Frugal Veggie Mama

Closing a Door

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 19:27:00 +0000

After a long run, prolific for a long time and mostly silent for even longer, I am stepping away from this blog and moving on to new adventures. I've tried to make my new endeavors fit within the confines of this blog but it feels wrong to me. The archives will remain since they continue to receive fair amount of traffic even after all this time.

If you want to follow my current adventures, join me on my new blog Saved by Kate

Thanks to all. It has been a privilege to be a part of your lives.

New Year, New Goals, New Strategies

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 14:17:00 +0000

In the days after Christmas leading up to the new year, I pondered what my resolutions were and I realized that I didn't want to make whimsical resolutions. What I really wanted to do was set some concrete goals for myself. The goal I kept coming back to was, to be open to the opportunities that present themselves.

So what does that really mean? Well, I can't count how many times someone has said something like, "I would totally pay you to make one of those for me" or something similar. My answer has always been more of a bashful "ah c'mom" than a decisive, "let's talk about what that would entail." My goal is to change my response and see if that actually gets people interested in a "put your money where your mouth is" kind of a way.

So we're in the third full week of January and here's how its working so far. I've already been asked to make a hat and been paid for it. The same person asked if I'd make a second one to donate for a charity auction and would I please include business cards so she could talk me up to the bidders. (To say I love this person doesn't adequately express my feelings and no, she's not a relation.) I'm also in the middle of a putting together a memory quilt for an acquaintance who is a great sewist but doesn't enjoy the random, non-traditional technique that this kind of quilt begs for, and yes, she's paying me to do it.

I'm feeling pretty good about my new approach. What are your goals moving into the new year?

She Cleans Up Nicely

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 23:05:00 +0000

Am I the only one who starts to feel like they're living in Santa's little sweatshop as the week before Christmas nears? I think I'm usually more organized, although I fear a trip into the archives lest it proves me to be a disheveled human overall.

Anyway, the last 24 hours leading up to Christmas Eve were almost a nonstop sewing extravaganza complete with a near constant stream of scraps being thrown over my right shoulder. (I noticed I only throw over my right shoulder and part of me wonders if that means something but I had no time to investigate.)

Christmas is no longer at my house since my kids are older now, so part of my holiday prep now involves loading up the car and checking my list sixty four million times to make sure no ones' gift is left behind. No one was forgotten and except for a pair of partly finished slippers and a pair of not even started yet boot toppers, all was completed. Our visit to family was a whole lot of fun and everyone seemed happy with their presents. Whew!

When I got home Friday evening and went back up to my craft room, it was worse than I remembered. To quote my older son, "Its a crapfest in here." I assure you, he was being kind. There was not a flat surface that wasn't covered in something and that included the floor. When the dog sniffed the floor, thread stuck to his nose. Nothing productive could go on until this creative explosion was brought under control.

Since then, I have spent a portion of each day organizing things in a way that makes sense. Future etsy shop projects live in one place, large pieces of fabric are in their own bin, small scraps in a separate one, you get the idea. Its starting to come together, although yesterday my son son said, "Its still a crapfest in here." I think I need another day or two.

Part of this process, is letting go of the things that you aren't going to ever use. That's hard but made easier by the fact that I can take these items to a local reuse shop for others to enjoy.

I leave you with a peek at the tops of two quilts I made for Christmas. (For heaven's sake, don't look at the floor!!!) The first was for my niece, the second for my nephew. The tops were made out of fabric I already had, a fair amount of it was clothing that had cool patterns but were no longer functional (too small, worn out, unfashionable, etc).

If you're inspired to use your scraps and some of them are t-shirts or other stretchy fabric, know that interfacing is your best friend. How did I get along without this wondrous stuff?

Anybody else cleaning up their craft stash?

Handmade Holiday Gift Inspirations and a Shop Update

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 15 Dec 2014 19:18:00 +0000

I finally got the shop updated. I think it is more work to do that than to create the things in the shop. I'd love to hear what you think.

