When I was 7, I learned to sew on a Necchi electric machine that belonged to my mother. My grandmother had a Singer. When I graduated from High School I asked my mother to buy me a sewing machine for a graduation present. She bought me a new Singer in a cabinet with a bunch of cams for making different stitches. Truly, this was not a very good machine and the bobbin tension issues drove me nuts. After about 3 years a cam part broke and it could not be repaired. I eventually traded it in on a simple Riccar (made by White).
I used the machines for embellishing clothing with lace and trim. I would hand embroider the items. It was great fun to make unusual clothing. 15 years late that same clothing style was all the rage. But I had moved on. I was making quilts and doing needle point and cross stitch. What I really needed was a good construction machine that could sew through several layers of fabric. The Riccar failed after about 10 years and there were no parts for it. I had it made into a simple, straight stitch only machine and it has worked for that purpose for 25 years. But at that time, I also purchased a Viking/Husky machine. It had more stitches and could be used in clothing construction. After 3 years, it was a constant repair patient. What is with these crappy machines? I finally put all my sewing away and haven't sewn for 8 years. Until this year.
The Riccar was traded for a BabyLock Melody. The Viking is in the shop (again and maybe for the last time because I will probably get rid of it). I have a Bernina Serger which I think I have now repaired and a top of the line Baby lock Ovation. And the queen of all this is the quilting frame and sewing machine (Grace and Juki combo).
I weave my own fabric and can't be bothered by these dysfunctional machines. I need some quality. So how would I know if they really are quality. The others seemed good for about a year. I bought the warranty just in case. And I am relying on the word of a close friend who sews all the time and has had problems with other machines but seems happy with these.
So now, I make my own yarn, knit, weave, sew quilts, and am trying to get full circle back to making my own clothing with embellishments. It is a small, round world.
Friday, May 22, 2015
Friday, May 8, 2015
Black Out Day
When my children were younger, we used to have an occasional black out day. That meant we turned off the electricity breaker box and went without - lights, tv, internet, computer, garbage disposal, dish washing machine, clothes washing machine, etc. We kept the freezer and refrigerator doors closed so that the cold was preserved. We cooked on gas outdoors or indoors lighted with a match. Water heater had a pilot light, so we could still bathe, by candlelight. It was fun, like camping.
Now my children are all grown and gone. I haven't had a black out night since the drunk down the street hit the power box in 2006. I think I need to do this black out thing more often though.
I have a loom that needs no power, just light. I have a spinning wheel that needs no power, just feet. I can see myself being busy for months with very little power on. I still have candles from the last time I did this with my children. And matches, although they are very old. I can barbecue stuff and heat water in a pot.
But I think it might be a better thing to try a NO WATER DAY. All day, no water. No toilet water, no shower, no dishes, no washing hands. Wait a minuter there. No washing hands? EWEEW! I am freaking out on that one. Maybe I can find a bucket to put water in for washing hands.
The idea that when you turn on the faucet nothing comes out is so un-imaginable for most of us that we would not even know how to prepare for it. All that earthquake preparedness stuff is meaningless if you have never tried it. How about 3 days with no washing hands. My mind quakes at the thought.
So I think it is time to do the NO WATER DAY combined with the NO POWER DAY just to see if I can prepare in advance for calamity.
I know that it is not fair to know the day in advance and store up water and foods etc, but it will give me a taste of things to come. I have some trashcans in the back yard that don't leak. I can fill one for toilet water if necessary. I have some very large pots to fill with drinking water and enough to make one just for hand washing water. I feel better knowing that I can have clean hands even if I can't take a bath. And in the dark, I may smell dirty, but you won't know how dirty I look.
Now my children are all grown and gone. I haven't had a black out night since the drunk down the street hit the power box in 2006. I think I need to do this black out thing more often though.
I have a loom that needs no power, just light. I have a spinning wheel that needs no power, just feet. I can see myself being busy for months with very little power on. I still have candles from the last time I did this with my children. And matches, although they are very old. I can barbecue stuff and heat water in a pot.
