'Frugalizing' the Swiffer, Part 2: How to Make a Cloth Wet Jet Pad

Yeah, I'm back. I took break for a while there. I could chalk it up to October being a busy month for us (my firstborn's fifth birthday, hosting the annual Halloween party, making costumes at all hours of the night, etc.), but, really, I just needed to take a break. When life gets crazy and overwhelming, it's best to just cut back, I think.

I apologize if you've been waiting on the edge of your seats (ha ha) for Part 2 of my attempts to 'frugalize' the Swiffer Wet Jet.  The wait is over!

When we purchased the Wet Jet, a few of the disposable cloths were included. They work really well. I understand the appeal of the Swiffer. I'll be completely honest, my homemade cloth ones aren't quite as nice as the Swiffer cloths, but they do the job. And really, the Swiffer cloths, as handy as they may be, aren't good enough to make me want to spend over $10 for a package of them -- especially since they end up in the trash. This homemade alternative (inspired by a post I found on Pinterest) helps me keep my floor clean and saves money. Plus, they're really easy to make.

What You'll Need

• 1 package of cloth diapers -- You can get the Gerber padded prefolds at just about any store. The ones I used were flat cloth diapers that were on sale (understandably so -- as I was using them, I couldn't help but think over and over how terrible these particular diapers would be for actually diapering a baby!). The prefolds are easier for this project because you don't have to fold them as much, but if you find some cheap flat diapers, go with those --  I'll show you how I folded them later.
• Sew-on velcro -- two 10-inch strips (fuzzy side only) for each pad.
• Thread, pins, scissors, a ruler, and a sewing machine.

The How-To

1. Fold and Pin
If you're using prefolded diapers, lay the diaper out flat. Fold the top 1/3 down to the middle (if you're not familiar with prefolds, the diapers are divided by seams into thirds). Do the same with the bottom third.  If you're using a flat diaper, I've outlined the steps to folding it into thirds in the photos below. 

It's a little hard to explain (I hope the pictures help) -- you basically just fold the edges to the middle so they meet (step 2) and then repeat it again (step 3). You don't have to do it this way exactly, but it worked for me.

Your goal is to have a rectangle that is around 5 inches wide. Pin in place, if desired.

2. Measure and Cut

Once the diaper is folded, you'll have a long strip. Fold it in half and cut on the fold.

Each diaper makes two cloth pads.

3. Pin the Velcro

Cut two 10-inch strips of Velcro. You'll only be using the soft, fuzzy side. With the help of a ruler or measuring tape, pin the Velcro on the diaper about an inch from each edge. It's a good idea to place one of the Velcro strips on top of the folded-over edge of the diaper so you don't have a flap that catches as you mop.

4. Sew the Velcro and Edges

Using a zig-zag stitch, sew down each side of the strips of Velcro. Use the same stitch along each short end of the pad. 

5. Mop Away!
Stick the pad onto the Wet Jet and mop. When finished, peel it off and throw it in the wash. Enjoy your clean floors and revel in the self-satisfaction of your 'frugalizing' efforts.

Note: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have disclosed.

How to Make Cloth Wipes & Solution

In the month before I had my baby, I was busy sewing up a storm in an attempt to distract myself from the ever-increasing discomfort and to keep me from going crazy with anticipation. One of the things I sewed in preparation for baby were these homemade wipes. (Note: post about cloth diapering a newborn coming soon.)  

Even though using cloth diapers saves a lot of money in the long run, the start-up costs can really add up.  You can buy wipes from the various cloth diaper companies, but I figured that I could probably make my own. I mean, how fancy do wipes need to be? As long as they get the job done, right? What's better -- I just reused some old fabric, so they were basically free.  Even though I made these weeks ago, I wasn't going to post about them until I'd actually tested them out. Well, we've been using them for the last couple weeks and I'm happy to say that they've worked out quite well. Plus, they're super-simple to make.

