I know it’s April so it’s a bit late for the 2022 plans but just bear with me. LOL. I’ve been trying to get a bit more organized and have recently planned out some of the sewing projects I want to do this year. And I have a couple shorter term culinary projects coming up very soon (I just returned from the strawberry patch, soon).
So, since I’ve let the strawberries out of the bag (so to speak), I’ll start with some of the recipes I’ll be doing very soon. It’s just the beginning of strawberry season and so far what I’ve had has been delicious and now I am for ALL THINGS STRAWBERRY! So, I turned to some of my vintage recipe collections to come up with some ideas.
First off, I’m going to be making some strawberry beverages. I’m going to make a strawberry brandy (EDIT: I found an 1810 recipe for Raspberry Brandy so I’m following those instructions which is pretty much what I’ve done in the past when I’ve made Strawberry brandy). I’m going back to the Housekeeper’s Instructor (1805) and using their recipe for Raspberry Wine except I’m going to be using strawberries instead (I’ll make the raspberry version later). The other recipe I’ll be using is tapping into the popularity of shrubs and flavored vinegars for drinks during the prohibition era and using the Strawberry vinegar recipe in What to Drink (1920). Shrubs were certainly around pre-prohibition era but they really seem to take off (along with a lot of really interesting sounding non-alcoholic beverages) during this time.
I’m also turning to my family cookbook and doing my great-grandmother’s strawberry pie and my grandmother’s strawberry jam recipe. I’ll probably also whip up a classic strawberry shortcake (using an actual shortcake recipe which is more American biscuit-like than classic sponge cake that we normally see today).
So, lots of strawberries!
On to sewing projects…
One of my personal goals this year is to up my sewing skills. I am taking a virtual Burnley & Trowbridge class for mantua draping. So currently I’m working on making the mannequin and mini-stays I’ll need for that class.
I have my 7th century Kentish woman’s outfit that I am in the planning stages and want to get started on that. It will be a pretty big project that will not only include sewing an under dress and an over dress/jacket but will also need some tablet woven trims.
I have a modern-ish fantail skirt that I want to make, probably both a warmer weather and a cooler weather version. And I have a modern pattern/fabric for a nice spring/summer blouse.
I did have on my list the plan to do a Regency set of stays; however, I think that is going on hold at the moment because the other thing that I have going on this year is taking care of a medical issue. I still need to have a sit down with the docs and figure out the plans but I can’t really imagine that it will not be handled with major abdominal surgery. Bearing that in mind, I’m probably holding on doing stays or corsetry of any kind for a while.
Sorry Regency dream dress…you’ll have to wait a bit longer…
I might also pop in some more modern dress projects in there, because if I’m having abdominal surgery dresses are my friend (I’ve been down this road a few times before).
But, that gives some ideas of what I’ll be working on this year. I imagine I’ll also be doing more culinary recipes as well. Just strawberries are on my mind at the moment.
The Spinning Sheep 