Traveling pads!

Today I got a pad order from Italy! So, now my pads have traveled to Norway, Canada, England, Belgium, Malaysia, Singapore, Portugal, Australia, France and Sweden, and the next package heads for Italy!! Cool!!!

Diapers, diapers, diapers!

I am filling orders for diapers right now. I enjoy making them, though I do dread setting SO many snaps! I have an order for 8 to get out this week, they are almost done! It is so cold this week! I have put a heating pad over my sewing machine pedal as the floor here still gets so cold. I'm Loving my wool socks!!! Later this week I need to make some big night time covers for a family whose older child needs night time protection. How much nicer to pull on a bit of protection, rather than waking up to wet bedding! My sewing areas get so messy - but don't you like that great pin cushion?? It is made of a sweater sleeve with a little "pillow" stuffed with wool scraps. My machine is a 1950's Singer 306, a true workhorse. Her beauty is in her work :-)Back to snap setting!!

Wow! Great colors!!

The velours are out, and they look great! I love it when these things work so well :-) I am tired - the dying area is upstairs, the laundry room is down and way back - not to mention processing 6 bushels of apples into applesauce, laundry, sewing, and working on this blog! Whew!! Surely I burned a few extra calories today??

Dying new velour :-)

Can you tell it is a cold, drizzly day here? The woodstove feels great, and as long as it's going, I may as well work on fabrics. I have fallen in love with the cotton velour. It is so soft, thick and thirsty, but the really good quality stuff is hard to find. I prefer the 13 oz per yard stuff, and if you can find any in the fabric store it is usually the 9 oz stuff. In velour, thicker is better :-) SO - I am special ordering the velour. It comes in a big roll, and makes the fed ex man groan a little. When I get it, I cut it into 1 1/2 - 2 yard pieces. Into the dye pan it goes, simmering on the stove. I mix dyes according to my mood - today it was purple and pink at my daughter's urging. Add a little here, a little there - some vinegar rinse... don't forget to wear your gloves as purple hands just don't look right! Rinse well, then into the washer. Hang till nearly dry, then a quick run to the laundry mat or a good friend's to dry completely and ensure any shrinkage is dealt with... Pretty stuff! I currently have the pink and purple coming out of the dye vat, a purple and blue that is all done and ready to cut, and at least one more should go in today!

Walnut dying organic Sherpa

Branching out a little here - I ordered some luscious certified organic cotton sherpa, (read expensive) and this past fall I hunted around and gathered ripe black walnuts. I soaked the walnuts for several days , simmering them on the back of the woodstove. The result? (A stinky black mess) BUT WAIT! Into a large pan went the sherpa - and I dumped the walnut dye all over it. Simmered a while, added vinegar, and TADA! Beautiful brown, still 100 % organic sherpa! It looks really cool, and is so soft! Think teddy bear cuddly :-) Look for this fabric appearing soon for custom pads :-)