To make your own wipes you'll need:

• Flannel material - the amount you'll need will depend on how many wipes you want to make. I used a couple old, standard-sized receiving blanket and got about 20 wipes out of it, with still some fabric to spare.
• Thread, fabric, scissors/rotary cutter, ruler, sewing machine

The flannel receving blankets I used for this project were similar to the one I used for the homemade nursing pads (which, I might add, are doing their job well). The blankets were great when I used them with my first child, but they've since gotten faded and stained. This is why I don't feel bad cutting them up.

I cut the wipes into 6" x 6" squares using this handy-dandy ruler I got for my quilting class. You don't need one of these, of course, (any ruler will work) but it did make it go by really quickly.

Next, I did a zigzag stitch with my sewing machine as close to the edge as possible. This will keep your wipes from fraying in the wash. I've washed these wipes a lot already and haven't had any problems with fraying. They've held up really well.

Trim the excess fabric from the edges, cutting as close to the stitching as possible. That's it. Homemade wipes that work.

Before you use these on baby, you've got to wet them down. I mean, I guess they'd work dry, but I'd feel bad rubbing dry material on his cute baby bum. There are a few ways to do this -- the way we've been doing it is with the spray-bottle method.

When it's time to use the wipes, I simply give a wipe a few sprays with a spray bottle filled with wipe solution. You can find a bunch of wipe solution recipes online, depending on your needs (like if you want an anti-fungal solution or one with lotion for dry skin). For a list of recipes, check out this link.

To make your own wipe solution, you just need a combination of oil, soap, and water. The oil helps the wipes move comfortably against baby's skin and keeps it soft; the soap cleans away the pee and poop; the water dilutes the first two ingredients and helps clean the diaper area. If you want, you can also add essential oil to your solution if you want certain aromatherapy or antibacterial benefits.

Depending on what ingredients you use, you'll have different amounts of each ingredient. Here's the recipe of the wipe solution we've been using:

• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 2 tablespoons baby soap/shampoo
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix the shampoo and oil, then add water. Pour into spray bottle.  I love how fresh it smells. It seems to do a good job cleaning the diaper area, too -- we haven't had any problems with diaper rash yet.

I'll admit right now: using homemade wipes isn't as easy as using the disposable kind that come in packages and containers. Kind of like cloth diapering. Sure, it isn't as convenient, but it's not that bad and it doesn't take that much extra time. For me, the trade-off of saving money and sending a little less trash from my house is worth the few extra seconds it takes to use and wash them.

A Super Sewing Project: The Superhero Cape

I've been doing a little more sewing than usual lately. First the quilt, then the nursing pads, then homemade wipes (I'll share the details on those later -- got to test them out first).  Most likely nesting mixed with cabin fever. Or maybe because it's one of the few things left I can actually do at nine months pregnant (today is actually my due date). Anyway, after I finished my other projects, I decided to sew something NOT for the baby, though, really, my first-born will always be a baby to me, but that's another story.

Like many four-year-old boys, my little guy is obsessed with superheroes. I am in love with this phase. I think it's completely adorable. His favorite superhero is none other than Superman.  He has a Superman shirt that he wore day in and day out because it has an attached cape. In an attempt to get him to wear his other clothes, I thought I would try and make him his very own Superman cape.  I think it turned out pretty well -- it didn't take too long and the materials cost next to nothing, maybe $3-4 at the most. My little guy loves the cape I made and he wears it everywhere. Now I don't have to sneakily wash his Superman shirt when he's sleeping anymore. The only problem is that he keeps telling me I need to make capes for his cousins -- a pink one for one of his girl cousins and a blue one for another so they can be the Justice League.

To make a cape for your own superhero, the materials you'll need are:

• - 1/2 - 1 yard of fabric (how much you need depends on the child's size

  - Bias tape (I used extra wide double fold)
  

  - Coordinating thread

  I didn't really follow a pattern for this cape and I just kind of winged the whole thing, so please excuse the not-so-precise instructions that follow. I promise, though, this is a really, really easy project that anyone can do.

