Fall Festival

 This last weekend I was a vendor at the Haysville Fall Festival. Haysville is a suburb of Wichita.  It was a free event for anyone who wished to attend, unless you were a vendor.  Vendors paid $50.00 per space.  The event was outdoors in a large park.  The park is lovely.  Any resident of Haysville should be proud of the size and cleanliness of the park.  During the event, Live music was performed off and on, there was horse back riding, a carnival, various food vendors, a car show, etc.  Everything was well organized and planned out.  I took my big pink tent (My son dubbed it, "The Pink Panther").  It took me several hours to prepare for the event.  I only sold $16.00 in craft items., so I didn't even recoup my festival space payment.  I have participated in several events in the past; however, I have spent more time with family as of late (grand-babies), so it has been a couple of years since my last event.  I took a spinning wheel and demonstrated spinning yarn for the better part of a day and a half.  I was told many, many times that it was a dying art.  I was thanked many times for continuing this heritage craft, for demonstrating the craft,  and how lovely my work is.  I would guesstimate that 100 or more people entered my tent to observe and ask questions.  At least 100 more observers stood outside the tent and watched.  Along with those observers, many others walked slowly by and nudged fellow attendees to make sure they knew I was spinning.  In Kansas, we don't raise many sheep.  It is not unusual for someone to go his or her whole life without actually viewing anyone spinning, except in fairy tales and on TV.  I don't mind demonstrating my dying art, (spinning) but shouldn't someone support the arts before they dye out???  I have learned from this weekend Festival that free to attend festivals with many events will not attract someone to purchase like a craft fair or women's fair which will cost a few bucks admission and purchasing hand made items is the expectation of the people who attend the event.  If you want to view someone demonstrating a lost art, don't just tell him or her that they do good work.  Put your money where your mouth is please.  I guess I need a tip jar.  LOL   Am I disgruntled about not making any money--- maybe, but I think I am more tired than anything.  The items I had for sale were:  hand-spun yarn, items made from the hand-spun yarn and purchased yarn, pot holders, hotpads, trivets, hats, tea cozies, dishcloths, wash cloths baby bonnets, baby hats, baby bibs, and hand made soaps.

What else I learned:   I was making string on a Spinning Jenny and  Cashmere wool comes from Alaskan dogs. It is amazing what people think.  I was actually spinning on a Castle Spinning Wheel making yarn from wool.  Cashmere Wool comes from Cashmere Goats.

I am attaching a few pictures.  Have a great week!  Dawnie

My visiting model.  Ashley

 

PS  Don't forget to go to my website at: https://www.slipperywhenwetsoaps.com or my website at: https://www.custercottage.com or my Etsy shop at:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

 
PS  Someone stole my silver nuts hanging off the back of my car while it was parked at the festival.  While do people steal things???  Shame on them!!!  These were a gift to me.
Just for grins and giggles:

Yang after his bath.  Caption?  Check out that tongue.

This Week

Child Hat

Sunflower Pot Holder/Hot Pad/Trivet --- aside for the button it is made from all cotton yarn.

Mammy Hot Pad/Trivet/Pot Holder---Aside from the buttons, it is made from cotton yarn.

Do not be offended by this hot pad.  It is a similar duplicate of one from the 50's.  My sister-in-law had a collection in her kitchen years ago.  I loved them.  Mostly due to the vibrant red next to the white and black back ground.  These are made as part of our American Heritage or Americana.  They are not to poke fun of or belittle any race.

Doll Hot Pad/Pot Holder Trivet---aside for the buttons, it is made with 100% cotton yarn.

 

PS  Don't forget to go to my website at: https://www.slipperywhenwetsoaps.com or my website at: https://www.custercottage.com or my Etsy shop at:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

Thanks for viewing!  Dawnie

Hand Carder Covers and Spinning

 

Some bloggers make a living from his or her blog.  Not I (obviously).  When I mention a company I do it because I really like them, not because they are paying me.  I recently purchased 2 sets of hand carder covers.  Hand carders are used to comb wool prior to spinning it.  Hand carders can be pretty dangerous when they are not used since they are sharp wires.  I found a lady on Etsy that makes covers for the hand carders.  She does excellent work --- not a stitch out of place.  If you ever need to purchase a cover, look for Michelle Lee at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TextileSanity
As a bonus, Michelle sent me some wool rolags ( little long rolls of combed and blended wool).  These were made in a Merino wool and a silk blend called Eternal Love.  I had to spin these lovely rolags up.  It made a beautiful yarn, as you can see from my pictures.

 I hope you have a great weekend!  Dawnie

PS  Don't forget to go to my website at: https://www.slipperywhenwetsoaps.com or my website at: https://www.custercottage.com or my Etsy shop at:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

Some spinning and crocheting..........

 New trivet crocheted with newly spun yarn. 

BABY BONNET CROCHETED WITH RECYCLED YARN.