But I think it might be a better thing to try a NO WATER DAY. All day, no water. No toilet water, no shower, no dishes, no washing hands. Wait a minuter there. No washing hands? EWEEW! I am freaking out on that one. Maybe I can find a bucket to put water in for washing hands.
The idea that when you turn on the faucet nothing comes out is so un-imaginable for most of us that we would not even know how to prepare for it. All that earthquake preparedness stuff is meaningless if you have never tried it. How about 3 days with no washing hands. My mind quakes at the thought.
So I think it is time to do the NO WATER DAY combined with the NO POWER DAY just to see if I can prepare in advance for calamity.
I know that it is not fair to know the day in advance and store up water and foods etc, but it will give me a taste of things to come. I have some trashcans in the back yard that don't leak. I can fill one for toilet water if necessary. I have some very large pots to fill with drinking water and enough to make one just for hand washing water. I feel better knowing that I can have clean hands even if I can't take a bath. And in the dark, I may smell dirty, but you won't know how dirty I look.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
A Little Bit Of Heaven
After a month of cleaning and clearing, in my spare time, I have managed to get the Front courtyard cleared, raked, all the way to the grape arbor. The Grape arbor is where we grow three different kinds of grapes, but it is mostly where we hang our hammocks. This is the area where the construction crew dumped all the rocks from the digging. We have now re-located all the rocks, leveled the piles of dirt, and kept the trees alive and fruiting. I feel a major accomplishment in this.
The side patio still needs to be painted. It is raw wood and must be sealed and protected. We weed whacked some of the area earlier and still have some to do. And I have started tying up the grape vines so that we will have shade over the top of the arbor.
I was really hoping the over the weekend, we could actually put out the hammocks and have a swing together.
If I look at the back of the yard, the pile of fencing is getting smaller. We are cutting up the old fencing material and putting it in the wood pile for the fireplace fuel. There has been way more scrap wood than we have been able to burn this winter. It just never got cold enough to have a fire. Our utility bill was quite low all winter because the lights are all low wattage now and we didn't use much natural gas. But the energy going into the yard remodel is quite high.
After I get the side yard cleaned up a bit more, I will start getting some plans for the room addition. The side yard is where all the old landscape items were piled. Bricks, step stones, pipes, hoses, excess stuff, garden stuff, etc. And in between my garden beds, all the excess dirt got dumped. I have now started moving the dirt to the back fence where I have a new bed for the cotton planned. After moving the dirt, I will be able to plant the seeds and start digging out the old plants. I have an abundance of stepping stones which I have been placing in various locations. I made a small walk to the hose bibb in the front. I have used some to control a gopher area next to the patio. I have used some around the new building/shed for gopher control. And I am surrounding my garden beds with them to make walk ways and control weeds. I expect to have this done over the month of MAY. And during this time, I will cut up the wood, old hoses, old pipes and old tree stumps. Does that sound too ambitious? Maybe.
I have travel plans and would like the yard to survive while I am gone. I also have visitors coming in July and need to get my spare room cleaned out for guests. All in all, I think my plate is pretty full. But it is a happy thing. I am making progress on my goals.
The side patio still needs to be painted. It is raw wood and must be sealed and protected. We weed whacked some of the area earlier and still have some to do. And I have started tying up the grape vines so that we will have shade over the top of the arbor.
I was really hoping the over the weekend, we could actually put out the hammocks and have a swing together.
If I look at the back of the yard, the pile of fencing is getting smaller. We are cutting up the old fencing material and putting it in the wood pile for the fireplace fuel. There has been way more scrap wood than we have been able to burn this winter. It just never got cold enough to have a fire. Our utility bill was quite low all winter because the lights are all low wattage now and we didn't use much natural gas. But the energy going into the yard remodel is quite high.
After I get the side yard cleaned up a bit more, I will start getting some plans for the room addition. The side yard is where all the old landscape items were piled. Bricks, step stones, pipes, hoses, excess stuff, garden stuff, etc. And in between my garden beds, all the excess dirt got dumped. I have now started moving the dirt to the back fence where I have a new bed for the cotton planned. After moving the dirt, I will be able to plant the seeds and start digging out the old plants. I have an abundance of stepping stones which I have been placing in various locations. I made a small walk to the hose bibb in the front. I have used some to control a gopher area next to the patio. I have used some around the new building/shed for gopher control. And I am surrounding my garden beds with them to make walk ways and control weeds. I expect to have this done over the month of MAY. And during this time, I will cut up the wood, old hoses, old pipes and old tree stumps. Does that sound too ambitious? Maybe.
