Click here to subscribe today or Login.
What’s new
The makings for a whole new wardrobe could be waiting right in your own closet.
“Little Green Dresses” by designer Tina Sparkles shows how to do your part for the Earth by restyling old clothing into fresh new designs.
The book contains 50 patterns for dresses, tops, skirts and other garments. Each is assigned skill levels in pattern-making and sewing, so you can pick projects that match your abilities.
“Little Green Dresses” is published by the Taunton Press and sells for $22.95 in softcover.
Q&A
Q: I’ve never found a good solution to the drafts I get from around my dryer vent. As my laundry center is in a corner of my kitchen, a cold day with the winds on that side of the house can be uncomfortable when I’m spending a lot of time (as I do frequently) in that room. Do you know of any products designed specifically for that purpose?
A: Brian Smith, an energy rater who owns Energy Saving Comfort Systems Inc. of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, suggested making sure your dryer vent has a functioning damper. Lint buildup sometimes prevents the damper from closing properly, which can let cold air in.
He also recommended checking for gaps around the vent where it leaves the house. A gap of a quarter-inch or less can be sealed with silicone caulk. For a wider gap, use an expanding foam sealant such as Great Stuff.
What’s new
Travelers often worry about bringing bedbugs home unwittingly. BugZip luggage encasements can ease your mind.
You enclose your whole suitcase or garment bag inside one of the zippered encasements when you arrive at your destination to keep bedbugs from hitching a ride home on your suitcase or belongings. A smaller encasement is designed for protecting clothes in drawers.
BugZip is sold at http://www.bugzip.com as well as some travel-goods stores, online sites and retailers including Bed Bath & Beyond. Prices on the BugZip site range from $14.99 for a drawer liner to $24.99 for a large suitcase encasement.