I need to get back to my personal Christmas Projects but here are a few ideas to inspire you:

Try heading over to Sew Mama Sew for some fabulous sewing inspiration. They truly have ideas for everyone on your list.

If you're looking for some knitting inspiration, head to the library and look for Last Minute Knitted Gifts and More Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. The projects in these two are listed by the time they take to complete. There's still time!

Happy Crafting!

Handmade Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 17:04:00 +0000

I still enjoy making the majority of our holiday gifts. I also have discovered that I enjoy knitting socks. However, socks knit on size 2 needles just don't come together quickly enough to be practical gifts. Enter the sport weight winter sock followed by his big brother worsted weight sock. I am in love!

Head on over to Ravelry and do a search. The possibilities are endless. I like to only chance patterns with 5 star reviews when I'm in a time crunch. Let me know what you decide to try.

Some Days You Just Have to Be Flexible & Something for Your Head

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 21:05:00 +0000

Well I truly thought I'd be able to get some pictures taken to list the the upcycled denim tote bags on SavedbyKate but since the sun hasn't been shining and my picture taking skills are limited, looks like that shop update will be waiting until the snowstorm is over.

I'll leave you with this very loose recipe for a tea to help clear up a stuffy head and cough. It was told to me by a lovely woman at a winter farmer's market at Vassar College. I tried to search for it in the blog since we've been making it for years but I came up empty.

In a saucepan pour about 4-6 cups of water and some fresh ginger, about a one inch piece. I confess to totally winging the amount after all these years. Bring this to a boil and then simmer for about 15-20 mins.

In a mug put:

the juice of half a lemon
a pinch of cayenne pepper
about a teaspoon of honey
a splash of unsweetened cranberry juice

Top this mixture with the ginger water, straining out the bits of ginger, and enjoy.

The Rug Reveal and an Announcement

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 16:54:00 +0000

Well, I've been less than consistent with keeping up the blog, given the 9 month gap between this post and my last one. Interestingly, that hasn't stopped people from visiting this space. I'm glad its being viewed and I hope its being enjoyed.

The last post referenced a better rug making technique and asked if people could identify the raw materials and the means of assembly. AnnMarie and DJ guessed t-shirts and that is absolutely correct.

The technique remained a mystery. Now for the big reveal, they're knitted flat on giant circular knitting needles. I believe I used size 35. The end product is thick, squishy and entirely machine washable and dryable.

So far these rugs have made it into the hands of my both of my daughters and a professor from Syracuse who won one that I donated for a silent auction. Of course a few are in use at my house but that, I'm sure, surprises no one.

In other news, I just participated in my second craft fair this past weekend. It will be no surprise to anyone reading that my items are made from upcycled fabrics.

Here's a peek at a few of my items:

Back in March, I mentioned that I set up an Etsy shop but hadn't had the courage to put anything into it and actually launch the shop. Fear is powerful. I participated in The Sewing Party in early November and one of the online classes was Becoming an Etsy Entrepreneur. That class gave me the kick in the pants I needed to get the shop up and running.

So let me introduce you to my Etsy shop, SavedbyKate The inventory levels of current items listed will be updated by Wednesday as I incorporate leftover craft fair stock into the shop. New items will be added by Wednesday as well, like those tote bags you see above.

This is a new experience and definitely one I'm learning from, so I welcome your feedback. Of course, I'd love it if you share my shop with your friends.

I'm looking forward to sharing this new adventure with you!

A Better Recycled Rug

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 21:53:00 +0000

The Denim Braided Rug tutorial post is one of the most popular posts I ever composed. In fact, it's got the most hits of any post I ever wrote. I've got a confession to make, after a while I wasn't crazy about the way it was coming out. Truth is, I eventually abandoned the project. It just didn't look the way I felt it should.

