Sunday Greetings dear friends & readers & Welcome to March !!
"Oh Julie you are such a Granny with your old fashioned ways & your repairing & recycling of just about everything!! "
These are the words my Stepdaughter has said to me on many, many occasions over the past years . . . even long before I became an actual Granny!!
Though they were often not necessarily spoken in a kind way - for some reason her words never bothered me
You see my Stepdaughter lives a fast paced city life, in a world that is black white & monochrome, everything is shiny, new & disposable.
Whereas I live in a far, far slower paced world, filled with muted tonings, chipped cracked timeworn patinas, make do & mend.
Whereas I live in a far, far slower paced world, filled with muted tonings, chipped cracked timeworn patinas, make do & mend.
She would no longer wish to be a part of my world, anymore than I would want to be a part of hers.
Her words echoed in my ears repeatedly this past week as I spent time knitting cotton dishcloths & making homemade laundry liquid, happy in my world.
When Mum came to stay at Christmas she presented me with this large jar filled with grated soap ends.
"You can do something with this" she informed me "you'll have a recipe tucked away somewhere"
I remembered a recipe I had come across in Rhonda's books & sure enough "homemade laundry liquid" appears in both books
I had all the ingredients on hand & spent a pleasant morning making up a 10 litre bucket full
I didn't think mine was going to thicken for some reason so I sat the bucket in the bath overnight ....
by morning it was a good consistency & ready to pour into bottles
The Mr had a large collection of heavy glass decanters he had inherited somewhere along the way ....
As they were tucked away in a box, I felt they would be perfect filled with some of my liquid laundry detergent - I thought they looked most attractive & will keep the plastic milk bottles filled ready for use as the mixture requires a decent shake before using in your machine.
As I was knitting away this week I realised I had not purchased a commercial dishcloth for about 5 years now.
At the start of each year I give mine a good cull & take the thinner, worn ones to use as cleaning cloths . . . this gives me a good excuse to knit up a new batch
This little bag came home with me this week .... 50c from the Church Op Shop ... I thought it would be perfect for carting my knitting around & plan to embellish it with some of the doileys gifted by Sue in my last post
After knitting some darker coloured cloths, I am keen to try out these lovely new pastel shades next . . .
This vintage wool blanket fell out of the sewing cupboard last week & gave me the inspiration to make a blanket for my new grandson - due later this month
As Nicole plans to use a Moses basket I thought a pram sized blanket would be ideal. I had seen a cute rabbit applique in an old Cath Kidston book "Patch" I had been browsing some months ago.
I had some soft blue wool felt on hand that just fit the bill perfectly.
It was so enjoyable sitting blanket stitching the wool felt rabbit on, then lightly stuffing in behind to give him a bit of puff . . .
. . . after I had finished the rabbit & carrot, Pippi very kindly tested it out for me to ensure the blanket had adequate softness & squashability !!!
Thank You Miss Pippi (I think)
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Though my original intention had been to bind it with some wide satin ribbon - after coming across this gorgeous range of fabrics in my local patchwork shop Darling Little Dickens - I decided to back & bind my blanket with that
I lightly quilted the top blue part of the blanket & added a row of satin hearts.
From another fat 1/4 of the same fabric range I made a Wheatbag to keep babies bed warm when he is not in there
I tossed a small handful of lavender in with the wheat to make it smell extra nice.
For all those lovely readers that commented & emailed me last week regarding the kitchen towel dresses - these next 2 photos are to show you them "in situ"
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| Hanging on the oven door handle |
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| Opened right out on the floor !!! |
As you can see, they are double-sided. So No, preferably Not for little girls to wear as I fear it could be just a teeny bit draughty !!!!
Have a wonderful week ahead dear friends,
Thank you so much for stopping by today - your visits are so appreciated
with much love & friendship to you all,
Julie & the furry ones x0x0x
what a wonderful gift! & tested by the beautiful Pippi herself!
