I must have done something good in the past to deserve the wonderful group of readers I have here. I was overwhelmed by the response to yesterday's post and the jump in visitor numbers. Thank you. Those of you who read here regularly know that Mondays and Tuesdays are the days I do my voluntary work and on those days I'm always busy, rarely able to comment during the day. Usually, all I can manage is to read the comments and okay them for publication. I sometimes have good intentions and resolve to answer when I come home, but when I get here and there are emails waiting and a husband to talk to, I walk away from the computer so I can relax and recover from what are always mentally and physically challenging days.

But now I've had a good night's sleep and I'm ready to face the world again. Today's post will be a bit of a patchwork affair. I want to show you a very quick milk jug cover made last week and I hope to answer the questions asked in the comments this week. Before I go on though, Sharon will be posting on Friday, after the deadline closes on the swap on Thursday. She will then give you all the details you need about the swap and let you know when the list of partners will be ready.

I made this little cover to show you how to make a jug cover using something you might already have at home. I used a small old doily, stitched this little posy of roses on it and tied on some weights in the form of pearlised dangling buttons. You could also use shells from the beach that you drill a hole in, or just your average buttons. I think buttons of different sizes would be fine. The stitches used here are backstitch and French knots; the entire thing was finished in an hour. It's just right for a weekend craft or a weekday one for those of you who are working outside the home or have littlies and need a small project that you can pick and and put down.


Now, to answer some queries. Sarena, I grew the pineapple by cutting the top off a bought pineapple. I let the top dry out a little and then just planted it in the vegetable garden. Hanno fed and watered it, and, I have to tell you, complained about it for two years. He didn't like it in the middle of the vegie patch where he wanted to plant other things. But for those two years, he cared for it. In Spring of the first year it sent up a spike that turned into a fat pineapple. It took a long time to ripen and when I picked it, after it had fallen over due to its weight, it sat on the kitchen bench for about a month. It slowly turned that lovely golden yellow that screams ripeness, but I kept testing it by trying to pull a leaf from the top. That is the true test of a ripe pineapple. When I could pull a leaf out, I cut it open. And yes, it was worth the wait.

CM, I'll ask Hanno to help me with a raised bed post. Just last week he took photos when he cleaned out one of the water tanks and he'll help with that post soon too.

Carmell, don't aim for perfection, love. Nothing needs to be perfect, just good enough for you to enjoy your home. And get the kids to help you, it is their home too and they should at least keep their rooms clean and tidy, depending on their ages, of course. When my boys were very young (4 and 5), I taught them to get their own breakfast - just cereal and milk, not toast or anything cooked. They enjoyed that independence and it lead to other things. I think children benefit from having to help in the home. It teaches them how to look after themselves and it allows them to contribute to the home, and that gives them self respect. I hope you find some enjoyment in your homemaking. I send you warm hugs.

It's good to see you back, Gail. I was wondering where you were.

Attilathehen, I too like seeing others living as we are. It's comforting to know there are many others out there who are doing it or working towards it.

jenniepowell, I'm sorry to hear of your illness and hope today is a bright one for you. I don't claim to understand depression but I have a couple of people very close to me who suffer from it and I see others at my work. I send my best wishes to you and hope you find true and lasting happiness in your home life. Don't ever expect, or aim for, perfection. All you need is to do what needs doing on that particular day and if you can't manage that, there is always tomorrow. Look after yourself, love.


Joanne, thank you for your thoughts and for reaching out. Yours are wise words and I appreciate you sharing them here.

Hello Colleen, yes, I get the picture. I had days and weeks like that when my sons were little. As I said before, don't aim to be perfect, just do what you can do and be satisfied with that. Everyday strive to do a little more, if you can't, then you can't, but try again the next day. Big hugs to you. I hope you like your hot chocolate today.

Alecat, thank you for the award. I appreciate you thinking of me. However, I have to tell you that I stopped accepting awards a few months ago because I never have the time to pass them on. Thank you anyway. I left a comment on your blog.

