Springtime Aprons

 

Spring has finally arrived where I live. It is such a joy to see the first spring flowers bloom. Our crab apple tree is about ready to blossom, and our favorite springtime birds have returned after the long winter. Over the weekend Jemimah spotted our first Baltimore Oriole of the season, as well as the return of beef cows across the road. It is wonderful to see her delight in these signs of spring's return.

The past few weeks have been busy with spring cleaning and garden preparations. Adam has increased the size of our garden and has plans of planting sweet corn this year.

I have also found time to sew some aprons for my Etsy page, Lilacs in Spring.

Yesterday I listed eight aprons and a few kitchen towels. The first apron shown in this post is sewn from a fabric that truly reflects the season! While sewing the apron I seemed to spot a different flower with each step of the sewing process. There are irises, roses, lily of the valley, daisies and more.

If you are looking for a new spring apron be sure to visit my page and take a peek at my new listings. I have some other aprons cut-out so hopefully I will be adding some other aprons in the next few weeks.

Are you enjoying beautiful springtime blooms where you live? What is your favorite?

"Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight." Psalm119:35

September/October

  This fall has been beautiful. The days have been remarkably warm and summer like. We have been enjoying spending as much time outside as we can, hence my absence from my blog. : ) 

The month of September was lovely! We enjoyed the bounty of our garden, which was our best harvest since living here. Adam's berry bushes really took off this year. In the picture above is just some of the elderberries he collected this fall! We have frozen the berries and look forward to making elderberry pies in the near future. Adam's blackberries, red raspberries and red currants did equally well. We have been enjoying delicious pies and jams with even greater pleasure since the fruit came from our own garden.

 This is just one day of my canning efforts. Like previous years I canned tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, soups, zucchini, pickles and several jams. If interested in any of the recipes I used, I included links in this post. In addition to canning I froze some baked goods this year. We had such an abundance of zucchini I decided to make a variety of zucchini breads and our favorite zucchini cookies to freeze. Already we have enjoyed baking a few cookies or a mini loaf of zucchini bread on a rainy weekend.

 Last month we celebrated Jemimah's fourth birthday! She is such a sweet little girl and a wonderful friend. We officially began homeschooling last month. Last year we did some Pre-K work with work books I picked up at the store. This year we are using a complete Pre-K curriculum. We are enjoying the curriculum and Jemimah looks forward to school time each morning.

 With the return of cooler weather I have resumed my habit of making a weekly batch of soup. Some may remember one of my favorite recipes that I shared quite a while back, stuffed pepper soup. Recently my mom had the brilliant idea of making cabbage roll soup, in much the same way we made our stuffed pepper soup. It is delicious, and I may like it even better than the stuffed pepper soup!

 For those who may like to try to make some themselves, here is the recipe.

Cabbage Roll Soup

• 1 cup rice (prepare with water amount recommended)* 
• 1 pound ground beef
• 4-5 cups of shredded cabbage
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained 
• 1 can (14 ounces) beef broth

Directions:
Prepare rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook the beef and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the shredded cabbage, spaghetti sauce, tomatoes and broth. Simmer until cabbage is fully cooked and tender. Add prepared rice; heat through.
*In my last batch I omitted the rice and added extra cabbage, it was still delicious! 

 Throughout the summer months I did very little knitting or crocheting due to the heat, but I did manage to finally complete my socks in time for the cooler weather. : ) I am so pleased with the finished results! I have begun to knit a pair of socks for Jemimah, and I suspect that they will take a lot less time, considering the size difference.

This week I have enjoyed collecting some of my scrap fabric to create a Dresden plate design for a pillow cover. I made a similar pillow cover last year, and I have wanted to make another for the other rocking chair in our living room.

 Here is a picture of the pillow I made last year, to give you an idea of how the pillow will look when finished. The design is fairly simple to sew together and I love to see so many beloved calico scraps being put to a good use.

