I do a lot of Laundry!!!

So a few weeks ago my Sister-In-Law, Charlotte, posted on her blog that she had been using a homemade laundry detergent that she found in this post for about a year now.  I read through to find that it  is super inexpensive to make, cleans well,  and basically Charlotte loves it.  And then I got busy and forgot all about it.   But last week when Charlotte visited Cedar City I once again remembered and took advantage of having some insider knowledge, as did my other Sister-in-law's and Barbara.  Yup, it was a laundry soap making party!!!

I have been using the soap for week and have come to the same conclusion!!  I love it!!!!  So now . . . I am passing it on to all of you quilty friends in case you could use a little laundry savings as well :)  You can read it below or on Char's post, or on the Original post :)  You take your pick :)  


 Here is what you will need :

(Most of this can be found in the detergent aisle, with the exception of the Baking Soda and the Zote Soap)

1 (4 lb 12 oz) Box of Borax

1 (3 lb 7 oz) Box of Super Washing Soda (Arm & Hammer)

1 (3 lb) Container of OxyClean

2 (14.1 oz) Bars of Zote Soap (I found this at our local Latino market. If you can't find it, you can use an equal amount of Fels Naptha, but those bars are smaller, so be sure you get 28 ounces, not just two bars)

1 (4 lb) Boxes of Baking Soda (Arm & Hammer)

1 (55 ox) Bottle of Purex Crystals Fabric Softener (optional--but it smells nice, makes the detergent look pretty, softens the fabric, AND provides a bottle for you to store your soap in so that you don't have to have a giant bucket of soap cluttering up your laundry room)

We were doing a double batch here :)

Grate the bar soap-- A food processor will save you a whole lot of time here ;)  If you want smaller bits of soap, you can do it by hand, using the smaller holes on the grater but your wrist might be a little sore :)

It's looks like pink shredded gum from the 80's :)  But don't confuse it with gum, that would be nasty :)

 Next, get a five-gallon bucket, and start mixing everything together. Charlotte recommended us to have a layer approach to this--i.e. dump about 1/4th of each ingredient into the bucket, then stir them all together (I use a wooden spoon). Then repeat three more times. This will totally save your arms ;)

Then just use a measuring cup to pour your soap into your bottle and the remainder store in your bucket, I just put the lid on and set it in the garage :)

Now you're done! To use the soap, just put in 1-2 Tablespoons in with each load of laundry. You'll think you need more, but really you don't.  I marked my lid at the 2 TBSP so that it is easy to see.  Charlotte says and I have found as well that when washing the water doesn't have the suds that you're used to. That's okay, your clothes will still get clean. 

So there you have it :)  Homemade Laundry detergent.  To make one batch it cost $31.00, and at 2 TBSP a load and about 2 1/2 gallons of soap, I figure it will last about 1 1/2 to 2 years :)  It actually makes me smile to throw a load in the wash now, just a little triumph of savings each time ;)

So that's it for today.    Yup, a little off topic from our normal quilting  but hopefully still helpful ;)  Have a Happy Quilting Weekend, and maybe fill it with a little laundry as well :)

Backings and Bindings

So you remember the three quilts from last week that I have waiting to be quilted??    The bottom is my queen size Starburst Quilt, the middle is my Star Surround from the Quilt-a-Long and the top is my Star Value Bee Quilt.

Well, I am one step closer to quilting :)  I started making a backing for my Star Surround quilt and realized why not get the other backings done as well.  Backings are not one of my favorite parts of making a quilt so doing them in an "assembly fashion" just seemed to make it get done faster :)  After they were done, I thought, I just love when I finish quilting and can bind it right then and there and see it all done!!!  So while I was in the mass production mood, I just went ahead and whipped together the bindings as well ;)  (which I actually really enjoy making, little random but true :)