I have travel plans and would like the yard to survive while I am gone. I also have visitors coming in July and need to get my spare room cleaned out for guests. All in all, I think my plate is pretty full. But it is a happy thing. I am making progress on my goals.
Monday, March 9, 2015
The Sounds of Silence
For the last four months, I have had construction happening almost every day on my home. Fences, gutters, drains, walls, concrete, and small out buildings have kept my yard and activities messy and hard to organize. Today, there is silence. It is allowing me to think about how pleasant my life is when things slow down and return to routine and predictable.
Quality of life is not just about having money or a clean environment. It is also about having some control over your time and energy. It is about having some way of directing your life to accomplish the goals you want to see happen. Right now I am starting to clean up the mess of some of this energy. While trying to make goals happen, a big pile of stuff got moved around, dumped or shifted so that not one part of my yard is useable without struggle. This is because the Goal has not been reached, only started. It takes a long time to get all this work done.
So now, it is time to focus energy on clean up, but also focus energy on pushing away distractions and "disturbing" influences. The EVIL EYE. (Not to be confused with the Chicken Eye.) The Evil Eye is silent but directs discomfort and distress toward the person it falls on. At least that is what the stories seem to suggest. What I find is that the Evil Eye actually triggers internal struggle over good and evil causing people to choose bad behaviors over good ones. Like not telling the truth over truthfulness. Or avarice and envy over contentment with ones earned goods. There are many ways to attract the Evil Eye.
So how do you protect yourself from this "fluence". Honestly, it is a constant struggle. Vanity and pride will cause you to think you can be done with it with little effort. But the reality is that these influences will challenge you all your life in one way or another. I find that I need silence sometimes so that I can focus myself on my goals and not get swayed by these influences- like greed or envy. In the course of my construction, I have chosen to keep things simple and functional. But sometimes, the wildly ornate, showy, and expensive pops up and wants to be my friend. Everyone seems to have an expensive and elaborate idea for my yard. Truly, I can come up with my own wild expenses. I don't need other ideas. But keeping other people from influencing my designs and plans is very hard.
We are nearing the final building segment and the irrigation plan with landscape plants. Do I want the most expensive sprinklers or drip lines or bubbler or conventional timers? Am I going solar? Is there stained glass windows in my future? Maybe some of those invisible screens and some awnings or electric shades? Where is that catalog with all the fancy home designs? Exactly what I don't need.
So as I try to avoid sales pitches and other people's designs, I am also trying to solidify what I want and what can be done on my budget.
Sometimes, I think I have it under control. But I know I must be vigilant even so. The work happening here is what I will have till the end of my time. I want it to be right for me and my sweetheart husband. Thankfully, I have a day of silence to sort out my thoughts and get my energy focused on our goals.
Quality of life is not just about having money or a clean environment. It is also about having some control over your time and energy. It is about having some way of directing your life to accomplish the goals you want to see happen. Right now I am starting to clean up the mess of some of this energy. While trying to make goals happen, a big pile of stuff got moved around, dumped or shifted so that not one part of my yard is useable without struggle. This is because the Goal has not been reached, only started. It takes a long time to get all this work done.
So now, it is time to focus energy on clean up, but also focus energy on pushing away distractions and "disturbing" influences. The EVIL EYE. (Not to be confused with the Chicken Eye.) The Evil Eye is silent but directs discomfort and distress toward the person it falls on. At least that is what the stories seem to suggest. What I find is that the Evil Eye actually triggers internal struggle over good and evil causing people to choose bad behaviors over good ones. Like not telling the truth over truthfulness. Or avarice and envy over contentment with ones earned goods. There are many ways to attract the Evil Eye.
