Day of Surprises

Saturday was like Yule for me!

I had a major find at the thrift store, of something I have been wanting, and it's even more helpful than I had hoped. According to various internet sources, it's an Accordion Sewing Box from the 1950's:




All we need to do is replace the 'pull handles' it used to have on the side. We've already bought brass drawer handles for it.

Also, my Blue Mountain handcards came in the mail today:

Teaching Myself to Sew....

from books and what I remember of a long-ago 8th grade home ec. class. I remembered to lock my stitches and how to sew a hem. That was about it.

I've made a couple of t-shirts, and even adjusted the pattern. That wasn't hard because it had a line saying "add length here" which is what I needed! The one I chose also has three choices for collars and sleeve lengths - which makes it very flexible. The shirts I've made are comfortable and look good. None have sleeves yet, because when I tried to add them I found out they won't fit me without adjusting the pattern. While I do have a book that tells me how to do it, I haven't been that brave yet!

I've also modified pillow cases, made a couple from an extra sheet, and done some basic repairs. If it's fixable and not something I'll be heartbroken to loose, I'll try fixing it and count it no-loss if it doesn't work. So far, so good!

Have you tried to teach yourself something new?

A Saturday Afternoon

Peanut brittle from the farmer's market, mittens for my love, homemade banana muffins, first harvest of Swiss chard, and cotton fabric for a new project underneath all.

Habits

... That I've changed. A bit at a time, and then you look things over and are surprised with what you accomplished :)

• I use olive oil applied with a cooking "paintbrush" instead of cooking spray. Using seasoned cast-iron helps, too.
  
• We use dish clothes and cotton towels instead of sponges and paper towels. I put out fresh ones last thing before bed each night.
• We use fabric napkins. For the three of use, I have about a dozen napkins. I wash them with the towels (hot water) and as long as I keep on laundry we don't run out.
• I make breakfast bars or muffins as take-along breakfasts.
• All the cleaning is done with vinegar and baking soda.
• I don't use dryer sheets. I air-dry the fabrics that cause the static, and have no problems. The fabrics in question all seem to be polyester, rayon, or another man-made material.
• Clothing is repaired, then later re-purposed, whenever possible.
• Food shopping is seasonal, local, and organic... in about that order. We feel the additional cost is off-set by the savings: we don't lose hours at work or pay the doctor.
• My favorite place to shop (other than the bookstore!) is the local thrift store.
  
• Gifts are handmade whenever possible.

What kind of changes have you made?

sneak peak

Autumn Quiet ?

There is so much I want to do this fall, and I’ve no idea how I’ll find the time.

I want to preserve more for winter – root vegetables dried to chunks and flakes for cooking; making dried soup recipes for slow-cooking on lazy winter days. I want to knit socks, and a comfy sweater with that wonderful wool I found; I want to knit the sontag with the yarn I will spin from the wool roving I have. I want to stitch up some of the clothes I’ve thought of, and crochet snuggle-beds for the kitties. I want to become familiar with my loom and learn it’s song.

I want to work on the cross-stitch projects I have, and embroider pillows for us; I want to make an “Irish Maple Leaf” quilt for our bed; to make another fabric lunch sack and more fabric napkins.

I want to reduce the Pile of stuff that I have stored (and it is me, not him, that has all of this stuff). And I want to do it this winter, as we get into the storage for winter decorations, and we’re digging through it anyway – I want to pull it all out and have half as much, if that, going back in. Some of the items we already know are leaving and it’s just a matter of getting to them, so that they can be given away (including two of the largest!).

Hopefully this weekend we can start to get into the Pile and start filtering. The sock-knitting class starts soon, too. And once I get the drop spindle, I can start spinning the roving for the sontag.

Fall is here, winter is coming. Time for drawing close to the hearth, and working winter’s crafts while we talk and enjoy the company of those we love.

For Love of Basil

Basil is one of my favorite herbs to cook with, both fresh & dried. There is a taste difference between the two, and I'd like to share with you how I preserve the flavor of fresh basil for winter dishes.

You will need:
-Fresh basil
-Olive oil (I use extra virgin cold pressed)
-mortar & pestle, or an alternative
-an ice cube tray
-a Tablespoon measure

-- Pinch off the fresh basil leaves. You don't want flowers or their buds, just the fresh leaves. Rinse them off in water and pat dry.

-- Rip them into small pieces (or cut or dice). Place in a small bowl - I'm using my mortar & pestle here. Dribble some olive oil on them, and crush the leaves into the oil. You don't need to create a pulp but rather want to bruise the leaves into the oil.

-- Using a tablespoon, measure the crushed basil into ice cube trays. I do one tablespoon per cube for ease of measuring later. Pour a bit more oil onto them, and tuck all the green down under the surface of the oil. Put into the freezer.

-- The next day, check them. They should be completely frozen. You can add another layer of oil on the top, and freeze again, if you feel it would be helpful or there is green sticking up - you want to protect the basil.

