In order to have high quality finished products, it’s best to prewash your fabric. Without this step, your finished product can shrink and look uneven or lumpy when it is eventually washed. It’s not a good idea to just toss your fabric into the wash, though, as it comes out a stringy, tangled mess. Luckily, there’s a few different ways to make prewashing your fabric painless.
Overlock the cut edges
If you have a serger or overlock machine, serge the cut edges before washing. You shouldn’t have to worry about the selvedges as they won’t unravel. This is my favorite method. I usually just leave the thread tails long and they don’t unravel enough to be annoying.
With a sewing machine, you can sew a quick zig-zag or similar stitch along the cut edges to prevent fraying. Even a straight stitch would probably work, although I haven’t tried it. You will probably need to back-tack or knot the ends to keep it secure through the wash.
Pink the edges for a painless prewash
If you have pinking shears, cut the fabric with the pinking shears along the cut edges. The edges will still get fuzzy, but shouldn’t unravel.
One bonus of using one of these methods is it’s easy to know at a glance which fabric from my stash was prewashed.
I know probably 90% of the people reading this are thinking “Duh!” because it’s such an obvious fix. The other 10% are wondering why they didn’t think of that, much like myself when I first learned the trick.
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With summer right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to talk about how aromatherapy can help when you travel. To have the most fun, to get the most out of the experience, it’s important that you and your loved ones have the means to overcome those little ailments and discomforts that can make the experience range from mildly unpleasant to downright unbearable. How can we include a little ‘trip insurance’ to our already overstuffed luggage? Aromatherapy has an answer with some readily-available essential oils.
Motion sickness, bug bites, digestive difficulties, and general travel weariness, to name a few, are common discomforts experienced when venturing away from home. A small collection of inexpensive essential oils can provide great relief from these amusement-threatening ailments. Treatment with these oils is simple, ranging from inhaling a little oil from a tissue or diffuser, using them in a room spray, diluting them in a carrier oil and using on skin, or to adding to a bath. For stomach ailments, you can even consume the food form of oils. And, thankfully, relief often comes quickly because of the oils’ powerful properties and compatibility with our own bodies.
We’ll begin with ‘getting there’. Any trip starts with traveling. By car, boat, plane, or otherwise, motion sickness commonly affects many people, particularly children. This can easily make the ‘traveling’ portion of your experience absolutely no fun. Enter peppermint essential oil.
Peppermint has long been used to calm uneasy stomachs, and is easily used. While it is unsafe to consume essential oils in water or, does this really need to be said, neat (undiluted), peppermint candy contains a safe to consume form of peppermint oil. Peppermint tea is another safe option.
Another well known essential oil for stomach upset is ginger essential oil. A little inhaled from a tissue or well diluted in a carrier oil and rubbed on the abdomen can bring relief. As with peppermint, ginger candy and ginger tea are safe methods to ingest ginger oil. This can help alleviate food-related stomach issues as well.
When traveling by car, peppermint can also be uplifting to the weary driver or passenger, a drop or two placed on tissues in the car or near your seat will release the aroma into your surroundings. Be careful with this oil however, as getting it on sensitive areas of the skin (directly under the nose, and certainly near the eyes) can cause irritation. Tissues with the oil on it should not touch these areas directly. It is also important that any essential oil used in an enclosed space is safe for everyone in the space. Also, please do not use peppermint in lieu of regular breaks and rest.
If you can only choose one…
Lavender for stress
Even traveling for a fun vacation can be stressful. Enter one of the most versatile and well-known essential oils: lavender. Lavender has been called ‘a medicine chest in a bottle’ due to its wide range of effects. The aroma of lavender is uplifting and relaxing, useful for stress in congested airports or crowded highways. Breathing this very safe essential oil is effective for adults and children alike, inhaling drops from a tissue directly, or from one’s placed in your surroundings can help you and your companions be at ease.