I started by measuring the boy from his shoulders to the back of his knees, then from shoulder to shoulder, just to give me an idea of the size I needed to cut. From there, I picked up the fabric and draped it around his shoulders to give me an idea how I wanted it to fit and then measured again. In the end, I cut a rectangle that ended up being about 20"x30".

The next step is to hide the raw edges and sew a hem. For mine, I did a narrow double-fold hem. To do this, I folded the raw edge to the wrong side of the fabric about a 1/4" in, then I folded again another 1/4". I pinned it in place as I folded. Once the side I was working was all pinned, I ironed the fold. I did this one side at a time. Only do this hem on three sides of the cape - the longer sides and wider bottom. We'll be doing a bigger hem for the top of the cape where it ties around the neck.

Stitch the hem in place. I used a zigzag stitch for mine, but you could also do a straight topstitch, too. I thought the zigzag looked a little more interesting and decorative.

Once the three sides of the cape are hemmed, you're going to make the casing for the drawstring at the top of the cape. I thought about just doing all four sides, including the top, with the same hem and attaching ties to the sides of the cape, but I think the drawstring works well because my son can either pull the cape around his shoulders or let the fabric cinch up in the back while he's "flying". I've seen both methods used, so do whatever floats your boat. I did it partly this way because it's how my mom made my awesome Batgirl cape over 20 years ago.

To make the casing, press the raw edge of the fabric to the wrong side of the fabric 1/4" in (like you did with the double-fold hem). Determine how much room you'll need for your drawstring. My bias tape was about 1/2" wide. Once you've figured out the width of the drawstring, add another 1/2" for wiggle room. Press under the top edge to about an inch in. Edgestitch in place. There should be a 1" opening at each end of the top of the cape.

Measure how much bias tape you'll need to thread it through the width of the cape, with extra for the ties around the neck. You don't want this to be too short because it will be too tight around the neck; you don't want it to be too long because the fabric will just gather in the back and hang low because there's so much slack.

Once you've cut the length of bias tape you need, stitch along the middle. I did this so it wouldn't come unfolded. Plus, the zigzag adds a decorative touch.
 

Attach a large safety pin at one end of the stitched bias tape and pull the bias tape through the casing.

Tie around your superhero's neck -- I did it in a fairly tight knot (and so I wouldn't have to tie it every few minutes). I tied it at a comfortable (and safe -- not too long that he could get caught on something) length so he could slip the cape on and off easily. The second I put it on him, he went to his usual Superman pose (fists on hips), stated resolutely that "this looked like a job for Superman", and he was off.

Did I mention that I love the superhero phase?

The Quilting Post: The Reveal, Plus 10 Reasons Why You Should Try

A couple weeks ago, I mentioned that I'd been taking a quilting class as a birthday present from my parents. It was a great learning experience and actually more fun than I thought it would be. Anyway, I've finally finished hand-stitching the binding around the edge of the baby quilt, so it's officially finished!

Drum roll, please...

Ta-da! My first quilt. The top side follows a sampler style (as shown in the book mentioned below). It has a mix a mix of rail fence, log cabin, friendship star, nine-square, and windmill squares.

On the back, I used a light yellow fabric called minkee -- it's really, really soft. It's a little tricky to use, but I know baby will love it.

It's not perfect, by any stretch of the imagination. If you look closely, you'll see crooked stitches, seams that don't line up, and random repair jobs on squares. Still, I'm proud of my first effort.

For the class, we did the sampler quilt, as outlined in the book, Start Quilting with Alex Anderson. A couple people in the class complained about the book, but I think it's a great introduction to the art of quilting. The only thing I'm dubious about when it comes to the book is the claim on the cover: '8 Quick Projects'. Quick? Errrr...maybe someday. This quilt was not a quick project for me, but I'm still learning.

Anyway, why mention quilting on this blog? Am I just showing off? What does it have to do with living frugally? Here are some of the reasons why you should consider quilting. Really.

1. Anyone can do it.
When the class started, I was the only student who had recently used a sewing machine. Seriously. My mom wasn't comfortable with hers, the other lady in the class borrowed a neighbor's machine, and the other woman pulled hers out of a dusty box. All four of us made quilts, though -- and they all turned out great. To quilt, you just need to do a lot of cutting and you have to know how to sew a straight 1/4" seam. No fancy skills required.