In fact, after taking a rug braiding class, I realized I hated the whole process. I was actually a little shocked by how much I hated. I also discovered along the way that I disliked crocheted rag rugs. Oh I like the way they look but I can't stand the lack of symmetry in the ones I've made. I get that the lack of symmetry is all about my lack of crocheting skills and that I'd likely get better with practice but its not enough to make me want to keep trying.

So have I given up on rug making? No way!! I just found a raw material and technique that worked better for me! Here's a sneak peek

Can you tell what I've used?

Yearning for Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 17:55:00 +0000

I'd talk about the weather but truth be told, there's not much to say beyond what these mittens say. It's been a long winter here in Ithaca. I've done a great deal of knitting this winter, no surprise there.

Spring must be around the corner though because the local CSA fair is this Saturday. We are fortunate to have many CSA options here. There are so many that once a year they gather in a school auditorium so people can compare their offerings. How cool is that?

We joined a fruit CSA and a veggie CSA and I love them both. Interestingly, the past two growing seasons, my little city yard has easily been home to the most productive garden I've ever tended. That seems crazy when you consider that I left behind a little more than 1 1/4 acres but its true. It will never take the place of our CSA but its a great way to augment the CSA's offerings.

Here are a few pics, taken at the beginning of last spring. This first patch had strawberries, onions, lettuce and green beans. You can see pots on the stairs holding mixed baby greens. This whole area was a fairly epic success in my opinion.

This is my raspberry border. There are several different varieties mixed in there. Raspberries were the perfect choice because that side of my yard borders a parking lot and I was looking for some privacy. Also the landscaping isn't always tended to on the neighbor's side and raspberries are bossy and don't care.

This pic shows my abundant Jerusalem Artichoke patch in the back. This is another crop that doesn't give a hoot if your neighbor has crazy, vining nonsense growing untended nearby. It is nearly indestructible, prolific, tasty and has lovely yellow flowers in the fall. The trellis in the back had scarlet runner beans on it, the one in the front tomatoes. In between I grew eggplant, kale, swiss chard, zucchini (although the squash beetles really took a toll on them much to my non-zucchini loving sons' delight) and brussel sprouts. I tried peppers but had no success.

This is me in early spring last year at the spot where city residents can go to pick up free wood chips. My son has climbed to the top of a giant mountain of wood chips because we only brought one shovel and climbing a slippery wood chip mountain is fun. This picture is here because there is a lesson that goes with it. We've got a bit of a slug problem where I live and if you have a slug problem you really don't want to make a super slug friendly environment by adding wood chips to your garden, especially not around your newly planted seedlings. It's like inviting slugs to a buffet, drawing them a map and offering to drive to make it easier. Don't do it!!

I'm itching to get out there and see how everything made it through the winter. Of particular concern is my newly planted asparagus bed, and my hardy kiwi plants. The kiwis (you have to have a male and a female) made it through last winter and I even got one teeny, tiny kiwi. Isn't it cute?? The asparagus that I planted the prior year did not make it so I had to replant.

I'm still planning this year's additions. What's going in your garden this year?

Simple Brilliance - The Clay Creature

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 17:12:00 +0000

We all need some moments of simple brilliance. I'm talking about little inspirations that are delightfully simple but make our daily tasks so much easier. I came upon one last night while taking a sewing class.

During the class, we used a variety of found objects for pattern weights; specifically, clean stones, cast iron figurines and antique irons. I woke this morning with a desire to get started cutting out a skirt pattern that I've been wanting to make and a feeling of competence about doing it. But what to do about the pattern weights? I'm not digging up stones in 12 degree weather. One of those kitschy antique irons would be nice but I don't want or need to spend money on them.

Right about then my eyes landed on a clay creature that my son made in elementary school. I believe he called it super pig. There are several of these clay creatures collecting dust around my house. The makers don't care much if they are displayed or stored but I'm going to dig these babies out of hiding and gather them in my sewing room to use as pattern weights.

I have solved the problem of, "what the hell do I do with this?" and my lack of pattern weights. As a result I'm feeling simply brilliant. Happy Friday to all!

