LIVE A LITTLE BETTER

This looks FABULOUS ~~ Avocado Smoothie

 

15 Ways to Use an Avocado: bonappetit.com

15 Ways to Use an Avocado: bonappetit.com.

Some of these are so strange ~~  Avocado smoothie??

HOME MADE DISHWASHER DETERGENT

I read about this on Yahoo Finance, and I am definately going to give it a try. 

 

Here's a simple recipe for dishwasher soap:

 • 1 cup of borax

 • 1 cup of baking soda

 • ¼ cup of table salt

 • 2 packets (half an ounce) of unsweetened lemon Kool-Aid

This recipe will wash 16 loads in your dishwasher. I like Finish Quantum, and it does a good job, but it is expensive. I thought I would use this mixture every other time. If you happen to get this made before I do, let me know how it turns out!!

"DRAW THE DOG"

This is a very sweet website where you can watch a drawing of a dog happen.

Just click on the "Taste Good" below:

 

Taste Good.

12 Foods With Super-Healing Powers

12 Foods With Super-Healing Powers.

This article is very interesting, and there are NO animal products on the list.

 

Link for instructions and video for CONTINUOS BIAS BINDING

Go to the site below to see a video and get complete instructions on making CONTINUOUS BIAS BINDING for finishing your quilt: http://www.mccallsquilting.com/articles/continuous_bias

How to finish a quilt by TYING

How to Tie a Quilt ~~   Tying a quilt is the easiest way to finish your project.

Things you'll need:

 • Scissors

 • Quilt top

 • Backing material

 • Batting

 • Large eyed needle

 • Yarn or ribbon or your choice of tying material

 

 1.  Cut a piece of backing fabric slightly larger than your quilt top. Lay it face down on the table or floor.

 2.  Cut a piece of batting the size of your quilt backing, and lay it on top of your quilt back.

 3.  Lay your quilt top, face up, on the top of your batting.

 4.  Choose where you would like your yarn ties. These can be the middle of your squares, or on cornerstones or on your sashing. Wherever you choose to put them, make them consistent and close enough that they will keep the three layers from shifting when washed.

 5.  Starting in the middle of the quilt and working out, take one large stitch through all three layers, and then bring the needle back up through all three layers so you have one big stitch holding the three layers together. Pull the yard until you have 2" from the end of the yarn, then cut the other end so it is also 2" long.

 6.  Tie in a square knot (right over left, left over right). Repeat until all of your ties are complete. Bind the outside edge and your quilt is complete.

How to make an "I SPY" Quilt

Today we will talk about a fast and easy sewing project for little folks. Introducing “I SPY QUILT”. This little quilt can be made in your choice of sizes and edge finishes. Each square in the quilt has a picture of some object that the child can identify. Examples would be: bugs, cars, cartoon characters, cats, etc.

Step 1 -- Decide on size of finished quilt and size of squares. I used 6” squares and made my quilt to fit the standard 45” by 60” crib size batting. Then figure out how many squares your quilt will take. Remember to subtract for seam allowances. Consider whether or not you want to add a border around the outside of the pieced quilt body.

 Step 2 – Decide how many times you want to use each different fabric. I used each of my fabrics twice. That allowed me to play a matching game with my little grandson. It also cut down how many different prints I needed to find. Since my quilt was an uneven number of squares (of course), one of my prints was used 3 times. Once all these decisions have been made, you can gather up your fabrics.

 Step 3 -- Cut your squares, and decide on the placement of the squares. If you have several blue background fabrics, they need to be scattered out. Colors that really stand out in the finished quilt are red and yellow.

Step 4 -- Once you have decided on the placement for your squares, sew pieces together, row by row.Then sew the rows together, and you have completed your quilt top, unless you want to add a border. Press the quilt top and check measurements.

 Step 5 -- Next step will be to prepare the back and the batting. The back should be just a few inches larger than the quilt top. First lay the back right side down, then smooth the batting over the back. Lay the quilt top face up on top of the batting. Smooth and straighter, then either use safety pins to secure all 3 layers or hand-baste the layers together. At this point, I surge the layers together, but if you don’t have a surger, you can hand-baste or zig-zag the layers together around the outside edge.

 Step 6 -- The binding is next. I like to use a continuous bias binding on quilts. Instructions will be attached.

Step 7 – Final step will be to hand-quilt, machine-quilt, or tie the quilt. On small quilts, it is not too difficult to machine-quilt using your home sewing machine. Tying the quilt is probably the easiest way to finish a quilt. Instructions on tying the quilt will be attached.

"I SPY" quilt