15 July 2019

Frances and her washable wipes

Over on my Instagram pages recently, I created a photo gallery for an online sewing bee. It never fails to amaze me how talented and creative our makers are and of course, photos of wonderful creations came rolling in.

The one that stood out for me was Fran's homemade facial wipes. Fran had crocheted round cotton, washable wipes and packaged them in a small glass preserving jar.  Sometimes I think the thing that elevates a particular product is its packaging.  The preserving jar was a wise move because it presented the wipes in a recyclable container, you could clearly see the product and it looked sweet - something you'd love to have on your dressing table or in the bathroom.

I've known Fran for a while and she often pops up in the craft bees we have online. It was no surprise to know she started her own blog, FrancesLeeStudio, where she writes about producing wonderful items like household linens, dresses and tops.

This is one of Fran's gift box products.

"I started my blog FrancesLeeStudio mainly because my daughters wanted me to become familiar with using the internet of which I knew nothing. I used my own name as I wasn’t clever enough to think of something ‘catchy!’ Eventually the blog became a way to document my sewing, knitting, craft and homemaking journey and I became involved with the online sewing community which has opened up a whole new exciting and supportive world," Frances said.

Recently, Frances was accepted as a supplier of her facial wipes at her local refill shop, Triskle Bodycrafts, which sells a range of natural personal and home care products. They stock refills of shampoo, hair conditioner, body lotions and home cleaners, all with a distinct focus on sustainability, no waste and good value.  No doubt Fran will add to her range. I love seeing creative people making all manner of things that they can sell at markets, shops and online.

The number of refill shops, specialising in natural and ethically sourced products for home and body care, has been growing fast these past few years.  I've been going to one of the oldest in Queensland for the past 20 years, it's called Simply Good, located in Morayfield. They also have another store in Alderley.  Simply Good stocks only food items such as bread flour, nuts, grains, legumes, seeds, spices, tea and coffee. But if you look around you'll also find stores with shampoos, body and hand wash, soaps and household cleaners, as well as a wide range of organic wholefoods.  It's certainly improved a lot in recent years and it makes working in our kitchens easier when we have access to an wide range of nourishing ingredients.

Look around your local area and see what's available now.  If you have none of these stores nearby, there are a lot of them online. Just Google what you need, check the prices and you may be able to get exactly what you want without leaving your home, although I much prefer supporting my local shops.

If you're like me and have been using these kinds of stores for a while, do you have any outstanding independent shops that you recommend?  I'd love to read about it in the comments.
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17 comments

  1. Those wipes are a great idea I might get my 13 year old to crochet some for herself as she is into crocheting and looking after her skin at the moment. I have been going to the Alderley store of Simply Good for the past 8 years and love buying our bulk items there.

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  2. I love the idea of washable wipes. In my stash there is a whole load of crochet cotton. I wonder if it would be suitable or is there a particular brand I should use?

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    1. Fran is using organic cotton, Cherie. My guess would be that you use what feels good on your face.

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  3. Hi Rhonda. Thanks for sharing. Those are adorable! I love that they’re in a little jar! Do you know if she sells those online?

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    1. Hi Tarryn. I'm not sure. You should be able to contact her on her blog.

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  4. I made mine from left over flannel from baby projects. Layered about 6 pieces and stitched edges. They have held up great !

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  5. I’m in Wollongong & we have 2 really good reusable shops that I’ve used & recommend. The Source in Wollongong & Flame Tree Co-op in Thirroul. Both have a number of raw ingredients available, though Flame Tree is a true co-op & is run by volunteers.
    I am also a part of a co-op for honest to goodness & have found this great value - we buy loose, organic tea for a great price, bulk amount of organic, dried coconut (which can be used in many things), etc, all online.
    I don’t use make up but my daughter likes to & my mum bought her make up remover wipes from enjo that seem to work well.
    I love Fran’s blog, she makes beautiful things & I love the reusable box she created. Thanks for sharing Rhonda.
    Melissa

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  6. I really love these crocheted make up remover wipes. What a great idea. And that jar! Brilliant! :-)

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  7. I have some of these that were gifted to me, and I intend to make some more myself. A great item and the glass storage jar is a beautiful way of storing them! I'll be doing the same with mine.

    xx

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  8. I think it was a great choice that Fran used her own name. FrancesLeeStudio has a lovely ring to it. And what a wonderfully clever lady!!

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  9. I am also a fan of Simply Good and have been going there for many years. Another aspect that appeals to me is that is a genuine family business and they keep family-friendly hours.

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  10. Thank you so much for the beautiful write up Rhonda. I feel so honoured and also delighted to be contributing to our community with simple re-usable products.

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  11. I order similar items from a company called Toockies in India. A cooperative of economically challenged women make them by hand from organic cotton. This is a way for the women to contribute to their family's welfare and although I know I could make these items, I still work and find it hard to do much handwork. This meets two needs: my desire for reusable scrubbing cloths and more importantly, helping impoverished women improve their lives. I know it's best to make things ourselves but if we can't for some reason, this sort of situation is a good alternative...

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  12. Wow, I had no idea there were so many places like this in the world. I only jut found out about a zero-waste platform company called Loop here in the US. https://www.fastcompany.com/90296956/a-coalition-of-giant-brands-is-about-to-change-how-we-shop-forever-with-a-new-zero-waste-platform

    I think this is a great idea and hope they become more common. Love those facial wipes!!!

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  13. Those facial wipes are lovely. I made them for all the ladies in my family several years ago for Christmas. I put them in small glass jars, but my pads were all different colours. They are still in use ☺. Pam in Norway

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  14. These are so lovely. I cannot crochet but I knit some little cloths like this which I carry around with me as a reusable alternative to wet wipes. We always have a bottle (a reusable one too) of water with us, they get used a lot!

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