Irish Rose Creations

I am still working on the hand-pieced, hand quilted king size quilt, but in the meantime I finished a chocolate and silver throw and a small pink mohair throw.  I have a wall quilt in the construction stage as well.

I just purchased a Mr. Clean Magic Reach (registered brand name) bathroom floor and tub cleaner – it was at a great discount – only $5 and contained 4 cleaning pads.  I used it to clean the tub and the bathroom floor and did not have to bend over, my back fared MUCH better this way.  Then I decided to get my refill of pads.  I cannot find them anywhere.  I have had my grocery store try to order them, I have looked online.  Amazon does seem to have them….

But then I had a thought… why use DISPOSABLE pads?  Lets get more earth friendly and have RE-usable cleaning supplies!  My friend Susie has been using cloth napkins she makes for at least a couple of decades – I followed suit and have been using them for over ten years – imagine the reduction in landfill if everyone just used cloth napkins at home?!

Well, I got my last cleaning pad out and made a pattern.  I sewed the cleaning pads out of cotton cleaning cloth and terry cloth.  I used my own tub cleaner (I just cleaned the tub with Mr Clean’s pad yesterday) and voila!  I have picked up dirt with the cotton that the less-absorbent brand name pad missed!  In addition, I can wash my cleaning pad and use it over and over until it wears out (which will make it that much faster for the cotton to return to a biodegraded state).  I am very happy with my new invention – and I bet we could make them for other cleaning “handles” and eliminate much more waste in our landfills!

Cotton Terry Cloth Washable cleaning pad

Go Green to clean!

Hi!  Welcome to my website.  My name is Sharon.  I have been into needle arts for a long time.  (I just don’t want to admit how long!)

The first thing I ever sewed was a scarf for my second grade teacher.  I still remember my mom guiding my hands as we sewed a straight stitch border around the square (60s) amber scarf.  Then I spent a good bit of time learning about fabric weaving as I frayed the edges by picking out one long thread at a time, making a border up to our stitching.

I remained interested in sewing, but unfortunately when Santa-Mom sewed, she did it when we were asleep, thus limiting watching time.  I started sewing on my own when I was about 9.  I would hand sew doll clothes while my mom made clothes for my sister and I.  I would ask questions, she would answer, and sometimes she would let me use the MACHINE!

I dreamed of getting a sewing machine for Christmas.  Apparently Santa thought I was too young, because I did not get a sewing machine until the next year.  My grandparents gave me a toy machine that really sewed.  I had waited SO LONG…  I loved it – except that the bobbin kept jamming and was very small and held little thread.  The upside however, was that as my mom saw how much I sewed and how I was able to manage the frustrations of the toy machine, she allowed me to use the REAL machine more and more.

When I was 12 I made myself a school dress.  I would do babysitting and use the money to buy fabric.  Sewing became a way of life.  Everyone always asked me if I made this or that.  I was very self conscious about my sewing, and always thought that it “looked” homemade, and that was why they asked.  Later I found out that people couldn’t tell whether I made it or not, they just knew that I “sewed”.

I was too advanced for 8th grade sewing in homemaking class, so my teacher taught me to knit and crochet after I quickly finished my projects.  When I got in trouble in 8th grade math, it was because I was crocheting under my desk instead of paying attention to the teacher .

Well, time passes, and now as I raise my 3rd, 4th, and 5th children, I find myself still intrigued with different aspects of the needlearts.