FA L L / W I N T E R 2 01 2 NO. 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS 5 Welcome 6 Contributors 8 Probably something you would like…
Co o k 12 Tomato Jam 14 Butternut Squash Salsa 16 Turnip Bacon Soup 18 Barn Party 24 26 27 28 30
Grilled Squab Arugula Salad Yeasted Apple Butter Bread Hoppin’ John in Acorn Squash Pear Upside-Down Cake
Grow 34 Strawberry Futures 38 Take Cover
BUILD 40 A Box for Storing Spuds
Stitch 50 DIY Embroidered Patches 54 Lattice Cowl 56 Lattice Gloves 58 Cloth Napkins, Made Three Ways
Craft 64 Craft as Cure 68 Cookie Tree 70 Acknowledgements
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photo by LITdĂŠcor etsy.com/shop/LITdecor BY H A N D F AL L /W INT E R 201 2
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Editor-in-Chief
Susan Gibbs
Creative Director
Stitch Editor
ContRibutors
Jeannie Bloch
Virginia B. Johnson
Art Director
Craft Editor
Caroline Fryar Kathryn Vercillo
Michelle Lukezic
Jeannie Bloch
Proofreaders
Cook Editor
Copy Editor
Lisa Richey
Erin O’Donnell
Grow Editor
Web Designer
Susan Gibbs
Michelle Randolph
Build Editor
Business manager
Paul Kocurek
Carrie Gibbs
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submissions@byhandmagazine.com
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Cris Ferguson Carol Gibbs Lauria Kincaid
A HANDMADE MANIFESTO We are living in uncertain times. The economy isn’t in great shape. The evening news is full of chaos and instability. The world that we have known suddenly feels unfamiliar and unpredictable. No one likes change, and it seems that change is the only constant right now. But I can tell you one thing to a dead certainty: you and I are going to be just fine. How do I know that? Because we can make things. Things like food. And clothing. And maybe even shelter. We can cook and garden and knit and sew and build. We can read recipes and patterns and plans. We can turn nothing into something. In our hands, raw materials become finished products. Yarn and fabric become clothing. A tiny seed becomes a vine. Wood becomes furniture. Ground grain becomes a Lady Baltimore cake. It’s a kind of magic, really. We created BY HAND for people who make. This magazine is a love letter to sock knitters and chicken stock makers. Tomato growers and home brewers. How you inspire us! We hope that this issue of BY HAND and the many more to follow can return the favor. Susan Gibbs & Jeannie Bloch, Editors
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C ontri b u tor s
Marisa McClellan is a food blogger, freelance writer and
canning teacher based in Center City Philadelphia. She runs a website called Food in Jars > foodinjars.com, where she writes about canning, preserving and delicious things made from scratch. She regularly writes for the Food Network, Mrs. Wages, Grid Philly and Table Matters. Her first cookbook, Food in Jars: Preserving in Small Batches Year-Round, is now available > foodinjars.com/the-cookbook.
Kathryn Vercillo is a San Francisco-based writer and
crafter. She is the author of a new book, Crochet Saved My Life (available on Amazon), which delves into the deep benefits of crafting as a tool for healing. She is also the author of popular crochet blog Crochet Concupiscence > crochetconcupiscence.com.
Rebecca Ringquist is a Brooklyn-based visual artist and
designer. Her stitched drawings on fabric explore issues of identity through thinly veiled metaphors utilizing old fashioned imagery and double entendres. She learned how to embroider in college in a feminist art history class, and has been inspired by the history of American needlework ever since. Approaching the technique of embroidery as a way of drawing, Ringquist has taught hundreds of people new ways of making marks on fabric through classes and workshops around the country. Her design company, Dropcloth > etsy.com/shop/dropcloth, sells Ringquist’s hand drawn designs that are printed as embroidery patterns, all ready to hoop and sew. Ringquist earned her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the Fiber and Material Studies department where she subsequently taught for seven years before moving to Brooklyn in 2011. She teaches, lectures and exhibits nationally.
Lisa Richey is happy to have traded in a decade in the
information technology industry for a chance to be a full time farmer, mom and now food editor for BY HAND. She and her husband Will own Red Row Farm > redrowfarm.com, where they raise produce, pigs, sheep, chickens and rabbits. When not changing diapers or baking, Lisa is probably glued to her iPad pretending she’s reading The New Yorker and not just her massive blog roll. If she had more time, she would take up weaving.
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Will Richey is the owner of Revolutionary Soup > revolutionarysoup.com and The Whiskey Jar > thewhiskeyjarcville.com, in Charlottesville, VA. Both restaurants focus on local, organic food, much of which is sourced from Red Row Farm, which he runs with his wife, Lisa. When he’s not in the kitchen or the garden, Will is likely sitting on the back porch with a drink in hand, enjoying life in the country. If he had more time, he would take up ironworks. Caroline Fryar is a talented knitter & knitwear designer, an enthusiastic gardener, a classicist, and a medical student. She lives in Carrboro, NC, with Zac Hackney and five imaginary kittens. You can follow her knitting adventures at carolinefryar.com. Virginia B. Johnson is the owner/crafter/dreamer behind the stitch lounge, Gather Here, in Cambridge, MA. Prior to becoming a small business owner, Virginia worked full-time in the film and television industry as a costume designer and supervisor. She has been sewing since she was six and credits her grandmother, Nita, for cultivating her passion for the handmade movement each summer in Iowa since the 70’s. Learn more about Virginia and Gather Here at gatherhereonline.com. Paul Kocurek is a Spanish Literature undergraduate from
Colgate University with an MBA and CPA thrown in just to confuse people. He was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas and after 18 years in New York and Colorado is back plying the Finance Trade and trying to keep up with his two-yearold daughter, Meredith. He would much rather work in his garage woodshop (even in the Texas heat) having picked up the basics of the craft from his father. His inner-geek extends from playing (and building) acoustic guitars to an unhealthy fascination with remote-controlled helicopters.
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P ro ba b ly s o m et h in g yo u wo u ld li k e ... Curated by Susan Gibbs
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This sweet and simple bracelet comes in 24 colors and, at only $8.50, makes a great bridesmaids gift or party favor.
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etsy.com/shop/greenduckweed
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Pike’s Original Maine Garden Hods are the stuff that vegetable gardeners’ dreams are made of. Originally used for clamming, these generous vessels will easily hold your garden’s harvest. $42 and up.
Clint’s Burger and Fries Blend. Third generation chili and spice purveyor Clint Pendery may have created this blend for burgers and fries but it’s our go-to for seasoning steaks and just about everything else. $12.48/pound. penderys.com
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thearchipelago.net
Made from recycled Mason jars, these Moroccan Lanterns by LITdécor are painstakingly hand painted. The results are positively magical! $24. etsy.com/shop/LITdecor
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6-Drawer Orchard Rack from Gardener’s Supply is ideal for storing the bounty from a day of apple picking. $139 gardeners.com
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As handsome as they are finely crafted, Best Made axes are designed to be used and passed down for generations. Starting at $135.
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We can hardly wait for the publication of chef Matthew Weingarten’s new cookbook, Preserving Wild Foods. Coming in November, the book includes instructions for curing, canning, smoking, and pickling a wide range of wild ingredients foraged from the sea, fields, forests, and fresh water. $19.95. amazon.com
bestmadeco.com/collections/axes
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This cupcake pincushion ring by Made in Lowell is the perfect combination of function and charm. $22. etsy.com/shop/madeinlowell
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TO M ATO JA M
Recipe and Photos by Marisa McClellan
When I was growing up, I wasn’t particularly interested in ketchup. Sure, I liked a little puddle for the occasional serving of French fries, and I could certainly see its place on a hamburger, but beyond that, I was entirely ambivalent. I liked mustard better and begged for the honey-sweetened kind to be added to my lunch-time turkey bologna sandwiches. It wasn’t until I went to college that I discovered the power of ketchup. It could disguise any number of culinary sins, from rubbery scrambled eggs to gray meatloaf. During those four years, I ate enough ketchup to make up for my previous eighteen years of ambivalence. You’d think given my adult conversion to ketchup that I’d still be an active user. However, several years ago, a new condiment came along that has entirely supplanted ketchup in my life. My heart now belongs to tomato jam. It started innocently enough. A friend gave me a small jar with the recipe card attached. One day, while putting together a toasted cheese sandwich, I noticed that my husband had used up the ketchup. Cursing his name, I turned to the tomato jam (thinking it a poor substitute) and added a dollop to my plate for dipping. The first bite in, I was smitten. It was sweet, but not teeth-achingly so, and had some texture and a gentle buzz of heat. I made my first batch within the week. Now tomato jam is a permanent member of my condiment team. I eat it with
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turkey burgers or spread on roasted sweet potato coins. I serve it with cheese plates at parties and regularly give jars to friends in the hopes of spurring their own tomato jam conversions. What makes this jam so magical is that it works in so many different applications. Simple or fancy, it’s truly the little black dress of the condiment world. Happily, it’s also incredibly simple to make. You core and chop five pounds of tomatoes. I like to use heirlooms for their intense flavor, though they do give a slightly lower yield than a meaty tomato like a roma or plum. Small tomatoes like Sungold, pear and grape tomatoes are also delicious alternatives. The chopped tomatoes are combined with sugar, lime juice and a bunch of spices and then are allowed to simmer for an hour or two. The finished jam is glossy, sweet and just a bit tangy. The night you make it, plan a cheese course for dinner, to take advantage of the still-warm jam.
