In the interest of actually generating some content for this blog, and as a way to boost my self-esteem (I hope), I'm thinking of changing the format slightly. Instead of only doing big, illustrated write-ups when I finish a project (which isn't very often), I'm going to try to at least jot down a quick note of what I accomplished every weekend. I'll still do big project write-ups from time to time, but my primary goal is to be able to look back on the year and see that I have actually accomplished *something* with my time. Sometimes I'll probably ramble on at length. Other times, it may just be a few bullet points.
So, here's what happened this past weekend:
Monday, January 15, 2018
Saturday, January 6, 2018
2017 Gardening Recap
Oh dear. Is it really 2018 already?
The past few months are a bit of a blur, honestly. Sometime in October, my brain chemistry decided that it hates me, so it has taken all of my energy just to keep myself more or less presentable for work and try not to let the house devolve into a squalid mess. Every once in a while, I'll summon the will to do some work in the garden or chip away at one of my crafty projects, but it tends to be a few stitches of embroidery here, a bit of weeding there--nothing that seems to be worth publicizing to the world. That said, this blog *is* called Things Made Slowly, so I suppose I'm living up to the name.
Three months after the initial assault, my brain still hasn't quite let go of its enmity toward me, but with 10 whole days at home with absolutely no commitments over the holidays I began to feel like I might just function long enough to do some work in the garden. While standing outside on New Year's Eve, shoveling dirt in a drizzly 3 degrees Celsius (festive, no?), I couldn't help but be a little impressed by all we've accomplished in the past year.
The past few months are a bit of a blur, honestly. Sometime in October, my brain chemistry decided that it hates me, so it has taken all of my energy just to keep myself more or less presentable for work and try not to let the house devolve into a squalid mess. Every once in a while, I'll summon the will to do some work in the garden or chip away at one of my crafty projects, but it tends to be a few stitches of embroidery here, a bit of weeding there--nothing that seems to be worth publicizing to the world. That said, this blog *is* called Things Made Slowly, so I suppose I'm living up to the name.
Three months after the initial assault, my brain still hasn't quite let go of its enmity toward me, but with 10 whole days at home with absolutely no commitments over the holidays I began to feel like I might just function long enough to do some work in the garden. While standing outside on New Year's Eve, shoveling dirt in a drizzly 3 degrees Celsius (festive, no?), I couldn't help but be a little impressed by all we've accomplished in the past year.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Problem-solving: embroidered early 19th century shift
The University of St Andrews' special collections department has a rather wonderful blog, Echoes from the Vault, on which I was an occasional contributor between 2012 and 2015.
In 2014, their blog had a theme: 52 Weeks of Historical How-To's. Every week, a member of staff (or some enthusiastic volunteer) would choose an item from the collection and use it as an instruction manual to do or make something, and write about the experience. Some people baked, others brewed, some made paper cut-outs, others took baths, some made ink and paper, and still others went on holiday.
For one of my contributions to the blog, I dug up an 1825 tailor's manual and followed the directions to make a lady's shift. That blog post is here.
A few weeks later, I decorated it by following (more or less) an embroidery pattern in an 1825 ladies' magazine. That blog post is here.
Unlike when I write for this blog, however, I have deadlines when I blog for work. And hand-sewing and embroidery are not particularly conducive to meeting deadlines.
In 2014, their blog had a theme: 52 Weeks of Historical How-To's. Every week, a member of staff (or some enthusiastic volunteer) would choose an item from the collection and use it as an instruction manual to do or make something, and write about the experience. Some people baked, others brewed, some made paper cut-outs, others took baths, some made ink and paper, and still others went on holiday.
For one of my contributions to the blog, I dug up an 1825 tailor's manual and followed the directions to make a lady's shift. That blog post is here.
A few weeks later, I decorated it by following (more or less) an embroidery pattern in an 1825 ladies' magazine. That blog post is here.
Unlike when I write for this blog, however, I have deadlines when I blog for work. And hand-sewing and embroidery are not particularly conducive to meeting deadlines.
Friday, September 15, 2017
Recycling: black lace insertion tunic
I have an awful lot of unfinished projects.
Most of the time, I can trick myself into thinking my backlog isn't all that bad because there are only four or five things that I've actively been working on within recent memory, forming the top layer of clutter in my sewing room. I've been pretty good about following my "finish two projects for every one you start" rule, so the front of my brain thinks that I'm doing okay. Managing my addiction. But somewhere in the back of my mind, I know that's a lie.
Every once in a great while, I'll go through aaaaaallll of my unfinished projects, one by one, and find things I'd completely forgotten. This is one of those things.
Most of the time, I can trick myself into thinking my backlog isn't all that bad because there are only four or five things that I've actively been working on within recent memory, forming the top layer of clutter in my sewing room. I've been pretty good about following my "finish two projects for every one you start" rule, so the front of my brain thinks that I'm doing okay. Managing my addiction. But somewhere in the back of my mind, I know that's a lie.
