit Your Small Wonder"  There are patterns for dog couture items, toys for children, great shopping bags and a wealth of small projects that really can be made with just a yard or less of fabric. It is amazing to see what you can make with one yard or less of fabric.

 You will also find sewing fundamentals - good for beginners or as a refresher for those of us with older cloth addictions . For the price, you can't go wrong. You will get your money's worth and so much more.

Some of these projects are for things that we could all probably figure out how to make. I don't know about you , but there are times when I am thrilled not to have to re-invent the wheel - and enjoy the fruits of what others designed and perfected.  I can save my brain cells for the more involved projects.

This book has opened my eyes to the amazing number of things a person can do with just one yard (or less). I used to think of my fabric stash as nearly useless - now my old fabrics are getting used up faster than I can replace them!

All in all I really like this book a lot and will highly recommend it. It seems to have something that will please everyone and is one of those books that will be a good resource and reference book. Give it a try - I don't think that you will be disappointed.

Creating a Man's Neck Tie

Recently, one of my faithful customers asked me to make her husband a neck tie. I had just made her son a diaper cover and she noticed the applique matched a dress she was going to wear in the family portrait. I have not made a tie in years; so, I was a little worried. I scoured the Internet looking for tips and tutorials. A neck tie is cut on the bias of the fabric; so, it can easily stretch out of shape during construction. I found this tutorial; but, it looked complicated and used a lot of hand sewing. I finally found my way to one of my favorite web sites called YouCanMakethis. com. I found just what I wanted. It is a pattern called "Daddy's Tie" by Patchwork Kids. The instructions were incredible and the tie came out perfect. The tie is made from cotton using Michael Miller's fabric called Round About Spa.

Now I have to get the pattern for little guys. It will be lots of fun making Daddy and me ties.