Kombucha & Kimchi, two of my favorite K words

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 20:45:00 +0000

Kombucha is like cilantro, you either love it or hate it. I've never met anyone who falls in the middle on either. For those of you who love kombucha but don't love the price tag, I've got news for you. Kombucha is super easy to make and super hard to screw up.

Here's a link to the article and recipe that got me started. I've been brewing my own kombucha for at least 2 years now and I've never had a batch fail.

My process is a little different now from the recipe. It's evolved to fit my personal kombucha consumption and the way my kitchen (and life) works. Bottling the finished batch and setting up the next one is usually a two day process for me.

On day one (this assumes you've got a batch ready to bottle) I set up my water bath canning pot with 7 1-quart mason jars in it and boil them to sterilize them. You want those jars clean and cootie free. I boil them for about 20 minutes. I also boil the lids and rings. I should point out that I reuse the same jar lids and rings each time. You don't need a true canning seal to brew kombucha. I take the jars out and let them cool a bit upside down on a clean dish towel. At this point, I usually remember to take off my super fuzzy sweater that for some reason I always seem to be wearing when I make kombucha. I brew my kombucha in two, one gallon glass jars that are covered with paper coffee filters held in place by rubber bands. They allow air flow but no critters or dust gets in. I take the scoby out of one jar and put it into the other. Then pour the kombucha from your scoby-free jar into the mason jars. Transfer both scobies into the now empty first jar and cover with some of the kombucha from the second jar. Put the coffee filter hat back on the gallon jar. Pour the remaining kombucha into the mason jars. I know that a double batch of the kombucha recipe will give me enough to fill 7 mason jars and leaves about an inch in each jar empty so I can add a juice for flavor if I choose. The quart jars get capped and placed in a cabinet for 2-3 days and then they go into the fridge and are ready to drink.

On day two, I boil up two gallons of water that has run through my Brita filter. I don't actually measure anymore because I know where two gallons comes up to in the pot I always use. Once boiling, I add 2 cups of sugar. When it dissolves, I turn off the heat and add 8 teabags, usually Lipton because its what my hubby drinks and I have it on hand. Let the teabags steep for 30 minutes and then remove. Let this cool to room temperature, high temps can kill the scoby. I have three one gallon jars, at this point one has the two scobies in it and the other two should be clean and empty. Place a scoby into each gallon jar and divide the liquid evenly between the two jars. I pour the cooled tea/sugar brew into the two jars, put the little coffee filter hats on and put the jars into the cabinet for two weeks. Then lather, rinse, repeat. You know what I mean!

But what about the need for a scoby or "mother" to get your batch started? My original scoby was offered on our local freecycle website. Since then I've giving several several away. My scoby is a prolific little devil. Other sources are the dregs from your bottle of store-bought kombucha. This is supposed to work, although I have never tried it. You can order online as well but that seems creepy to me.

Kimchi making is a new adventure. My daughter and her boyfriend got me a kit for Christmas. I finally got around to making it last feel and it came out amazing but I need to explore more about the process before I feel qualified to share the how-to though.

I'll give it a try...

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 16:31:00 +0000

I don't know if this will last or not but the way I see it, I still have thoughts to share so I'll give it a try. Maybe sharing in this space again will get me moving on some stalled projects.

Since I really haven't been in this space regularly since 2009 I guess there's some updating to be done. We moved in 2011 to Ithaca, NY. You veggie die-hards out there should recognize the name, it's home to the famed Moosewood! It's a dream come true. I get to live in a place where composting is the norm, there are vegetarian options everywhere and everyone knows what a CSA is.

My daughters are now in their 20's and living their own frugal veggie adventures. The boys are teenagers and eat more than I ever imagined possible. Beware mother's of young sons, they eat two dinners every night when they turn 14!!

