Monday, February 03, 2014

The Humble Hanky


The weather in North Texas has been inexplicable this winter.  It has always been variable but it has gone from the ridiculous to the sublime this winter.  It was 70 on Saturday and freezing with ice and snow on Sunday.  I have been sick for over a week.  I thought it was seasonal allergies but I think I was wrong.  I believe I have either had an old fashioned cold or a sinus infection but whatever it is I feel bad enough to not want to leave the house but good enough to be bored out of my mind.  So, what is a sneezy, honking, coughing girl to do?  Well, I decided to sew.  And what did I decide to sew?  Hankies. 

The decision was fueled by a very raw, painful nose and by the plan to use up some fabric scraps that were big enough to do something with but not so big to constitute yardage.  Plus, I had a block of time that I could actually sit down and get involved in something but I didn't feel good enough to have to actually get involved in anything I had to THINK about.  So, being the person I am and always researching ways to be thrifty and green, I had been looking at making handkerchiefs and flannel cosmetic squares.  So, I fished around my fabric stash and found a bunch of flannel left over from making baby blankets, I cut it up, hemmed it down and this was my final product. 
9 flannel hankies
I then decided to take the scraps from making the hankies and make some cosmetic squares.  I don't wear a lot of makeup and all of it washes off with soap and water.  I also don't wear nail polish so I don't have to worry about removing that so these should work really nicely for applying the rosewater I use after I wash my face. 



cosmetic squares


I simply cut the leftover flannel into 2 inch squares, stacked two together and zigzagged around the edges. They are nice and soft and just the right size.

I was planning on using a lingerie bag to store the soiled items waiting for the laundry but I have decided to use a small, plastic trash can in the laundry room and just place the items in there.  It will be small so I can wash it out and spray it down from time to time.  Unless I am sick, which rarely happens, I don't use many tissues so I think this new hanky plan will work for me. I have been using them for a day now and I have to say I have kept up with the one I have in my hand/pocket quite well and am not having to go around and pick up stray tissues all over the floor.

I do have a lovely collection of vintage handkerchiefs that I pulled out before making these but somehow they just didn't look so comfy and besides, they are pretty and I didn't want to use them for actually blowing my nose.  Plus, I think my flannel ones are really absorbent and they feel really good.

So, that is what a half sick, bored person does on a ice and snow day in North Texas.  You might be asking yourself what will she do today?  Well, I am going to finish a set of placemats I started about four years ago and make some matching napkins for them.  I will post photos.

BTW -- in case you are wondering, yes, I did visit my little Dr. man and I did take an antibiotic and I now think the whole thing is breaking up and leaving me so hopefully I will be back to my old self completely in the next couple of days.









Update

 Ok, so we visited our cardiologist yesterday to get the lay of the land for the Hubs.  Seems there is an issue with one of the grafts from ...