2. It can be economical.
Please note the emphasis on the word "can".  If you're like me, you can step into certain fabric stores and want to buy everything in them. I can see how someone could get really, really carried away and spend a fortune on quilting. That said, quilting really can be economical if you choose your materials wisely. One of project I've been working on for a while is my denim quilt. I love the idea of reusing old jeans, old ones that you can't even donate, in a practical way.  My quilt is still in the collecting phase, but I think I may start putting some squares together. The quilt will take time to make, but not a lot of money since I'll only need to buy some material for the binding and backing and some batting for the middle.

3. Quilts are practical.
Some sewing projects may seem kind of superfluous, but quilts are practical and useful. Granted, there are some quilt designs that are a little over the top and not necessarily meant for their function (also known as 'art quilts'). That said, I know I plan on frequently using the quilt I just made.

4. It's actually kind of fun.
I was suprised how much I liked doing this. It's satisfying to see the quilt squares come together. Plus, if you're working with someone, it's just fun to chat while you sew. My mom and I spent hours together finishing our quilting class "homework" and it was a nice way to pass the time. The whole concept of those old quilting bees actually makes sense to me now.

5. It can also clear your head and help you relax.
One of the reasons I picked up sewing over a year ago was to clear my head. I was really struggling with anxiety at the time and my mind would just race with worries. When I sew (and now, quilt), I have to focus 100% because it doesn't come naturally to me. I really have to think about what I'm doing. As a result, I forget my worries and feel so much better afterwards. The teacher of the quilting class told us she picked up quilting for the same reason -- she was going through chemotherapy for breast cancer ten years ago and needed an outlet. She said it kept her sane during that trying time of her life. I know working on this quilt helped me focus less on how uncomfortably pregnant I am and how the baby feels like he'll never come. When I finished working on it, I felt clear-headed and ready to face everything else. A stress-reducer that ends in a tangible, beautiful result is a win-win situation.

6.  You create something uniquely yours.
Sure, you could go to the store and buy a quilt made by someone else. I have a beautiful storebought quilt on my bed right now and I absolutely love it. That said, there's something special about having things in your house, whether they be quilts or placemats or a bathroom rug or an apron or whatever, that are one-of-a-kind because you made them. You get exactly what you want when you make it. In our world of mass-produced everything, I find something really satisfying in having something unique in my home.

7. You can go at your own pace.
There's no need to feel overwhelmed with quilting. You can do as much or as little as you want or as your time demands. You can spend an afternoon designing, cutting, and sewing all your squares, or you can just spend an hour putting a couple together. You can leave the project and pick it up whenever. I really like that about quilting compared to full-on sewing projects. With sewing projects, if I don't just get it all done at once, I can lose my place and get frustrated. With quilting, I can do it piece by piece, step by step, whenever I feel like it.

8. Quilts make awesome gifts.
When my son was born, my mom and dad made a beautiful quilt for him out of squares of colorful fabric and various  sock monkey prints.  (Dad is the first quilter of the family -- he's been doing it for years. He even made me a tied quilt when I left for college. I love that guy.).  Mom even handstitched the binding while they were driving to the hospital to meet my little guy, their first grandchild. My sister-in-law also made a lovely star quilt for my my son when he was born and a friend of ours made an adorable frog patchwork quilt for him.  I loved all the gifts I got from people when my son was born, but there was something extra-special about those quilts. Not only are they useful gifts, but really meaningful because quilts take time. Knowing that someone would go to the trouble to devote hours to making them is the best gift of all.

9. It's a link to the past.
I know I'm a little weird about this. I'm an admitted history geek. I get all nostalgic about using a clothesline and canning produce because it feels old-fashioned, like something that my grandmothers did for generations. But I think there's something to be said for making homemaking a type of art. I mean, you have to do it anyway, why not make it enjoyable and beautiful while you're at it. As I sewed the log cabin quilt square design, which is pretty old and traditional design, I couldn't help but feel a connection to the women who came before me.

