How to Choose a Tie and Fold a Pocket Square

Ironing Shirts and Press Pants

How to Sew on a Button

Tuesday Tips: 10 Tips for Line Drying

HANGING LAUNDRY OUT TO DRY

1. Just installing a clothesline? Don't put it under a tree or you will just be throwing clothes back in the washer after a bird leaves its droppings all over your clothes

2. Hang shirts from the hem instead of the shoulders so you don't get little teeth marks and bumps from the indent of the clothes pins

3. Materials that tend to lose their shape - hang on an hanger on the line.  I also hang dresses on hangers.

4. Think about where the sun is going to be when hanging things out to dry. I like having the sun's heat work on sheets and towels so I like to hang those out when the sun is shining at its fullest on my clothes line.  If you have a load darks, you don't want the sun to fade them so hang when the sun is not beating down on it.  Also hang darks inside out to help with fading.

5. Don't like the stiffness that happens with line drying?  Pop them into the dryer for about 5 mins and then you are still saving energy by using the clothes line, but also getting your clothes to feel a little softer.

6. Using vinegar in your rinse cycle also helps on the stiffness. I use about 1/4 to 1/3 cup vinegar per load. Your clothes won't smell like vinegar. That odor disappears as it is rinsed through your clothes.

7. Don't over crowd the line when hanging clothes out.  It takes the clothes longer to try and causes wrinkles as you are bunching things closer together.

8.  Have a bag or somewhere to store your clothes pins as they can weaken over time with the sun constantly beating down on them. Plastic clothes pins are said to weaken and break springs faster than wooden ones.

9. Just because it is an overcast day doesn't mean your clothes won't dry. Air and wind dry just as much as the sun's heat.  Just watch for the weather so that you don't have to re-launder clothes.

10. Don't have room in your yard for a line or live in an apartment - think about getting a drying rack.  I use mine all year round. I put it on the deck in the summer and nicer days and in the winter and fall, I set it up in our tub. It is easy to take down and put. Folds compact to not taking up a lot of room.

Friday Favorites

Plant Information Online - "Use Plant Information Online to discover sources in 1102 North American nurseries for 106952 plants, find 370432 citations to 156910 plants in science and garden literature, link to selected websites for images and regional information about 19131 plants, and access information on 2647 North American seed and nursery firms. Plant Information Online is a free service of the University of Minnesota Libraries."

Homemade Microwave Popcorn Recipe - popcorn in a paper sack is almost all it is - so easy!

How-to Tune Up your Bicycle for Spring - ABC Quick Check to get your bicycle ready for spring that anyone can do at home

How to Avoid the Dry Cleaners by ReadyMade - use of course with your own care

Smitten Kitchen Crispy Potato Roast - I made something very similar to this over Easter and it was fabulous. So no doubt this would be just even better as all her recipes are fantastic!

Clothing Fix-it Kit

I get Martha Stewart's Daily Organizing Tips and todays I really thought was one I could use and maybe others could too.

"Here's a mending must-have: A simple business-card organizer (from an office-supply store) that keeps all the fixings for your clothes in one place. Label and tuck your spare buttons, thread samples, cloth tags, and even those scratchy fabric-care labels you snip off garments (or pillows and blankets) into the compartments. It will be a snap to find them later."

The part that I would need to remember is the labeling. I am horrible at labeling those spare buttons and threads. I have them in various places, loose and very unorganized. So I really do need an organizing solution and this would be a good solution for me. I am sure I could find the business card organizer at the dollar store too so a cheap organizing solution.


* photo is from Martha Stewart's website

Winter Shoe Care link

DSW shares some great tips on winter shoe care.

Speaking of which... I need to go shoe shopping. :)