Sprigged & Spotted

Tag: living history

  • What is Apple Butter? Part 1: Ordinary Abundance & Comfort in a Jar

    What is Apple Butter? Part 1: Ordinary Abundance & Comfort in a Jar

    Apple Butter: My Family’s Beloved Historic Tradition

    I can speak with some authority on the subject of apple butter. I am part of the 5th generation (at minimum) in my family to carry on making the stuff the old fashioned way. My grandfather recorded memories of making apple butter with his grandmother in the 1930’s, and making apple butter the same way our ancestors have made it in centuries past is a prized part of my family’s culture. To me, apple butter is made gallons at a time in a copper kettle (a 2 ft or larger diameter pot) over an open fire using a 19th century style method which was conveyed by word of mouth until it was recorded on paper by my late grandmother in the 1990s.

    (more…)
  • Tools and Trade Offs: Keeping Artificial Intelligence in its Proper Place [Creating without AI]

    Tools and Trade Offs: Keeping Artificial Intelligence in its Proper Place [Creating without AI]

    Artificial intelligence is NOT used to write this blog.

    Valuing the Process

    Sometimes a thing worth doing… is worth doing the slow, handmade way. This blog is one of those things. I do not use any chatbots or other AI tools to formulate ideas or craft my sentences. Such shortcuts would completely miss the point.

    This blog demonstrates a track record of valuing slow creative endeavors.

    I run on lots of coffee (usually the drip kind with a little half & half and sugar) and the wonder of discovery. Throughout my life, I have reveled in creative work that takes time and thoughtfulness. Although this website shares just a tiny taste of my lifetime of projects, several examples of my deliberative, attentive endeavors (and writing about them) currently exist as blog posts as on this very platform:

    (more…)
  • 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?

    (more…)
  • Project Log: How to Make an 18th Century “Housewife” Sewing Kit

    Project Log: How to Make an 18th Century “Housewife” Sewing Kit

    Meet the Housewife

    In this case, a housewife isn’t a person.

    I’ve got a notion

    I like the word “notion.” It can mean a personal inclination or a general concept, but it can also refer to little tools and supplies. When used to describe physical objects rather than ideas, “notions” usually refer to common sewing tools and consumable necessities such as thread and buttons. Type the word into an image search on your favorite search engine and you’ll see collections of needles, thread, straight pins, safety pins, thimbles, ribbons, pincushions, snaps, measuring tapes, and more. Notions often enter into project planning as an afterthought, once primary fabrics being used to construct a garment have been selected. But, having the perfect bits and bobs right at hand when you need them can make a project come together much more smoothly than if you have to stop working to find what you need.

    (more…)