I'm keeping busy teaching yoga, volunteering, crafting and being mom. That makes it sound like Jim does nothing and he does plenty, I swear. Our house is around 150 years old, so there's never a shortage of projects for him to dabble in.

In food, we've had some changes. We are definitely still vegetarian but I discovered I was gluten intolerant during our move. That was a challenge and I'll happily share more about it another time. In short, it pissed me off. It really pissed me off. No more muffins or breads, no seitan, separate pasta for me, ugh!! However, the discovery led to a lot of positive change that was hard to see the potential for in the beginning. I eat a lot more raw foods and almost no processed foods. I've also made a culinary compromise along the way that you may or may not agree with. I still won't eat dairy but if there's nothing else on a breakfast menu that I can eat, I'll order eggs. I never thought I would but facing down a menu with no gluten free options is life changing. That having been said, Ithaca is super gluten free friendly as well, so I often don't have to make that choice. We even have a waffle shop that has vegan, gluten free waffles. Either way, no judgement please, life is too short to get mired in crap like that.

This past December I participated in a craft fair selling some of my denim quilts and t-shirt rugs. I've got an Etsy shop set up but haven't had the courage to take pictures and put stuff in it, even though its here and ready to go. So I'm still a work in progress. Maybe we'll make some progress together.

I Wonder If...

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:02:00 +0000

I wonder if I started blogging again if anyone would be interested in what I have to say?

Something Worth Sharing

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:11:00 +0000

Its been over a year since I blogged and in that time not much has really changed in my life or in my philosophy of life. I'm always on the lookout for people with similar ideas and ways of living.

I recently found some in the most unexpected place. Check out the Adirondack Folk School. Just this past weekend my sister and I attended a soap making class there. I got confident about using lye and making my own soap while mingling with others who shared my desire to become more self sufficient and learn lost skills. Check out the list of upcoming courses and, if you can, sign up for one. A school like this is worth supporting!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:20:00 +0000

I'm enjoying a cool evening outside on my daughter's laptop while she takes her brothers for a game of wiffle ball. Of course I'm blogging rather than doing the dinner dishes but summer is about compromise and once the sky darkens, I promise to get those dirty dishes taken care of, really I do!

Is there anything blogworthy going on in my corner of the universe? Hmm, I guess that depends on your perspective. Here are a few things others might find interesting.

First of all, as Ruthie noted a while back, we didn't join a CSA this growing season. We just couldn't find one that fit into our unique schedule (summer in one place, spring & fall in another). I agonized over this decision but I couldn't justify the hour and fifteen minute drive that we had for 10 weekends in the fall to accomodate the entire CSA season.

The solution to this conundrum, because I really wanted to keep my produce local as much as possible, sprung up unexpectedly when a local family opened a produce stand in front of their home about a mile from my house. Can you get any more local than that without growing your own? There are still farmers markets I intend to check out to improve our variety but I am just thrilled with the way this has turned out.

I've been making progress on my sewing & knitting projects in the evenings while I listen to old radio shows like Dragnet, Sherlock Holmes & Tales of the Texas Rangers. I just love those old radio shows! Current projects include a denim quilt and a log cabin blanket to use up my yarn scraps.

Actually, the log cabin blanket brings me to another decision I recently made. Once I finish with my current stash of acrylic yarn, which is massive by the way, I plan to only knit with natural fibers. It just feels like the right decision to me.

Alas, the battery on the laptop is running low so I'll end for now. Happy summertime to all!

A Slug for the Slugs

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:31:00 +0000

You guys are so sweet for wondering if everything is ok. Thank you so much for being concerned. Everything is fine. I'm not even going to pretend that I have a legitimate reason for not updating my blog for so long. I just haven't gotten around to it. I've been busy enjoying summer vacation with my kids. I'm knitting a little, quilting a little, and gardening a little.

I don't know that I've done anything blog worthy except perhaps my ongoing battle with the slugs that are infesting my garden here in the Adirondacks. It's been rainy, really rainy. The slugs are just having a party. They're sliming over and eating just about everything I've planted, even the Jerusalem artichokes which usually aren't bothered by anything. In short, they really piss me off.

