I’m a sucker for a dramatic sunset. I love to simply sit quietly, watching the sunset progress, soaking it in. Watching until the end. Dayhikers can’t do that. They have to get back before dark. Back to the car, back home. But the backpacker is already home. They can afford to sit quietly. They can soak it in.
I remember a quilting class where the instructor had a porcupine quill in her tools. It seemed like an odd item to find in a sewing kit, but when she showed us how she used it, I promptly got one for myself.
When you are making a quilt, you sew across multiple seams, and it can be difficult to get everything to lie flat while you are doing this. A stiletto helps keep things lined up and neat.
The long narrow tip allows you to guide the fabric through the machine without getting you fingers close to the needle. I personally have never (knock on wood) stitched through a finger, but I know a number of people who have.
You can use a stiletto to punch a hole in fabric or leather, either for stitching of adding grommets. It can be used to help turn the edge of applique under before stitching it down.
A fancy brass stiletto
I had seen a brass stiletto with a needle tip. It had a cap to protect the tip from getting damaged and reduce the risk of it poking anyone or anything when not in use. I showed it to Walt, and he decided he would try to make one. He made several, some which were used a gifts and some that were sold.
He will show you more about how he made them in one of his shop project posts.
I use mine every time I am at the sewing machine.
Last week, I showed Maria Catherina Krumpelmann’s birth certificate and the process used to translate it. That was not the only document that was translated for us. Today, we’ll take a look at Gerhard Wellman’s service record. The same process was used as in the other document.
Backpacking places huge demands on a tent. It has to be absolutely watertight, even in ferocious storms. It has to stand up to strong winds. But it also has to be really light and compact. It’s no wonder, then, that if you find a tent that does all these things, you’ll stick with it. And as the years and memories accumulate, you’ll feel pretty fond of it. Such was the case with the MSR Missing Link.
My Grandma James sewed, knit, and did other hand work. My mom taught me how to use a sewing machine and makes quilts and does beautiful embroidery. I have tried my hand at a wide variety of crafts over the years and still do a wide variety of things. I enjoy having projects I can take with me to fill time at appointments and when I am traveling. Knitting fills that wonderfully, and I enjoy it even more knowing I am using my grandma’s tools.
I really like to cook, but I have to admit that I am not the safest in the kitchen when it comes to hot objects. I have bumped my hands and arms more times that I would care to admit when I am taking things out of the oven.
I had been looking for a set of longer oven mitts for a long time, and everything I found had really large hands, so much so that I was having trouble grasping things. It was like putting on a pair of oversized mittens and trying to pick small things up. So I decided to make my own.
I had a fun botanical print that went well with my kitchen decor. I purchased some insulated batting called Insul-Bright©. It is a polyester and mylar batting that can be sewn on a regular sewing machine. I have since used it in other projects.
There was a message on our voicemail from a gentleman who went to school in West Point. It was delightful to talk with him. I wasn’t aware that there was a West Point Iowa Facebook Group, and I have enjoyed reading bits of the West Point Bee and seeing pictures posted on the group.
I thought that a glimpse of the school picnic from 1934, taken at the Fairgrounds would be fun pictures to share this week.
Today we’re going to take a look at my engine lathe. It’s down in my basement shop, and it’s one of the most important tools I own. Let’s get to know its parts and what they do.