Healthy Fabrics

Hybrid Quilts

Hybrid Quilts, that’s what I call the patchwork blankets I make from new and old fabrics that are both eco-friendly and home healthy: vintage cotton prints for the top and new wide-width organic cotton or hemp/organic cotton blends for the backing. Sandwiched in between is sustainably produced natural fiber batting such as an alpaca blend, wool or cotton. The fun part about making a hybrid quilt is hunting for the vintage fabrics and creating a color scheme that’s uniquely you. I use a simple square or rectangle layout. I can piece it quickly and then hand everything off to a long arm quilting pro to do the rest. A hard core quilter once called that “lazy”. I call it energy efficient!

Natural Fiber Shower Curtains

I’m a huge fan of cloth shower curtains. The cotton canvas and hemp linen curtains I use do a great job at stopping water from spraying outside the shower. They work like a wick, channeling water downwards through the cloth into the tub. And, the best part: no chemical off-gassing. 

Replacing a vinyl shower curtain with a natural fiber alternative is one of many simple steps you can take towards improving your home’s indoor air quality. Why? A shower curtain made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) off-gasses toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The vinyl material contains the chemical additive DEHP, a phthalate that is a suspected carcinogen. Yuck, who needs that! 

There are plenty of fabric shower curtain options like GreenHome’s Organic Cotton Shower Curtain or GreenFeet’s Natural Cotton Shower Curtain. Both are made in the USA and priced under $50.

And for you DIY’ers, look for a 7 to 10 oz. natural or organic cotton canvas, either un-dyed or bleached white using hydrogen peroxide, at your local fabric retailer or online at Fabric.com. A semi-bleached Hemp Summercloth also makes an excellent shower curtain, which can be found at Hemp Traders.  

Do you use a cloth shower curtain? What’s your favorite: cotton or hemp?

Non-Toxic Mattress Pads

Making an organic mattress pad isn’t at the top of my project list. In fact, I’d rather just go out and buy one. But when I discovered the hefty price tag on my favorite ready-made versions, making my own is now my new obsession. Here’s a couple cost-saving style and fabric options for making your own healthy home mattress pad:

Amy Butler's Organic Soul

 
This week’s healthy home fabric find is this gorgeous design from Amy Butler, just one of several floral prints from her Organic Soul collection. Printed on 44” wide certified organic cotton using low impact dyes (Hurray!) and priced at $14.98/yard. I see curtains; a simple pocket-rod style lined with hemp & organic cotton muslin to add body and drape. This Lime-Peel colorway is my favorite -- a soothing and refreshing palette of greens that make an ideal backdrop for interiors. No doubt it will grace your space with “organic soul”.

 

Happy Yellow Organic Cotton Twill

My healthy home fabric find this week is Yellow Organic Cotton Twill from Organic Cotton Plus. At 90” wide this sustainably produced 7 oz. twill is a bargain: $8.95 / 1-4 yards and $7.95 / 5-9 yards. It’s an ideal weight for throw pillows, cushions and casual slipcovers. Limited time offer so buy it now and use it to brighten and invigorate your space this winter. Per Kate Smith of Sensational Color: In the world of color, yellow is considered one of the most stimulating and emotional in the spectrum. Read her interesting post, Yellow’s Split Personality.

Organic Fabrics Made In America

Finding USA made organic fabrics for sewing projects hasn't been easy. When I say “USA made organic” I mean every step of production is done in America using sustainable methods: growing and processing the fiber, spinning the yarn, weaving or knitting the cloth, coloring and finishing it. But, thanks to NearSea Naturals, we now have options that can be quickly viewed all in one place at their new online shop, American Grown Spun Milled.

Their offering of un-dyed, whitened and color grown organic cottons are by far my favorite: versatile weaves ranging from basic to novelty in a palette of soft neutrals that are ideal for creating healthy, eco-friendly home essentials and décor. Be sure to check out the Brown Sugar Stripe, a gorgeous yarn dye o.c. with a vintage look that makes the best quilt backing.

Budget Hemp & Organic Cotton Curtains

Every once in awhile I run into a decorating dilemma that only a curtain can solve. Forget about the expensive, frou-frou window variety found at retail. I’m talking about simple panels made from a quality eco-fabric customized to hide cluttered shelves, divide a space or replace that missing closet door. This type of curtain is a smart solution for temporary fixes and small budgets. Here's a few tips for making your own....

Make Your Own Organic Cotton Duvet Cover

Make your own eco-bedding and save a bundle!

I made a full/queen comforter cover and two standard pillowcases from Harmony Art’s certified organic cotton sateen for $120. That’s $75 less than the ready-made versions found at Coyuchi, a manufacturer of beautiful organic cotton bedding. 

See my step-by-step instructions with photos on next page. Enjoy!

Dreamy Organic Cotton Sateen

Wide-width certified organic cotton sateen ....WOW! If you want to make your own organic cotton bedding this is the fabric to use. It's produced by Harmony Art, a textile manufacturer that truly walks the talk when it comes to developing  sustainable fabrics. I backed a quilt with this cloth and fell in love with the smooth (but not slippery) sateen weave, the honest 233 thread count, the cozy-soft hand and the most lovely, sophisticated pale pink color I've ever seen (thank you for Blush Pink Harmony!) --- practical, beautiful and definitely a healthy home fabric.

   

The Best Flannel Pillowcases

 
  
I'm addicted to Natural Heavy Flannel from NearSea Naturals. Make your own pillowcases from this soft, luscious organic cotton and you'll never want to rest your head on ordinary flannel again.

What I love most is the weight. It's 8 ounces per square yard! (Most flannel pillowcases at retail are made from 4 to 6 oz. weight.) The folks at NearSea Naturals refer to this fabric as a "workhorse". I agree. My pillowcases (shown here) are going on 3 years and show no sign of wearing thin.

This eco-flannel rates high on my list of healthy home fabrics. It's made from U.S. or Turkish grown organic cotton and woven in the U.S. with minimal chemical processing. No dyes are used and the sizing is washed out during the final stage of finishing.

Project tips: 1 3/8 yards will make 2 standard pillowcases for just under $12 each when you cut the length on the cross grain of the fabric and use reclaimed contrast fabric or decorative trim to add a bit of length and finish off the opening edge. I like using a mix of textures and natural colors (see photo):  hemp & silk (bottom left), vintage yarn dyed stripe linen (center), vintage crochet (right). Don't forget to preshrink the fabric. The recommended yardage above includes extra for shrinkage.