tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post4357020239854845138..comments2024-03-28T15:55:53.792+10:00Comments on down to earth: Household linens, cleaning cloths, dish cloths and ragsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-10833109272389065822024-03-22T17:47:22.175+10:002024-03-22T17:47:22.175+10:00Love love love this. I do quilting and recycle mat...Love love love this. I do quilting and recycle materials. Als make crochet rag mats from torn up sheets definitely helps save environment. Grad daughter sell environment safe shampoos and cond. In form of soap bars no plastic bottles. Great article. Will keep readingtipslifeandtravelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08272249742063224928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-66875506578802392232017-05-16T06:19:11.755+10:002017-05-16T06:19:11.755+10:00Oh, I just love your dish cloths. They look beauti...Oh, I just love your dish cloths. They look beautiful. Thanks to your book and blog I learned to knit and make dishcloths, too. I'm still a bit nervous about the sewing machine, but I will tackle that, eventually. My mom always used rags,for cleaning, too. I remember dusting with the old cloth diapers after my brothers got older. They worked so well. <br />TheAwakenedSoulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11636961399581011120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-81606476883390299122016-10-01T12:09:09.474+10:002016-10-01T12:09:09.474+10:00I am so glad they have brought joy to you as you h...I am so glad they have brought joy to you as you have so many times to me and others. XxMoeyMichelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17188003226227123506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-49305892092607435162016-09-29T14:04:08.717+10:002016-09-29T14:04:08.717+10:00The paintings you did for me are my family treasur...The paintings you did for me are my family treasures now, Moey. I'm in awe of your talent. You're such a good artist. xxrhonda jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08962112306968959985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-15927666044216664572016-09-29T13:08:25.243+10:002016-09-29T13:08:25.243+10:00That beautiful apron did indeed make a lovely gift...That beautiful apron did indeed make a lovely gift and is one of my most treasured items!MoeyMichelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17188003226227123506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-67105258064653685142016-09-11T02:16:07.169+10:002016-09-11T02:16:07.169+10:00Loved this post! Not just for it's practicali...Loved this post! Not just for it's practicality, but for all the wonderful examples you provided. Your home looks so cozy!Debbie in PAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16638334788335810581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-56085657414035938892016-09-08T18:42:28.760+10:002016-09-08T18:42:28.760+10:00And it is really fun too I find. Loved this post. ...And it is really fun too I find. Loved this post. I recently brought home my mother-in-laws old white sheets. Some have holes in places so I thought I could make table napkins out of them. Your post inspires me to get moving and get it done. Currently sewing on a scrap quilt I found half finished in a charity shop. Some beautiful sewing done on it, so I am very glad to be able to finish the project. Pre-loved (as they call it) textiles are so soft and a pleasure to use. Pam in NorwayWinkel's Crazy Ideashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17934679165455175289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-9600359130764947192016-09-08T18:19:40.175+10:002016-09-08T18:19:40.175+10:00Rhonda, I often get tea towels that are gifts - fr...Rhonda, I often get tea towels that are gifts - from friends when they travel, souvenir teatowels I'm talking about.Apart from using some as in the kitchen as you said, are there any other ways of using them, ie like you made the cushion cover for your son. Any other ideas of what to do with brand new kitchen tea towels?Everydaythingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02562558164959015562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-39645720814289689312016-09-08T13:42:40.723+10:002016-09-08T13:42:40.723+10:00After reading your first book I was inspired to ma...After reading your first book I was inspired to make my own dishcloths. I now have a nice pile of cloths for cleaning and so do my friends, they make great gifts.Yvonnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06616684620456153162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-6208052578219869652016-09-08T12:43:30.538+10:002016-09-08T12:43:30.538+10:00I have recently knit covers for my swiffer with th...I have recently knit covers for my swiffer with the same cotton yarn used for dishcloths instead of buying the disposable covers. There are many free patterns on line to knit or crochet. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00618327753880000801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-51517999560286072432016-09-08T11:30:28.198+10:002016-09-08T11:30:28.198+10:00Had not even thought about that, Rhonda! Thanks fo...Had not even thought about that, Rhonda! Thanks for the head's up! mattyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06749881104429358524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-38541010182530233012016-09-08T11:27:59.458+10:002016-09-08T11:27:59.458+10:00Thanks for this wonderful post Rhonda. I have a la...Thanks for this wonderful post Rhonda. I have a large number of old sheets and towels that need to be recycled, so you've given me some great ideas. I love the patchwork tablecloth too - very pretty. Suzynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-37485356458803411572016-09-08T10:02:35.477+10:002016-09-08T10:02:35.477+10:00I really enjoyed your post Rhonda and this will in...I really enjoyed your post Rhonda and this will inspire me to start knitting some cleaning cloths as a start anyway.We have just returned from a trip around Australia where we camped for some of the way and I found the tea towels with the crocheted top that can be hung from poles or the oven rack in our homes invaluable. I can't really crochet but they would be a good place to start. They can still be picked up at fetes but would make great gifts as well if I can learn to make them.Happy Retiree's Kitchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614074474795791475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-59370715502210434952016-09-08T09:13:03.165+10:002016-09-08T09:13:03.165+10:00I too love this wonderful recycle post~!
I have m...I too love this wonderful recycle post~! <br />I have made many of Debbie's pattern, so the familiar ivory with red stripe knit caught my eye immediately. It is so helpful to have one or two skills in the back of ones mind to whip up a creative gift or fill a need in your own kitchen drawer. Simply sitting through a ballet practice or afternoon tennis match can be rewarding this way.Carolynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12581024347242760698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-38078246032697536662016-09-08T07:42:58.531+10:002016-09-08T07:42:58.531+10:00I love this post. I have recently been cutting up ...I love this post. I have recently been cutting up old cotton nighties to make cleaning cloths. I do buy J clothes, but always wash them and reuse until they fall to bits. I am now eyeing up some sheets that have been sitting in my airing cupboard for some years, unused, and will now repurpose them.yellowtulip118@gmail.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07457341621335533009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-11342597114120977302016-09-08T05:44:52.596+10:002016-09-08T05:44:52.596+10:00for household spills like milk or food (not chemi...for household spills like milk or food (not chemicals) we just grab an already used hand towel dishtowel or bathtowel and wipe it up and toss in the wash. I love the idea of cutting up old sheets and hemming them. I have an old sheet I cut the elastic off thinking I would use the fabric for something but never did. Now I know what to use it for!MoonDoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11707506968348810606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-24804679428640222912016-09-08T04:53:19.093+10:002016-09-08T04:53:19.093+10:00my mom always used everything to it most possible ... my mom always used everything to it most possible end.. then into the rag bag it went... I have crocheted dishcloths she made me over 15 years ago and I still use them /// i think they are indestructible... i have found ol' mens sox to be great dusters.. when i fist married my husband he was going thru a ton of paper towels.. i went out and bought several big packs of cheap was cloths for the bathroom and we use them for spills, wiping off counters etc and then just was them ...i love saving money and not adding to waste <br />jean Ohio, USAJeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14003821731190598653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-26511380477494015072016-09-08T03:24:36.847+10:002016-09-08T03:24:36.847+10:00Rhonda, this post brought back a lovely memory for...Rhonda, this post brought back a lovely memory for me. Several years ago, my mom passed, and I was going thru her things. I have one brother, and neither of us wanted anything except some sentimental items. I came across her rag bag and snatched it for myself. My mom was the cleanest person I know, and she never wasted the opportunity to make a "good" rag. She was particular: it had to be all natural, non-linty, and the right weight. Every time I go to her bag and see some ancient print or some of my dad's cut-up undershirts, it takes me way, way back. When I got married, many years ago, I asked her for a couple window rags. She always had the best white cotton rags--well, you'd have thought I asked her for her wedding band. The look she gave me--like it pained her to even consider parting with a couple rags. She did relent, tho, and gave me two. Recently, when my daughter married this past summer, I shared some