So now, I am all set and ready to go.  I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see these all grouped together and waiting to go on the long-arm.  I am taking a quilt off the frame today and then Barbara is loading her Star Surround so she can get done in time for the parade. Which means I might not get mine done by the parade, but I am not complaining, I am just grateful there is a long arm available for my use :)  

Big Changes for A Little Lady

So this weekend had some big changes in our house.  The crib came down.  Now, lest you think, well of course it came down, that's totally normal.  Well, this is the first time in the last 10 years that the crib has not been occupied.  Our wee ones have stairstepped their way, each new one kicking the old occupant out when they arrived.  And now, there is no new occupant.  I am officially out of crib stage.  (Ya, there was some weeping that went a long with this weekend, good weeping, but weeping none the less.)

So now, my little baby girl  has moved onto being a little lady sleeping in a big girl bed!!!

And yes, that old deka cover is not the final bedding.  I have some wonderful plans for this adorable Sweet Things bundle from Fat Quarter Shop.  It is going to be so cute!!  And I might even attempt to paint the bed frame white.  Well see if I venture out of my comfort zone there ;)

But as you can see, she doesn't mind the old cover one bit.  She is just happy to be a big girl now :)

I did get super excited (and stopped getting all sentimental crying) when I discovered there was a new wall in her room that needed to be decorated now that the crib was gone.  Out came my Read With Me quilt to go on her wall.  It looks so cute and I am so happy to finally have the perfect place for it :)

Oh, and speaking of this quilt, Craftsy did a wonderful little post for International Literacy Day and included this quilt in it.  I was so excited!!!  You can see the article here ;)

Alright, I am off for some long arm fun this morning :)  Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

One More Week until the Star Surround Parade!!!

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness.  You all are the greatest!!!  Can I just say that I am utterly blown away by how many of you are Quilting-A-Long with me and finishing your amazing Star Surround Projects.  As of this morning there are 74 linked projects, that are all absolutely amazing, and there is still a whole week to go!!!!   Which means, if you are still finishing yours up, don't stress, 7 days is lots and lots of time for whipping together a few more seams ;)

I am just so excited.  This is going to be such a wonderful conclusion to what has been an absolutely wonderful Quilt-A-Long.  I have had so much fun quilting with you all!!  So remember,  if you have your Star Surround project top done, be sure to link it up to the Grand Prize Linky.  And then don't stop there, move right on to the quilting.  I am hoping to make this the biggest Parade ever!!  So email me those quilty goodness pictures and lets make a fantastic finish to a wonderful experience :)

Yes, I need to quilt mine still as well, but I have one other quilt that needs to go on the frame first :)  It might be a late night weekend quilt for me :)

Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

Tetris from a While Back

So this poor quilt sort of got forgotten.  Forgotten to be quilted for almost a year and then forgotten to be posted for about 2 months.   Do you remember the Tetris Quilt-A-Long that finished clear back in Sept of 2012 (like as in a year ago)??  Well my top got set into a pile of to be quilted, and sadly stayed there for a long time.  That is until my MIL's new long arm came.  This was the first quilt top to be loaded and it was great for trying out all kinds of stitches.

We pretty much did a different stitch in every tetris piece.  So ya, you can find a whole lot of quilting variety in this one.  Pebbling, Loops, Feathers, these little Loopy Daisies.

Straight lines, Zig-zags, Basic Meanduring, Interlocking Squares, and these Interlocking Circles

Yup, it has a little bit of everything.  And the fun thing is that when I say WE, I really meant WE.  All of my Sister's In Law, my Mother In Law,  my Nieces, even my sons took a turn quilting up a space.  This is one of my cute little nieces squares.  She had so much fun!!

Once it was all quilted it came off the rollers and my wonderful MIL bound it.  All in all, a great finish that was the absolute perfect quilt top to try out the new long arm.  Now it is a happy little quilt that the kids love to wrap up in while watching movies because they helped with it.  It is so fun to watch them try and find their little space of quilting, love it!!

Have a Happy Quilting Weekend!!

Linking up to Sarah's and Amanda's :)