 Speaking of fabric.... when we were out the other weekend I discovered that one of my favorite fabric shops was having a sale. I couldn't resist purchasing a couple of my favorites with aprons in mind.

Recently I added a few "autumnal themed" items to my Etsy shop.

 And of course a few new aprons!

 And to close this post I'd like to introduce our kitten Miranda. We adopted Miranda back in June and she is truly a joy! Jemimah loves her dearly, as do Adam and I. We named Miranda after one of my favorite Grace Livingston Hill characters, and she certainly is living up to her namesake's reputation for being mischievous but loving!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding; 

 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths."

Proverbs 3:5-6

Clothes Pin Bags, Aprons and Laundry Day Inspiration

Once spring arrives I am always excited to hang laundry outside to dry on my clothesline again. There is something absolutely wonderful about wearing a garment that smells of fresh air and sunshine!

 I have found my clothes pin bag to be a very handy accessory. In the past I would sometimes be guilty of leaving clothes pins on the line. Over time the clothes pins would become discolored and the springs could become rusty. But with a clothes pins bag it is so easy to collect my clothes pins up at the end of the day.

Over the past two years I have enjoyed making my own homemade laundry detergent. I found this recipe on Pinterest and really like how quickly a batch can be made. I always add lavender essential oil to my detergent.

Homemade Laundry Detergent:

• An empty  1/2 gallon old detergent jug or 1/2 gallon canning jar
• 1/2 cup liquid castile soap
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 5 drops lavender essential oil

Combine ingredients in 1/2 gallon container, fill container with hot water. Shake to combine. Gently shake before each use. Use 1/4- 1/3 cup per load.

Another laundry favorite is this stain remover recipe.

Use 2 parts peroxide and 1 part blue Dawn and baking soda. I usually use 1/2 cup peroxide, 1/4 cup Dawn dish soap and 1/4 cup baking soda. Apply to stain remover prior to washing.

 

I shared this some time ago, but thought it would be a nice addition to this post....

Old Recipe

------------------------

Years ago a Kentucky grandmother gave the new bride the following recipe for washing clothes. It appears below just as it was written, and despite the spelling, has a bit of philosophy. This is an exact copy as written and found in an old scrap book (with spelling errors and all).

1.Bilt a fir in backyard to heat kettle of rain water. 2.Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert. 3.Shave one hole cake of lie soap in bilin water. 4.Sort things make 3 piles. 1 pile white, 1 pile colored, 1 pile work britches and rags. 5.To make startch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with bilin water. 6.Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, and then bile. Rub colored don’t bile, just rinch and starch. 7. Take things out of kettle with broomstick handle, then rinch, and starch. 8.Hang old rags on fence. 9.Spread tea towels on the grass. 10. pore rinch water in the flower beds. 11. Scrub porch with hot soapy water. 12.Turn tubs upside down. 13.Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs. Brew cup of tea, sit and rock a spell and count your blessings.

***Paste this over our washer and dryer and next time when you think things are bleak, read it again and give thanks for your blessings!

 

The clothes pin bags featured in this post are for sale in my Etsy shop. I have also added some pretty new aprons too.

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men." Colossians 3:23

New Items and A Sale

The weather is growing cooler, we have officially had our first snow fall and I am looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving next week. There is something about this time of year that feels so cozy. In the evening I enjoy drinking a hot cup of chamomile tea (recently my favorite) and knitting by the fire. This time of year I also feel more inclined to spend time cooking in the kitchen. Jemimah is already talking about baking Christmas cookies. : )

With these thoughts in mind I have made some new items for my Etsy shop. This afternoon I added three new aprons.

Two cozy white flannel nightgowns in size small and medium. Both gowns are delicately hand embroidered in white.

A jade wool bow scarf. This scarf style is my favorite! The design is so practical as it won't slip around like a standard scarf.

I also listed a few vintage finds. These two cookbooks and some apron patterns from the 1940's and 1950's.

I am offering a special sale of 10% off everything in my Etsy shop today through the weekend. To take advantage of the special offer use coupon code 10PERCENT when checking out.