Every once in a great while, I'll go through aaaaaallll of my unfinished projects, one by one, and find things I'd completely forgotten. This is one of those things.
Saturday, September 9, 2017
Event-based Motivation: Spiffing Up Garb for Raglan
One of the good things about moving to Wales is that one of the biggest SCA events in the UK is (relatively speaking) right in my backyard. Raglan Fair takes place every September, when hordes of SCAdians descend upon on the grounds of Raglan Castle, set up camp, and proceed to cook, craft, shoot, and bash each other with sticks for ten days straight. For me, the upshot of this is that, for a week and a bit, I get to hang out with a significant number of people I adore but have very few opportunities to see in person. Last year (our first in Wales) I spent just one afternoon at the castle as a member of the general public, not as an attendee, but this year I decided to take a week off work and register for the whole event.
I've had friends in the SCA for most of my life, but I've always been more of a Renaissance Faire kind of girl. This means that most of my garb is a.) not overly concerned with historical accuracy, and b.) designed for 100+ degree weather. In other words, throwing together enough SCA-appropriate garb for a multi-day event was going to require some creativity and a little bit of sewing.
There's nothing quite like a looming deadline fuelled by fear of mockery to motivate me to finish a project. In this case, I used the few days before (and during) Raglan to spiff up a couple of old costume pieces and start one new one.
I've had friends in the SCA for most of my life, but I've always been more of a Renaissance Faire kind of girl. This means that most of my garb is a.) not overly concerned with historical accuracy, and b.) designed for 100+ degree weather. In other words, throwing together enough SCA-appropriate garb for a multi-day event was going to require some creativity and a little bit of sewing.
There's nothing quite like a looming deadline fuelled by fear of mockery to motivate me to finish a project. In this case, I used the few days before (and during) Raglan to spiff up a couple of old costume pieces and start one new one.
Friday, September 1, 2017
Really, Actually, Completely Finished. For Now.
*note: more/better photos coming.*
Among costumers, it is known that a sewing project is never actually finished. It is "wearable," or possibly "good enough," but there is always something that gets left off because it's 2am and your fingers are bleeding and the event is tomorrow morning and you have to wake up in 4 hours to drive another 4 hours to the event.
So maybe you get all of the construction seams done, and plan on binding the raw edges later. Nobody but you is ever going to see them, right?
Or you leave off that last bit of trim that would take it from attractive to fabulous, because nobody needs to know that you actually intended for there to be TWO rows of knife pleats and a line of beaded lace around that 6-yard hem, instead of just one.
Or you opt for the quick-and-dirty modern construction method instead of the well-researched and documented historically accurate method, because only the snobbiest of costume snobs will know the difference.
But there's always some little niggling thing that you mean to go back and finish later, once the time pressure is off.
So it was with my wedding dress.
Among costumers, it is known that a sewing project is never actually finished. It is "wearable," or possibly "good enough," but there is always something that gets left off because it's 2am and your fingers are bleeding and the event is tomorrow morning and you have to wake up in 4 hours to drive another 4 hours to the event.
So maybe you get all of the construction seams done, and plan on binding the raw edges later. Nobody but you is ever going to see them, right?
Or you leave off that last bit of trim that would take it from attractive to fabulous, because nobody needs to know that you actually intended for there to be TWO rows of knife pleats and a line of beaded lace around that 6-yard hem, instead of just one.
Or you opt for the quick-and-dirty modern construction method instead of the well-researched and documented historically accurate method, because only the snobbiest of costume snobs will know the difference.
But there's always some little niggling thing that you mean to go back and finish later, once the time pressure is off.
So it was with my wedding dress.
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
Pickled Chard Stems
What's this? More pickles? Didn't I just post about pickles?!
It really isn't my intention for this to become a food blog, but it's midsummer and the garden is doing all sorts of wonderful things. This is the first year we've been able to coax a harvest worthy of the name out of the ground, and I'm positively giddy. We've had plenty of failures this year, of course, but we're actually growing our own food! OMG!
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| Photographic evidence that I have, in fact, been working on something other than food. |
It really isn't my intention for this to become a food blog, but it's midsummer and the garden is doing all sorts of wonderful things. This is the first year we've been able to coax a harvest worthy of the name out of the ground, and I'm positively giddy. We've had plenty of failures this year, of course, but we're actually growing our own food! OMG!
Crafty stuff has been happening, but nothing has reached a milestone that seems blog-worthy yet. Soon though, I promise.
You know what tends to go from start to blog-able pretty quickly though? Food.
(To skip my rambling and go straight to the recipe, click here.)
You know what tends to go from start to blog-able pretty quickly though? Food.
(To skip my rambling and go straight to the recipe, click here.)
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