of my mom's rags with her. My girl grew up using those rags, and I knew whenever she cleaned her home, it would bring back memories. When I gave them to her, she lit up like a Christmas tree. Rags can be precious!Pamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04495841077527091378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-85492526163427376942016-09-08T01:04:45.600+10:002016-09-08T01:04:45.600+10:00thank you for all those wonderful ideas ... histor...thank you for all those wonderful ideas ... historically Mothers always taught the next generation.. but with the advent of lots of persuasive advertising...many went by the wayside. I have to add one that I use daily...since at my age of 75 I have become a little incontinent.. so I use toweling the size of half a hand towel and fold it the way I'm comfortable... never ever bought adult diapers... how ridiculous to do so... After I 'change' I immerse them a lightly chlorinated water until I have a few and rinse them in clear cold water... hanging them to dry....preferably in direct sunlight. I can't begin to tell you how much I have 'saved'...I always feel fresh and clean...I know this topic isn't on every ones radar but we all get old and have hopefully little issues. Also I use interlock material from t-shirts, cut into nice squares, as vesselcloth (translated from Dutch'vaatdoek')to wash dishes, easily washed and dried with the rest of the laundry. I hate the idea of sponges...they are so foul. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04335361009422333790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-86111120375786513852016-09-07T23:31:12.036+10:002016-09-07T23:31:12.036+10:00Great post! Did I read correctly you put your old ...Great post! Did I read correctly you put your old rags in the compost bin? How long does it take to break down and what about the dyes in the fabric? This is new to me and very interesting, need more info. Thanks Rhonda!Eileenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17031688737964746427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-32927803974400511792016-09-07T21:26:13.324+10:002016-09-07T21:26:13.324+10:00I couldn't find suitable dish towels, they eit...I couldn't find suitable dish towels, they either stained and couldn't be cleaned properly OR, better yet, shrunk a lot with the first wash. I use sack cloth towels and then made towels up from homespun and flannel. They wear like iron and seem to get the job done for me. <br /><br />Maybe one of you, though, can enlighten me. I got busy and knit up dishcloths. They work fine for washing, but how to you get those things to dry?!? I hang them up overnight and they are still really damp. I wouldn't thrown them in the clothes hamper, they would mildew for sure. Its not like Michigan is a tropical steam bath. I've got the usual Peaches N Cream cotton that I'm using.mdoe37https://www.blogger.com/profile/03019276985594142350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-79122532967373715122016-09-07T21:00:30.146+10:002016-09-07T21:00:30.146+10:00We can buy a bundle of old hotel towels from our l...We can buy a bundle of old hotel towels from our local market and I keep any that don't have holes, the rest I cut up for cloths. We haven't bought paper towels or chux for years. We just use them and pop them in the wash, no need to feel bad for wiping up a mess and only using the rag once. It saves on floor mopping as you can clean up the floor with the rag if you drop anything messy. We use our old clothes as well, but I started making rag rugs and now if something colourful goes to the rag bag I am always tempted to add it to a rug instead!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12874273438983052621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-36715531482756567432016-09-07T20:57:48.357+10:002016-09-07T20:57:48.357+10:00Rhonda, could you perhaps do a follow-up post abou...Rhonda, could you perhaps do a follow-up post about the best way to clean and maintain dish cloths, towels, etc.?Danielle P.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15177513954436849136noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-33746672105411762652016-09-07T16:28:15.044+10:002016-09-07T16:28:15.044+10:00thanks Rr - looking into this now.thanks Rr - looking into this now.Phil Poggeauxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10528068263542083696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-18951496771568077472016-09-07T16:01:45.107+10:002016-09-07T16:01:45.107+10:00We have a local thrift store that takes donations,...We have a local thrift store that takes donations, and I lucked out one day and came in just after they got a donation of a bag full of cotton yarn--the whole bag was something like $3. As you say, some of the colors were not what I would choose for gifts or washcloths, but for cleaning cloths, it matters not in the least. And there actually were a few nice colors in there as well. Definitely worth keeping an eye out when in the thrift stores!Helenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15173788247672691139noreply@blogger.com