--Whenever you are making something and want the flavor of fresh basil, toss in a cube or two. It makes even canned spaghetti sauce taste much better, & doesn't need to be thawed in advance. I try to put some up every winter.

Independance Day Week 10

1. Plant something – nothing yet.

2. Harvest something – Nothing.

3. Preserve something – Dried watermelon chunks, saving rinds. Bought strawberries on sale; made strawberry jam. Dried fresh basil from farmers market.

4. Reduce waste – Regular recycling and eating of leftovers.

5. Preparation and Storage – nothing.

6. Build Community Food Systems – Farmers market.

7. Eat the Food – Steamed squash for dinner, sliced cucumbers are now a staple snack. Watermelon. Lots of sliced tomatoes. Ate some of the stew I had canned - delicious! Note to self, 1 qt stew feeds two people.

8. Crafting – Crocheting socks. Lots of crochet. Starting to work through sewing pile. Doing bit-at-a-time restorations of the treadle base the Sphinx is in.

Treadle Sewing

Treadles are wonderful - they move at a speed easier to control than the electrics, and make very neat stitches. My treadles are a 1907 Singer 66-1 Lotus and a 1934 Singer 127 with Sphinx decals (pictured). I'm also looking for a handcrank - as it won't be attached to a table like the others, that will be my portable machine.

The Lotus and the Sphinx are both in tables. When they are not in use, they can be folded down inside the table, which can be used as a hall table or desk. The one below holds the Lotus. I don't have any good pictures of mine; McKenna has some here at her site.

Sewing on the treadles is just relaxing. I enjoy listening to the sound of the treadle, and the vibrating shuttle on the Sphinx (she kind of 'chatters' as she sews). The machines are extremely durable - the maintenance is 'oil where indicated' at the given time frame, rather than 'bring in to maintenance shop every six to 12 months.' There are 100+ year old treadles still being used (and one is mine!), which is evidence enough of the quality that is built into them.

As far as attachments - they don't use the newer ones (something about the design means the new ones don't work), so you won't have, say, a zipper attachment. There are plenty, though; I have a half-dozen attachments for my Lotus and I'm missing a few. Sewing on the Sphinx, I must admit I really haven't missed them. Even the zipper went on fine.

Links:

TreadleOn - the best one-stop reference for caring for your treadle, or restoring it.

The Treadle Lady - good information, and she does a wonderful job of conveying her joy in these machines.

YouTube:

Singer 66 - Basic operation of the treadle machine, just showing you the machine as she's treadling.

Antique Sewing Machine Display - She's sewing on one, and the video also shows several others on display. A wide variety of machines, one pre-Civil War. Very interesting!

Independance Day Update - week 6

1. Plant something – nothing yet. Ordered more seeds & organic fertilizer. Picked up two railing planters for the patio. Need to test soil as one pot, at least, was showing signs of soil depletion (everything is potted, after all). That one got re-potted, and is slightly happier already.

2. Harvest something – Lettuce. Need to start another round, probably in the planters I just got.

3. Preserve something – Still working on a full stock of green peppers (almost done!). Froze venison broth to use later. Experimenting with drying cucumbers, and preserving watermelon (freeze /dry/candied rind).

4. Reduce waste – Regular recycling. Ate more leftovers.

5. Preparation and Storage – Bought Mary Bell's Complete Dehydrator Cookbook. Drying food looks FUN now, and is being expanded in storage planning.

6. Build Community Food Systems – Visited farmers market, bought veggies & watermelon. Planning, as requested, dried foods & seasoning mixes for Yule gifts. The dried foods will be as local as possible.

7. Eat the Food – Steamed squash for dinner. Ate venison from the freezer. Eating watermelon & cucumbers. Tried the candied rinds - yummy!

8. Crafting – Cross-stitch, stocked yet more needed supplies, starting sewing tops. Used a muslin 'sample' top to check fit - was 3" too short - then adjusted pattern & will make more of them. Spinning yarn nightly, and noticed the difference a balanced spindle makes (huge!).

Independance Day Update: Week3

1. Plant something – nothing. Need to look at what I can grow next.

2. Harvest something – Nothing.

3. Preserve something – Made local-farm beef broth. Made Beef Stew.

4. Reduce waste – Used fabric scraps for small project. Regular recycling.

5. Preparation and Storage – Made local-farm beef broth for canning. Planning what we need for winter, so I can get it at the farm market and preserve it.

6. Build Community Food Systems – Visited farmers market, bought meat & veggies. I'm planning menus around what I find there. Beef Stew: about half of the ingredients were locally grown/ raised.

7. Eat the Food – Canned beef stew & beef broth for winter. Trying a new coleslaw recipe with honey and maple syrup instead of sugar. Ate our way through the full fridge.

8. Crafting – Planned out two new skirts and several tops. Picked up the fabric and notions. It's in the 90's already; I need cooler clothing to wear.