So how do you protect yourself from this "fluence". Honestly, it is a constant struggle. Vanity and pride will cause you to think you can be done with it with little effort. But the reality is that these influences will challenge you all your life in one way or another. I find that I need silence sometimes so that I can focus myself on my goals and not get swayed by these influences- like greed or envy. In the course of my construction, I have chosen to keep things simple and functional. But sometimes, the wildly ornate, showy, and expensive pops up and wants to be my friend. Everyone seems to have an expensive and elaborate idea for my yard. Truly, I can come up with my own wild expenses. I don't need other ideas. But keeping other people from influencing my designs and plans is very hard.
We are nearing the final building segment and the irrigation plan with landscape plants. Do I want the most expensive sprinklers or drip lines or bubbler or conventional timers? Am I going solar? Is there stained glass windows in my future? Maybe some of those invisible screens and some awnings or electric shades? Where is that catalog with all the fancy home designs? Exactly what I don't need.
So as I try to avoid sales pitches and other people's designs, I am also trying to solidify what I want and what can be done on my budget.
Sometimes, I think I have it under control. But I know I must be vigilant even so. The work happening here is what I will have till the end of my time. I want it to be right for me and my sweetheart husband. Thankfully, I have a day of silence to sort out my thoughts and get my energy focused on our goals.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Winding up the cotton experiment
I have been spinning my cotton for 6 months. I have now completed spinning 2014 and it made 1 pound 1/2 ounce of spun cotton. And about 2 pounds of seeds.
My 2013 cotton made less- about 3//4 pound and 2012 made about 1/2 pound. When all is said and spun, I should have about 2 pounds of yarn +/- and way too many seeds.
Now it the time to plan a project on the loom with this cotton. It is surprisingly consistent in size and I am thinking a long warp of commercial natural color with the homegrown, hand spun cotton as the weft. But then my mind wanders off to colors and possible fabric for clothing items. Would an indigo dye pot be the answer? Or some of that olive green? do I want towels or a shirt?
I am getting ahead of myself because I still have 4 months of spinning until the last is done. But planning the project is the fun part for me.
Maybe I should just make the items already on the loom and spin the cotton before I start mentally weaving something. But it is very exciting to get this close after three years of working to make enough cotton grow, harvest, gin, and then spin.
My garden plot of cotton was 5 ft wide and 10 ft long. In the third year, it made enough cotton to weave fabric or knit fabric for a shirt. It took about the same amount of water as a lawn or fruit tree. I deep watered one time each week. I didn't weed much after the first year. The cotton plants have deep roots. I fertilized one time per year in the spring. I would say that this is a relatively easy plant to grow. Totally organic, low water needs, and quite productive. I am growing Pima cotton varieties and will again try some of the colored cottons next year.
So back to the wheel. I have more to do before I can plan with my loom.
My 2013 cotton made less- about 3//4 pound and 2012 made about 1/2 pound. When all is said and spun, I should have about 2 pounds of yarn +/- and way too many seeds.
Now it the time to plan a project on the loom with this cotton. It is surprisingly consistent in size and I am thinking a long warp of commercial natural color with the homegrown, hand spun cotton as the weft. But then my mind wanders off to colors and possible fabric for clothing items. Would an indigo dye pot be the answer? Or some of that olive green? do I want towels or a shirt?
I am getting ahead of myself because I still have 4 months of spinning until the last is done. But planning the project is the fun part for me.
Maybe I should just make the items already on the loom and spin the cotton before I start mentally weaving something. But it is very exciting to get this close after three years of working to make enough cotton grow, harvest, gin, and then spin.
My garden plot of cotton was 5 ft wide and 10 ft long. In the third year, it made enough cotton to weave fabric or knit fabric for a shirt. It took about the same amount of water as a lawn or fruit tree. I deep watered one time each week. I didn't weed much after the first year. The cotton plants have deep roots. I fertilized one time per year in the spring. I would say that this is a relatively easy plant to grow. Totally organic, low water needs, and quite productive. I am growing Pima cotton varieties and will again try some of the colored cottons next year.
So back to the wheel. I have more to do before I can plan with my loom.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Hot Water
When my grandmother was young and my father was a baby, it was 1929. Their home had an outhouse for that kind of stuff, but bathing was done in the kitchen in a metal tub. My grandmother would warm the room with the wood stove and heat water for the bath which was set in the middle of the floor.
