Shopping For Birth-day Quarters.............

It's that time of year again--the ex-patchers give fat quarters (18"x22") as birthday gifts.  It's always fun to shop for these fabrics--keeping fingers crossed the recipient will like what you have selected!

Here is the list:  Judy--Bright Kaffe Fassett--this will take some shopping!

Camilla--Brown (is that a plain brown or a patterned brown??)

I settled on patterned brown!

 Debby--gold and black OR creams (which do you think would be easier to find?),

just a little red

Sandy--medium to dark reds that read as a solid for patriotic quilt--now that's specific!!

Now, that I see this in the camera--it's not looking so Red!

Karen--black and white or white on black

Tedi--medium to dark pink or orange batiks--hmmm, which will I choose?

Annette--naturals--beiges and ecru--no white

Brenda--Yellow

Me--cream/white

I know--I'm not suppose to buy for myself, but you

can never have too much cream

Linda-- gold or yellow batiks

That takes care of all the birthday wishes except for that bright Kaffe Fassett Fabric

more shopping in my future!!

     

Need Inspiration for Colorwork?

Do you ever get stuck with ideas on what colors to use for your next project?  I do all the time.........

I have taken to viewing old seed catalogues

Actually, the blog features numerous Arts and Artists work

But, there is nothing like viewing these colorful prints

Smithsonian Digital has several of these vintage seed catalogues

for your viewing pleasure--whether you take up needle and thread

or brush or paint, there are good color choices to be found 

when you get stuck in a rut.

In The Land of Mesquite!

Mesquite trees grow everywhere in Texas and other southwest lands.

keep reading--you'll find out why I'm writing about Mesquite trees.

Mesquite trees are one of the toughest trees known to man with more than 40 species to be found worldwide, and 7 of those species growing in Texas. The most notably prolific of those mesquite trees growing in Texas is the honey mesquite.

Of the 167.5 million acres that Texas takes up in this United States, the honey mesquite flourishes like a bad weed on at least 56 million of them, or grow over a third of the state. 76% of all mesquite trees in the U.S. grow in Texas though they are native to other Southwestern states also.

Seedpods are the means by which the mesquite tree propagates itself and those seedpods can be up to 10 inches long. The seedpods are called beans, since they resemble green beans only much larger, and they mature in late summer when they are covered with a sweet coating that has a sugar content of as much as 30%. It is common for people to chew the sweet coating off the seedpods 

When I was younger, We had a number of mesquite trees in our yard and it was my brother's' job to rake the

seed pods when they fell--boy, how they hated to do that job!  Don't think they ever ate a

seedpod though!

One reason we hated these trees were the thorns!  Oh my--if one of 

these thorns hit you--big OUCH!  They are good protection from

outside elements though.

Okay, you are saying--why are we talking about mesquite trees?

If you got this far in the blog, you're in for a treat--

and I have a whole new admiration for these lowly trees!

Why?  All because of an article, by Teresa Morris, in this magazine

opened my eyes! These trees surround us--yes, I know the

wood is used for furniture and smoking meats, but

never in my wildest dreams would I have thought about

eating the tree!  The magazine has recipes in which you can

use this flour from mesquite pods.  

This is a low glycemic food, high in protein and fiber; used to replace 25-50% of

other flours; the taste warm spice flavor, cocoa and molasses--It's worth

a try!

 There are other food products that come from trees, but I hadn't even 

given them a thought.  I do know that one simple little pill that

gave the world a pain reliever-- Aspirin!!

"The ancient Egyptians used willow bark as a remedy for aches and pains, said Diarmuid Jeffreys, author of "Aspirin: The Remarkable Story of a Wonder Drug." They didn't know that what was reducing body temperature and inflammation was the salicylic acid.

I'm looking to cook up a tasty dish with mesquite flour powder--

Helical stripes--oh yeah!

This has been a great instructional time for me!  Just take a peek

at this video from Arnall-Culliford Knitwear.

You can also find them at Facebook

why I never did my knitted stripes this way before??  simply simple--easy to follow and
mindless knitting!

I've divided my Zauerball into two sections--wish I had got

the colors different to begin with, but that is lesson learned!

I have the pattern, five needles (could use two circulars--but was

too lazy to go through my needles to find them!) 

Look at this!  No bumps!  No interference with the stripes--

just a continuous round.   

I'm ready for the thumb--so enjoying this knit!

Finished!  I know the thumb looks weird--I didn't knit enough

single rounds before I began the ribbing--and I was too 

lazy to rip it back--

now!  onto the second mitt!

Men's 1940's Fashion And Zoot Suit

There was an interesting feature of the Zoot Suit!  

men's suit with high-waisted, wide-legged, tight-cuffed, pegged trousers, and a long coat with wide lapels and wide padded shoulders. This style of clothing became popular among the Mexican American, African American, Italian American, Filipino American, and, to a lesser extent, Irish American communities during the 1940s.^[2][3] In Britain the "Edwardian-look" suits with velvet lapels worn by Teddy Boys are said to be a derivative of the zoot suit.^[4]

Did you know that there was Zoot Suit Riots?  Yes, Riots

over who wore Zoot Suits!  This was more about race relations

than fashion.  Because of the L-73 restriction,Mexican-American

youths who wore these oversized suits were considered unpatriotic

and draft dodgers.  Tensions rose in Los Angeles when thousands

of military men on leave poured into the area and clashes

occurred between white servicemen and civilian youth of all

colors.  Hence: the Zoot Suit riot!  

