Actual accomplishments

I don't feel like I've accomplished much recently that was noteworthy. However, today I got some important things done.

1. I made laundry detergent. Becky Ann thoughtfully commented on one of my hypoallergenic diet posts with a link to her homemade laundry detergent blog entry. I found all the ingredients today and mixed up a batch. Well, two really. I edited the recipe slightly based on information found on other websites like this one. Most of the recipes look pretty similar with slightly different amounts of the various ingredients. I used:

2 bars of soap, grated (one bar Ivory, one bar Kirk's original coco castille soap)

2 cups Borax

2 cups washing soda

I'm storing this combo in the big plastic container that we get Costco pretzels in. There's room for about 25 batches of the size above. I don't think I have strong enough arms to grate that much soap (the Kirk's was way more challenging to grate).

2. I finished a new bag for myself! The outside is batik strips from a second jelly roll that I got for the River quilt, but which I didn't end up using.

The pattern is called Sonoma Swing Bag byPink Sand Beach Designs. The pattern was quite clear except for one section about sewing the lining to the zipper. At that step, the picture could have been clearer (it's black and white and it was sort of difficult to tell what was happening). However, the bag went together correctly and I quite like the way it turned out.

I lined it with hedgehogs!! It has two small pockets on one side of the lining and a divider down the center, which I added myself. I didn't think there were enough internal pockets. I should have made the divider slightly narrower as it sort of bows to one side or the other, but I think it'll work fine.

I made a little zipper pouch to use as a wallet, but I think I'm going to have to replace that as the zipper is sort of funky. I really needed a smaller zipper.