Thursday, November 2, 2017

A Little Clothespin Bag for a Little Clothesline

Before we knew the walnut tree was coming down, I was throwing a sheet over my umbrella washline to protect my laundry from the falling walnuts.  Black walnut is a serious stain, so if you go to old-timey demonstrations of dyeing fabric and fibers, black walnut shells are one of the materials in the dye pot.  So you can see why I was trying to keep it off my laundry.

I suddenly realized that I could put up a washline on my balcony, a way to keep the laundry out in the air and the electric dryer turned off.  I bought a retractable clothesline ($14.99 at a Mennonite store), and my husband put it up for me with accompanying hooks so the line could zig-zag back and forth in a small space. 



I had the pleasure of making up a little clothespin bag hung from a child's hanger to go with it.  Oh, it was fun!  The calico is some sweet 70s stuff lined with a scrap left from an apron I'm making for the museum shop. 

And it was nice take a break from that big order from the museum shop for this little bag that was immediately filled with clothespins and trotted up to the balcony.  Because laundry for 5 people, one of whom is clinging to her cloth diapers, is a big job that must be beaten down every day.

6 comments:

Hazel said...

Love it! You've reminded me I need to make a new peg (clothespin) bag for my washing line.
5 people here too, and no tumble drier. Long past cloth nappies (diapers!) but plenty of school and work uniforms and oily overalls, so I'm grateful for a mild Autumn that means I can still hang the washing out on the line on days it's not too damp.

Becky said...

I love my retractable clothes line. The house came with one installed in the basement - an old Sears model, with 5(!!!!) lines. Although I've not retracted it in years to be honest.
The clothespin bag is cute!
Laundry never ends - I keep threatening to make my family walk around naked just so I can be caught up with it for a day.

Alica said...

I need to make myself a clothespin bag like that. I have one that I'm not thrilled with! I didn't know you were making things for a museum store...lucky them!

e said...

What a clever way to string the line! Many more feet of drying space that way!

jenny_o said...

Laundry and cooking and dishwashing - the trio of never-ending household jobs . . . anything that helps is welcome!

BLD in MT said...

What an excellent solution--that black walnut is very powerful indeed--even if it is less necessary now that the tree is gone. There is something about hanging clothes on the line that I find quite soothing, especially in comparison with some other household chores, I suppose.

That is one cute pin bag!