Monday, June 11, 2018

Clothes Pin Bags, Aprons and Laundry Day Inspiration

https://www.etsy.com/shop/lilacsinspring?section_id=11996472
Once spring arrives I am always excited to hang laundry outside to dry on my clothesline again. There is something absolutely wonderful about wearing a garment that smells of fresh air and sunshine!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/606503746/floral-clothes-pin-bag-ready-to-ship?ref=shop_home_active_1
 I have found my clothes pin bag to be a very handy accessory. In the past I would sometimes be guilty of leaving clothes pins on the line. Over time the clothes pins would become discolored and the springs could become rusty. But with a clothes pins bag it is so easy to collect my clothes pins up at the end of the day.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/620338107/turquoise-clothes-pin-bag-ready-to-ship?ref=shop_home_active_4
Over the past two years I have enjoyed making my own homemade laundry detergent. I found this recipe on Pinterest and really like how quickly a batch can be made. I always add lavender essential oil to my detergent.

Homemade Laundry Detergent:
  • An empty  1/2 gallon old detergent jug or 1/2 gallon canning jar
  • 1/2 cup liquid castile soap
  • 1/2 cup baking soda
  • 5 drops lavender essential oil
Combine ingredients in 1/2 gallon container, fill container with hot water. Shake to combine. Gently shake before each use. Use 1/4- 1/3 cup per load.

Another laundry favorite is this stain remover recipe.

Use 2 parts peroxide and 1 part blue Dawn and baking soda. I usually use 1/2 cup peroxide, 1/4 cup Dawn dish soap and 1/4 cup baking soda. Apply to stain remover prior to washing.
 
I shared this some time ago, but thought it would be a nice addition to this post....

Old Recipe
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Years ago a Kentucky grandmother gave the new bride the following recipe for washing clothes. It appears below just as it was written, and despite the spelling, has a bit of philosophy. This is an exact copy as written and found in an old scrap book (with spelling errors and all).
1.Bilt a fir in backyard to heat kettle of rain water. 2.Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert. 3.Shave one hole cake of lie soap in bilin water. 4.Sort things make 3 piles. 1 pile white, 1 pile colored, 1 pile work britches and rags. 5.To make startch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with bilin water. 6.Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, and then bile. Rub colored don’t bile, just rinch and starch. 7. Take things out of kettle with broomstick handle, then rinch, and starch. 8.Hang old rags on fence. 9.Spread tea towels on the grass. 10. pore rinch water in the flower beds. 11. Scrub porch with hot soapy water. 12.Turn tubs upside down. 13.Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs. Brew cup of tea, sit and rock a spell and count your blessings.
***Paste this over our washer and dryer and next time when you think things are bleak, read it again and give thanks for your blessings!
 
The clothes pin bags featured in this post are for sale in my Etsy shop. I have also added some pretty new aprons too.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/606501930/navy-calico-1940s-wrap-apron-ready-to?ref=shop_home_active_3

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men." Colossians 3:23



16 comments:

  1. I too dry my laundry on the line in my back yard. I can't remember when I used my dryer the last time. The pin bags are a great idea!
    And I enjoyed reading the old laundry recipe!

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    1. So glad you enjoyed the old time laundry recipe. A pen pal shared it with me many years ago, and I always liked it.

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  2. After all that you would need to 'sit and rock a spell'!

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  3. I love your beautiful peg bags!

    I am trying to decide whether to make one of these bags or make a peg apron instead. An apron that you put on and wear whilst hanging out the washing.

    Here in Australia, putting our washing out on the lines in a common thing to do. We get plenty of sunshine to dry the clothes :)

    Thank you for this lovely post,

    xTania

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    1. I was just looking at a pattern to sew a clothes pin apron! That looks like a great idea too. : )

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  4. SARA: ME ENCANTAN LOS DELANTALES Y YO TAMBIEN HAGO LOS MIOS, ME GUSTAN CON BOLSILLOS Y VOLADOS, TAMBIEN AMO COLGAR LA ROPA EN MI PATIO TRASERO, TENGO VARIAS LINEAS PARA LA ROPA, YA QUE SOMOS 9 INTEGRANTES Y SE LAVA MUCHO TODOS LOS DIAS, ES RICO SENTIR EL OLOR A FRESCO EN LA ROPA, CASI NUNCA UTILIZO LA SECADORA, SOLO SI LLUEVE. ME GUSTA LEER TU BLOG Y ME GUSTAN MUCHO TUS CREACIONES, TENEMOS MUCHAS COSAS EN COMUN EN CUANTO A LO DE TEJER, COSER, BORDAR Y HORNEAR. DIOS TE BENDIGA.

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  5. OH Sarah! I love your clothespin bags, they are so pretty. I carry my clothes pins in and out in a basket. Perhaps I should make a change to that?
    Thank you for sharing the lovely old recipe for washing...very charming and I love how the recipe ends...count your blessings!

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  6. I always love visiting your blog Sarah. You make life at your house seem so peaceful and wholesome and old-fashioned wonderful. God bless you!

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  7. Pretty! This was an incredibly wonderful post. Many thanks
    for providing this info.

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  8. New to your sweet blog. Having a KY grandmother of my own. I enjoyed reading the Old Recipe. I look forward to getting to know you in your sweet little place.

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  9. Where do you get your liquid Castile soap?

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    1. You can purchase liquid Castile soap at Wal-Mart, but I usually purchase mine from Nature's Warehouse. Here is a link: http://www.natureswarehouse.net/Dr-Woods-Tea-Tree-Castile-Soap-w-Shea-Butter-32oz_p_132.html

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  10. Sarah, I love your blog and your sewing, especially your vintage style aprons. I am really lucky to have had two wrap aprons made from an original vintage apron, using it as a pattern. I like them so much I can't stand to soil them so I actually sometimes wear a full coverage vintage style over the wrap apron!!! Kinda defeats the purpose but they are fairly new. Guess I'll break them in one day. lol
    Blessings,
    Grace.

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  11. I shant complain again about how I have to "just" go up and down the stairs to put my in a machine to do all the work. i do love to hang out the laundry on a breezy day and watch them flap. I am a "city dweller", nobody and mean nobody in my neighborhood hangs out clothes. It is such a simple beautiful joy. And doesn't the items come from outside have the most wonderful scent? Following you. enjoy your blog.

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