Strawberry Jam and A Sale

This past Saturday Adam, Jemimah and I went to a local farm to pick strawberries. Our own strawberry patch is still quite small and most of the few berries we had were eaten by a mysterious critter. However Saturday proved to be the perfect day to pick strawberries! The sun was shining, there was a cool breeze and Jemimah was overwhelmed by the abundance of strawberries, her favorite fruit. All weekend long she referred to our time picking as the "strawberry party". There was quite a crowd picking and several children among them.

 Saturday afternoon I made a batch of jam, as well as strawberry shortcake. Making strawberry jam brings back many sweet memories of being a young woman at home. My two sisters and I first learned to make and preserve strawberry jam in our late teens. We were absolutely thrilled with the outcome and went on to make jam from every berry we found fresh in our area. We would generally put on some music, wear our calico aprons and make a real event out of making jam.

 You do need an apron when making jam. It has a tendency to splatter when boiling or when pouring the jam into the jars. I always wear an apron while canning. : ) With this thought in mind I am offering a discount of 15% on all of the items in my shop this week. A new apron is a great way to inaugurate the canning season! Strawberry jam also marks the beginning of the canning season for me and I am sure for many other ladies. Please be sure to stop by my shop and check out the different style aprons I have currently listed. To take advantage of the special offer use coupon code LILAC15 when checking out.

 I hope you all have a lovely week enjoying the beauty and bounty of springtime! Have you made strawberry jam yet this year? Do you have a favorite jam you make each year?

Sleeve Ironing Boards and a Pincushion

 Some time ago I shared the story of my vintage sleeve ironing board. Since then Adam has witnessed just how much I use my sleeve ironing board, and was inspired to try making one. It turned out so nicely he decided to make another.

A sleeve ironing board is extremely handy when sewing baby clothes, doll clothes and for pressing hard to reach seams, such as a sleeve seams. Over the years I have learned that ironing is a very important part of sewing and has a great impact on the outcome of the finished garment.

  Both sleeve boards are available to purchase through my Etsy shop. The sleeve board pictured above is available through this listing, while the board with the unbleached muslin cover is available here.

  I had just enough of the calico left to sew a matching pincushion. When my mom and I first started our business my mom made several pincushions in this style. They were always a well loved item. The size is very convenient for a number of pins and needles.

  The pincushion is embellished with hand embroidered rose bullions and leaves.

Goldilocks Inspired Dress

Over the years my mom has sewn many beautiful dresses inspired by European folk wear. We both have worked to create and alter designs for our website and Etsy page. Recently we received a request to alter one of our designs to resemble an illustration from Jan Brett's "Goldilocks and the Three Bears".

Usually my mom sews all of our European dresses, however she was completely booked for the month and I had a little extra time, so I was given this project. : )

My mom has a beautiful collection of floral ribbons. We thought this ribbon looked quite similar to the illustration. The customer had mentioned that she liked the hand embroidery shown on our original dress, so I decided to try and incorporate both. It was fun to match the embroidery floss to the colors in the ribbon.

I added little cap sleeves to the dirndl. The sleeve pattern I used was called an "angel" sleeve. It was a little larger and fuller than I liked, so I cut it down to the size that I thought was "just right".

And to finish the ensemble I sewed a long sleeve peasant blouse from white batiste. It is always fun to see what ideas and inspiration customers send our way.

First Day of Autumn Sale

To celebrate this first day of autumn I am offering a special sale of 15% off everything in my Etsy shop today through Saturday. To take advantage of the special offer use coupon code LILAC15 when checking out.

                                                                                Happy First Day of Fall!

McCall's 1105

Back in June I shared with you the beautiful collection of vintage apron patterns I found at an estate sale. Finally I have found the time to share some pictures of the first aprons I sewed using my favorite apron pattern from that collection!

"Slimming Apron for Stout Women" is the caption printed on this apron package. I have to agree the style is very flattering. The bodice features vertical darts and a slightly curved waist line. The option to add bias trim or ric-rac to this curved seam adds extra waist definition.

