Sprigged & Spotted

Tag: 18th century

  • What is Apple Butter? Part 2: History, Evolution, & the Making of a Beloved Pantry Staple

    What is Apple Butter? Part 2: History, Evolution, & the Making of a Beloved Pantry Staple

    If you haven’t read What is Apple Butter? Part 1, I recommend you start there.

    In Part 1, we talked about the essence of the substance, what apple butter is and how it is made. Now, it’s time to look into where apple butter came from and how it remains relevant today. No matter where you begin, I welcome you to explore with me the down-home culinary delight that is apple butter.

    History of Apple Butter

    Where Does Apple Butter Originate?

    Like American sunbonnets, the history of apple butter can be challenging to research because of the homespun nature of the product. Families, like my own, have passed down the methods mostly informally from generation to generation. But, with some effort, we can find evidence of the roots of apple butter in humble, tucked-away places.

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  • The Art of the Pinking Iron: A Historic Object Study

    The Art of the Pinking Iron: A Historic Object Study

    An examination of pinking irons shows us how swings of a mallet can turn strips of cloth into beautiful adornments.

    Clothing is important to all of us.

    We all are keenly aware that apparel is not merely functional (protects our body), but serves as a vehicle for communicating with the world around us.

    What does your clothing say about your social class? What does it say about your awareness of style trends? What “words” does it use to communicate the message?

    Perhaps it’s the way the garment is cut, how it hangs on your frame. The condition of the fabric, whether shabby or pristine, can make an impression. Do your clothes create a silhouette that is also favored by influential people? Does it let you blend seamlessly in with the crowd? Can the item be washed over and over and remain in good shape, or does it require costly care and maintenance? How rare and laborious to make are the materials and embellishments?

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  • Project Log: 18th Century Handsewn Shortgown Jacket

    Project Log: 18th Century Handsewn Shortgown Jacket

    Intellectual Effort and Tedium

    I hold great respect for the good people who made it through life in the tough centuries before my birth. I want to know them better and appreciate their ways of life, and I believe they were more like us than many will admit. As a twenty-first century woman who has always cultivated many hobbies, I am continually building upon transferable skills and pouring effort into creative endeavors which might most serve a particular moment in my life. At this point, I needed an activity which required a healthy balance of intellectual effort and tedium.

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