10. You can create an heirloom.
It doesn't have to be perfect to be at heirloom status. I think that the sentimentality of a quilt made by hand is enough. I know that I still have a couple of my own baby quilts stored away.  One of my future projects is to work with my mom and make a quilt out of all the fabric scraps and remnants we found while cleaning out my grandpa's house after he passed away. My late grandmother was an incredible seamstress and had tons of fabric left from her projects. Lots of the fabric is from the 60s and 70s and I can't wait to put to use all those fun prints in a quilt. This way, all that fabric will get used, plus we'll have a neat, tangible way to remember my grandma.  It's amazing the kind of feeling you can get from something thoughtfully stitched together.

Functional, Not Fancy: Homemade Nursing Pads

It's been over four years since I had my son and I'm surprised by how much I've forgotten about those first weeks and months after birth.  I'm sure it will all come back to me as I do all of this baby stuff again, but I definitely feel a little rusty.

Take breastfeeding, for example, and all the changes that come with it. My sister-in-law just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl a couple weeks ago and as we were talking about all things baby, the topic of nursing pads came up. I hadn't even thought about those in my preparations for baby #2. Suddenly, I remembered waking up to a big wet spot on my bed -- what inevitably happens when a lactating stomach-sleeper actually gets a few consecutive hours of sleep.  Not the ideal way to start your morning.

After talking to my sister-in-law, I went home and checked my hall closet -- I still have three Lansinoh disposable nursing pads left from my first go-round. Add those to the list of things to buy. Then I thought, "I wonder if I could just make some..." So, of course, I turned to the Internet, and, sure enough, there were plenty of instructions on how to make them. In fact, they're really, really, really easy to make. Better yet, instead of forking over $10 for a box of the disposable ones, I can make these ones for free because I just use scraps of fabric I already have. Plus, these homemade ones are softer and feel nice against the skin (I tested it out).

To make homemade nursing pads, you'll need:

• Flannel -- I used an old, faded flannel receiving blanket someone gave me years ago.  You could also use flannel from a pair of worn-out pajamas or flannel sheets. Really, no one's going to see these, so use whatever you've got, I say. You could also go buy some flannel -- you won't need much. It all depends on how many you want to make.
• Fleece -- Fleece is waterproof, so it will keep wetness away from your clothes. I had some extra fleece on hand from some project I can't remember. I don't even remember buying it. If you don't have some of this on hand, it is fairly inexpensive and you won't need much of this either (you use less fleece than you do flannel for these pads).
• A CD, chalk/pen/pencil, scissors, thread, and a sewing machine 

On both the flannel and fleece, trace the edge of a CD and cut out.  This makes the nursing pad about five inches in diameter, which is pretty standard. If you need to adjust, feel free. I folded the material in half so I could cut two circles at a time.  For each nursing pad, you'll need one circle of fleece and three circles of flannel.  It sounds like a lot, but once you sew the layers together, it's pretty thin. You can also adjust the thickness of the pad depending on your needs -- one site I read suggested using the 3:1 ratio for nighttime use and to use 1-2 pieces of flannel on top of the piece of the fleece for the daytime.  I'm making mine all with the 3:1 ratio so I don't have to separate them and I can just grab one when I need it.

Note: I used this darker blue fleece for mine. Since the fleece is the part that faces out, light colored fabric is good if you're worried about the pads showing through your clothes. I'm not too worried about that since my bras are lined pretty well and I know the blue won't show through (again, tested it out). Plus, if history repeats itself, I'll only really wear these at night. In any case, it's something to consider.

Stack the three circles of flannel on top of the fleece.  You want one side of the finished pad to be flannel and the other side to be fleece.

Topstitch all around the edge of the pad, staying as close to the edge as possible while still catching all four layers. Follow that with a zig-zag stitch around the edge.

Trim off excess fabric and you're done. So easy. They're not much to look at, I'll admit, but I can tell they'll do the job. When you wear the nursing pad, you will have the flannel side touching your skin; the fleece will face out and protect your clothing, and, if you're like me, your sheets, too.