Soap Mold Supports and a Trivet

I have dreamed of making some kind of support for my silicone soap molds.  They go wonkey when they are full of soap, so I support them with jars and kitchen gadgets until the soap sets up.  I have designed several in my head, but never made any.  I purchased a few different sizes of boards and I finally made a prototype or two.  This is what I came up with:

I am not a woodworker, so don't expect perfect.

I hope these help my wonky molds to behave.

New crocheted trivet hand spun and hand dyed using Shetland wool.  I used the microwave to dye the trivet after it was made.  The trivet was varied in cream colors so the dye came out that way too.  I really liked the way it turned out.  My sister made the little jewelry decoration on the edge.

Thank you for viewing.  Dawnie

PS  Don't forget to go to my website at: https://www.slipperywhenwetsoaps.com or my website at: https://www.custercottage.com or my Etsy shop at:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

Handmade Laundry Butter or Laundry Cream Soap with Updated Pictures.

(Using a salad shooter is the easiest way to get shredded soap.)

Shred 36 ounces of 0% superfat coconut oil soap. The original laundry butter recipe is at http://custercottage.blogspot.com/2015/03/laundry-butter-recipe.html  and it calls for only 6 ounces of shredded soap.  I prefer to make larger batches.



 
Add 36 cups of boiling water and mix.  (2 gallons and one quart is the same as 36 cups)  I added a lid and allowed the soap to melt into the water.  Now, cool mix a little more.  It can't be boiling, but it can't be too cold or the borax will not mix in well.  The original recipe states that if it is too hot, the soap will form crystals.

 Add 6 cups of Borax to the mixture.  

 

Then add 6 cups of washing soda and mix well.  

 

*If you want to make your own washing soda, place 6 cups of baking soda in a roaster or on a baking pan.  Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Baking soda is much softer than Washing Soda.  Washing Soda feels like it has sand grains.

 

(After adding Borax it is still thin, but not as see through.)

After adding the Borax and Washing Soda, allow the soap to cool and gel for 3-6 hours.  If you try to speed up this process, more crystals may form.  

Note:   Gel does not necessarily mean the whole thing will gel.  Usually the top layer.  Start blending with the stick blender, even if it is thin under a top layer.  It will start to lather up and thicken.

(After the gel, you may find a thick top with a syrup like on the bottom.  I cut a hole with my stick blender to show how it may look.)

Once the soap has cooled and gelled, mix the soap with a stick blender.  Make sure you get everything that may have settled to the bottom of the container.  This makes approx. 10 quarts, or more depending on the amount of air that is whipped in. 

(After mixing.)

Have plenty of jars ready.  I needed 12, but it will also depend on how much air you whip into the soap batter.

 I have found that the soap sets up a little more as it ages.  Some extra water may be required or it will be hard to remove the soap from the container.  Wide mouth jars work best, but I like the look of the narrow jars better.  You may wish to add some fragrance oil or essential oil prior to placing the soap into containers.  This is optional, it will not make your clothing fragrant.  I usually add about a teaspoon or less per jar.  If you are gifting some of this soap, you may wish to add a tad bit of mica to make the soap prettier.  I use 2 tablespoons of laundry soap per load of laundry and this recipe gives you enough to wash 320 loads of laundry. 

I have not had any problems with this recipe.  At times you don't think it will thicken, but give it a little longer and keep stick blending.  Once my soap was a little gritty, but I cleaned just fine.  Now you are done, unless you want to make fabric softener.  

(It may thicken once it sets for a day or so.)

Powdered fabric softener recipe:  

One cup of solar salt, 1/2 cup baking soda, one tablespoon of fragrance oil.  I used baking soda to help with removing odors.   I plan to use 1/2 cup per wash. 

(Morton salt makes solar water softening salt crystals and this tends to be the least expensive way to purchase all natural salt crystals.)

This recipe only gives you enough fabric softener to make 3 loads of laundry.

I hope you find this recipe easy to read and follow.  Try it and let me know how it turns out for you. 

Dawnie 

PS  Don't forget to go to my website at: https://www.slipperywhenwetsoaps.com or my website at: https://www.custercottage.com or my Etsy shop at:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

Soap Company Review

Recently I was introduced to soaps from Bubba's Soap Company.  The follow are pictures of his soaps:

The ingredients vary from bar to bar, but all of his soap make lovely suds.  He makes a coconut milk soap and he makes a soap with coffee grounds and anhydrous caffeine. He named the coffee soap The Morning Brew.  Isn't that an adorable name!  Normally I don't like Dragon's Blood fragrance.  In his soap, Dragon's Blood smells quite lovely.  Many soaps are adorned with ribbons.  His website is at: http://www.bubbasoap.com/  Check it out and let James know what you think.  I'm impressed!

Dawnie 

PS  Don't forget to go to my website at:
https://www.slipperywhenwet
soaps.com
or my website at:
https://www.custercottage.com
or my Etsy shop at: 
https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage