If I had my time again

I think I'd use disposable nappies. Really. I love the sight of nappies drying on the line and I love the idea of cloth nappies. Sometimes in the right light, and with everything else done, I even enjoyed folding them into neat piles. Taking a perverse pleasure in how quick I had become at the origami like fold we decided to use. I never really liked the nappy covers we used. They tore at the spash of nappy soak and Target kept running out of them. Which was always really annoying if I'd gone to Highpoint or another big shopping centre. And the extra washing. And drying. Not just of the nappies but of the trousers that were wet or worse.

No, if there were a next time (not that I think there will be) I'd want to be using disposables and figuring out a good way of disposing them. Like one of those special collections (does that still operate?). Or even composting the wet ones. Whatever.

I also thought that cotton would be nicer on a babies bottom, but as my sister Betty and I were discussing on the phone tonight, it isn't. It's all damp and humid. No wonder Grace kicks and screams if I even try to put her in a clothie these days. I've given up, life is too short to argue with a two year old about nappy choice. And really I see her point. If I had to wear a nappy, I'd want the one with the ease of movement and the dry lining.

Image from an old copy of The Bounty Baby Book, circa 1985. Frightening to think that this is when I could have been having babies (I'd have been 22) and that under the table of contents there is the following statement... simply to avoid the clumsy repition of he/she all through this book, we have referred to babies as 'he', nurses 'she' and doctors as 'he'. Indeed.

every woman deserves a relax-sit

And to do the ironing at the same time, maybe while watching television or supervising the kids homework. Mind you in the heels this lady (in a judges wig?!) is wearing, standing for any length of time is bound to be a tad uncomfortable. Those shoes may appear elegant but my feet feel blistery just looking at them.

Personally I like to do my limited amount of ironing standing up and listening to the radio. I'll most likely be wearing ugg boots, slippers or thongs, depending on the season. Hopefully while G makes dinner or feeds Grace. Contemplating a big relax after dinner.

These images are from an Australian Women's Weekly dressmaking supplement from the late fifties, early sixties. Lucille Rivers is described as a famous American dressmaker and demonstrator and was touring Australian capital cities demonstrating easy, professional dressmaking. The following equipment was displayed during her demonstrations;  Beutron Tecpearl buttons, Coats supersheen thread, Lightening zippers, Realax-sit Ironing Boards, Singer Sewing machines, Sunbeam Steam Irons, Mc Calls paper patterns...

And a big hello to visitors via Brocante Home. Lovely to have you.

things don't always turn out as you imagine

I had in mind a particular layout for my main blog. It involved a hand stitched banner, with a crochet avatar of matching wool. I tried several different fabric and wool combinations, finally ending up with 4 ply on calico. Which of course I didn't wash or iron first.You can't tell but I did draw out the letters first in tailor's chalk. So after a night spent stitching, I washed and dried it, alongside the sheets, on a moody, cloudy day.

I thought it looked OK on the line. But it was too big to go on the scanner so I had to try and take a photo. I tried different lights and vantage points. Then I ironed it and tried again. Nup. Looked like crap on the page. No matter what I did. So I went with something else. As you do. Sometimes even ironing doesn't fix things. Oh well, I'm reasonably pleased with how it turned out. Except of course, for the bit where I missed a whole night of crochet.