When the room and the water was warm enough, my mother washed the baby on her hands and knees in the tub. She would dry him off, dress him warmly and put him aside in a playpen while she bathed my grandfather in the same water, but now a bit warmer from the second batch of heated water.
When they were warm and dry and clean, she would then bathe herself in the same water, same tub. Then after dressing herself, she would scoop out the water and dump it into the sink which drained out into the yard. She was fortunate to have a water pump from the well inside the house at the kitchen and a sink with a drain so that she didn't have to haul the water from the back yard.
When the bathing was done, the tub was empty, she would go outside and put the tub on the porch. Sometimes when she went out it was snowy or freezing cold. She would hurry back into the warm kitchen and make some coffee.
One day, my grandfather decided to buy another house to use as a rental. It had a big kitchen area and porches that surrounded the house. It had two bedrooms and large dining room and living room, and most of all a small bathroom between the bedrooms. It also had an outhouse for that sort of thing, but the BATHROOM was for bathing and it had a tub with a drain and a pump for water. And a wood heater for heating the water buckets. That heater now lives in my garage as a reminder of days past.
My grandmother decided that she wanted that house and the small one they lived in could be the rental. She moved into the new house while my grandfather was at work. And they stayed married anyway. That was a very defiant moment for my grandmother. But she got a bathtub and a bathroom. In time, they built more house onto the porches and the space inside the home became more comfortable.
This week, we are reliving the days past, with a slight twist.
We had our house tented for termites and it is necessary to turn off the gas to the house and the water heater. After tenting, you have to have the gas company restart the gas and light the water heater and any other pilot lights. Pilot lights are a through back to the 1900's up to some present day appliances. It is a constantly lit flame to ignite the burner when the gas comes on. All of my other appliances have automatic electric ignitions.
After the tenting, when it is time to start the gas again, it may take several days to get the gas guy out to the house. What do you do when there is no hot water? No bathing. No laundry. No dishes. No cooking. No baking- unless you have an all electric house. So we got out the hot plates and the little gas burners and the side burner on the barbeque. We heated water by all available means. I ran some cold water into the tub and turned on the small electric room heater. Then as the hot water became available, I emptied it into the cold water in the tub until it was warm enough for my Prince charming to bathe. This took about an hour. And, no, I didn't bathe after him in the same tub with the same water.
But I was very happy to just be able to pull the plug and drain the tub- no scooping.
I loved my grandmother. Times were much different and it was hard just to have a daily routine. Cooking, cleaning, repairing things, making clothing, bathing, keeping warm and dry. Life was challenging and lots of work. I am blessed with clean, running water to my home and sewage that goes away to be processed. I am blessed with dishwashers and clothes washers and dryers. And a Water Heater, even if it is still waiting for the gas guy to start it up.
I am spoiled beyond belief and grateful for all of it.
When the room and the water was warm enough, my mother washed the baby on her hands and knees in the tub. She would dry him off, dress him warmly and put him aside in a playpen while she bathed my grandfather in the same water, but now a bit warmer from the second batch of heated water.
When they were warm and dry and clean, she would then bathe herself in the same water, same tub. Then after dressing herself, she would scoop out the water and dump it into the sink which drained out into the yard. She was fortunate to have a water pump from the well inside the house at the kitchen and a sink with a drain so that she didn't have to haul the water from the back yard.
When the bathing was done, the tub was empty, she would go outside and put the tub on the porch. Sometimes when she went out it was snowy or freezing cold. She would hurry back into the warm kitchen and make some coffee.
One day, my grandfather decided to buy another house to use as a rental. It had a big kitchen area and porches that surrounded the house. It had two bedrooms and large dining room and living room, and most of all a small bathroom between the bedrooms. It also had an outhouse for that sort of thing, but the BATHROOM was for bathing and it had a tub with a drain and a pump for water. And a wood heater for heating the water buckets. That heater now lives in my garage as a reminder of days past.
My grandmother decided that she wanted that house and the small one they lived in could be the rental. She moved into the new house while my grandfather was at work. And they stayed married anyway. That was a very defiant moment for my grandmother. But she got a bathtub and a bathroom. In time, they built more house onto the porches and the space inside the home became more comfortable.
