Ginger Pattern

My pattern arrived in the mail yesterday!  I am so excited.  Now I need to take my measurements so I can get started.  I'm still deciding on fabric- but I am picking from my stash, so it is narrowed down very slightly!

Ginger Sew Along

I am joining in on a sew along!  I know, I still haven't finished a jacket for the Jacket A Month challenge.  It is still in the works.  I am just slow- and I get tired of working on the same thing.  I guess I am just so used to instant gratification that it is hard to stick with a project that requires actual thought and work.  This sew along, however, should be quick and simple.  I hope.
Sunni, over at A Fashionable Stitch, is running this sew along.  Check it out!

I have ordered my pattern and hope to get it within the week!

I Make Soap

Yep, I make soap.  Not bar soap, although I am planning on getting to that soon, but Laundry Soap.  It's really not hard, and I'm sure I've posted about it before, but I gotta tell you, if you don't make you're own, you're missing out.

Of course, I had to use up all my store bought laundry detergent before I started making my own, so it took me awhile to get there, but now, I hate it if I run out and have to use my backup bottle of store bought laundry detergent.  I try my best to make sure that doesn't happen, but, you know how it is when you're a busy mom, sometimes you forget or just don't have time.

So, because I love my laundry soap so much, I wanted to share the recipe I use, which I found on my friend Caitlin's blog.  She got it from someone else, and it's basically the same recipe all over the internet.  This is definitely not my original concoction, just something I love.

You will need:

Castile Soap (I use Kirk's Coco Castile)
Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
20 Mule Team Borax
Cheese Grater
Large Containers to store supplies in
1 cup measuring cup
Wide Mouth Funnel (only if you're messy like me)

This is how I do it.  I buy a bunch of castile soap all at once, usually 3-4 bars or so.  I grate all of it with the small grate side of a box grater and keep it in a glass jar with a sealed top.

I transfer the washing soda into a glass jar with a sealed top and I transfer the borax into a glass jar with a sealed top.  I do this because I find that these products tend to get hard and clumpy if I store them in their boxes, but if I put them in a sealed jar, they stay fresh and fluffy and they're easier to work with.

Once you've prepped all your stuff it becomes really easy to mix up a batch of soap.  All you do is use a 1:1:1 ratio.  This is how much I make at a time:

2 cups Grated Castile Soap
2 cups Washing Soda
2 cups Borax

You don't have to be perfectly exact, just close and don't worry about packing it down either.  This is elementary science not rocket science, it's meant to be a little inexact after all.

I keep my laundry soap in a sealed glass jar, but as long as you have a container that closes tightly, you're good to go.  A tightly closed container helps greatly with the next part, and it keeps your detergent fresh longer.

Seal your container and Shake It Up, Baby!  That's it, you've got the best laundry soap ever invented.  If you want a scented laundry soap, go for a scented Castile Soap like Dr. Bronner's instead of Kirk's which is unscented.

I am planning on learning how to make my own castile soap soon, and I'll make sure I post all about it when I've tested it out a few times.

Happy Creating!

Kristin