Sarah, yes that's fine. :- )

And to all of you who needed the encouragement of this post, to those who stopped and reflected on how they do their work, and to those who are struggling with illness, I send my best wishes to you and hope today is a good one.

SOAP POST
Rachel, I've never tried soap nuts but I've heard of them. I'd be interested in knowing how you go with them. Good luck growing them too.

Hi Donetta, it's good to hear the sourdough is a great success. I'll start another one as soon as I can.

Blossom, leave the borax out if you use your grey water. It can build up in the soil. Make sure you use the washing soda with the soap, you might even like to increase the amount. I'm sure it will be fine.

Ajoyfilledlife, you can use water from the washing machine on your garden but don't add borax to your washing powder or liquid. However, you can't store grey water because the bacteria, which quickly die in the garden, will multiply in a rain barrel. Many people in Australia, run a hose from the laundry straight onto the garden, and move the hose to different areas in the garden when they do the laundry. So if you drain the grey water into a barrel, make sure you use it that day or the next. And good luck with your gardens.

Jan Hatchett, adding caustic soda to your laundry mix is not a good idea. It will clean, but it will also harm your clothes, sheets and towels. It's too strong. The caustic soda in soap is neutralised in the process of soap making, and that removes the ability of caustic soda to burn - both clothes and skin. You may not notice it straight away but the fibres in your fabrics will be weakened by it. Use washing soda, not caustic soda. Vinegar is not necessary as a rinse aide. I rarely use vinegar in my washing machine and my clothes are fine. If you do use vinegar, usually the smell goes when the clothes/sheets/towels dry. If you're concerned about soap buildup in your washing machine - and usually the addition of washing soda and borax stop that build up - run an empty short cycle with a cup full of vinegar. That will clean everything out.

Hi Angela, Hanno used to be a diesel mechanic so I know about greasy work clothes. There is a heavy duty laundry powder recipe in the green cleaners link that should work for you. Make up two batches of powder - one for your normal washes, and one for your husband's work clothes. The ingredient in the heavy duty mix that makes the difference is it uses as stain removing soap and if you can let the load soak for an hour or two, all the better. Our stain removing soap here is called Napisan but I'm sure there is a similar overseas if that's where you are. Another way to deal with this is to make up the normal washing powder and add a cup of powdered oxygen bleach. That is also called Napisan here but I use the Aldi verson of it because it's much cheaper.
Here is that recipe:

HEAVY DUTY WASHING POWDER
For use on worker’s greasy or dirty overalls, football and sports uniforms or fabric that has food spills.

• 2 cups grated Napisan soap (or one cup of powdered oxygen bleach like Napisan or Clorox)
• 2 cups grated soap or soap flakes
• 2 cups borax
• 2 cups washing soda

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and store in a plastic container with a lid. Use two tablespoons per wash. The powder will not make suds.
If there are any readers who have a good and reliable source where you buy washing soda and borax, would you please share that information with us. There are quite a few readers, particularly in the US and UK who have trouble finding those products.

Leann, the ingredients for soap making do need to be accurately weighed. I use an old postal scale and it does a very good job but any scale that is accurate would do.

Linda, washing soda is sodium carbonate. Does anyone know where Linda can buy washing soda in South Africa?

Hi Kim, it's good to see you tried the soap and it's working well for you.

Elaine, the homemade soap is more expensive than commercial "supermarket" soap, but less expensive than the natural soaps you buy online or in little stores.

I was interested to read your comment, Billie. I sometimes use emu oil or olive oil as moisturiser on my skin, both work well. I'll be experimenting with some lotions soon so I hope you keep in touch and let me know how yours work out.

Hi Ellen, yes, I really like rice bran oil. Adding it to soap makes a noticable silky difference.

Maureen, I'm sorry I can't help you with an air freshener, I never use them. I wonder if any of our readers here have something to share with us. Hopefully there is someone who can help.

Barbie, it's good to see the family on board with this!

