The way we dry clothes (yes we have a dryer) is by putting them on the line in the sun during the summer and by putting them on a clothes drying rack next to the woodstove in the winter. During the summer, I have no problems hanging the towels and sheets and other large objects on the line. It is the small baby clothes that take two clothes pins per tiny piece of clothing. I need 100 or more to hang two loads! During the winter though, those little clothes all fit nicely on the drying rack and they dry nice and quickly. The towels and sheets and blankets though all take forever to dry and take up loads of space. So there you have it, my mini-rant on laundry.
One of the other things I have a really hard time with is finding good quality clothespins. My mother has the same ones that my grandmother had. They don't look brand new but they are strong and reliable. I buy two new packages of clothes pins from Home Depot or the local hardware store practically every year. I don't buy the cheapest ones either. I have yet to find any clothespins that can keep my down comforter on the line. Enter Kevin’s Quality Clothespins. I read about them at The Backyard Farming Connection and entered her giveaway.
I was pretty bummed that I didn't win so I bought myself some. I bought the Factory Seconds because they are a tad pricey. As with many things, you get what you pay for.
It doesn't look all that different from afar but look closely:
The wood is smooth and thick. The spring isn't flimsy. The clothespin is oiled but there is no oil transferred to your hands or clothes. It is a real quality clothespin. When compared side by side, there is no mistaking the differences.
These clothespins exceeded my expectations of them. When I put heavy blankets and jeans on the line, there is no longer a worry in my head that a strong gust of wind will send them flying (possibly into chicken poop requiring more washing). They are far superior to anything I have ever used before. Now they aren't really what I need for the baby clothes but they sure do keep them on the line as well. The only downside I have with these clothespins is the cost. I would love to own 50 of them so that I don't have to overlap the ends of the sheets and blankets (as you can see above). They are definitely worth the price though and I know exactly what I will say when I am asked what I would like for my birthday. (In case anyone was wondering.)
Even the chickens want some for their birthdays! Sadly, this is one of the four that died suddenly last week and we are still waiting to hear back from Cornell University regarding cause of death. Wasn't she a pretty chicken though? I do know one thing, the clothespin didn't cause her death! Despite the websites claims of not being animal proof, the chickens didn't even dent these solid clothes pins. Just further proof that they are made especially for homesteaders.
These look so awesome!! It drives me crazy how often I have to buy the cheap ones because they brake so much! Thanks so much for sharing at Natural Family Friday. Hope to see you back soon.
ReplyDelete