Hiatus Explained

It's been a couple weeks since the last post.  While the no-bake cookies are delicious, I don't think they're good enough to hold the top spot on my blog for as long as they have.  In any case, I've been meaning to post, but have been totally wrapped up in a class/project.  It's a mix of nesting, mother-daughter bonding, and unexpected craftiness. 

For my birthday (which I celebrated yesterday, hence the all the cake and frosting in the picture above), my mom signed us up for a beginner's quilting class. At first, I was interested -- I don't know if I would have signed up without my mom's suggestion, but figured it would at least be a fun thing to try. Four classes later, who knew I'd find so much satisfaction in piecing together squares of material in various patterns for a baby quilt? (Only 24 more days left until my due date, not that I'm counting or anything)  There's something so old-fashioned and traditional about quilting that totally appeals to me. And like with most sewing projects, I have to concentrate since it doesn't come to me. So, really, it's a sort of brain workout, too.  Plus, it's just fun. A couple times a week, I head up to my cute little hometown, set up all my sewing stuff in a 100-year-old house with my mom, along with our super-patient instructor and two other women, and we just chat as we sit and sew for a few hours. Maybe it sounds kind of grandma-ish, but I love it. Then there's the satisfaction of seeing the project actually come together - not only my own, but also my mom's. My late grandma, an incredible seamstress, would be so proud of Mom and me.

To think that just over a year ago, I was terrified by my sewing machine...

So that's the reason for the hiatus. When I'm not doing my regular, everyday activities (which seem to take much longer when you're waddling around the house), I'm trying to catch up with my quilting class 'homework'. I'll be sure to show you my finished project (keep your fingers crossed for me -- I'm going to machine quilt it tomorrow and I'm a little freaked out), along with some insights and ideas of how you can give this generations-old art a try.  Then I'll be back to regularly posting my parsimonious ideas. Well, at least until the end of March.

This Cold House, Part 2: How to Sew a Draft Stopper

It's also known as a draft dodger or a draft snake. Call it whatever you like -- this easy sewing project will help you save a little money with your heating bills by blocking off drafty areas along the bottoms of window and doors. As I mentioned in my previous post, I've been meaning to make one of these for my back door -- for the last week or so, I've just had a rolled-up towel as my makeshift draft stopper.

It's been a while since I've featured a sewing project on this blog, so I'll just say this to any new reader:  I compare my sewing experience with my skiing experience. I'm a pretty uncoordinated person and it took me a while to learn, but I can ski and I really like it. I stick to mostly the easy green runs (though I have done a blue run or two in my time) when I go, but I can do it. Same with sewing: I'm not a super-crafty type of person and it took me a while to get over my sewing machine phobia, but I can sew and I really like it. I stick to easy projects (though I dabble in some intermediate stuff), but I can do it.  Long story short: if I can sew this, you can sew this.

Okay, onto the step-by-step how-to...

There are different ways to make these, but I followed the instructions I saw on Martha Stewart's website.  Gotta give credit where it's deserved.

To get started, measure the width of the door or window you want the draft stopper to fit. On the fabric of your choice (I'd suggest a slightly heavier, home-decor weight fabric, but anything will work), cut a piece of fabric that is as long as you measured (in my case, it was 36 inches) and about 9 1/4 inch wide. You'll also need a little extra fabric to cut out the circles for the ends.

I had a serependipitous fabric find among my remnants. When I got my living room curtains from Ikea, they had to be cut to fit. I saved the leftover fabric. Turned out that the long piece I had was just a little under 10 inches wide. Sweet!

Fold the fabric in half lengthwise, right sides facing, and pin the edges together (if you're feeling adventurous, you can skip the pins and free-hand it).

Sew along the pinned edge, with about a 1/4 inch seam allowance. You want to leave a 4-inch opening somewhere along the middle. Be sure to backstitch at both edges of the opening. You'll use this opening for turning the tube rightside out later.

Move the seam to the middle of the tube and iron, pressing the seam open.