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INGREDIENTS 5 pounds tomatoes, cored and finely chopped 3½ cups granulated sugar ½ cup bottled lime juice 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cloves 1 tablespoon sea salt 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes Combine all ingredients in a large, nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer the jam, stirring regularly, until it reduces to a sticky, jammy mess. Toward the end of cooking, be vigilant about stirring, as it burns easily when it’s nearly finished. When it is done cooking, it should look glossy and it shouldn’t be at all runny. This will take between 1½ and 2 hours. Once the jam is cooking, the vital work is done. This jam keeps for ages in the refrigerator, so you can funnel it into jars, let it cool and then pop it in the back of the fridge. However, if fridge space is precious, it can also be canned in a boiling water bath for shelf stability. Here’s how that’s done: When the jam is nearly ready, prepare a boiling water bath and three pint jars (you can also use a combination of pint and half-pint jars if you prefer). Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water and simmer over very low heat. When the jam has cooked down sufficiently, remove the pot from the heat and ladle the jam into the prepared jars. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in the boiling water bath for 20 minutes. Preserved in this manner, unopened jars of tomato jam will last up to two years. Kept in the fridge, it will keep for at least six months. Makes 3 pints
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BU T T ER N U T S Q UA SH S A L S A
Recipe and Photos by Lisa Richey
As much as I’m ready to pull on a sweater come fall, I always mourn the end of summer. This recipe seems to help. Maybe it’s the heat of the jalapeño, or having any excuse to use of the last of the cilantro before the frost devastates
it for another year. Either way, this is the perfect October transition dish. Serve as a snack with blue corn chips or make it a weeknight meal paired with goat cheese and black bean quesadillas.
Ingredients 1 medium butternut squash ½ red or sweet onion 2 jalapeños (more if you like it hot) 1 bunch chopped cilantro
1 cup dried cranberries ½ lime Olive oil Salt
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Allow squash to cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a bowl and toss with the onion and jalapeño. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes, or until cool.
Peel, seed and quarter the butternut squash, then chop into ¼- to ½-inch cubes. Spread squash on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat evenly, and sprinkle generously with salt. Bake for 40 minutes, turning squash after 20 minutes. It should be cooked through but with no major browning. While the squash is baking, finely dice the onion and jalapeños.
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Combine cilantro, dried cranberries and juice of half a lime with squash mixture and toss until well incorporated. Salt according to taste. Serves 4-6
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T U R N I P BaCon S O U P
Recipe and Photos by Lisa Richey
Even though I grew up in the Northeast, every November, on that first day when the biting arctic wind would visit from Canada, I became completely convinced that this would be the winter I would not survive. It’s days like that when I need turnip bacon soup. Sure, it’s never going to win a beauty pageant, but this thick
and hearty puree will bring your body temperature back up to normal. Besides, now you’ll have a way to use up all those turnips from your CSA share. This soup freezes well, so I always have a quart waiting for me just in case my fingers are too numb to use a vegetable peeler.
REH EAT I NG T I P
When reheating, a little milk or cream can loosen up a very dense puree, but so can a little water if the thought of adding any more fat to this soup gives you hives.
INGREDIENTS 4 pounds turnips 1 large yellow onion 10 strips of bacon 4 cups chicken stock
½ teaspoon thyme Salt Black pepper Olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel and trim the turnips. Roughly chop the turnips into ½ inch pieces. Everything gets blended in the end, so don’t worry about making pretty cuts. Spread the turnips on two baking sheets and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat. Do not crowd the turnips on one tray, as the purpose of roasting is to get some caramelization. Saving yourself a dish will result in steamed turnips. Both trays go into the oven for 40 minutes. Stir the turnips and switch oven shelves halfway through. You are going for some browning but no burning.
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Dice the onion and the bacon. In a 5 quart or larger heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, render the bacon over medium heat for about 6 minutes—long enough to cook the meat but not to make it crunchy. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring enough to keep the bacon from crusting up the bottom too much. Add the thyme and stir for thirty seconds. Add the chicken stock and use a wooden spoon to scrape all the goodness off the bottom of the pan. Add the roasted turnips. Bring to a low boil, then lower the temperature to maintain a steady simmer. Cook for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat. If you own an immersion blender, you can puree everything right in the pot. If you plan on using a conventional blender, let everything cool for half an hour so as not to burn yourself. Be sure to only fill the blender halfway—anything more is major counter cleanup in the making. Blend to a smooth puree. Add freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste. Serve with crusty bread. When reheating, a little milk or cream can loosen up a very dense puree, but if the thought of adding any more fat to this soup gives you hives, a little water will work as well. Serves 6
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{
BA R N PA RTY
Recipes and Food Styling by Lisa and Will Richey Photos by Susan Gibbs
It was one of those evenings when something going wrong made everything exactly perfect. We had planned a nighttime picnic under the stars but the weather had other ideas and a change of venue was in order. The warm glow of the candle light, the sweet smell of hay, great wine and Chef Will Richey’s spectacular harvest feast turned a near disaster into a magical and memorable night.
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T HE MENU Grilled Squab Arugula Salad Hoppin’ John in Acorn Squash Yeasted Apple Butter Bread Pear Upside-Down Cake
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T HE GUESTS Lisa & Will Richey Michael & Hannah Davis Jeremy Goldstein Erin O’Donnell & Morgan Myers Sarah Hackney Caroline Fryar & Zac Hackney
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T he P l ay list Essential Django Reinhardt The Best of Robert Earl Keen The Legend of Johnny Cash BY H A N D F AL L /W I NT E R 201 2
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T HE WINE Shaps et Roucher-Sarrazin Gevrey-Chambertin Les Crais 2005 2000 Domaine du Pegau Reserve Ch창teaunuef du Pape Ernest Burn Riesling 2010 (Alsace) with dessert BY H A N D F AL L /W I NT E R 201 2
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{GRIL L ED b A R N PA R T y
SQUAB
Serves 2 to 4
Fall is the perfect time of year for grilled game. Wild birds are fattening in preparation for winter and hunting season is upon us. Not to mention, the impending threat of winter makes cooking outdoors while we still can especially appealing. Oh, and game bird is delicious. Squab is a fantastic introduction to game birds. In terms of flavor, it is similar to duck but not quite so rich. Bigger than quail but smaller than chicken, it is an easier poultry to practice dressing. You’ll get plenty of opportunity to hone your new skill while preparing dinner. One bird is a perfect serving size, but for larger feasts you can certainly serve them as half birds so as not to compete with the bounty of harvest season side dishes.
If cooking immediately, fire up the grill to medium high heat. If you are using the full marinating time, fire up half an hour before cooking. Rinse off the birds. Using either poultry shears or a knife, remove the legs at the knee joint. The legs can be set aside for stock. Remove heads at the base of the neck. (There are some uses for heads, but do not use them for stock.) Clean and dress each bird. Place the bird on its back and pinch the skin just above the pope’s nose (the tail feather bone). Create a vent by making a horizontal cut between the pinched skin and the tailbone. Open the vent further by making vertical cuts on either side of the tailbone. Using your index and middle finger, open up the vent and slide your fingers on either side of the entrails. Grasp them with your fingers and pull them out of the vent. Make a second sweep of the area to be sure you’ve gotten everything. You may choose to keep the heart, liver and gizzard. If so, set aside the heart and liver, and rinse out the gizzard thoroughly. Now your birds should resemble a store bought whole chicken, just smaller.
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Ingredients 2 squabs 4 cloves garlic 4 rosemary branches 1 lemon Olive oil Salt Black pepper
Using either poultry shears (preferred) or a knife, cut down one side of the spine starting at the vent and continuing until you are through at the neck. Repeat on the other side to completely remove the spine. Check the body cavity for entrails and be sure to remove any remaining lungs or other organs. Rinse out the body cavity. Lay the bird so the opening you just made is facing up, and start a cut—no more than half an inch—at the center of the breastbone. Pick up the bird, holding it so your thumbs are on either side of the cut, and snap the bone as if you were trying to break in the binding of a book. Now you have successfully butterflied your bird. Using paper towels or a lintfree kitchen rag, dry your bird off, front and back. Repeat with second bird. Peel and mince the garlic cloves. Mince the rosemary branches. Drizzle each bird with olive oil and rub garlic and rosemary on both sides. Ideally, set aside to marinate for four hours, but this is very cheat-able—just use more garlic and rosemary if you don’t have time to marinate.
