Drying Laundry

My niece just moved back to the states after living in Singapore for the last year and a half. She brought back a folding laundry rack cuz no one uses/has a dryer over there. Nor does much of the world. But, here in the states, we all have electric clothes dryers.

After my trip to Japan two years ago, I lusted after a simple drying solution. But all the outdoor drying tools in the USA were permanently attached to your house or inconveniently placed as an umbrella in the lawn. All vetoed by the other person in the household.

All amazon sells is the tiny version of the foldable rack above - suitable for drying lightweight items like lingerie.

I was raised to be environmentally conscious. I compost, re-use what I buy for other purposes, try to keep my (destined-for-the-landfill) garbage to a minimum and generally leave the planet a better place for my children.

So I wanted this foldable, small footprint rack above bad enough to beg my friend in Kyoto to send me two. They are each big enough for a medium load of laundry.

In Singapore and Japan, they also have rods across their patios for hanging big stuff and these racks just hook over them.
I still want to install a big rod across my patio  but I have found a way to use these racks year-round just by hanging it off my kitchen chair.

What I have found in nearly two years of using them?
1. My knit tshirts stay long and no longer shrink "up".
2. Less pilling and everything lasts longer.
3. duh - less energy usage.
4. In the summer, most items are dry by the end of the day. In the winter, inside my house, they are dry in less than two days.
5. Planning ahead if you want to wear that favorite shirt/shorts on a certain day skillset.
6. I still have a dryer for emergencies.
7. In my two person household, in the winter, I use the dryer once a month for sheets and towels. In the summer, they go outside.
8. With my auto-immune bloating tummy, I love the fact that my tshirts stay the original length still.
9. It only takes 5 -10 minutes to clip everything on to the rack.
10. Pencil Girl asked if clothing got musty in the winter and I haven't found it to be so.

This very quickly became my routine and I don't really think about doing it differently.
It's easy to do - my first indicator of success.

Can't recall if I showed pictures of the two planes in the hangar. Still doo-hicking around with the J-5. Still hasn't gone on it's maiden voyage.
And the big old Stearman biplane.

Hope you hop over to my IG feed - RocketGirl50. I just figured out how to use my gorilla tripod to take a video of me skinning tomatoes. Exciting times, I tell you.

Japanese Laundry Hangers

 I received Happy Mail last week on a very difficult day.
It is amazing what a little package can do.

 Kyle, from Vacuuming The Lawn, sent me some labels to sew into a bag.

PLUS, a turquoise leather tassel that she made and some chalkoners - chalk markers that she bought because she likes them- she thought I might too. These chalk markers are to transfer different lines on your sewing pattern to your fabric. As you 'wheel' along, it dispenses chalk in a nice even line. The different colors are for dark and light fabrics. White won't show up on light colored fabric, so you could use the red or blue instead.

I have a white one from forty years ago that is very similar, but now they come in colors!

 Now, I need to sew  up a tote bag to do this tassel proud!

 This is my other happy mail. While I was in Japan, I noted how everyone does laundry there and really liked the portability and the storability of these hangers.

Back in Oregon, can I find them? Only the tiny lingerie sized ones. Maybe 16-20 pegs.

These are around 50 pegs. They both fold up to about 16 inches square by 3" deep. Easy to store by the washer.

I had wanted a clothes umbrella tree for years to dry my laundry outside. This is not usual in the states as we all have electric dryers.

Looking for a place to put a line up, or an umbrella, or anything, it was always gonna be in the way. Of people's heads, of airplane clearance, in the way of the other person in this household.

What I like about these is the small footprint. I can hang them out on my patio and then take them in when the clothes are dry.  They are in absolutely no ones way. Nor are they permanent.

The footprint is much smaller than a fold out laundry tree. My wind tunnel would blow over anything not secured - which just makes you cranky as you pick up laundry off the ground. Since these Japanese laundry hangers hook over something, they won't blow over.

I bought one in an aluminum frame. My friend in Kyoto and I both think this one will last the longest. The second one is plastic and the UV just kills these, making them brittle with age. The aluminum one also has clips that look like I can fix with household parts if they break.

 I finally took the plunge and asked my Japanese friend to purchase two for me and I am so happy I did. Each rack will hold a small to medium load of laundry which is normal in my house nowadays. I can even hang them inside if a case of Oregon rain comes by.

And you get a peek at  my laundry. 


 



***last day......SALE continues in my friend's Etsy Shop;
CraftyTokyoMama on etsy. Use Coupon code AUGUST20 throughout the month of August to get 20% off your purchase.

Don't forget about Etsy Love - even if you don't buy anything - just hover over the heart on each listing and tap on it. (thanks!)

Sashiko Dragonfly Wallet

I cut into my sashiko dragonfly sampler.

 Open wallet showing two slip pockets.

 Backside with coin pocket and secret pocket behind coin pouch. I pieced a little sashiko to the coin flap.

 With detachable strap.

 

 For the dragonfly wallet, I shifted the coin pocket left so most of a sashiko dragonfly could be seen.