ReplyDeleteit's sad sometimes the way the young think isn't it? but each to their own & we hope they just grow out of it!
your dish cloths are lovely, we are do a challenge on the forum & it's a dish cloth a week, they are so easy to knit up, i'm also been practicing my crochet with them.
lovely hand'dress' towels too
thanx for sharing
Give me your pace of life any day Julie!! Not for me the city fast kind of life. You have been busy making things, the baby blanket is beautiful, love the bunny! And so good to see it has been tested and hopefully approved!! Hee hee I used to make that kind of laundry liquid, have been slack since we moved house! It looks great in the cut glass containers. That wheat pack is a great idea! Good to see the kitchen towel dresses are selling for you, they certainly are lovely. Maybe some ribbons on the side might stop some of the breezes??? That knitting bag is a great buy, looking forward to seeing it decorated Julie style!! :-) That is so good not buying a dish cloth for 5 years!! Well done.
ReplyDeleteIt's a gift to feel at ease in your own skin. Give me peace anytime. Your posts are a source of inspiration and provide a lovely place to just come for a visit and feel good. Love your beautiful blankey....so sweet! Tge knitted cloths are so great xx
ReplyDeleteHi Julie, wow love everything you have made, and I must say I love your tiles in the first pic with the scales and soap gratings, so pretty. Have a great week, happy sewing! Chris xoxo
ReplyDeleteHi Chris, those tiles are actually out of an old (very old) firesurround. I carted them around for about 20 years before I ever got to do anything with them. I have 3 on that side (in pic) & 4 on the other side of my kitchen. I love poppies & especially love those tiles. Hope you have a super week too Chris x x x
DeleteOh the joys your stepdaugter is missing out on. =) From this "Granny" (not that I have any grandbabies)the warm feelings that gather around me when I visit your world filled with "muted tonings, chipped, cracked, timeworn patinas is always like a breath of fresh air. What's not to love about vintage anyway???? Who would've thought that washing soap could look so elegant....love those glass decanters. They would add a certain swish-ness to your laundry. Such a gorgeous blanket for your new-to-be grandson. The li'l bunny is so cute and the binding....aah the binding is beautiful. Have a lovely, slow-paced, vintage-filled week, lovely Julie.
ReplyDeleteI've always been, and always will be a 'country walla'.
ReplyDeleteEven born and bead! I've experienced the monochrome
life, city life...and hated it! Even during my full
time working years, being offered, what was called
promotion, and having to move to London, l flatly
turned it down. London! Hate to place..Only been
there five times in my entire life! After all...
you can't even eat the pigeons! :). There so
polluted! Yuk!
Like what you've done withe soap Julie, yes, mia
Mama, she used to stick one worn out little bar to
a new larger bar, but, now most of the soap comes
out of a plastic bottle! Like shampoo, don't really
care what type of soap it is...as long as it's pink! :).
Good old Pippi, testing things out for you! At least
she's out of her basket..for a change! Bless her!x
Oh! And one for Blackie!x
Just gone seven over here, getting lighter in the
mornings, though it's peeing it down outside! Will
pop over to the Supermarket later, need a few bits
and bobs...Then settle down for a bit of footy!
Job done! :0).
I'd choose your homely and soulful world any day.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ann - it appeals to me quite nicely too :-)
DeleteHi JUlie,I prefer your pace of life my. Friend,love knotted wash cloths,I must go back to making Lau dry liauDt.xx
ReplyDeleteI did the obligatory move to London a long,long time ago and couldn't wait to get out and back home to Scotland. I don't think you should have to justify your lifestyle to anyone, least of all your stepdaughter. She should be in awe of your talents and your homespun productivity. Unfortunately for her, you won't be passing on any of your skills to her and that's her loss entirely. I love your home, work, life, Julie. I'd be part of your family in a heartbeat. Keep on doing what you do, you do it so well and a giant two-fingers up to anyone who thinks otherwise!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Anne ... your comment made me laugh !!! Thanks for that ... I'd love to have you as part of my family - you could teach me to crochet so beautifully like you do :-)
DeleteHello Julie, give me your world any day, and being called a granny is a compliment as far as I’m concerned. Your stepdaughter might be one herself one day, and then she will realise what a privilege it is. I’ve just spent the last hour chatting with my little granddaughters in Australia. They are only four and six, but they chat away telling me everything they’ve been doing and I would not swap that for all the shiny things in the world.
ReplyDeleteI love everything you’ve shared today. The blanket is adorable as is Miss Pippi, and I had no idea laundry liquid could look so good.