Kim, how great your dad is helping. I think the soap will be good for your baby's skin. I have two washcloths and some homemade soap ready to give my next door neighbour who is due any day now.

Lady Katherine, it's fine to share the recipe, the more people using it, the better. Hopefully we'll have some readers today who will tell us where they buy their supplies for soap making. I love the Back to Basics book too and have written about it somewhere way back. It's a great book with a lot of very helpful information.

Robyn, I've written above about leaving the borax out, it's fine. Cornstarch and water makes a good starch but you could also use wheat flour and water. I used to love making the starch for my mother when she did the washing. In those days, almost everything was starched. LOL!

Que, you can't use the aluminium forms unless they are lined (with plastic) - it will ruin the soap and the forms. The soap makes about 10 or 12 cakes, depending on how large you make your cuts.

This post is very long, I'd best stop. Thanks for the comments. It is really interesting reading about the lives being lived in Australia and far off places.

My sister Tricia travelled up from Sydney yesterday to visit for a few days. We have some family events to attend, the first one being a remembrance for our cousin Stephen, which will be held tonight at his sister Susie's home.

Tricia caught the train from the airport and I picked her up from the train station. I feel a bit removed from it when I'm in a busy place like that, people going everywhere and no familiar faces, or smiles. But there she was, suddenly, that face I've known all my life, we hugged and the talking started. Welcome back.

She had brought a few surprises with her. After going through hers and mum's photos, she collected some of our cousin Stephen to bring to show Susie. Among those photos from a far off distant time, was this one of us. I'm the blonde with the straight hair. I remember those home knitted angora tops we wore. Mine was pink and Tricia's was blue and I called them our fuzzy-wuzzy tops. The inscription on the photo's envelope, in my mother's hand, states Christmas 1950. Then, I would have been two and Tricia, four. We look older than that, my guess is we are four and six.

Another surprise she found was my first prayer book. It's called Pray Always - prayers and instructions for children. The copyright is New York, 1951. Wow.

I'm really pleased so many of you are interested in starting to stitch. It's a wonderful way to make beautiful gifts and it will help you create a 'uniquely you' home. These little stitcheries can decorate cushions, tote bags, quilts, aprons, dresses and cardigans as well as be made into wall hangings. They can be personalised by adding someone's name and you can add your favourite sayings by printing the text out at the right size from your computer and transferring that text to your fabric.

Stitchery is just a drawing on fabric that you colour by stitching the lines with coloured thread. If you're a good drawer, go ahead and freehand your pattern straight on to your fabric. If you need some help with design, there are some of my free patterns below that you can trace. Please modify them to suit your tastes too, I don't mind at all.

I have written about starting stitchery before, so please read this and be guided by the links for transferring designs onto fabric and how to do back stitch.

A fully equipped thread box will take a while to build up, but start with your favourite colours and slowly take it from there, adding new colours or different shades when you can afford them. Try to buy pure cotton or pure linen fabric. They are lovely to work with, sit nicely on other fabrics and will last a long time. If you're in Australia, I've recently found "handkerchief linen" at Spotlight. It's a very nice fabric and a half metre will do you nicely for a few projects. You will also need a backing for the fabric which helps anchor your stitches and gives a better finished result. If your local fabric shop doesn't stock this, you'll find it at your craft store.

When you choose your first piece of thread you'll notice the thread has six strands. You will only work with two strands at a time so you have to divide the thread, taking two strands for your work. You do this by cutting the required length of thread, don't make it too long, and then carefully pulling two threads away. Untwirl the main thread as you go.

The one stitch you'll use more than others is back stitch. Practise a few lines of back stitch before you start on your pattern. It's personal choice whether you use a hoop or not. I use one sometimes for smaller patterns, otherwise I just hold the fabric. Like everything else, this is about developing your own style and seeing how you work best with it. Learn the basics and then modify it to suit yourself.