 I made the red wallet first. At a recent estate sale this summer, I found this unfinished kit for the Winslow Wallet. I bought the package because it contained two magnetic snaps. Spendy little items when you buy at retail so this was a huge score.  The fabric was cut out and interfaced. It just needed sewing.

The original pattern was not included nor did it come with the strap. I just like detachable straps on small wallets. I made my own pattern from the cut out fabric pieces. It was pretty straight forward.

After finishing, I liked it. For a little thing  -  5 1/4" w x 4" tall, this wallet has a lot of segregated storage. 

I had time to make another. I picked out an airplane fabric and then realized it was directional. This just means some sewing geometry because this wallet starts out flat and then is folded and once you fold it, some of the airplanes would be upside down doing aerobatics badly, unless you cut and piece it just right.

Then I spied my dragonfly print, skipped right over to where my Yoko Saito fabrics are stored -- right next to my completed sashiko dragonfly piece.

This dragonfly sampler was meant to be a small pillow. I have no use for small pillows so it was sitting until a lightbulb moment happened. 

I bought this sampler at Sewexpo back in 2014. I finished it, left it at a friend's house (lost) and made a second one. I did recover the first one eventually - which means I can make another of these purses - yay!


The sashiko sampler was on flimsy blue fabric. I used the unmarked section meant for the pillow back to double up and treated this fabric as one, with interfacing added. I serged the edges before turning for extra durability and securing any stray sashiko threads that might work loose.


Now, if I can recall where I stashed the recovered first sampler.....

Japan Post

Six weeks to arrive.
The last weekend I was in japan, I blew out my suitcase. I mailed 20# home for $50 - on a Sunday.

A lot of my purse hardware was packed inside. These are some that my friend gave me.

A lot of the Daiso hardware too. I took the packaging off some to save space.
I had extra allowable poundage in my suitcase but no space. Good thing japanese post offices don't follow US weekend closure schedules.

A little bit of 'kid in the candy store' as I drew out fabrics.

It's difficult to name favorites . . .

Quilted fabrics.

Solids.

Kimono scraps.

A little bit like Christmas.

Chirimen Gathered Round Basket

I needed to sew something today.

It's reversible.
It's a quick sew.

I had two Chirimen pieces about 9" square. I picked these up at the (forgot name) department store in kyoto for 98 yen each. (82 cents).

It can be difficult to cut into vacation fabrics but this seemed the right pattern to use up most of the square with a third fabric cut as a binding.

Fun and fast.

I saw the idea on Benta's blog: Slik Stitches.

She used this tutorial.

Keinomatsubaraso Hotel On Awaji Island

My friend used to live on Awaji Island before she moved to Kyoto.

She proposed we drive there and stay overnight.
Her daughter met up with a friend at the Aeon Mall and we went on the Naruto Whirlpool cruise and then drove to our hotel.
Keinomatsubaraso Hotel.

Don't forget to switch to your toilet slippers.

This hotel is a traditional, older, japanese hotel.
On the beach with spectacular sunsets.

You take your shoes off immediately upon entering your room and switch to slippers.

One big room with  tatami mats. Low table in center with lots of hidden alcoves and closets.

A thermos of hot water was waiting on that table as well as a tea set for four.

In this closet, pajama robe and a warm robe. Plus a bag with a toothbrush, towel, and the all-important 'bath' towel.

Underneath - more chair cushions.

This closet held five futons plus covers and interesting  japanese - style  pillows.

Each room can hold five people.
We could have shared a room, but the price was the same -whether we shared or had separate rooms.

Pillows feel like corn husks inside.
Harder, but they cradle the head better?

The alcove next to the window held a table and two chairs.
Over in the left corner was the fridge and some massage tools.

You can imagine me flinging open closets and exclaiming.
Unknowingly, my friend gave me my favorite Japanese experience.

Because it got even better.

The baths.

no pictures - sorry.

We undressed and put on our robes, grabbed our big towel and our bathing towel and padded downstairs in our slippers to the baths.

We enter the women's baths which switch the next day to the men's.
Disrobe and go to the shower stations.
With your little towel.

You can use your towel to scrub with or if you don't like to flaunt it as a tiny frontal cover-up.
While in the bath,  the towel is folded and placed atop your head.

Nice body soaps, scrubbers, shampoos and conditioners are at your disposal.

When you feel sufficiently clean, you step into the steamy hot wooden bath and start your relaxation journey.

Each bath here could comfortably hold four or five people - like a large hot tub.

Too hot, get back out, shower down with some cool water.

Feeling like going to the enclosed outside pool? Step out through the sliding doors into another wooden pool. Sit on the shelf, or lay back and float.
Watch the moon as it moves across the sky.

Hot again?
There's shower stations out here too.

When you feel like you've had enough water therapy,  get out and go to the changing room and dry off. There are sinks and more lotions.

For your feet (horny calluses anyone?), for your face. Hair creams & oils.
Collagen to pat lightly into your skin.
Even hair dryers to return your hairstyle.

Robe on, slippers on, return to your room so you can collapse into a good night's sleep (once you figure out how many futons to sleep on and the odd pillows.)