Now that you have the tube done, it's time for the slightly more tricky part, the ends.

On Martha's site, she has a printable pattern for the 3 1/4 inch circles.  Since printers always seem to commit some kind of printer suicide when I own them, I had to improvise.

I traced the bottom of a pint-sized canning jar with some chalk. Right about 3 1/4 inches. So you can either print yours off or try my method. Cut two circles.

Fold the circle in half and press. Fold it in half again and press. Repeat with the other circle.

Match the creases on the unfolded circle with the pressed creases at the end of the tube.  Pin in place.

With a needle and thread, baste in place. Until recently, I thought basting was only relegated to roasting poultry. Basting in terms of sewing means to stitch loosely so you can machine-stitch more easily. As you can see the stitches on mine are wide and loose; be careful not to cinch the end. Remove the pins.

Machine stitch around the basted end. Like I said, this was the trickiest part.

The machine stitches are in red -- you just go around the edge, nothing too complicated. Remove the basted stitches. Follow same procedure on the other end.

Turn your tube rightside out through the opening at the seam.  Next, fill the stopper. You don't want it to be too full or it won't be flexible; don't under-fill it, either. I wish I could give an exact amount, but every stopper will be a different size. Just go with your gut.

On the Martha Stewart site, she suggests using kitty litter as filler. I can see how that would work, but it seems a little more pricey than other options to me. I used dry pinto beans mixed with some rice. I like this filling because it makes the stopper not only moldable and flexible to any opening, but it also keeps it weighted down. I've read other instructions for draft stoppers and they've filled theirs with old fabric scraps and holey socks.

Ta-da! Draft successfully stopped. {Pay no heed to my scuffed-up back door. Between the boy and my cat clammoring to get outside, it just gets that way. }   This was my first attempt at making one of these and it really was easy. If you're still averse to sewing or don't have a sewing machine, there are some no-sew stoppers I've seen on various sites (here's a link to one I found).  In any case, whatever type you make, it will look better than a rolled-up towel, I'm sure.

Denim Deconstructed: On Cut-off Shorts & Getting the Most Out of Our Clothes

I know I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating: whenever I'm at church and one of the elderly women in Relief Society speaks up, I listen. Intently.  On one occasion, a sweet lady named Leone, who had just turned 90, said something that stuck with me. She said, "People these days don't wear out clothes. They wash them out!"  She chuckled a little, talked a little more about how the washer and dryer wear out the clothes more than the people do, and then added something to the effect that we have much, much more than we need these days and that we don't make do with what we have.

This simple declaration from her got me thinking about that. So I started line-drying my clothes since the heat of the dryer does take a toll on clothes.  Just line-drying alone can extend the life of your clothing. I also don't buy as much clothes for my son as I used to when he was a baby (granted, he isn't needing a new size every few months anymore).  So, that was the extent of my attempt to wear-out and not wash-out our clothes. 

Then a few weeks ago, I pulled my son's jeans out of the wash.

The marker he'd been drawing with hadn't come out of the pants.  They were covered with little marks on both legs.  And I noticed that they were starting to get really worn in the knees, too.  I wasn't too bothered by this since they were getting a little too short. However, my son is on the slim side and the expandable waistband still had at least a notch or two left. Then I remembered Leone's comment.  How could we make the most of these pants that still kind of fit? 

Cut-offs!  How could I forget cut-off jeans?  They were a staple of our childhood wardrobe!  Growing up as the only girl in a house full of boys, I can remember my brothers spending the summer in cut-offs because they were merciless on pants.  They always had torn knees in them, so Mom would cut them into shorts. Sometimes she would hem them, sometimes she would let them fray. To think that I was actually considering buying him denim shorts days before while at Old Navy!  So I grabbed my measuring tape and fabric scissors. I measured the inseam of another pair of shorts and then used that measurement to determine the length of the cut-offs.  Then, snip.  Instant shorts. I even saved the bottoms for my denim quilt that's still in the collection phase. 