Lavender for injuries
Lavender essential oil is also an effective wound-healer because of its anti-inflammatory, mild antibacterial, and skin-regenerative actions. It is one of the few essential oils that can be used neat, however I still recommend diluting it in a carrier oil. I have used it directly in the case of minor burns and bug bites, but please read up on it further before deciding if that usage is safe for you.
Bugs don’t like Aromatherapy
Bug bites are no fun. Lavender essential oil can help repel insects. For a greater effect, try an insect repellent blend composed of equal parts of lavender, and peppermint, and a double-dose of lemongrass essential oil. A drop or more placed on tissue or cloth about your room can keep the insects out of your space; 3 drops of this blend per teaspoon of carrier oil can be regularly applied to the skin, or you may mix a similar amount into any lotion you may have. For areas heavily infested with mosquitos, I still recommend using a repellent with DEET due to the risk for disease, but for general usage I prefer the essential oil blend.
Jet lag?
Lavender can also be used alone or in combination with geranium, chamomile, peppermint and eucalyptus oils in relieving the effects of jet lag. Getting out of this weary state as quickly as possible makes any trip more enjoyable. This requires getting yourself and companions in-synch with local time, having good rest at night and perhaps a gentle lift in the mornings and throughout the day.
To get yourself into the swing of local time, relax and be ready for bed with equal parts of lavender and geranium essential oils, chamomile may also be used in place of the geranium, and works especially well for soothing children (if they are irritable for ANY reason). Add a few drops in a carrier oil to a bath or use in a massage oil. For a morning eye-opener, do the same using equal amounts of peppermint and eucalyptus. It is especially important to dilute the peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils in a carrier oil. Otherwise, you may end up irritating sensitive areas of the body. You will find these useful at other times when you need a little clarity and lightening-up.
Eucalyptus aromatherapy on the road
Eucalyptus, the narrow leaf variety is a favorite – has a great range of uses as well. It is most commonly known for relieving congestion, but it can also support circulation, and bring lightness to a travel-weary head.
Eucalyptus oil can be used like peppermint to uplift and invigorate during long intervals in a car. It can be diluted in a carrier oil and added to a cool bath or used diluted on a cold compress in cases of heat exhaustion (accompanied by, of course, copious amounts of water and electrolytes!).
Eucalyptus oil may be blended with geranium as a massage oil (3 drops eucalyptus and 2 drops geranium per tablespoon of carrier oil) to relieve heat cramps. For congestion relief, blend 1 drop eucalyptus, 3 drops lemon, 2 drops thyme, and 2 drops tea tree in a carrier oil and add to a bath. Soak and breathe deeply, or simply add a few drops to a steaming bowl of water and inhale.
These are just a few examples of ways to make your travel experiences more enjoyable with aromatherapy. With a little effort, you can expand your knowledge of these oils, discover further uses, and find other oils that work well for your particular needs.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Please consult with your physician before using anything medicinally.
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I’ve been writing a lot about aromatherapy lately. It’s definitely something I find useful in my daily life, from incense to essential oil roll-ons to relaxing scented bath salts. While you can make a many aromatherapy products yourself, not everyone has the time or wants to invest in the essential oils to do that. Today, I wanted to spotlight the aromatherapy products I have to offer at SubEarthan Cottage.
First are the soy wax melts. Unless otherwise noted, these are made with soy wax and pure essential oils. For safety, I recommend using a lightbulb wax warmer rather than a tealight warmer.
Finally are my soaps. Unfortunately I haven’t had as much time to make soap lately with my chemo treatments. My last Kadcyla infusion is tomorrow though, so hopefully I’ll be back in the soap kitchen soon. Here are the soaps I currently have available.
I love candles and wax melts, but I hate it when there’s a little left in the bottom of a jar or the wax has lost it’s scent. I don’t want to just throw the wax away. If it’s a jar candle, I won’t throw it a way, so it ends up taking up space waiting for me to find a new use for it.