The weapon of choice when battling with slugs is beer, believe it or not. I'm catching slugs by the slimy cupful. It's disgusting yet gratifying. Today is marks the beginning of my third go round of putting out fresh beer for the little buggers. (The beer gets a white coating after about a week and seems to become less effective.)

Check out this link for more on using beer to get rid of slugs.

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:56:00 +0000

Has it really been a week since I blogged? I'm up to my eyeballs in graduation preparation as well as putting the final touches on my yoga projects. My bags aren't packed and we're no where near ready to make our escape to the Adirondacks. It'll all come together I'm sure. Look for a post on Tuesday when life slows down considerably.

A Father's Day DIY

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:34:00 +0000

I'd love to take credit for this idea but it isn't mine. It's Soulemama's. Check out this post which peeked my interest and then click here for the instructions.

I know I'm making you work awfully hard to look at something that I haven't really explained but I don't want to ruin any surpises. If you have kids (or even if you don't), minimal sewing skills and some fabric scraps, this is the answer to your father's day gift quandry.

I'm Sew Proud of Tasha

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:29:00 +0000

I couldn't resist putting up this picture of Tasha at her cosmetology class graduation. She's wearing the dress I altered for her so that her bra would stop playing peek-a-boo out of the arm hole.

When I first tried to figure out how to fix this, I focused on the side seam but that just changed the problem it didn't solve it. After a lot of pinning and unpinning, I realized the seam that ran over the chest was the one I needed to focus on. Is it totally perfect? No, but you'd have to have your nose practically in her armpit to discover that. I'm really pleased with the result and so was she.

If I could figure this out, you can too!

Coffee Break

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:41:00 +0000

This is just too weird not too share. Yesterday, after working for several hours on my paper, I took a break to make a much needed pot of coffee. Notice I said pot, not cup, that was no typo. These last few weeks before summer are just killing me!! (It should be easier since the girls are now driving themselves to work and school but for some inexplicable reason its not, must be the stress of having two teenage drivers.)

Anyway, in my haste to make the coffee, something went wrong. The coffee wasn't perking. It turns out the stem of the basket that the grinds sit in was clogged up with old coffee grinds, but I didn't know that at the time. All I knew was I NEEDED a cup of coffee and it wasn't happening in the traditional way. So...I rigged up this apparatus and poured the boiling water over the grinds and let them drip through like the old style manual drip pot.

The basket that holds the grinds sat inside the mesh strainer to keep the grinds out and the canning funnel kept the boiling water going into the jar rather than down the side. Since I wanted my coffee string, I used a second jar and poured the water over the grinds a second time.

It's weird but it worked.

Can You Fix This?

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:34:00 +0000

I shouldn't even be posting right now because I'm supposed to be working on the final paper for my yoga training. Truth be told, I'm having a little trouble focusing. I keep peeking at blogs and finding reasons to walk away from the computer. (Honestly who can write a paper without a fresh cup of coffee????)

Maybe it was the randomness of the weekend that got me in this frame of mind. I jumped from task to task like a bunny gone mad. First there was this pair of jeans Jim had that were in perfect shape but had developed a bum zipper. "I can replace that," I announced and began to root around my "jeans as fabric" stash for a pair of really ripped jeans with a perfect zipper. I came up with a candidate very quickly and, holy seam ripper Batman, I got right into setting the good zipper free. Of course once you set the good zipper free, you have to set the bad zipper free as well.

Alas, a graduation dress in need of alteration took priority over the jeans. It was time to set the jeans aside since by this time Tasha had come home and could model the dress in question. I'm a huge fan of trying the item in need of alteration on inside out to make pinning easier but I'm sure that breaks a gazillion rules of sewing so if you need to conform and do it the right way I understand. A few try-ons later (it took a few times to smooth out the 1950's bra as a torpedo look I accidently created when altering the top of the dress. No worries, it's all better now!) and the dress was hanging in her closet.