I wrote yesterday about focusing on your home and the importance of seeing your work there with respect. One of the things that helped me refocus on my life at home was to do things that I really enjoyed and that helped me live up to my new values. I taught myself to knit and sew again. I had done these things earlier in life but put them aside thinking they were irrelevant when I could buy, ready-made, whatever I needed. I've already told you, to my shame, that I used to throw away shirts and skirts rather than sew on a button or mend a small rip. I regret doing those things but it did teach me the true waste of doing it and that knitting, sewing, mending, patchwork and dressmaking are fine skills to have and necessary when I want to use everything to its full extent.

I bought my first ever sewing machine when my children were small and I wanted to repair their clothes. That didn't last long though and that sewing machine sat in the cupboard, unused, for many years. I started using it again about five years ago and when I took it to be serviced and the mechanic told me that it would stand only one more service, I decided to give it away on freecycle on buy another sewing machine. I use it frequently.

Although I knit, sew and make simple patchwork I don't regard myself as having a craft hobby, or even having the skill of a crafter. I see this work as housework. I don't sew and knit for pleasure, although there is much pleasure in it, I do it for the practical reasons of economy and maintenance, and to make unique practical items for my home.

I know some of you will be new to sewing and knitting, and some will not have taken up the needles for many years, so I want to encourage you to give it a try. I think there is a lot to be gained in learning these skills. You'll save money when you mend clothes rather than waste them, you'll be able to make unique gifts instead of buying one of a million, you'll be able to sew curtains, cushion covers, aprons, shopping bags, dishcloths, jug covers, napkins, tablecloths and tea towels. The list is long.

I've collected a number of sites that have helped me in recent years, maybe you will find help there too. I'll also include my stitchery how to and the link to my free stitchery patterns. I hope you gain a lot of enjoyment with your knitting and sewing, I have, although I'm not nearly good enough for my own liking yet. But I do get by and produce many things for my home that I'm proud of and use frequently. My hope is that you find that pleasure too.

Fingerless gloves. I am knitting these this winter.

Knitty.com this is a nice knitting site with lots of wonderful ideas

How to sew - basic instructions to get your started.

Homespun Living - Deb's blog is a lovely mix of sewing, knitting and cooking.

Turkey feathers - this is a lovely blog for sewing and various craft ideas.
Sew Mama Sew

The wonderful rosehip blog.

These are just a few sites where you can teach yourself how to sew, mend and knit. If you know any other links that freely givegood advice, with pictures, please add them to your comment so we can all share this important homemakers' list.

PS: I have to apologise to many of you who are waiting for a reply to your email. I hope to have the time to get to them tomorrow. I do appreciate your notes and always enjoy catching up with what everyone is doing.

Lisa J, one of the lovely ladies who comments here, asked if I would give some instructions for doing stitcheries. I'm happy to do that as stitchery can be used to make a wide range of gifts for the people in your life and for beautiful things in your own home. It's a great skill to have.

Once you have transferred the pattern and attached the backing to the fabric, you'll need to work out your colours and prepare your threads. You will start in the centre and work your way outwards, so choose a colour for the centre and thread your needle with two strands of thread about 75 cm long. The needle you use should be the finest needle you can manage to thread. Pull the thread through the eye of the needle so the thread closest to the eye is doubled (4 strands) and the end of the thread, the thread that will be in your fabric, is single (two strands). Now you're ready to start. You can use an embroidery hoop if you like. I don't like working with a hoop but many stitchers do.

Most of the stitches you'll do will be back stitch. This makes up about 90% of your stitches. Here are some instructions: How to do back stitch. And here are some photos of me starting a back stitch. Start under the fabric.

Here are three stitches completed. Try to keep your stitches to an even length.

So you just follow your pattern with back stitch, from the centre out and when you need to do dots, like in the pattern below, they are colonial or French knots. How to do a colonial or French knot. The leaves, or to make a flower, are detached chain or daisy stitch How to do detached chain or daisy stitch.

I hope these instructions help get you started as you can make gifts for women, men and children with stitchery and a bit of know-how.