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Check that your grill is very hot. Season both sides of the birds with salt and freshly ground pepper. Place the birds on the grill, skin side up. Cook approximately four minutes, or until the breasts start to puff up (the birds will not lay as flat as before). Flip the birds. Use a cast iron frying pan, or something similarly heavy, to flatten out the birds on the grill. Cook approximately four more minutes. All that’s left to do is crisp up the skin. Turn the birds over again and cook for another minute or two. You may want to move the bird around on the grill to avoid flare-ups as the skin renders. Place each bird on a plate, skin side up. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze from half a lemon and a sprinkling of salt. Serve with a branch of rosemary for garnish.
SPECIAL NOTE Squab, like duck, is wonderful served medium rare. For other birds like quail, dove or Cornish game hen, cook completely like you would chicken and adjust cooking times according to the size.
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{A rugula Sala d b A R N PA R T y
w i th C a ra m e l i z e d O ni o n s , F ig s & Wa ln u t s
Ingredients Serves 4
This salad makes a wonderful bed for the grilled squab and is very easy to prepare ahead of time, although style points are added to those serving the salad while both the onions and figs are still warm.
4 handfuls of young arugula 12 figs 1 yellow or sweet onion 1 cup walnuts Balsamic vinegar Olive oil Toasted walnuts Salt Black pepper
Toast the walnuts either in a dry skillet on the stove top or on a cookie sheet in the oven. Cook until fragrant. Set aside.
Cook until you see the beginning signs of caramelization—some slight browning or crisping of the sugars of the figs.
Wash and dry the arugula.
In a large bowl, toss the arugula with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add the onions, figs, walnuts, freshly ground pepper and a teaspoon of salt.
Thinly slice the onion, then sautĂŠ in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat until golden. Set aside.
Salt to taste. Slice the figs in half and using the same pan, place figs cut side down into 1 tablespoon fresh olive oil.
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{ YEASTED APPLE BUTTER BREA D I have a confession. I think I like apple butter more than I actually do. This means I spend the entire fall buying apple butter at every weekend festival, only to crack open a jar, spread it on toast for two days and completely forget about it in the fridge for a month. This recipe helps me put that remaining half pint to use.
Ingredients
2 cups bread flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 2 ¼ teaspoon yeast 2 teaspoon salt 1 cup apple butter 1 cup apple cider
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b A R N PA R T y
Yields 1 loaf
Optional: ½ cup pecans, ½ cup sunflower seeds, ½ cup dried cranberries (for a more rustic loaf)
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in the apple butter – the dough will be very dry. Stir in the apple cider – now the dough will be very wet. Optional: stir in the nuts and dried fruit. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel until the dough doubles in size, about 10 to 12 hours. Find a bowl similar in shape to your baking vessel – round for a dutch oven, elongated for a loaf baker. Line with Parchment paper and transfer the dough. It will be very sticky. Let rise for 1 – 2 hours. A half hour before baking, preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place your baking vessel and lid in the oven to heat up. Remove the baking vessel and lid from the oven. Carefully transfer the dough in the parchment paper into the baker, cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid – for round loaves, bake for another 10 – 15 minutes until the crust browns. For long loaves, bake for another 5 – 10 minutes. Place the loaf on a cooling rack and allow to rest for 30 minutes. Note: This recipe requires baking the bread in a covered vessel at high heat. A Le Creuset 5 quart dutch oven or something similar works wonderfully, but be warned that newer Le Creusets have lid handles that are only heat rated for 400 degrees. The good news is you can buy stainless steel replacement handles for under $15.
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Serves 4
Traditionally served on New Year’s Day in the South, Hoppin’ John can be used for any meal. Here we dress it up by serving it in an acorn squash. But the best part about making a large batch of beans may be heating up leftovers for breakfast, topped with a fried egg.
Ingredients
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{Hop pin’ John in Ac orn Squash b A R N PA R T y
1 pound black eyed peas, rinsed 6 strips bacon 1 large yellow onion 1 red pepper 3 cloves garlic ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 4 cups chicken stock Salt Black pepper Fresh thyme for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Dice the onion, red pepper, garlic and bacon. In a large Dutch oven (5 quart or more), render the bacon over medium high heat. Add the onion and red pepper and cook until softened. Add the garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes and stir for 1 minute. Add the black eyed peas and stir. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover and bake for two hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Prep the acorn squash by slicing off just enough of the bottom so it will sit upright. Cut off the tops about an inch down, so that the seed cavity is visible. Save the lids. Scoop out the seeds. You can save these for roasting just like pumpkin seeds.
TO MAKE VEGETARIAN: Replace the bacon with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and use vegetable stock in lieu of chicken stock. To get the smoky, rich flavor you’ll lose by skipping the bacon, add 1 cup of mushrooms along with the onion and red pepper.
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4 acorn squash Olive oil Salt Black pepper The beans can be prepared a day in advance if desired.
Rub the inside of the squash with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place the squash in a high sided baking dish—either something with a lid or something you can cover with aluminum foil. The sides should be high enough that any spilled beans won’t destroy your oven. Fill the squash with beans about a half inch shy of the top. Cover with the squash lids, cover the baking dish and place in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour, until the squash is cooked through. Serve with the squash lids removed and place a sprig of fresh thyme across the top for garnish.
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UPSIDE-DOW N CA K E
Serves 10 to 12
I love tarte tatin but, let’s be honest, it doesn’t travel well. I wanted to make a dessert with all the same caramel-melted-fruit goodness that didn’t require me to take over the host’s kitchen for half an hour. You could certainly replace the pears with apples, but I do suggest trying it at least once with pears—their juicy, tender texture practically transforms into a glaze atop the cake.
Ingredients
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{P EA R
b A R N PA R T y
3 large pears 1 cup sugar 1 stick butter, melted
1 stick butter, melted 1½ cups all-purpose flour 1½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Peel the pears and slice into 1/8 inch slices. In a 10 inch cast iron skillet, combine 1 cup sugar and a tablespoon of water. Over medium high heat, cook the sugar into caramel. First the sugar will dissolve. Next the water evaporates out as the sugar turns into a sea of bubbles. Once the bubbles start to turn from white to off-white (almost yellow), remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the stick of melted butter, whisking constantly until the bubbling and foaming stops. Congratulations, you’ve made caramel! Arrange the pear slices on top of the caramel. Use two layers so that almost no caramel is showing. This will prevent the cake from sticking later. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine all the dry ingredients in one bowl. Cream together the remaining stick of butter and ¾ cup of sugar. (I use a stand mixer, but this can be done by hand). Add one egg at a time until incorporated. Add vanilla and scrape down sides of the bowl. Add one third of the dry ingredients, mixing until fully incorporated, then add half the milk. Add another third of the dry ingredients, then the remaining milk, and finally the rest of the dry ingredients, each time mixing until fully incorporated.
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¾ cup sugar 3 large eggs, room temp. ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ cup whole milk, room temp.
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Pour the batter over the pears in the cast iron skillet. It will appear that you don’t have enough batter—you do. Spread it out, but leave a ¼ inch gap from the edge of the pan. This will give the pears the effect of wrapping around the cake. Place on the center rack of the oven. Bake, checking after 30 minutes using a toothpick. The cake is finished when the toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool on a rack for 8 minutes (remove it too soon and the cake won’t set up, leave it too long and the caramel will harden). Run a knife around the edge
of the cake to loosen it from the sides. Using oven mitts, place a large plate over the top of the cast iron skillet and flip everything over. If any pieces stick to the pan, use a spatula to unstick them and place them back on the cake. Let the cake cool completely before serving, about 2 hours. I like to serve this with bourbon whipped cream (1 cup cream, 1 tablespoon bourbon, 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, whipped to soft peaks), but vanilla ice cream works in a pinch. Leftovers make for a smashing breakfast.
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Straw b errY F U TURES
Article and Photos by Caroline Fryar When the weather takes a turn for the cool and crisp, our thoughts turn toward warming stews, rich and hearty roasts and sumptuous cassoulets. If we haven’t already put the garden to bed for the winter beneath a protective cover crop or mulch, we sow the cool-weather crops (see following article) that populate the autumn potager: turnips and carrots, lettuces and other greens. However, if we look at autumn not as the end of this year’s gardening season, but as a vital step in setting the stage for next year’s garden, we can get a good bit of next spring’s work done ahead of time. In the autumn it’s easy to stop looking ahead and planning how to make the future a fruitful one. But, just as goes the mantra in the flower garden—plant in the autumn for spring blooms, plant in the spring for autumn blooms—by setting out strawberries in the early autumn, you’ve ensured a crop of berries for next spring.
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Plant in the Au tumn for Springtime Strawberries Growing Strawberries in Autumn
When planting, place plants 12” to 24” apart, and ensure that the soil level hits right in the center of the crown. Planting strawberries too shallowly might prevent the roots from becoming well-established, while covering the crown too deeply may cause it to rot. Press the soil firmly around the plant, and water. Strawberries’ shallow root systems mean that, unlike many other garden plants, they appreciate frequent shallow watering instead of infrequent deep watering.
The Tricky Parts
How to Overwinter
The primary challenge to fall-planting strawberries is the relative lack of availability. Since demand for strawberries from home gardeners is at its lowest ebb, you might have trouble picking them up at your local garden center or nursery. However, most online retailers should have them available. Timing is another important concern. You want to ensure that your strawberry plants are wellestablished before winter comes.
Next, you’ll want to protect your investment. Strawberries won’t have a hard time overwintering in warmer climates, but temperatures in the low 20s can damage and kill the plants. Wait until temperatures go below freezing, which sends the plants into dormancy. Cover them with a loose mulch of straw or pine needles. Other mulches, such as grass clippings or fallen leaves, pack down too much and can smother the plants. You can weigh the mulch down to prevent wind loss either by watering it or by putting a few pine boughs on top. Another danger you’ll want to watch out for are unseasonably warm days. These can wake the strawberries out of dormancy too early, and the new vulnerable growth will be killed by falling temperatures.
How to Plant Choose a site that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. Strawberries don’t require full sun to produce, and in hot climates, they appreciate a bit of afternoon shade. But they should not be grown in full shade, nor should they be grown where nearby plants might leach away nutrients.
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It’s a little unusual that a home gardener is able to—or should—take direction from commercial growers. But setting out strawberries in autumn is, for most commercial growers, the primary method of cultivation. They, in turn, are following Nature, who sends out her strawberry runners in the summertime, so that they can establish themselves as new plants in the late summer and through the fall. By giving the plants an entire season to establish themselves, the grower is able to reap a harvest of berries the first year—and for several years thereafter— rather than having to pinch off the blossoms of spring plantings so that they can become well-established.
It’s also important to note that strawberries are very shallowly rooted, and therefore cannot withstand drought conditions. The addition of organic matter, especially straw mulch, should help keep the roots cool and consistently moist.
Springtime The soil should be a well-draining sandy loam. Strawberry crowns and roots can be susceptible to rot, so standing water should never be allowed to remain in the strawberry beds. Heavy clay soils can be loosened and lightened by amending the soil with plenty of organic matter.
In the spring, rake the mulch off of your overwintered plants and use it to keep the soil around the plants covered and the weeds down. As soon as the last spring frosts are over, you’re well on your way to a crop of strawberries—and in your first year of growing them! BY H A N D F AL L /W INT E R 201 2
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Different Crops Perform Different Jobs There are different types of cover crops, all of which help in different ways and are especially suited to certain seasons. Most cover crops fall into one or more of the following categories.
TA K E COV ER
Article and Photos by Caroline Fryar Plant Cover Crops in Autumn for a Better Spring Garden
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All gardeners know that the best way to improve the soil in the garden is by the addition of organic matter. We add mulches to the top of the soil, layering on the straw, pine chips, dead leaves, and lawn clippings. Or each year we dig in soil amendments like compost, manure, and ashes. However, by planting cover crops—especially during the autumn, when many garden beds lie empty and unoccupied—you can grow organic matter right in place! What’s more, you’re able to improve the structure of the soil while at the same time protecting it from erosion, smothering out weeds, ridding the soil of pests and keeping the garden lush and beautiful in an otherwise barren season. Since cover crops are sown in a prepared seedbed like any other crop, they can help you pay better attention to the garden’s condition.
Smother Crops
Nitrogen Fixers (Legumes) These plants have a symbiotic relationship with bacteria that live on nodules on their roots. This relationship allows these plants to fix atmospheric nitrogen into a form that other plants are able to use. • Field Peas • Cowpeas • Red Clover • Hairy Vetch • Chickling Vetch • Dutch White Clover
Soil Builders (Green Manure Crops) These plants grow very rapidly and produce a huge amount of biomass. This growth can be harvested as compost, or the whole crop can be tilled under and left to decompose in place. • Oats • Buckwheat • Cowpeas • Ryegrass • Sudangrass • Mustards
Subsoil Improvers (Biodrillers) These plants all have powerful taproots that break up compacted subsoils, making it easier for the next season’s crop to grow in place. They also draw nutrients to the surface, making them more readily available to the next season’s crop.
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These are plants that grow quickly and aggressively, and are useful in helping reclaim a section of the garden that’s been overtaken by weeds. These crops usually grow in hot weather, and should be prevented from going to seed, since they can become weeds themselves. • Buckwheat • Cowpeas • Ryegrass • Sudangrass
• Oilseed Radish • Daikon Radish • Borage • Mustard
Soil Protection These plants are cover crops in the truest sense of the word—they’re grown primarily to protect the soil from compaction and erosion during the winter (or in very hot climates, during the summer). • Oats • Barley • Winter Rye • Vetch • Austrian Winter Peas These crops can, of course, be grown in combination with one another for maximum benefit. The most famous combination is the Landesberger Gemenge, a trifold mixture of hairy vetch, crimson clover, and ryegrass that’s primarily used in Germany. Experiment with your own combinations—that’s the beauty of home gardening.
To Plant One difficult thing about most cover crops is that, whether you purchase your seeds at your local farm store or online, the instructions will most likely be written with a farmer in mind. If you haven’t got a tractor, though, don’t worry. Sowing by hand isn’t an exact science. Just prepare your seedbed as you would for any other direct-seeded crop—remove all weeds and rocks, till the bed, and rake it smooth. Sow your seeds by hand, aiming for 4 or 5 seeds per square inch (if you’re nervous, though, better to err on the side of too many than too few). Rake the bed again to cover the seeds, and water thoroughly. That’s all there is to it—you’re on your way to a magnificently fertile garden next spring! BY H A N D F AL L /W INT E R 201 2
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A Box for storing spuds Project by Paul A. Kocurek “Paul, can you build a box?” Sure! “It’s Photos by Susan Gibbs for potatoes.” Alrighty. “So they will stay fresher longer surrounded by sand instead of just in the air in the pantry.” Umm…OK. There are basically four things you need to know in order to build most anything, within reason, from wood: purpose, materials, dimensions and design. So here is the particular path I chose to take for the curiosity that is the potato box.
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Purpose The bags of potatoes in my grocery store weigh at least 5 or 10 pounds. Add enough sand to cover them up and you’re looking at a reasonably dense payload to support. But not leaking sand was the primary factor in my design, so I knew this box needed to have very tight joints.
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Materials This box is an object that will likely live in my cabinets but would, occasionally, stay on the countertop for a while. Pine is a readily available, easy to work and inexpensive go-to material. And in hindsight I should have simply gone with that, particularly for the wilder grain patterns and lighter weight. As a slightly upgraded alternative however, I decided that poplar might look a little more refined give more stability for those tight joints.
Dimensions Most of my kitchen cabinets have a fixed shelf in them, leaving an opening 19” wide, 10” high and 23” deep. I knew I would not want to dig three layers deep for my potatoes so I wanted to keep it shallow anyway. I wanted the boards I used to be relatively narrow, in keeping with the somewhat diminutive size of the box, because I intended to highlight each joint and showcase the fact that the panels were not simple plywood. That’s what projects are all about, right? Although it comes in widths of 6 and 8”, the poplar I purchased was nominally 4” × 1” × 8’ long. The actual dimensions of such a finished board are 3½“ × ¾” × 8’. I can fit 8’ boards in my station wagon (yes, I will wait for the snickering in the back row to subside) but a good hardware store will either cut longer stock down for you or have shorter lengths (i.e., 6’) available. Or just take your saw along. I went through all of the available 8’ 1”× 4” poplar boards on the rack to choose the least warped and knotted pieces available. It pays later to cherry-pick now.
Design My first thought was to use four 2” × 2” posts in the corners for support and simply screw and glue all of the horizontal side boards to those posts. As my box was so short, however, I decided that it would look much nicer (and subsequently complicate things considerably) to orient the side panel boards vertically. (You know, vertical stripes on your clothes are slimming, right?) So I would be joining 18 boards to complete all four sides instead of just 8 had I used a horizontal orientation. The strongest, most easily repeatable joinery I know is a biscuit joint, which basically inserts a prefabricated spline into a gap that is made very consistently using a plate joiner (described more below). Here again, had I used horizontal boards on the sides then just glued butt joints with a center stile for extra support, that would have been more than sufficient.
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A box is a pretty boring design all by itself, so I decided to add some decorative stiles around the sides and matching ones on the top (using the same poplar but from a board with darker grain). This was just a style element, but I did use it to incorporate attachment points for the simple rope handles I had in mind.
Construction
Marking We all know we’re supposed to use a sharp wooden pencil to lightly draw any lines and marks on boards but I could not find one quickly so I used a mechanical pencil, which can also work well. I marked far too heavily, however, assuming I would erase or sand out any marks that remained. This caused much more sanding and bother than it ever should have, so do yourself a favor and mark lightly. Regarding sanding, I do so lightly at every opportunity, particularly before any gluing. Since I did not intend to finish this box with any stain or lacquer, I skipped using 120 and 220 grit, and used only 80 grit, which takes off sharp edges but leaves a slightly rustic feel. Remember that any blade has a cutting width (or “kerf”), so I recommend marking each board length individually after each cut, instead of trying to mark all the cuts at one time. This is a personal preference, but make sure you account for your blade kerf if you decide to mark all the cuts on your board at once. When laying out several boards to form a panel I find it helpful to draw a large triangle across all of the boards once I have put them in order for a grain pattern that I like. This way you can always recreate that order even after piling up
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the wood to cut or edge all the boards at once. For multiple panels of identical dimensions I draw a double-lined triangle for the second panel in order to differentiate it from the first.
Cross-cutting You will waste much less wood eliminating warps and straightening edges if you start your project by cutting your boards down to just slightly longer than their intended, finished lengths. I added 1/8” to the planned length of each of my boards, then used an electric crosscut radial saw to cut them. A miter box and hand saw would serve just as well, simply taking longer (but would be much more pleasantsounding to any neighbors and likely satisfying to the builder). The key to tight, straight joints is to ensure that all of your tools are properly set up and sharp. You need consistent 90° angles for each cut or everything you glue will try to shift, warp and gap under clamping pressure (even more than usual).
Jointing My power jointer is temporarily out of service so I used my table saw to straighten the sides of my boards. I ran the boards along my table saw fence set to 3 3/16” to take out any slight curve or slant from the first board edge. (If your board is warped, always begin with the concave warp against the saw fence in order to prevent rocking the convex side along the fence as you cut.) I trued one side of all 24 (based on my overkill design) top, bottom and side boards then decreased the saw cutting width another 1 16 / ” and ran the second side through. It is also very useful to determine a primary flat surface on each board to act as your
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reference and ensure that side is used for all measuring and cutting (down against the table saw top in this case). CAUTION! (Even to manly men like me who scoff at manuals and eat warning labels for breakfast.) When working with narrow stock on a table saw it is critical to use all recommended safety equipment and rules. This includes REAL safety goggles, push-sticks, raising the blade just one tooth higher than the board being cut, and so on. Narrow boards leave very little surface for you to hold and are therefore much easier for the blade to catch (and then fling back at you at a somewhat unbelievable, alarming and dangerous speed). Your digits are also running very close to that hungry blade so do them a favor and use the sticks to put some distance between flesh and metal teeth.
The best non-electric jointing alternative I have is a 14” jack plane. For short pieces like the ones in my design I would have clamped the plane on its side at 90° to my workbench with a flat ¾” board clamped down in front of the plane (to run the boards being cut over the center of the plane blade and not its edge). I would have then pushed the boards past this fixed setup. With short material I find it is almost always better to run the board past the cutting blade than to try to maneuver the larger machine or saw over the small board.
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angles so I set the joiner fence angle to either 90 or 0°, depending on whether I was joining the edge or face of the board, respectively. Here again, always use the marked “reference” surface of your boards to register your tools (in this case the plate joiner fence rests on this surface).
Chamfering Edges In order to highlight the solid-wood nature of the joints for this project, I decided to cut a small “V” at each joint by chamfering the edge of each board at 45° about 1/8” in depth. I edged the first board using a simple block plane which was very satisfying and quick. However, as my design choice left me with so many boards, I cut the remaining edges with a router table and 45° bit. Again, I highly recommend bringing the small boards to a fixed router secured to the underside of the router table rather than trying to clamp each board and then bringing the router to it.
Joinery There are about as many ways to join two boards as there are types of wood in the world. A plate (or “biscuit”) joiner is one of my favorites. I place the two boards together, mark a line on each board near the edge where I intend the biscuit spline to go, then align the joiner’s centerline to the mark and cut a slot. All of the wood I used was ¾” thick so I set the joiner height to cut exactly in the middle of the board ( 3/8”). The biscuits come in several sizes so I use the largest that will fit my boards without showing through. In this case it was a #20 biscuit so I set the joiner depth to the #20 preset (simple is good). All of my joints were either flat or at right
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As this box is intended to fit into my cabinet with one of the shorter ends showing, I wanted those short sides to hide the ¾” edge of the longer sides. As such, I joined the edges of the longer sides to the back (or inside) face of the shorter sides (see finished box photos). A miter joint could have worked here instead of simple butt joints but, again, I was adamant about showing solid-wood design and the miter joint was just a bit too fancy. It is these smaller details in planning that can take a project from simply functional to fun and attractive. Or maybe my OCD is just peeking through a bit.
Gluing Panels I adhere to the notion that you can never have too many clamps in a shop. If my math is correct I had 6 panels to glue up for this box. In my experience
Leached-in stains can be deep and difficult or impossible to sand out so use plenty of wax paper. And always have plenty of wet paper towels nearby for wiping up glue squeeze-out and your fingers.
nothing is better (or more expensive) than Bessey “K Clamps” (not shown) for reducing warp and evenly distributing pressure, but I only have four of those. Even with my “perfectly” right-angle-jointed and “precisely” biscuit-joined panels, however, wood just wants to creep once the glue is on. I always dry fit the parts together complete with all clamps in order to determine their number and positions. It is much better to plan the clamp order before your glue is on and drying as fast as the Jeopardy theme song. Try to use just enough pressure to close a joint during clamping; any excess pressure will only contribute to more warping. I always use too much glue so water cleanup is essential for me. As such, Original Titebond has always worked fine. Use wax paper between the wood and anything touching it to prevent gluing to clamps, the floor or any other substance. This practice can also prevent nasty stains from leaching into wood from nearby metals touching the glue. For me this means both the clamp bars and the free weights I used to keep my panels from bowing while clamped. (I knew those weights were good for something.)
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Although some people leave glue to dry and then scrape it off later I find it is easier to clean up as I go. Drying a little is fine and a little less messy, but drying completely has always been a problem for me.
Post-Glue-up Panel Trimming Every once in a while I am realistic. In this case I know that, regardless of my precision and efforts, my panel boards are going to shift during clamp-up and be slightly crooked. To straighten and square the edges of my panels I again used the table saw. In this case I needed a reference edge 90° to the end board. The solution here was to use doublesided carpet tape to secure a straight edge to the panel. I used a carpenter’s square to align a straightedge perpendicular to the end board then stuck it down to the tape on the panel. Running the straight-edge along my table saw fence, I trimmed just enough of the opposite panel edge to true it up. Then I removed the straightedge and
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tape, pressed the freshly cut panel side against the table saw fence and finaltrimmed the squared panel. To remain consistent, I chamfered all of the nowsquare edges of each panel as I had done to the individual boards.
Joining Panels The beautiful thing about the plate joiner is that it works as easily for right-angle joints between side and bottom panels as it does for the edge joints within a panel. Hold the two panels together, mark the inside edge of each panel, then cut the slots on each board for the next round of biscuits. I first joined the longer side panels to the bottom panel, then joined the shorter end panels to that.
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Stiles and Top Trim The horizontal trim I incorporated is the same ¾” poplar cut down to1 ½” wide strips, again chamfered and then biscuit joined to both the side and top panels. By sawing two small channels (officially called “dadoes” because they are across the grain) across the inside of the stiles on the end panels I created a space to thread and anchor the 3 8 / ” rope for the handles. I cut the walls of these dadoes about halfway through the board with a hand saw and then chiseled out the wood between the cut walls. The final step was to glue strips to the underside of the top panel so it would fit and stay nicely atop the box. I biscuit-joined another round of wood strips fitted to match the finished interior dimensions of the box. A few air holes drilled into the top and voila! Hopefully you will find in this article a few helpful hints that you can apply to your own next project, even if you do not value your potatoes’ freshness enough to justify this particular box. Until next time, keep your blades sharp and enjoy the sawdust.
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Here’s what you’ll need for this Appliqué Patch project: Fabric (I am using my printed embroidery sampler, but any fabric will do) Embroidery Floss Hand Embroidery Needle An Embroidery Hoop A Fabric Marking Pen (I like Frixion Gel Pens, since they Iron – Off)
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Fusible Web (such as Steam-A-Seam or Heat n’ Bond) A Sewing Machine Sewing Machine Thread Heavy Duty Hand Sewing Thread (such as button twist or carpet thread) A Stencil to Delineate Your Shape I used a ready made plastic stencil, but you could easily cut your own or use something you have laying around, like a canning ring.
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DIY EMBROIDERED PATCHES Project and Photos by Rebecca Ringquist
Walking into the lost baggage office, I had a sinking feeling. The polka dot scarf that had once been tied to my handle had long ago fallen off or disintegrated, leaving no distinguishing mark left to identify my suitcase. It was a black roll-aboard in a sea of black roll-aboards. Luckily, this story ends well, and after a night of sleeping in my clothes and worrying about the state of all my class supplies my suitcase arrived, safe and sound. All this got me thinking about a way of customizing my luggage. A friend recommended painting big bright stars or polka dots on the outside. Someone at the airport had a rainbow belt tightened firmly around the middle. I figured I could do better.
For a long time, I’ve been slowly collecting iron-on appliqués. The first one in my collection was carefully peeled off my down vest when I was nine. The vest didn’t fit any longer but I loved the patch so much that I saved it and have carried it around all these years. Others were found in thrift stores. My favorite is the Boy Scout patch that reads Fourth of July. I’ve never done anything with these, but every so often I get them out to have a look. I like the way the machine stitches are combined and overlapped to make the distinctive logos and designs. The other day, during a studio clean-out, I came across the collection and a light bulb went off. Soon, I stitched up a pile of my own iron-ons. Shortly thereafter, every bag, suitcase and store brand grocery sack in the house had its own custom patch.
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Recently I travelled to Tennessee to teach a week-long workshop at Arrowmont School of Crafts. I packed lightly, and didn’t check my bags. But, as so often happens these days, the airline offered to check my bag at the gate. Having already dragged it through LaGuardia, I jumped at the chance to not lug it through two more airports, and happily handed it over. Arriving in Knoxville (can you see where this is going?) I stood at the luggage carousel and waited. A steady stream of black roll-aboards came down the conveyor belt, but I could tell that none of them were mine. Finally, there was one purple suitcase that went around in circles for about five minutes before I admitted defeat.
For these patches, I used part of one of the embroidery samplers I designed, which you can find at www.etsy.com/shop/dropcloth. However, this same technique would work equally well with a bit of found embroidery, or even a scrap of your favorite printed cloth. Look around your house to see what you already have! A bright patch of polka dots from a donation pile shirt might be just what you need to make your suitcase more recognizable and fun.
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• Use a stencil to mark a circle (or oval, or square) on your fabric. This will be the area that you’ll embellish, and later will be the line you follow with your sewing machine to create a border. A stencil works great for this, but you could also trace a shape you like, such as another patch. • Once you’ve got your shape outlined, you can begin to embroider the area. I recommend backing your fabric first with another piece of fabric to make your overall patch thicker. Rather than basting the two together, lay one over the other and squash them together using an embroidery hoop. The embroidery will hold them together. The embroidery hoop will also keep everything neat and tidy, and help to alleviate any hand strain. For the patch I’m demonstrating, I used the running stitch, the back-stitch, and the filled running stitch. These three basic stitches can take you a really long way, and are great for any kind of line work. If you decide not to use a sampler, use your marking pen to draw out a picture or text, and embroider over the top of it. • When you’re finished with your embroidery, I recommend adding just a little more. Your appliqué will be even better if you add a little more running stitch in the background to make an interesting texture. Go ahead! • Ok, now if you’re really finished, it’s time to take your fabric out of the hoop and iron it. When you’ve got it upside down on the ironing board, cut out a piece of fusible web that is bigger than your embroidered area. You can see in my photo that I colored the back of my fusible web with stripes to show you how much bigger it is.
• Iron the fusible web pieces to the backside of your embroidery. • Flip over and iron a little from the front side. If you’re worried about squishing your embroidery (for example, if you’ve got a lot of French knots) I recommend using a pressing cloth (any piece of fabric will do). • Now you’re ready to sew. Bring your fabric over to your threaded sewing machine and sew a tight zig-zag (or satin) stitch around the edge of your appliqué. I like to go around twice to make a nice dense border. • Cut out your appliqué. Get right up to the edge of your stitches with sharp scissors. Try not to cut through the zig-zag stitches you just made. • Now your appliqué is free from the rest of the fabric, but you’re not done yet. • Sew a third layer of zig-zag stitches around the edge of your appliqué, using the stitch to hide any stray fabric or loose threads. I line up the needle of my machine so it is overhanging the fabric on the right side, and stitch along, covering the edge as I go. Go around a few times until you’re satisfied with the way your appliqué looks. The edges might curl a little, but will get flattened out later when you stitch it to your suitcase or bag. • Now that your appliqué is finished, you can apply it right away, or make a few more and start a collection. Leave the backing paper on your fusible web until you’re ready to use it. • I picked the aforementioned suitcase for my appliqué, but a tote bag or backpack (or even a heavy denim jacket) would work just as well. Use your iron again to tack the appliqué temporarily in place. I say temporarily, because in my experience, the fusible web is more of a replacement for pins than a replacement for sewing. It is not permanent, especially if you’re going to be sending this bag down a baggage carousel. • Finally, use a sharp needle threaded with carpet thread to attach your appliqué. I like to use a contrasting color so that it shows up over the machine stitching.
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LATTICE COWL Pattern by Caroline Fryar Size: One Size Finished Measurements: 13” x 7” / 33 cm x 18 cm
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2 hanks Herriot in color #03 Bullrush 2 24-inch US 5 (3.75mm) circular needles Stitch marker, scrap yarn, tapestry needle
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Gauge: 18 sts and 30 rows = 4”/10cm in lattice stitch.
Stitc h Pattern :
Lattice Stitch (worked in the rnd; multiple of 6 sts): Rnd 1 and all odd rows: K all sts Rnd 2: k1, sl 5 wyif**; rep from * until end of rnd Rnd 4: k3, *insert right needle tip under loose strand and k1, bringing st our from under strand, k5; rep from * until 2 sts rem, k2. Rnd 6: k4, *k1, sl5 wyif; rep from * until 3 sts rem in rnd, k1, sl5 wyif (this last sl5 wyif will include the first 3 sts of rnd 7). Rnd 8: *insert right needle tip under loose strand and k1, bringing st our from under strand, k5; rep from *
Cowl
CO 120 sts using provisional cast-on. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist sts. Work rnds 1-8 of Lattice Stitch 15 times. Piece should measure 14” / 35.5 cm.
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Place provisionally cast-on sts on second circular needle. Bringing the top and bottom edges of the piece together, wrong sides facing, graft two ends together using Kitchener St. Block to measurements and weave in ends. Wear with Kitchener seam turned to inside. ** “with yarn in front” BY H A N D F AL L /W INT E R 201 2
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LATTICE GLOVES Pattern by Caroline Fryar Size: Women’s (Men’s) Finished Measurements: Palm Circumference: 8” (10”) / 20 cm (25 cm)
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Note: 1 pair of women’s and 1 pair of men’s gloves can be made from two hanks of Herriot. Women’s MC: 1 ball Herriot in color #08 Sycamore CC: 1 ball Herriot in color #06 River Birch Men’s MC: 1 ball Herriot in color #06 River Birch CC: 1 ball Herriot in color #08 Sycamore US 3 (3.25mm) double-point needles Stitch markers, scrap yarn, tapestry needle.
Gauge:
22 sts and 27 rows = 4”/10cm in St st. 25 sts and 32 rows = 4”/10cm
Stitc h Pattern :
Two-Color Lattice Stitch (worked in the rnd; multiple of 6 sts): Rnd 1: using MC, k1, sl5 wyif**; rep from * until end of rnd. Rnds 2 and 3: using CC, K all sts Rnd 4: using MC, k3, *insert right needle tip under loose strand and k1, bringing st our from under strand, sl5 wyib; rep from * until 3 sts rem, insert right needle tip under loose strand and k1, sl5 wyif (this last sl5 will include the first 3 sts of rnd 5). Rnd 5: using MC, *k1, sl5 wyif; rep from * until 3 sts rem, sl 3 wyib. Rnds 6 and 7: rep rnds 2 and 3. Rnd 8: *insert right needle tip under loose strand and k1, bringing st our from under strand, k5; rep from *
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Cuff Using i-cord cast-on, CO 36 (48) sts in CC, pm, and join to work in the round. K 1 rnd in CC. Join MC and work 8 rnds of Two-Color Lattice Stitch 3 times. K 1 rnd in CC. Work should measure 2.5” / 6.5 cm
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Wrist Break CC. Working in MC, k 6 rnds.
more times. 6 (12) sts inc’d. - 48 (60) sts.
Thumb Gusset: Left-Handed Glove
Next rnd: Place first 7 (13) sts on scrap yarn, removing both thumb markers. Using half-hitch cast-on, CO 7 (13) sts over thumbhole and cont working rem sts in rnd. - 48 (60) sts.
Thumb set-up rnd: K 17, pm, k1, pm, k 24 (30). Thumb inc rnd: K to first thumb marker, sm, m1, k to next thumb marker, m1, sm, k rem sts. Rep Thumb inc rnd every other rnd 2 (5) more times. 6 (12) sts inc’d. - 48 (60) sts. K 1 rnd. Next rnd: K to first thumb marker, and place next 7 (13) sts on scrap yarn, removing both thumb markers. Using half-hitch cast-on, CO 7 (13) sts over thumbhole and cont working rem sts in rnd. - 48 (60) sts.
Fingers Place the 6 sts before and after beginningof-round marker on DPNs, removing marker, and place rem sts on scrap yarn. Join 12 sts to work in the rnd.
Palm K 12 (8) rnds. Fingers Next Rnd: K18, place next 12 sts (6 sts before and after side marker) on DPNs, placing rem 36 sts onto scrap yarn. Join 12 sts to work in the rnd. K 13 rnds, or until desired length. Next Rnd: *k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. - 6 sts rem Break yarn and draw through rem 6 sts. Follow instructions for ring, middle, and index fingers as on right hand.
Next Rnd: *k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. - 6 sts rem
Thumb Put 7 (13) held sts on DPN, pick up 7 (13) cast-on sts with another DPN, and pick up 3 (1) sts in each corner of thumb. - 20 (28) sts
Break yarn and draw through rem 6 sts.
Pm and join to work in the rnd.
Place rem 48 (36) sts back on DPNs and join to work in the rnd.
Thumb Dec Rnd: *K2tog, k 6 (10), ssk; rep from * once more. - 16 (24) sts rem.
K 3 rnds.
Women’s Size Only: Work in the rnd until thumb measures 1.5” / 4 cm or desired length
K 13 rnds, or until desired length.
**Place the 6 (8) sts directly to the left and right of the join onto DPNs, and place rem sts on scrap yarn. Join 12 (16) sts to work in the rnd. K 13 (17) rnds, or until desired length. Next Rnd: *k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. - 6 (8) sts rem
Men’s Size Only: Next Rnd: *k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. - 4 sts rem All Sizes Resume: Break yarn and draw through rem 6 (4) sts. Rep from ** for middle and index fingers. Thumb Gusset: Right-Handed Glove Thumb set-up rnd: K1, pm, k17, pm, k 24 (30). Thumb inc rnd: M1, k to second thumb marker, m1, sm, k rem sts. Rep Thumb inc rnd every other rnd 2 (5)
ST I T CH
Palm K 12 (8) rnds.
K 1 rnd.
Men’s Size Only: K 4 rnds. Rep Thumb Dec Rnd every 4th rnd 2 more times. - 16 sts =Work in the rnd until thumb measures 2” / 5 cm or desired length All Sizes Resume: Dec Rnd: K2tog around. - 8 sts rem. Rep Dec Rnd once more, break yarn, and draw tail through rem 4 sts.
F ini s h in g
Using Kitchener st, graft together two ends of i-cord cast-on. Weave in all ends, sewing up small holes between fingers and thumb as you find them. Block to measurements. ** “with yarn in front” BY H A N D F AL L /W I NT E R 201 2
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ST I T CH
SEW SIMPLE Project and Photos by Virginia Johnson
Sewing napkins is perhaps one of the simplest sewing pleasures. When I fall in love with a fabric or an entire collection of fabrics, I can’t help but purchase fat quarters to create a series of napkins. We exclusively use fabric napkins in our home and it makes even the most mundane bowl of cereal feel fancy. Every Thanksgiving I sew a dozen napkins for our annual dinner for our “chosen” family: people that can’t leave town for the holiday or without blood family with which we share this symbolic meal. It’s my favorite holiday, a day that I spend cooking food from my garden and from my local farmers. A day I spend with my spouse making dinner for old and new friends. When I use one of the napkins from a past Thanksgiving I take a moment to remember that particular meal: the menu, the experience, the people. The three versions I’ve laid out in the tutorial are simple but make gorgeous napkins. There
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are different ways to create mitered corners but I find the method in Version 1 produces the most consistent results. I use this method on placemats and curtains. Version 2 also has mitered corners but instead of machine stitching the hem, it is stitched by hand. I learned the cross stitch hem from my grandmother when I was only eight and helping her mend some of my grandfather’s work pants. It’s an exceptionally strong hem stitch (perfect for multiple washings) but also quite beautiful. By using an embroidery thread it becomes decorative as well functional. Version 3 is probably the fastest way to make a napkin, but you’ll need a serger/overlock machine. The roll hem is perfect for lightweight fabrics. The last set of napkins is made from a Kaffe Fassett shot cotton which is the perfect weight for the roll hem. You could use a contrast thread to create a decorative edge—I love edging natural linen with red thread.
T H R EE L OV ELY V ER S I O N S
2
ST I T CH
1
3
W h at yo u ’ ll need for 6 nap k in s
2 yards of Fabric (we used three 2/3 -yard pieces in three different fabrics) Matching Thread (100 meters of all-purpose thread for machine stitched napkins, pearl cotton embroidery thread for hand stitched napkins, and three cones of overlock thread for roll hemmed napkins) Pins Hand Sewing Needle Scissors Pencil Ruler Rotary Cutter Cutting Mat
PRELIMINARY STEPS FOR ALL THREE VERSIONS Wash and press your fabric. (Really, you are going to use these to eat with! You should make sure that any sizing has been removed and that if you’re fabric has any residual dyes on the fabric or that if it shrinks that it happens BEFORE you throw them into the wash as napkins.) Using a rotary cutter, trim away the selvage edge of your fabric Now cut your fabric into 21” squares. BY H A N D F AL L /W I NT E R 201 2
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ST I T CH
V er s ion 1 Mitered Napkins with Machine Edge-Stitching
Press all edges of your 21” squares up using a ¼” to ½” hem. I use a seam gauge and a steam iron set to the highest temperature appropriate for the fabric.
Now press those edges up another 1”.
Unfold the second edge and now fold one of the corners so that the right sides are together. Take your see-thru ruler and line it up as pictured.
Draw a diagonal line connecting the folded edge to the pressed hem. Stitch on the line, then trim the point away. Repeat on remaining corners. Pop out your points—use a chopstick, knitting needle or the eraser end of a pencil to get a sharp point.
Press down the hem again, pin, and edge stitch, pivoting at the corners.
Voilà and bon
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V er s ion 2 Mitered Napkins with Decorative Cross Stitch Hem Follow the directions for Version 1 until the edge-stitch. Instead of edge-stitching the hem you will hand stitch this using a cross stitch (also known as the catch stitch). In our version, I used Valdani pearl cotton embroidery floss.
To hem, you’ll be stitching through the single layer above the fold and then into the hem. Notice in the photo that the point of the needle is always pointing towards the left while you stitch from left to right. You’ll want to pivot in the corners, hiding the thread beneath the fold. Hem all four sides and knot your work under the hem where you began.
ST I T CH
V er s ion 3 Rolled Hem Using an Overlock Machine Trim napkins as per Version 1. Using an overlock machine, set it to create a 3-thread rolled hem. Every overlock machine is different but on my Singer Profinish the settings are as pictured. You want the lower looper tension to be higher to pull the upper looper around the raw edge. Trim a ¼” off as you roll the hem of all four sides. Leave long chains at the end of each corner so you can thread a needle with the chain and weave the thread chain under the wrapped edge. Then clip the chain close to the woven end. This will keep the chain from unraveling when you wash and dry your napkin.
ap pétit!
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CRAFT 62 BY H AND FALL/W I N T ER 2 0 1 2
CRAFT
CRAFT BY H A N D F AL L /W INT E R 201 2
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Craft AS CURE CRAFT
By Kathryn Vercillo
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Millions of people across the world are choosing to return to a handmade way of life. at my brain so that I was too scattered to focus on reading, too fatigued to exercise and too unhappy to try new things. But I could stay in my bed, snuggled up against the soft threads from a skein of baby alpaca yarn, and pull one loop through another until I’d created a scarf, a sweater or a blanket. It was not until I’d passed through to the other side of depression that I really began to see the benefits of crochet in my life. Once I did, I became immensely curious as to how others were using the craft to heal from depression, and from other illnesses as well. I quickly learned that thousands of people out there also felt that crafting had saved their lives in a time when nothing else was working, in a way that nothing else could do.
CRAFT
Men and women alike craft items when it would be easier, quicker and often more affordable to just buy those items from a local big box store. There are countless valid reasons for doing this, including the value of supporting the local economy, the joys of giving and receiving personalized gifts and the benefits that upcycling has for the earth. But at the heart of this handmade movement might be something even more pressing than those important values and ideals. People craft because it cures them. It cures specific physical health conditions, helps battle the symptoms of numerous mental health issues and offers benefits that improve the quality of life overall. I know this because crochet saved my life.
Crafting through Depression I began to crochet when I was in such a deep pit of depression that there was almost nothing else I was capable of doing. I couldn’t get up and go to a job every day because, frankly, I couldn’t get up every day. I couldn’t socialize with my friends because I felt worthless and life felt pointless and the choice between saying that and bringing others down or putting on a happy face while dying inside didn’t seem to have any possible positive outcome. Depression ate away
“Crochet helps me to calm down and relax, shifts my focus from misery to something interesting and pleasurable, and gives me the ability to create and thereby keep myself mentally healthy.” – Elisabeth-Andree, from Crochet Saved My Life
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T H E B EN EF I T S O F C RO C H E T
Mental Health Benefits Crochet helps battle depression in a myriad of ways, both physical and mental. Some of the major benefits include: • Crochet is a repetitive task that releases serotonin in the brain. This is a chemical that helps boost feelings of wellness.
CRAFT
• Crochet is calming and soothing. It helps you to practice mindfulness and being “in the moment” where things are safe and secure. This helps you break the negative cycles of rumination that can exacerbate depression and anxiety. • Crafting helps build self-esteem. Mental illness of any kind takes away feelings of self-worth. The less worthy you feel, the worse the situation gets. By creating something from scratch, you can feel a sense of pride that helps to get you back on track to a more positive life.
Although my own experience was in healing from depression, there are women who are using crochet to help them cope with the symptoms and effects of other mental health conditions as well. Crochet can help moderate moods for people with bipolar disorder, ease social anxiety for those on the autism spectrum, ground schizophrenics in reality and prevent/reduce flashbacks in sufferers of PTSD.
“During one of my last OB appointments my doctor said to try to bring something in the delivery room that would put my focus on something other than childbirth, and maybe that would help. I immediately decided to bring a crochet project. It definitely helped take my mind off of the pain.” – Kristine Mullen, Ambassador of Crochet from Crochet Saved My Life
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Physical Health Benefits of Crochet Finally, crafting offers a tangible, simple and affordable form of stress-relief. It lowers the blood pressure, boosts the immune system and increases general health. Stress is a leading contributor to many health conditions, including diabetes and heart disease, and it can exacerbate almost all other health problems. By actively taking time out each day to enjoy crafting, you can reduce your stress levels and improve your total health and well-being. So the next time someone asks you why you are crocheting a sweater instead of just buying one, let him know that it is your self-prescribed medication for a healthier, happier life!
CRAFT
Crochet works wonders for people dealing with mental health conditions but it can also be used to soothe and heal from physical ailments. The same serotonin release that helps boost feelings of happiness also acts as an analgesic or natural painkiller, allowing crochet to serve as a more holistic form of pain relief. People who have chronic pain combined with substance abuse issues may want to find a way to deal with the pain without drugs and crochet can be an option. Women on bed rest for difficult pregnancies who want to limit pain medication because of potential side effects for the baby also use crochet this way. In addition to providing a serotonin release, crafting provides a much-needed distraction from pain. This can be an immense relief for people with ongoing chronic pain conditions. In some cases, it is even used as a form of physical therapy to help limber up the fingers, reduce joint pain in the hands and increase range of motion in the wrist and arms.
The information contained in this article is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Consult your physician before making any changes.
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CRAFT
Behold the Cookie Tree! Let’s take a moment to collectively declare that there is nothing more cherished, more spirit warming, more hoarded or thieved than the cookie. There is just something about biting into one of these wee packages of goodness— whether rolled, dropped or pressed, dressed up with bits of chocolate, dried fruit, nuts or grain—that completes you when you didn’t even know you weren’t whole. But how do you serve something so humble in its perfection? This is the baker’s lament. Putting them on a plate, no matter how lovely, doesn’t do them justice. Pretty jar, nope. Ecofriendly custom printed bakery boxes, alright maybe. Cookie tree—wait! Back up, did someone say cookie tree? Yes indeedy I did. There isn’t a more inventive way to celebrate this noble confection while delighting your guests with the glory of fall. And, nothing tests a baker’s metal like a simple cut-out sugar cookie, made, cut, baked and decorated to perfection. It’s a labor of love plain and simple.
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SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Recipe by Jeannie Bloch / Photographs by Susan Gibbs 2½ cups all-purpose flour ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda
Whisk together flours, salt and baking soda and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer (or using hand mixer), cream together butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and incorporate eggs and vanilla. Scrape down the bowl again. Blend in ¼ of the flour mixture. Continue to mix flour in gradually till soft dough forms.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Dust hands, counter and rolling pin with confectioners’ sugar and roll dough to desired thickness. Cut out the desired number of leaves. Chill 10-15 minutes to reduce spreading during baking, then make a hole in the lower third of each cookie, approximately ¼” in diameter (try a toothpick or chopstick). Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Cookies should be golden around the edges. Makes about 3 dozen cookies. Cookies will keep in an airtight container for about a week.
* EDITOR’S NOTE:
We’re classifying this project as craft , rather than cook because you’re cookie tree will be no less spectacular and awe-inspiring if you have a local bakery make and ice your cookies. You will need to provide the leaf cookie cutter of your choice and explain that you need a sturdy roll-out cookie.
Royal I cin g
3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (trick: run sugar through food processor and skip sifting) 2 large egg whites 2 teaspoons lime juice (produces a very tangy icing—if you prefer less tartness use lemon juice or water) In the bowl of an electric mixer at low speed, combine egg whites and lime juice, then mix in sugar. This should give you icing suitable for flooding the outline with icing. To check icing consistency, dip a spoon into the icing and allow it to fall from the spoon in ribbons. If it stays on the surface for a few seconds, it’s ready.
CRAFT
Divide dough into two balls, then flatten into disks and chill for at least one hour.
2 sticks butter, softened 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For bordering, the icing should be thicker. Add a few tablespoons of powdered sugar till at desired consistency. For thinner icing use additional liquid, adding it only a teaspoon at a time. Makes about 3 cups (varies with thickness) To assemble the tree you will need an empty planter, pruning shears, 2 dozen medium-sized garden stones and 3 to 4 bare tree branches of approximately equal size. First choose branches that will make a nice balanced “canopy” when they are put together. Inspect the tips of the branches for buds and splits. You’ll want to prune these tips to make them as clean and trim as possible. Next arrange branches in the empty planter and fill stones in around them for stability. Once the tree is stable you can begin hanging the cookies on the branches. If using more than one type of leaf, keep color and shape in mind while placing the cookies. Removing and replacing them is a recipe for broken cookies. BY H A N D F AL L /W INT E R 201 2
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A B I G T H A N K YO U TO A LL O F O U R K I C KS TA RT ER BAC K ER S Lori Schafer
Iryna Merideth
Genesneaky
Victoria Yuen
Amanda Severin
Karen Watson
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Carlin Reagan
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Cirelle Raphalian
Wheat M Carr
Shoshana
Kathy Frey
Jeremy Nagel
Cloo Less
Alison
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C G Peck
Joan B
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Nicole Waters Almaraz Deb Boyken Laurie Pam Genant Lori Shields Heidi Rabe Kate Stanton Megan Larsen Dragan in honor of her friend Evie Ansel Marscha Hubbs Dona Nancy Franklin Kathy Tonegawa M.K. Carroll Nina Paula Adelaide Lewis
Tracy
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Sam Boice
Sionen Cant
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Jennifer Mayer
Maia Discoe
Cindy Valk-Danish
Diane Ellis
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Sarah Humke Rita Lochhead
Shannon Okey and the fantastic Cooperative Press
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Jane Del Favero
Lucy Anne Tillett
Susan Isenhart
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Julie McNeill
Rebecca Klier
Mary Earle
Nancy Pope
Leigh Spiro
Jean Lightner Norum
Felicity Estrin
Lori Perrine
Jennifer Hales
Amy Gower
Christine Cheson
Patti Filak
Lisa Check
Mary Heseltine
Therese Servas
Mims Copeland Joy McCalvin Fogler Rubinoff LLP Trish DiZio Lynn Chouw Eliza Ablovatski Julie Cahn Leann Shotton Heather waterman Sarah McConnell Kristen Harris Jeff Lubitsky Roni Pfrang Jennifer Furlong Veronica Webb Dan Liebman Heather Bergman Lauren Slingluff Natalie Eslick Joy Adiletta Jen Johnson Jessie Spressart Krysta Harty Melissa Harper Renee Perry Melissa Savoy Cris Ferguson Hannah Ball
Beverly Katz Jennifer Elliott Carol C. Wesley Toni Danza Savchuck Pamela Milam Amanda Moore Lisa King Deb & Jim C L Waller Dianne MacDonald Nancy M. Tecla Caro and Splityarn Seanna Lea LoBue Marisa Stroud Kat Kennedy Bethany Hick Carol Hughes Grace Hackney Fran Kennedy Jennifer Cox Rebecca Hurley Megan Shortridge Jennifer Toms Susan Lehto Peggy Kane William Horvath II Christina Del Villar Grace & Tony Hackney
Emily Bradford Meryl Devulder Alison Murphy Branchhomestead (Kimm, Andrew and the lovely Helen!!!!) BY H A N D F AL L /W I NT E R 201 2
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Co m in g u p in o u r Sprin g 2 0 1 3 i s s u e
Grow Your Own Placemats Starting Baby Chicks Soil Blocks 101
A Visit to a Master Craftsman’s Workshop Conserving Heritage Livestock and lots more…