This week, we are reliving the days past, with a slight twist.
We had our house tented for termites and it is necessary to turn off the gas to the house and the water heater. After tenting, you have to have the gas company restart the gas and light the water heater and any other pilot lights. Pilot lights are a through back to the 1900's up to some present day appliances. It is a constantly lit flame to ignite the burner when the gas comes on. All of my other appliances have automatic electric ignitions.
After the tenting, when it is time to start the gas again, it may take several days to get the gas guy out to the house. What do you do when there is no hot water? No bathing. No laundry. No dishes. No cooking. No baking- unless you have an all electric house. So we got out the hot plates and the little gas burners and the side burner on the barbeque. We heated water by all available means. I ran some cold water into the tub and turned on the small electric room heater. Then as the hot water became available, I emptied it into the cold water in the tub until it was warm enough for my Prince charming to bathe. This took about an hour. And, no, I didn't bathe after him in the same tub with the same water.
But I was very happy to just be able to pull the plug and drain the tub- no scooping.
I loved my grandmother. Times were much different and it was hard just to have a daily routine. Cooking, cleaning, repairing things, making clothing, bathing, keeping warm and dry. Life was challenging and lots of work. I am blessed with clean, running water to my home and sewage that goes away to be processed. I am blessed with dishwashers and clothes washers and dryers. And a Water Heater, even if it is still waiting for the gas guy to start it up.
I am spoiled beyond belief and grateful for all of it.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
I want to PROTEST, too
There has been a lot of protesting lately. About racial discrimination and police violence. But where is the protest about public behavior. Every day, when I read the news, some idiot has driven his/her car into a house or store or building. Outrageous multiple car collisions killing many people from drunk or drugged drivers. High speed racing on the freeway. Looting businesses. People attacking bystanders at parades. Mass murder in schools.
I want to protest about a public that has gone mad.
I will never go to a mall again because it is a place to shoot lots of people. I can't stand to be on the freeway during the day with all the insane drivers. Driving at night is worse.
The Gas and Electric company has determined that my home is not safe for their gas meter and is going to install a large metal post to stop a car from driving into it. The car would have to go through my car and take out the side of my garage first. I don't even feel safe at home from idiot drivers.
So I am starting my protest here.
I PROTEST BAD BEHAVIOR. I PROTEST THE LEGALIZATION OF DRUGS, which encourage bad behavior. I PROTEST MORE PLACES TO BUY AND CONSUME ALCOHOL, which encourages bad behavior. I PROTEST LAZY PARENTS WHO DON"T DISCIPLINE THEIR CHILDREN, who will grow up and have bad behavior.
But I DO NOT PROTEST against the police. They have their hands full trying to control a society that favors Bad Behavior. Sometimes, they don't do the best job, but most of the time, they put their life down for people like me. I APPRECIATE THEM.
There! It is done. I have spoken to my computer, because no one around here wants to be told they have bad behavior.
I want to protest about a public that has gone mad.
I will never go to a mall again because it is a place to shoot lots of people. I can't stand to be on the freeway during the day with all the insane drivers. Driving at night is worse.
The Gas and Electric company has determined that my home is not safe for their gas meter and is going to install a large metal post to stop a car from driving into it. The car would have to go through my car and take out the side of my garage first. I don't even feel safe at home from idiot drivers.
So I am starting my protest here.
I PROTEST BAD BEHAVIOR. I PROTEST THE LEGALIZATION OF DRUGS, which encourage bad behavior. I PROTEST MORE PLACES TO BUY AND CONSUME ALCOHOL, which encourages bad behavior. I PROTEST LAZY PARENTS WHO DON"T DISCIPLINE THEIR CHILDREN, who will grow up and have bad behavior.
But I DO NOT PROTEST against the police. They have their hands full trying to control a society that favors Bad Behavior. Sometimes, they don't do the best job, but most of the time, they put their life down for people like me. I APPRECIATE THEM.
There! It is done. I have spoken to my computer, because no one around here wants to be told they have bad behavior.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)