(Update 6/2014: Since I wrote this post four years ago (!), I've made A LOT of cut-off shorts. As it was as I remembered with my brothers, boys' jeans don't last too long around my house. One thing I like to do is a quick stitch around the bottom of each leg. Nothing fancy at all -- just a quick run through the sewing machine, right above where I made the cut. I don't fold or hem or anything. This lets the shorts fray a little -- I like the classic frayed cut-off look -- but not too much and not all summer long.)

Now I realize that making cut-offs isn't such a novel or new idea.  I'm sure your moms did the same thing. The thing that struck me, though, is that I hadn't thought of it before. I'd forgotten just this one aspect of my mom's frugal repertoire and always bought shorts at the store. Duh. 

Ever since then, I've been even more conscious about the wear of our clothes. Another pair of my son's jeans, ones that are still the perfect length, started to wear in the knees.  They weren't ready for cut-offs yet, though. So, I got some iron-on denim patches from the store for a dollar. I ironed the patch on in the inside of the pants and now can't really notice the thinning fabric unless you look closely.  These jeans will last him through the fall now. My husband's pants always wear out first in the corners of the back pockets, from him pushing in and pulling out his wallet. So I did the same thing for his jeans - a quick iron-on patch on the inside and it's fixed for a while.  Much better than forking over another $20-30 for another pair.  Like the cut-offs, I hadn't given denim patches much though either until lately.

In a way, cut-off shorts aren't just an article of clothing, but they're a sort of frame of mind, a way of looking at something and finding a way to repurpose it. The same goes for iron-on patches. They're more than just a quick fix. Mending clothes was a part of life, almost as much as doing laundry, generations ago. Remembering all of this is a sort of elevated consciousness, a way of making the things in our lives, even just a pair of jeans, not a just a disposable commodity. In my mind, this is one of the foundational principles to making frugality a practical reality in our lives.

Book Review: One-Yard Wonders

I love this book, One-Yard Wonders, for a bunch of reasons.

One, if I spot some cute fabric and want to buy it on a whim, I know if I get a yard of it I'll have enough to make something in this book.  Two, since most of the projects only require a yard of fabric and a spool of coordinating thread (some projects require some extras like buttons, snaps, or bias tape), they don't cost much to make.  You could easily make most of these projects, if not all, for under $10. Three, the things in it are really cute yet practical. And I mean cute in a cool, modern way (not a fan of overly cutesy things). I could go on and on with all the reasons, really...

But one of the things I love most about this book is that it pushed me out of my comfort zone and got me to try some more challenging projects. Granted, nothing I've come across in this book has been very advanced. I mean, how advanced can you get with a yard of fabric?  But I have had to learn new techniques, terms, and methods.  And, because of this book, I've actually used a pattern.  Yowza! The first time I sewed with a pattern, I felt like I was a full-fledged seamstress.  This book has boosted my confidence level and pushed me to try new things.  I may even get brave and try making some of the clothes in it someday.

For Mother's Day, I made this gardening apron for my mom, complete with pockets and tool loops.  It took me a while and I was up late making it the night before Mother's Day, but it turned out great, especially for my first project out of the book.  In total, the present I gave my mom didn't cost very much, but it meant a lot because I'd put hours into making something unique for her.

Since then, I've made an art smock for my budding artist, the clothespin apron pictured above, a cover for my sewing machine, and two laptop covers (one for me and one for my mother-in-law for Mother's Day).  Right now, I'm in the process of making a couple growth charts (one for my house, one for Grandma's) and a new purse (the strap on mine broke at the grocery store. Nice.).  And there's a ton of other things I want to make in that book. It does have 101 projects in it, after all...

No matter your sewing skill level, this is a great book to have. It's very approachable, too. The directions are clear and well-written. I only started sewing in January, so using this book has been a great learning experience for me. There have been a few times where I had to reread the directions a few times and other times when I've had to use my seam ripper more than I'd like to admit, but I still finished all the projects fairly successfully. Since getting this book, I feel like a much more competent seamstress (dare I call myself that?).  And that feeling is worth the price of the book alone.