I’ve always been interested in candle making, but I honestly don’t know much about the correct way to do it. This is just my, for me, kind of chaotic, fun way of using up the leftover wax scraps and jars. If you try to join in my chaos, always take care with the melting, pouring and burning, make sure everything you use is safe for this usage and never leave anything burning or melting unattended.
My solution is to melt down the wax and make my own candles in the old jars. I bought this wick set for the wicks. I start by picking the jar I want to use and then putting in the same number of wicks that were originally in the jar.
My candles still need a haircut. 😀
For the candles in the above photo, the one on the left was originally a three wick candle, so it got three wicks. The one on the right was a yogurt jar, so I just guessed and went with one wick.
After the wicks are in place, I melt down any scrap wax I have and pour it in. Usually, I do this a little at a time as I finish other candles, rather than all at once. That gives it the cool sand art layered look.
With jar candles, to get the last bit of wax out, if I don’t pour it while it’s still melted from the last time I burned the candle, I set the jar on my coffee warmer (do not leave it unattended!). Wax melts just get melted as usual and poured into the jar.
Coffee warmer- Not just for coffee.
I do try to keep the candles mostly the same type of wax. In the photo, the big candle on the left is made from candle wax ends. The yogurt jar candle is made of soy wax melts with a little of the tea light wax remnants added.
My one tea light warmer.
For scent, most of the candles I burn are in the same spicy or vanilla scent family. Since the leftover candle wax usually has a good bit of scent left, I don’t worry about adding my own. With the wax melts, I either just leave them as they are and have a mild to unscented candle, or I add a drop or two of an essential or fragrance oil to each layer as I pour it.
I don’t know if my chaos candle making method will help anyone else, but I have fun with it, and the resulting candles are pretty. It’s also a way to reduce waste and save money.
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Aromatherapy provides a natural way to deal with insomnia, anxiety, and stress. The primary purpose of aromatherapy is to produce a scent that induces an effect on the human body. The smells from aromatherapy work on a subconscious level. Smell can affect the way that human beings react. Different smells can stimulate the brain and evoke feelings that are then associated with that smell. For example, if the smell of baking cookies reminds you of your grandma and makes you feel relaxed and safe, that is aromatherapy.
Aromatherapy is used for mental and emotional well being. The oils of aromatherapy are often used to stimulate or relax the person as needed. Some aromatherapy oils are lavender, frankincense, patchouli, chamomile, sandalwood, orange, and peppermint.
Aromatherapy to fight insomnia
There are a few different ways that you can enjoy the smells of aromatherapy. One way is to add scent to your bath water. You could blend essential oils with a carrier oil for a massage. You can even sprinkle a few drops on your pillow at night.
Using aromatic herbs for insomnia
We often think that aromatherapy equals essential oils, but that is not always the case. Herbs like chamomile, lavender and peppermint are a bit more versatile as you can drink it in the form of an herbal infusion (tea). Chamomile tea is well known to be relaxing and aid in sleep.
Essential oil blends
If you look into aromatherapy for the sole purpose of insomnia there will be actual recipes that you can make yourself that act very well for insomnia. One in particular is a mixture of two drops of jasmine essential oil and four drops of lavender essential oil. This can be used in a diffuser or you can place drops of it surrounding your bed. Frankincense and patchouli are also some of my favorites for relaxation and sleep. Just make sure that it is in a place where you will be able to smell it best. This mixture can also be added to a carrier oil and used for a massage.
Aromatherapy candles and wax melts are also available in the various scents that are mentioned above. The scent from candles and wax melts are not quite as strong in most cases as the essential oil. They are a great way to test out a new scent to see how it affects you. They are also a nice way to layer scents for aromatherapy.
Other tools to use alongside aromatherapy
Finally, in conjunction with aromatherapy, meditation and yoga work excellently for relaxation. They work as a way to free the negative energy from your body that is causing you to lose precious sleep. Besides helping with insomnia, it will lead you into a more healthy life in general.