By then it was getting late and I needed to make bread but I couldn't find any bread flour (clearly there's a gremlin in my house who steals whatever I'm looking for!) On and on it went for the rest of the day. Start this, run and do that. Yesterday was no better.

I finished the jeans and btw I'm very impressed with myself. Of course, skills get you no thanks only more work. Tasha has already requested that I replace the broken zipper in her favorite winter coat. It's a good feeling just the same.

Jim brought a pair of incredibly ripped up pajama pants to be made into pajama shorts. This went well until I discovered that I didn't cut the line straight and the backs of the shorts are a little shorter than the front. He was good natured about it. "Who's gonna see them," he kept asking me when I offered to fix them correctly. The moral of this story is just because there are straight lines on the pants doesn't mean those lines are straight enough to use as a cutting guide.

The interesting thing about these pajama pants and other cotton flannel pajama pants we've owned is that the seams mysteriously wear away without actually ripping. (Maybe it's not so mysterious now that I think about it those pants are at least 10 years old...) My solution to this is to use a piece of fabric from the part of the legs that I cut off and pin it under the almost ripped section. Then I use the mending stitch setting on my sewing machine to anchor this patch in place. Once the patch is anchored I cut the excess fabric off and then continue to use the mending stitch to anchor the edges of the patch in place. It works beautifully although you couldn't really use on something you were going to wear in public. I don't know enough about sewing machines to tell you if a mending stitch setting is common on most sewing machines but mine is from the early 1970's and it has it.

Since the sewing machine was still out, I reinforced the seams on a favorite pair of sweats giving them new life. The sewing machine and I are becoming fast friends. Although, if I'm to get everything done that needs to be done in the next two weeks, the sewing machine and I will have to have far fewer play dates. It's time to start planning my summer projects and getting them packed and ready to go.

Ok now I really have to get going on this paper.

Liquid Laundry Detergent Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:29:00 +0000

I had to snap a quick picture of Tasha's bag this morning since she was using it for school again. Now I'm getting bag requests from her friends!

Del was wondering about my recipe for liquid laundry detergent. I got my recipe from the Twin Cities Green Guide which seems to be no more. This is the recipe that got me started. Over time, I've opted to use less water making my detergent more concentrated and therefore I use less detergent for each load of laundry (I use 1/4 cup). I'd love to tell you how much water but at this point I just know that I have to fill the pot I use to an inch below the rim. You'll have to experiment and let me know how it goes for you.

Here's the original recipe:
1 bar Fels Naptha soap
5 gallon bucket
1 cup washing soda
4 1/2 gallons water

Grate 1 bar of Fels Naptha Soap. Place soap in small saucepan and cover with water. Heat on low until dissolved. Fill bucket with hot water and add soap. Stir to combine. Add 1 cup of washing soda and mix well. As it cools it thickens. May be used immediately. Use 1-2 cups per load.

I use Ivory soap in place of the Fels Naptha soap. I also find that you need to mix the detergent as it cools to keep it from seperating. I use a hand mixer, every half hour or so until it cools. Because I use less water than the recipe calls for, my detergent is almost like a paste. It doesn't suds up the way store bought detergent does but it does a great job.

A Handmade Home

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:07:00 +0000

I finished Tasha's beach bag yesterday. I thought I'd take pictures this morning but she took it to school today. That's a pretty high complement when it comes from a 17 year old. Today's projects will be graduation invitations and sewing linen bread bags.

Lately, not a day goes by that I don't do a little sewing and knitting. I love the way that feels to make things by hand. I hadn't thought much about it being such a lost art until everyone around me started commenting on my projects. The comments varied but the overriding sentiment seemed to be surprise; surprise that you could hand make these things, surprise that you would bother to hand make these things and surprise that I knew how to hand make these things.

