Night Trip: Kevin Burke, Irish Fiddler

A few nights ago, Andy and I were fortunate enough to see one of Ireland's premier fiddlers, Kevin Burke. Kevin Burke is best known for his work with the Bothy Band in the 70s with Uilleann piper, Paddy Keenan.

For this concert, he was working with Cal Scott, a guitarist and songwriter from Oregon who writes soundtracks for documentaries.The concert was a cozy, small affair and the music was great. We were close enough to the stage that we could hear the music, crisp and clear, straight from the instruments.


In true Irish style, the concert was informal and the audience was almost dancing. We ended up buying a CD that had a lot of the songs that they played at the concert and we've been enjoying it very much. They were even nice enough to sign it for us.

You can listen to the whole CD at Amazon: Across the Black River

We very much liked "The Surround," and "The Lighthouse Keeper's Waltz." It is great because they have a songbook available for this CD so Andy can play fiddle and I can play guitar. We've been having fun with it.

Civil War Era Apron Pattern

My dirty apron.The stains are from the ashy pots.

 Nothing is so helpful at a reenactment than a good apron. Aprons function as napkins, drying cloths, extra warmth and protection against various "wardrobe malfunctions."

 During the war, it is said, that a few ladies who dressed like soldiers and joined the army were caught when another soldier tossed them some apples and they attempted to catch them in their nonexistent aprons.

I've been using the same 2 aprons for at least 3 years and think it's time for some new ones. I thought I'd include my sketchbook diagrams for anyone wanting to make their own.

To find the waistband length, take you waist measurement on top of the dress you will be wearing it with and add 5 inches for overlap. If you want to make an apron that ties, use at least an extra 12 inches on both sides.

For waistband stiffeners, buckram and stiff muslin were used in the 1860s. I will be using buckram for mine. If you are a beginner, buckram can normally be bought at the cutting counter, you just need to ask for it. The size should fit a teenager or an adult, the only thing that really changes is the size of the waistband. Cut two apron bibs along the fold of the fabric, cut 2 waistbands of fabric and 2 of stiffener, and cut one apron skirt, hem the skirt with a plain hem. Alternatively, you could make a apron with no bib. They were just as popular and are quicker to make if you need one in a hurry.

Diagram from my sketchbook.

A note for beginning sewers: If you make a pattern that you know you will use frequently, such as an apron pattern or a bodice pattern, make it easy on yourself and glue the flimsy pattern pieces to poster board. The next time you use it, you will not need to use pins or weights and it will trace very quickly. You also won't have to waste time ironing pattern pieces or repairing damaged ones. They are bulkier to keep around but it really does save a lot of time. You can use a hole bunch and a piece of ribbon to keep the pieces together so you don't lose them.   

1. With right sides together sew around the sides and the top of the apron bib.

2. Turn the apron bib right side out and iron it. Gather the bottom edge (by hand or with a long machine stitch.)

3.  Stitch a piece of interfacing to the wrong sides of each of the waistbands. With right sides together, sew between the stars indicated on the diagram. (8 inches from the center at the top, 16 inches from the center on the bottom. Clip the excess fabric, turn right side out and iron.

4. Insert the bib into the 8 inch open space left in the waistband. Stitch across. (There are nicer ways to do this that would be too difficult for me to explain. If you know the nicer way, do it that way.)

5. Hem the apron skirt on three sides. Gather the rough edge. Insert the gathered edge into the 16 inch gap left in the waistband and sew across the waistband.

6. Add a button (or 2 if you fluctuate frequently) to one end of the waistband and a buttonhole to the other. 

****Ironing is very important when sewing. Many people, myself included, don't want to stop sewing to iron each piece but it really makes the garment look more professional and fit better.*****

Help! The Homework is Killing Me!

It is that time again, when everything is due. Papers, essays, tests, quizzes and articles will consume my very being for approximately 2 weeks. It's strange how this always coincides with the beginning of Spring. It's so unfair, I have to be chained to my desk as butterflies and robins flutter past my window, enjoying the sunlight. 

I can't wait until school is done and I get to relax and enjoy Spring. It seems as if I just got 10 invitations to do things but can't go because of all of the writing and assignments that need to get done.

I want to be able to read by the water and bask in the sunlight. I cannot wait for a relaxing, relatively stress free summer! Is there anything you are dying to do?

I now have the Facebook widget for networked blogs on my sidebar. Please add your blog if you have one! If you don't have a blog but use Facebook, feel free to press "Like" in my sidebar as well. 

John Eliot and the Algonquin Language

In the 1600s in the American colonies, many of the groups of settlers tried to convert Native Americans to Christianity. William Penn saw it as part of his holy mission in Pennsylvania to convert the Native Americans there to Quakerism and the Puritans in Massachusetts tried to convert many Native Americans to Calvinism.

The Puritans did not understand the Native American culture because it differed so much from their own. To the Puritans, the Natives acted like uncivilized animals. They thought the Natives ran around in the forest, practically naked, like children and considered it their religious duty to "civilize" them.

The Puritans ended up kidnapping Natives and sending them to small villages called "Praying Towns" where they were taught religion, how to dress and act like the English, writing and math. These praying towns were not effective until one man, John Eliot decided to take a different approach. With help of a Native convert, Eliot studied the Native language and in 1663, translated the Bible and Puritan Catechism to help teach the Native Americans. He also gave sermons to them in their language. After this many Native Americans were willing to go to prayer towns and learn to live like the English.

Eliot's Bible inadvertently helped save the Algonquin language, which did not have a writing system.Today, fewer than 2,700 people can speak the language but many Native languages were wiped out completely.

For those of you interested in the Algonquin language, Eliot's "Indian Grammar" can be read online for free here. There is an excerpt of the book below:

What is Going On?

ShoeBoxBlog.com

Normally the blogging community is very friendly and encouraging but recently, at least four people I know have gotten nasty comments on their blogs. I don't mean comments that share a differing opinion or comments that contain constructive criticism, but, truly nasty comments.

 I know that nasty comments have very little merit can be deleted quickly and as much as you pretend it doesn't bother you, it will make you feel a little hurt. I understand the need to share differing opinions and believe that it actually makes the blogging community more intelligent as a whole. But why is there need to couple a differing opinion with a nasty comment aimed at the writer?

If you have that much of an issue with a writer or something that a writer has said, I believe you should discuss it with the person in a personal manner (e-mail, private message, ect.) There is no need to try to discredit a person in front of their readers or make fun of someone just because they are different or don't agree with you.

To Quote Eleanor Roosevelt:

"Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people."

Lets stick to discussing ideas. 

I couldn't help but post and link that cartoon. Sometimes it really does feel that way! (Although, I think it would have been just as funny without the use of profane language.) Our grandmothers would tell us "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything," and our Civil War predecessors would say "Image she was your sister," before you criticize someone. Can't we all just take this advice and be nice to each other? This post actually was inspired by my sister. Someone left her a nasty comment on her website and she came to me in tears. A few other people recently got hate-comments as well. What is going on?

Please share your stories of nasty comments to help others think more carefully before they press enter.