Here is a two piece Palm Beach style suit with

yellow silk necktie.  This type of clothing became

beloved among American men in 1930-40's.  The suits

were comfort and casual.  Rather than hiding the natural

lines of the body, the new athletic style conformed and

flattered the male shape.

Of course, we have here the Army Uniform:

President Eisenhower wore this iconic jacket.  This

version was very similar to the WAC's uniform, 

which men like due to the comfortable and stylish jacket.

This jacket style is being worn now by the US Border

Patrol and National Park Service.

We just have to mention the WAVES suit, 

which combined naval uniform traditions with

restrained feminine style.  The suit is well-known for it's rounded collars above pointed lapels and adapted square knot Navy tie.  Discharged WAVES continued to wear their uniforms

after the war.  They could remove insignias and modify the buttons

to be worn as business suits.

Women became essential to building ships, bombs, aircraft.

Here is Bell Aircraft coveralls, worn by Evelyn Delong Paris, as she

worked on B-29s.

Bravo Women!!

Bare Necessary.............1940 Style

 Okay, we continue on our journey through 1940's fashions, thanks to exhibit at Pacific War Museum. Fredericksburg, Texas.   This exhibit opened the door to a world that I didn't really know--I'm a WWII baby.  My dad was stationed with US Army in France--what he did, we are not sure and he never spoke of his service after his return.

Did you ever wear stockings?--Nylons, as they were called during the early part of 1940.

Hemlines rose due to the material shortage making hosiery essential.  The only stockings

available before 1940 were either cotton (too thick), saggy rayon or

expensive silk, which ripped easily.  Some gals either took to 'hosiery cream',

which provided an illusion of stockings or Some even took to using black

eyeliner to draw a seam down the back of their leg--seamed hosiery

was the rage.

Then on the market--nylon stockings appeared!  As soon

as they hit the stores, they vanished from the shelves.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the new material went

to military uses--in parachutes, aircraft fuel tanks, shoelaces,

mosquito netting.  Nylon became 'the fiber that won the war'

That led to another situation:

Nylon Riots!

Silk Chiffon Wedding dress, worn by Marjorie Brown on her

wedding day to Sgt. Denton Trautman

Silk!  no less

Such lovely design--my mother wore a silk satin wedding dress--

I remember when I was 5 or 6 wearing that dress while

I played around the house!  how could she let me wear such

a creation??!!

Here you have a Rayon crepe maternity dress:

L-85 exemption, which limited fabric yardage, did allow for

these exemptions: 

children below five

burial clothing

religious garments

wedding gowns

maternity dresses

These allowances showed that the American government had a 

commitment to protect core national values such as family and religion.

There is so much more to this exhibit--I wish you could walk through

this era as I did and experience the life style of the those who

sacrificed so much for our freedom

DIY of 1940's Fashions

You think we, as 21st century people, created DIY--nope!  This concept of do-it-yourself was created as a desire to support the troops and provided an surge in 1940's garment making.  In 1942, sewing pattern sales rose 40-50% over the depression years.  By the end of the war, the number of female home sewers nearly doubled!

We continue our tour of the 1940's fashion exhibit presented by
Pacific War Museum located in Fredericksburg, Texas

"Help fight the war with scissors, needle and thread!"

Sheath dress made from linen table cloth--

conservation advice promoted cutting down existing

materials and remaking them into new practical wearables.

This table cloth dress headed the advertisement

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do--or do without!"

This is evening gown with bolero jacket, sewn by Edith Dyer

Edith was married to Navy expert cyptanalyst, who was

stationed in Pearl Harbor during the war.

She made this ensemble to wear to dances and social events

held at the Officer's club.

Tailored black wool dress going away suit,

sewn by Mrs. J. G. Keyes, who used a Vogue Couturier pattern

as her going away dress when she married in 1940

Many brides wore going away suits after the wedding ceremony;

in some cases the suit served as the wedding dress for those wishing

to satisfy wartime restrictions.

Another example of a 'going-away' dress

Here's a booklet on Make and Mend for Victory

that was used for Alterations, Make Over, Accessories--

practical knowledge for those home sewers

Another example Of DIY--this nylon night gown

Through nylon disappeared on the home front, this 

scarce luxury item could still be found among military personnel--

In parachutes!

Not only were there home sewers, but knitters who wanted

to be of service to the military.  In the above photo, you will

see, lower left corner, the Vogue pattern that was used

to make the going away suit in the above photo.

This half knitted sweater, in colors suitable for military

was "Bundles for Britain", a small knitting

circle, led by New Yorker Natalie Wales Latham.  This

organization expanded to a number of branches and sent thousands

of sweaters, socks, scarves and caps across the Atlantic.

Here is the pattern "Man's sleeveless sweater--V-neck"

"Takes 2 hanks--Khaki color, 2 prs. #6 needles, #4 needles to be

used only for 3" ribbing at the bottom of the sweater"

You can find 1940's knitting patterns here