When my mom first saw the pattern package she exclaimed "This reminds me of an apron my great grandma wore!". One of my customers said the same thing when she purchased an apron I sewed from this pattern. I love how aprons evoke so many happy memories of grandmothers and days gone by.

I was so happy to discover that all of the original pieces were included, and it went together quite easily. Sometime vintage patterns can prove to be a puzzle since directions are minimal.

McCall's 1105 has definitely made it's way into my little box of favorite apron patterns I will use time and again. In fact I already have three more cut-out just waiting to be sewn up!

Christmas Sale!

This week I am offering a special sale of 15% off everything in my Etsy shop. To take advantage of tise special offer use coupon code LILAC15 when checking out.

              Recently I began making felt Christmas ornaments. They are so old-fashioned and quaint!

 And shawls make wonderful Christmas gifts too. : ) The coupon is good through Saturday the 12th.

                                    I hope you are all enjoying a lovely start to December!

Autumnal Sale

 Mornings and evening are growing cooler where I live. Our thoughts are turned towards preparing for the winter ahead. Adam has finished stacking all of our wood, I have been busy canning tomatoes and hope to can apple sauce within the next week or two. Purple asters are growing along the edges of our property and the leaves are beginning to fall from the trees, much to the delight of our two cats.

With this season I find myself spending more time in the kitchen as I try new recipes. A couple of recipes I recently discovered are quite interesting. They call for chick peas in place of flour or butter. Both treats were surprisingly delicious! These cookies have become a favorite! The other evening I baked this brownie recipe, and it too was a success. Last night, for dinner, I made popovers to go with our soup. The popover recipe I used was simple and tasty.

Speaking of baking... I added two new aprons to my shop last week. : ) The pattern I used is a vintage pattern from the 1940's. This time I used gingham bias trim and embroidered the aprons to coordinate with the trim.

To celebrate this first day of autumn I am offering a special sale of 15% off everything in my Etsy shop this week. To take advantage of the special offer use coupon code LILAC15 when checking out.

Be sure to check out the variety of aprons, just perfect for your fall baking, canning and cleaning! Also, I am offering a lovely selection of dishtowels and potholders to add cozy charm to your kitchen this fall.

Bread Baking Aprons and a Crocheted Rug

 Marilla sighed and then said proudly:
"I'm giving Anne that half dozen braided rugs I have in the garret. I never supposed she'd want them- they're so old-fashioned, and nobody seems to want anything but hooked mats now. But she asked me for them- said she'd rather have them then anything else for her floors. They are pretty. I made them of the nicest rags, and braided them in stripes. It was such company these last few winters."
-Anne's House of Dreams" Lucy Maud Montgomery

Over the summer months, when it is too hot to knit, I enjoy cutting my scrap calicos into strips and then crocheting the strips into rugs. It is a great way to use up extra fabric, which I always seem to have an abundance of! There is something so old-fashioned and homey about a crocheted or braided rag rug.

"Anne's House of Dreams" is my favorite of the "Anne" series. It has been years since I read "Anne's House of Dreams", but I have had the pleasure of listening to the story read aloud while I sew and crochet here.

When I was growing up my mom almost always wore aprons while working about the home. We would refer to her favorite style as her "Bread Baking Apron". It is loose fitting and long; perfect for working about the home and garden. My mom often baked homemade bread, and this apron style allows plenty of freedom to move while kneading bread dough. : )

My sisters and I would sometimes grab one of mom's aprons off of the hook in the kitchen before heading out to the garden. The large pockets are perfect for stashing a of couple fresh tomatoes and the apron length helps protect your skirt from being stained by the plants as you walk between them.

 Both aprons and the rug are now available to purchase in my Etsy shop!

Hope you all are enjoying these beautiful summer days! The warmth and sunshine are such a blessing!

"Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;

                                         And let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”

1 Chronicles 16:31