Have a lovely week xx
Thanks Barbara for your lovely comment. Yes I do love being called a Granny too. How wonderful to be able to chat with your grandaughters ... what lovely ages they both are ... bet they love to chatter away with you :-)
DeleteI love your vintage world of make do and mend, I wish so much that more of the world could be like this, it would help with so many problems that plague our beautiful planet. A very cute blanket, love the puffy bunny, glad it passed the Miss Pippi test xx
ReplyDeleteI have begun living an old fashioned type of life more and more lately...and I do not think I have ever been happier :)
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree wholeheartedly with you Keith!!!
DeleteIt's all about 'Hygge' at the moment so your stepdaughter needs to keep up with you if she wants to be fashionable! xx
ReplyDeleteNow thats a point E.E. !!!!
DeleteI like your vintage old fashioned life! I have all the ingredients to make the laundry soap and just need to find the time to do it! Enjoy your week. Nancy
ReplyDeleteWell it is certainly not hard Nancy ... I found it easy & fun to make ... plus very economical as it made up a whole 10 litres in one batch. Thanks for your lovely comment - enjoy your week too x x x
DeleteYou're not the only one who wouldn't swap fast pace and shiny for a slower more real (to us) way of life. Lovely to see what you've been up to Julie...the blanket for Miss Pippi whoops your new grandson, is adorable.
ReplyDeleteGrannies unite! I am a granny liver, too. I don't mind if shiny people find it odd, either.
ReplyDeleteYour knitting is lovely, dear Julie.
Aw! Bunny blanket for another bunny! Bliss!
The slower pace of life gives us time to really see, to breathe and enjoy life........you go girl! Gorgeous blanket, perhaps Miss Pippi fancies the bunny...........for her dinner!
ReplyDeleteThose final words from JMStorm are beautiful. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandi ... I agree - I have printed out that little verse & tucked it into my noticeboard on my craft room wall. I loved it too.
DeleteI am intrigued with your laundry liquid. Do you use this in your washing machine? I like the slower paced colourful life, I would die if I had to have new and shiny, black and white!! That little blanket for your new baby is adorable. My house smells divine thanks to your potpourri. Oh while sorting some things today I came across a couple of tea cups and saucers for you.
ReplyDeleteI'd much rather be part of your wonderful world, than an awfully stark monochrome one.
ReplyDeleteI love your creative home and blog ♥
Lol...i hope the words of your step daughter that echoed to you...echoed straight through one
ReplyDeleteear and out the other. lol Not everyone can have the talent of turning 'things' into treasures and
you my friend have that talent. Perhaps one day your step daughter will reach a point in her life
where she realises the joy you have for your style. I love it. Love all your makes this week too.
Absolutely awesome.
I prefer the slow pace too. Your baby blanket is delightful,I am sure it will be treasured.
ReplyDeleteThe decanters look great with the liquid in. Very posh! I'm good with the slow life but suddenly it got busy for me with tis 30 hours a week job at the community centre, tho' I love it. I love quilting and sewing too. Good to see the cats helping you with everything just like they always do. Love the towel dresses - they look so great. And the blanket is so gorgeous, the bunny looks so happy with his yummy carrot. IT will be a very special keepsake
ReplyDeleteDear Julie, I can so relate to your lifestyle, perfect.The young yuppees these days have no idea, their style of life is pretty sterile, they have a lot to learn. It would be interesting to see if in the future years they quite like the sound of the days gone by, especially the make it yourself and not throw it away times. Your baby blanket is beautiful and so are the kitchen towel dresses. Hugs Shirley
ReplyDeleteYour sewing projects are fabulous. I always have was cloths on my to do list to make but nrver ever get round to it, I must try. The tea towl dress is great, I really did think it was a little girls dress xx
ReplyDeleteYou made great decision not to busy no the edge with a satin really bin. I used it to bind a hand knitted baby blanket and it was a nightmare, slipping and sliding all over the place. Next time I made the same blanket I crocheted an edging!
ReplyDeleteYou made great decision not to busy no the edge with a satin really bin. I used it to bind a hand knitted baby blanket and it was a nightmare, slipping and sliding all over the place. Next time I made the same blanket I crocheted an edging! Can you use your laundry soap in the washing machine?
ReplyDelete