Tag Archives: sewing

Mending Your Clothes

There are many times where green living and frugal living go hand in hand and this is one of them. Have you ever opened your closet and found clothes you never wear? Sometimes I do that and ask myself “Why?” Why have all this clutter when I don’t use or need it? One way to keep from cluttering up your closet with clothes is to be able to repair the ones you have and actually use. Sometimes something small happens and rather than fix it, we toss the item or worse yet, leave it in the closet and never use … Continue reading →

Creating Toddler Easter Baskets

Although the Easter Bunny will likely get credit for your creation, making an Easter basket for your toddler should be a fun and rewarding experience. Toddlers love waking up on Easter morning and finding a basket full of toys and goodies waiting for them. Since we don’t want our toddlers on a sugar rush and ending up with an upset stomach, we don’t want too much candy in the basket. Also, because some of the candy and toys that are marketed for Easter baskets can be a choking hazard, we want to make sure everything in the basket is safe … Continue reading →

Find Free Cloth Diaper Patterns Online

I am not the best seamstress. Like my daughter, I tend to craft free-form, without a pattern and without measuring or pinning a lot of the time. However, occasionally I require help. Since I like to turn to the good old Internet for help when I am seeking crafty inspiration, that’s where I turn for simple sewing patterns. If you are thinking about sewing your own diapers, there are sources of free patterns online. Here are a few places that you can look for all-in-one, pocket diaper, or prefold patterns. If you’re just getting started in the world of sewing, … Continue reading →

Cloth Diaper Fabrics

We all wish for something lovely and cushy for our new baby’s bottom. When it comes to cloth diaper fabrics, there are many to choose from. Some might say that there are too many. It’s a wide, wide world of diaper fabric out there, with so many choices that it can boggle the mind of new parents. What are the options? Cotton fabric is the most common diaper fabric. Cotton terry is a plush fabric that can absorb a lot of water. Conventional cotton does use a lot of pesticides to grow, so look for organic and unbleached cottons if … Continue reading →

Do You Have a Room of Your Own?

In your home is there a place that is meant just for you? Do you have a room of your own? Having a room of your own is coming back into popularity. It can be a space to relax, to read, to craft or just to be. I first came across the concept of having a room of your own thanks to a coffee table book called, aptly, A Room of Her Own.. The book chronicled spaces carved out by famous female writers, artists and others as their own. These gorgeous spaces reflected the interests of the owners, and ranged … Continue reading →

Dressing A Daughter’s Room 5

When we last left off, I was talking about the great fabrics that I poked through at an Amish-owned fabric shop in Lancaster, Pa. I was looking for the perfect fabric for my little girl’s room. I wanted something that was current, fresh, fun and would grow with my daughter as she did. To remind you, the fabric choices were: a delicate variegated pink rose pattern, pink outlined flowers on a white background and its opposite white outlines flowers on a pink background, a thin candy strip with two different pink stripes and a white stripe, and an an oddball, … Continue reading →

Dressing a Daughter’s Room

We had quite an adventure this past weekend. Now that Molly’s room is almost finished, we just need to address the windows, or should I say “dress” the windows. We also have a closet door to dress as well. Here is what we have been doing and where we found a way to make custom curtains when I don’t yet sew. Getting Molly’s room ready has been a long process that was frequently interrupted by other house projects that took priority, such as new flooring in the family room, felling trees in the yard, and fixing plumbing leaks. We can … Continue reading →

Frugal Fabric Ideas

In my earlier article about low budget decorating: Decorating on a Penny, deedee1231 left a great comment about how she repurposes second hand sheets and large drapes to make curtains. She is currently in a dilemma, though, because her daughter’s room has five windows, and she can’t find enough fabric to make all of the curtains. She asks for ideas. Well, deedee1231, I have to applaud you for your frugality and creativity with the curtains. Here are some of the ideas that I came up with that might help you find some frugal material for your curtains. Hopefully, there are … Continue reading →

Frugal Sewing Tips

Sewing your own garments and linens can definitely save you a lot of cash. But did you know that there are tips to make the most of your sewing to save pennies more? Here are some frugal sewing tips that I have collected. For sewing patterns, save the liners from cereal boxes. They make nice, sturdy sewing patterns that can be used over and over again without tearing. You can fold the patterns for storage, too. And, you can’t beat the fact that the liners are free for the taking. Turn existing items into new ones. There are so many … Continue reading →

Frugal Hobbies

Want to start a hobby? Why not choose one that is frugal? Some hobbies can get quite expensive. Restoring old cars and scrap booking are two that immediately come to mind. Of course, there are always frugal ways to do things, even for expensive hobbies, but why not choose a hobby that is inherently frugal? Here are some ideas. Growing your own food Gardening can be a fun and worthwhile hobby. There many be a learning curb and challenges; it provides you with fresh air and exercise and gets you out of the house. When you garden to produce your … Continue reading →