Cotton UnPaper Towels Out Of Double Gauze

Yes! I've returned to my blog.

I have felt long-winded lately on Instagram, writing too much necessary stuff with the full compliment of photos. Today, while I was serge-zipping around these Unpaper Towels, my mind told me, It Was Time.

Anyway, a friend recently contacted me through our local FB crafting page to see if I could sew some unpaper towels.

They are all over on Etsy, averaging $20 for a set of 5-12 napkin/paper-towel size pieces of cotton gauze with a colored serged edge.

On youtube, videos are still old-school using two pieces of quilting cotton and toweling to sew, turn, and top stitch. And then add snaps to connect them together.  haha. I can see kids re-snapping them back together (dirty or not), but ain't nobody got time for that kind of sewing around here.

At first, I was thinking Rolled Hem. After half an hour fiddling with settings and finally getting a stiff edge that was unevenly rolling (thanks to the single layer double gauze), I re-thought and re-set my machine to a regular 3-thread overlock stitch.

My first ones were carefully lifted and turned around the corners. Still thinking how etsy peoples can sell 5-12 for $20. Quickly moved on to the rounded corner. Gauze tends to pull and stretch, so I did have to slow down around the corners, and make sure material was next to my blade.

If you pull too much making a round corner, you end up serging into the air, or half on, half off.
See my photo above?? I can't show you the bad corner because I've been IG indoctrinated - only the good photos can be seen.

My understanding is these UnPaper Towels are better at absorbing spills and water after washing them 5-6 times. Plus, they get softer, while remaining strong.

Since I've flown over the paper tree plantations in Idaho, I also realize, these cost not only more $$ but also more resources to make the cotton cloth. Growing cotton is notorious for high chemicals in order to grow but also loads of water to process. Paper takes less resources. The bleaching is bad for the environment for both products.

Would I use these?

I already use cloth napkins. But I like paper towels for cleaning up bacon grease, the husband (who wipes first, then washes), etc. I usually buy the half-sheet paper towels.

These double gauze towels are similar in size and feel (single layer). If it was just me, maybe. But these items stain and will look fairly ratty in about 6 months. I would rather use colors to disguise stains. Do I even want to make more in six months?


I have no clue how etsy sellers are making money with these. They are all-over, so pricing is pretty cut-throat. It took me over two hours to make 16, including serger fiddling time. Once, I got my system in place, I whipped these up pretty fast.
Say an hour to do 12?

$6/yard - I'll say $3/yard wholesale. You can make 8-12 towels per yard. I made mine squarish and about 13".

I like to pay myself $20/hour, so obviously, I need to speed up the overlocker./serger.
Or, I could just buy some factory made birdseye gauze diapers instead.

Any thoughts? Would you use these in place of paper towels?

To see Etsy listings, google search "Unpaper Towels".



#unpapertowels
#clothtowels
#doublegauzetowel
#reusabletowel
#sewyourown
#rocketstitches

Airplane Foundation Piecing

 I made a quilt block for someone here in my small town.

 I say small but apparently my blogger friend in the UK knows two people in my teeny, tiny, town. Benta is one of the most thoughtful sewing people I know and she often shows up in the comments of a blog I follow. - I tend to collect writers and sewists from Oregon. What a small world it is....

This gal I'm making the block for put a call out for blocks from anywhere in the world to make a quilt and I had to join in.

It only took three weeks to happen...ahem.

 I wanted to send her an airplane block.

When I opened my box where I keep certain airplane treasures, I found two blocks from when I last sewed them (Mikey is now nine years old).

This red one is done and just needs the outer sashing. I used a Aunt Grace '30's reproduction fabric. Tickles. An airplane made of airplanes.

 Many years ago, I bought this rubber stamp from ByrdsNestQuiltShop during one of my SewExpo forays.

Because it had an airplane on it.

The stamp is numbered from one to ten.

 It takes nine seams to make this block.

You start with your first fabric right side up over the stamped muslin covering the number one space. Then you place the #2 second piece over that first piece RST and flip it over to sew the seam between #1 & #2. Finger press and sew the third piece down in the same way.

You have to be careful to use a scrap big enough to cover that area and extend out past the seam lines. Lots of scrap wastage.