The most popular aromatherapy oil used today is lavender. Lavender is very versatile and can even be grown in your own backyard. It also works great for digestive related issues and as a mild antidepressant. Further, it calms nerves, relaxes the body, and promotes sleep.
Sometimes the everyday stresses of life can build up and a combination of aromatherapy oils can be a seemingly magical tool in creating a harmonic balance, a sense of well being and relaxation, and promoting sleep.
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I originally published this last year. As we’re coming up on the weekend, I felt like this was the perfect time to revisit creating a self-care Sunday. Have a great weekend!
Self-care has transformed a lot over the last few years. It began as a way to encourage people to do more for themselves, which is amazing. But somewhere along the way, it became something people felt like they were forced to do.
If you are feeling a little overwhelmed with this idea of the perfect self-care routine, it’s time to take a step back. Instead of focusing on having to fit it into your daily life, why not just start one day a week?
Why do Self-Care on Sunday?
Sunday is actually the perfect day to dedicate to yourself, since it is often already a day of rest for many people. You are winding down after a fun weekend, and likely getting ready for a new week to begin. For me, Saturdays are usually the day that I take care of leftover chores from the week and grocery shopping, so Sunday is freed from those tasks as well. Take advantage of the downtime by adding some self-care activities to your routine.
1. Setting Up Your Weekly Self-Care Routine
First thing’s first – figure out what your routine is going to be before Sunday. Taking a few minutes to plan ahead of time makes it more likely to happen! Don’t forget that self-care doesn’t have to be done alone, so if you have a busy house on Sundays, you can still do this!
What you want to do is focus on your self-care on Sundays, whether that means an hour during the day, or changing the entire routine for the day.
Think of Sundays like a reset day. When you not only get your planning done for the week, but you give yourself some time to relax and unwind, reset your body and your mind for another busy week.
How is it Different from Daily Self-Care?
To put it simply, it’s not. You still want to choose activities that help you to relax, are good for your body and mind, and overall wellness. But you might have a little more free time on Sundays, so you won’t feel as pressured to fit it all in before or after work, or during your bedtime routine.
Sundays opens new possibilities for self-care, whether you do it alone or with family.
Think About Your Current Sunday Routine
In order to turn Sunday into your weekly self-care day, you need to consider what you tend to do on Sundays. This self-reflection helps you determine if these are things that can only be done on Sundays or can be moved to another day to give you more time for yourself.
Make a list of things you do every Sunday first. Then look at your list, and cross off anything that isn’t necessary or might no longer be serving you. With what is left, determine if any of those activities can be moved to Saturday.
For example, if you do a lot of cleaning and chores on Sundays, could they be moved to other days during the week, freeing up a bit more self-care time for you?
2. Ideas for Sunday Self-Care Activities
The good news is that self-care on Sunday is pretty much the same as what you would do any other day of the week. It is more about dedicating a day to yourself each week, especially if you don’t have much time during the week to really focus on you.
Here are some activities that can be great to do on Sundays:
Let yourself sleep in – If you don’t get to sleep in during the rest of the week, at the very least give yourself this time on Sundays! Your body (and mind) needs the rest.
Go to brunch with friends – Self-care can also mean doing something you enjoy with other people. Grab a group of friends on Sunday to go to brunch.
Head to a park or the beach with your kids – You can also enjoy more time with your kids without cell phones and TV. Go outside to enjoy the fresh air and exercise. Ride bicycles around your neighborhood, have a beach day, or do a picnic at the park.
Have an hour of pampering – You might not be able to dedicate the entire day just to self-care, but at least fit in some pampering time. Spending quiet time soaking in the bath or giving yourself a facial are a couple ideas.
Catch up on your reading or creative projects – This is the perfect time to pick activities you enjoy, but rarely have time for. Maybe there is a book you have been wanting to finish or a creative project you would love to do.
Get ready for the week – Self-care can also mean just giving yourself time to really reset and prepare for the week ahead.
