Fiber Friday no. 2

Last week I went through my basket of knitting. I have to confess, it wasn't my intention to sort and organize, I was just looking for a needle to weave in the ends of a project. Spoiler alert: it was at the very bottom. #needleinaknittingbasket

Once i started digging through, the typical tangled mess of yarn showed it's ugly face and i began sorting, untwisting, grouping and organizing it all on the floor. In the end I found 3 projects that are at least half way completed and don't require much work. I've decided that I will only work on my shawl here at home when i can focus on it, so these newly discovered projects have become my mobile knitting.

This project isn't too old but I had set it aside a few months ago. now it is in my car for those times where there are a few extra minutes or when I forgot to bring other knitting.

These two blankets are an attempt to use up a large stash of Vanna's Choice yarn that has previously been 3 different sweater attempts. i think it's just right for small lap/baby blankets and am definitely going to work on finishing these up.

I also found some nice cotton yarn that works nicely for dishcloths and rags so I've started  making some in a variety of sizes to both use up my stash and to replace some that need to be retired. I'm trying out some different stitch patterns too!

Lots of fiber and lots of free time this weekend
to play!

Fiber Friday - Each Friday I will post about all things fiber related. Some weeks will feature yarn projects and other weeks fabric with a few projects I am dreaming of sprinkled in between.

reduce, reuse, recycle

I've always been a fan of the 3 R's.
But when it comes to keeping the house clean, it is sometimes hard to feel like I'm helping the planet AND actually getting things clean.

Enter: Swiffer.
I was amazed when i first got a swiffer. however, i quickly realized that the whole planet-saving goal was going straight out the window with each use.

So I began to experiment. I tried using wash cloths but they were a little small. Dishtowels were not absorbent enough...
A few with materials and designs later, I think I've come up with a good a reusable solution to my swiffer problem! Here is a short, quickly thrown-together tutorial I created.

Materials Needed:
1/2 yard of 100% cotton flannel (it will pick up the dust like a champ!)
Sewing machine with coordinating thread
fabric scissors
ruler
* iron

* disclaimer: I am usually one who irons seams and fabric for a crisp, clean, even look. However, it is HOT right now and I made a judgement call. I do not iron my kitchen rags and towels, thus a few wrinkles and slightly uneven edges on this project would not compromise the effectiveness of the product. That being said, feel free to one-up me and iron between steps for said crisp, clean, even look. These make nice gifts too ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

These cloths can be used dry to catch dust and some dirt. You can also spray the cloth with a bit of all purpose cleaner for to improve dirt collection. I have also used the cloths sans swiffer to do light dusting and scrubbing where a paper towel might previously been used. So many options! Now go, save the planet and live in a clean house!

**One more disclaimer:  I know I am not the first to create a reusable cloth to be used with a swiffer but the above images and measurements are my own creation.