Taking these sentiments one at a time, I'll start with the last first. I often don't know how to make things but I have gotten very good at knowing where to learn. A google search or a visit to a trusted blog often solves the mystery. The internet is such a wonderful tool. I've also gotten good at looking at the task at hand logically. I often think back to my first real sewing project, the great jean alteration of 1987. No one taught me how to alter those jeans, I sorted the process out for myself. We all have that power, we just have to remember to use it!

I'm often surprised too at what can be made by hand too. I wonder, will my bag hold up as well as a store bought bag? However if you look at anything that's mass produced now, like a tote bag, surely somewhere along the line it was made by hand? A trip to a craft show is wonderful to give you a peek into the possibilities of what can be made by hand. (BTW, Never be one of those people who pick things up and announce loudly, "I could make this for much less." It's so disrespectful to the crafters.) Way back in 1997 right before we adopted Tasha, I bought myself a beautiful purse at a local craft fair. I loved it because it was made with the "children of the world" fabric. Twelve years later, I'm still using that purse and it's in great shape. Anyone who knows me knows the workout this purse has had over the years toting around everything a mother might need. It's been doused in coffee, washed in the washer and still it looks great. Quality handmade products really can last.

When people are surprised that I would bother to hand make something that I could easily buy, I try to explain why hand made is important to me and should be important to them. Sure I could buy a summer weight quilt cheaply at Walmart but I'd rather use what I have on hand and make a denim quilt that will last longer and wear better. I want to lessen my footprint on the earth and recycling clothing into useful things is an easy, inexpensive way to do this. (Think about it, what costs more solar panels or a spool of thread?)

Speaking of handmade and homemade, I've been making my own laundry soap for years. I used to make the dry powder but I've found the liquid works better in the long run since I can use cold water in the washer and not worry about the soap not dissolving. As it was cooling a few days ago I had a thought to make the process easier. Up until now I'd made the laundry soap in a pot and then transfered it to a plastic container when it cooled. Why couldn't I just dedicate a pot to making and storing the laundry soap? I'm on a thrift store/yard sale quest for just the right pot and lid for the job.

The Garden in Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:49:00 +0000

Did I say photo's to follow soon? Oh what a liar I've become! Well here are the garden pictures, finally.

We'll start with the asparagus bed
Now we move on to the newly moved Jerusalem Artichoke bed which is right behind the asparagus bed.Although some Jerusalem artichokes seemed sad about the move initially,they did all eventually perk up.
Now on to the potato patchPerhaps you'd like a peek inside?
This is where the onions are planted, much later than they should have been but what's a girl to do?What's this?Tomatoes!Here's a peek at the raspberries that grow wild on our property. Isn't that nice of them?Finally, remember those twiggy looking elderberries we planted? They aren't twiggy anymore!
PS: I've been sewing like a crazy person. I'm more than half way through making a beach bag for Tasha. Pictures eventually (it seems more honest than saying soon!)
PPS: Ruthie, we're going to miss your blogging. Please don't stop commenting too!!

The Garden is Growing

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:22:00 +0000

For everyone who endured my complaining about my non-sprouting asparagus, of the 30 crowns I planted 32 have emerged. Yes, 32! Not really sure where the extra two came from. I guess little pieces broke off to create new plants.

The potatoes are growing like mad. I've just added a layer of straw and a small shovelful of worm bin compost to each of the containers the potatoes are growing in.

The Jerusalem Artichokes are growing well too and they've been through a lot. I decided to move them to a different, smaller location when they decided to grow between the new elderberry bushes I planted. They didn't randomly do this of course. I planted the elderberries in the bed they had been in for the last few years because I thought they were dead. Last year they barely made a showing, of course it could have been the weeds choking them off...but this is a new year and we're taking our food growing seriously now!!

We've got tomatoes, hot peppers, swiss chard and zucchini in the ground already. We're hoping to get a little more in this week.

This growing your own food is scary business. Pictures to follow soon.