3. Self-Care for Introverts and Extroverts
Something to keep in mind is that what you consider self-care might change depending on if you are more of an introverted or extroverted person.
Self-Care for Introverts
If you are an introvert, you probably find that you are the most relaxed when you are alone. This doesn’t mean you want to be or should be alone all the time, but that you often need a little bit of time to yourself each day to recharge and gain your composure.
Have Quiet Solitude on Sunday – Self-care for an introvert can be as simple as just making sure you have some alone, quiet time on Sundays. You need this time to yourself to regroup and relax. It can be hard when you go all day around other people and never give yourself this time.
Find Nature-Inspired Activities – If you’re an introvert that enjoys time outdoors, try to find some solo outdoor activities to encourage you to spend more time outside. Hiking, gardening, visiting a quiet park or creating a niche in your own yard to sit and read or meditate are all peaceful ways to get outside.
Embrace Your Creative Side – An amazing way to practice self-care as an introvert is to do something creative. Learn how to sew, crochet, write a poem or short story, color in an adult coloring book, or start painting.
Self-Care for Extroverts
Extroverts are more social creatures, getting their energy from being around other people. If you consider yourself an extrovert, you probably enjoy time with others more than time alone. But what does that mean for your self-care routine? Here are some tips for practicing self-care when you are an extrovert.
Enjoy Social Time with Friends – What might be a little more up your alley is scheduling in time with friends. What better way to practice self-care than spend time with those you love the most?
Volunteer Your Time – Looking for something more meaningful and fulfilling? You might like to volunteer somewhere as your self-care. Look into local community centers or animal shelters that are open on Sunday and see if they need any help.
Join a Local Club – Another social activity that helps with your self-care is joining a local club, like a book club. Not only will you be encouraged to read more, but you can get together once a week with your book club to chat and talk about the book.
4. Tips for Your Sunday Self-Care Routine
Here are a few more tips for making sure you have a good Sunday self-care routine, and really understand what self-care means and how to avoid the common mistakes.
It Encompasses Emotional, Mental, and Physical Health
Self-care does not fulfill just one need in your life. Different activities provoke different benefits in your life, including helping with your emotional, mental, and physical health.
What works best for you is going to be something that helps you feel relaxed, de-stressed, improves your mood, and is something you absolutely love to do.
Your Self-Care Needs Can Change Regularly
Just because you have committed to writing in your journal and meditating every morning for an hour as your self-care routine, doesn’t mean you have to do this forever. Sometimes, what you choose as your self-care activity changes, or you need to adjust based on your schedule.
Revisit what you are doing for self-care often. As your life and the seasons change, so will your self-care and what is going to benefit you the most.
A Common Mistake is Forcing Your Self-Care
This can’t be said enough – your self-care routine should not make you more stressed! This is a sign that you are forcing yourself to do something you don’t want to do and that is doing nothing for you.
It might be because your friend is participating in this form of self-care, or you read that it is a good idea. But remember everyone is different and everyone is going to benefit from different things.
Likewise, everyone’s schedule is different, and Sunday might not be the day that works best for you. Figure out what works with your schedule and apply these tips to your best day for self-care.
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I realized a few days ago that my favorite pair of denim jeans were wearing through at the inner thigh, so I set them aside to reinforce before they were beyond the point of easy repair.
This morning, I planned to mend them and then tackle adding patches to an older denim skirt refashion. I got all those repairs done and was planning my next project when I ripped the knee out of the jeans I’m wearing.
These are honestly worn pretty thin and they’re not my preferred cut, so I’m not sure if I will mend these or add them to the repurpose pile.
If you’d like to learn my method for reinforcing worn spots in denim, check out this blog post. It’s actually really simple and works well, if you don’t procrastinate. If you procrastinate, then all your jeans wear out at once and you think, “Maybe I should just go get a pair of the ones I like from Old Navy,” but then you discover that they have discontinued that particular style and now you think you’ll never find comfortable jeans again, which is sad because you really like wearing jeans. Or something.
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