Foundation piecing differs from paper piecing because you sew through a muslin foundation and sew from the back side. Flipping it over, back to the front, seam on the back.

It's supposedly more accurate than paper piecing, specially at the corners,  but it's all fiddly. I'm happy to make a couple but making enough for an entire quilt? No thank you.

One blue airplane block done.

FYI: This stamp pad is over twenty years old and did wash out from the white (easily).
Stamp makes a 3" square inner image.

Rusty update: He's back in remission on his pancreatitis attack a month ago. He's 14 years old and I think we needed to adjust his pain meds to make him more comfortable. I swear he looked like he was dying a month ago, and now? back to being an old dog.

October Random Ramblings

 I'm starting to like Instagram more and more. It forces you to edit yourself to one photo and photo uploading does not give me grief like my old smart phone does. I need a new smart phone but I'm waiting for spring when I change plans and shed family members who aren't paying their way.

My smart phone was with me when I took this Quilling class. Will it transfer the photo to my laptop? Will it place it right-side-up - like when I took the photo? Will it lock the dang photo so I can't rotate? It's become something of a chore to transfer photos.

As in, I don't have time for these shenanigans.

In our quilling class, we did alphabet letters. You start with the outline and glue the thin strips of paper (1/4") down. Then start filling in with pretty papers shapes. Most of us did not finish.
Serendipitously, I ran across a huge box of quilling supplies while out garage saling last weekend.

October 10th, seriously. Eggnog so early?

My new Dawgs. Ran across a lady in my friend's shop and noticed her shoes and they are really comfy and much cheaper than Birkenstock's.

 My feet are on killer concrete during the day and hardwoods at home. They are killing me. So - fun (old lady) shoes to wear at home.

 Airplane Poker Run at the neighbors. Nice to see several pilots/friends.

 Random find at the library. That's our biplane! lol ....in espanol....

Pencil Girl in her lace t-shirt. We shopped together back in May for these fabrics. This is when she tissue-fitted my tank top to me that I sewed this summer. She's gotten huge complements on this. She usually wears plain t-shirts (like I do) so this is some serious dressing up.

I need to do a post on her shirt but need  to go back to work now.
I might come back and provide helpful links tonight if I'm not too tired from work.
See ya.

Fox Face Pattern Release

 I was asked to pattern test this Fox face.

That's cuz I'm impressive. Right?
I thought this was cute and easy and I was happy to help.
The fox face is constructed via piecing techniques. Very easy pattern with row three being the most difficult. After you piece each row, then you sew them together.

The pieced pattern is for the face. As in 16 faces - for a quilt. I just had to make one and then decide myself what to make of it.
Making 16 of the same blocks is not my forte.


I like how mine turned out and I thought a reading pillow would be nice.
Looking though my fabric stash, I found this old thrifted white chenille/hobnail bedspread that wanted to lend some fringe to the project.

 I managed to sneak some subtle airplane fabric in on the ears.

You can either sew eyes out of fabric or enhance them with buttons.

 I used the face fabric - a cotton/bamboo blend to sash out the pillow.
I hand-stitched a border of  embroidery floss in orange and turquoise to coordinate.

 Don't you love these old chenille/hobnail bedspreads? My grandma had them on her twin beds when I was growing up.

You can purchase this pattern in Sandra's LimePhosphate Etsy store.

She writes about her first pattern release over on her blog here.

Woven Ribbon Birds

So a friend at work was showing me  crafty things she makes. Woven Ribbon Birds.
Checking facebook tonight, I stumbled across that boy who writes to the world. He has a crafty stall and wants to sell cards to write in. They decorated the front with Thai woven Fish.

Look! you can make your own:






---and right next to the fish video was a link to weaving birds and dragons;
The bird is exactly what friend is making.




How many are you making?

Distractions

It's not even 7 in the morning on my one day off and I am sitting here cutting out tiny little houses.

I am on the computer to find out what spices go into Cream of broccoli soup and to get ideas on how to adapt it to my food intolerances.
But, here I am, finished with one house and cutting out Martha's next.

I was reading through recent posts on blogs I follow when I found these little gems.

Too many things to do and not enough time. Just thinking of all of the different embellishments one could do to these tiny houses. Oh boy.


If you have a full list of things to do today - link over here and get your schedule derailed.
twelve22 has this house on a free PDF that you can print out.