Mini pocket sewing kit

 

Every year I offer a free Christmas ornament, or pattern. But this year I thought to do something a little different, and design a small embroidered item that could be given as a gift. I had a couple ideas, but quickly settled on a pocket-sized sewing kit. 

 

For years I had carried around a small sewing kit, the kind you get for free in hotels, and many times it had come in handy and saved the day when I was far from home, and needed a few stitches to fix a rip, or sew a loose button. I thought this would make a useful, and thoughtful gift, beside being a fun and interesting project. 

 

I tried out a few different versions, first on paper, then simplifying the designs, and stitched a sample on 28ct linen. I had originally thought of making a Christmas themed cross stitch design, then I considered a geometrical pattern, but after posting on Instagram and getting suggestions from followers I settled on a floral pattern. That way it is more versatile and not just a Christmas item.

 

The tiny sewing kit is approximately 6.5 x 5 x 1 cm. It is fine to stitch it on a lower count linen, the size would then be slightly bigger, but I would not recommend using a higher count linen, as then the size would be smaller and since thread bobbins are generally standard in size, it might not fit properly.

 

The pattern is available for free here: https://www.roland-designs.com/free-patterns/free-christmas-patterns

 #pocketsewingkit

#rolanddesigns 

 

Playing around with the idea

Stitching a prototype on 28ct linen

Finished sample

For my sample, I used cloth for the inside, but later decided to use felt instead.

Kind of cute, just like a mini book

After a discussion on Instagram, I settled for an antique, floral design

All done with the embroidery

The finished pocket sewing kit

Marte Opset sampler

 

Marte Opset's red sampler

 

It is rare to find specific information and details about a sampler, or piece of needlework just from a name and date, but this little sampler is quite interesting as I think I found not just our stitcher, but also information about her family.

In the 1891 census for Elverum we find the records of a rural residence, 042 Opset søndre, where a man named Jens Olsen lived with his wife and children. Both were born in Elverum, Jens in 1846, and his wife Karen in 1845. He is registered as a lumberjack, woodcutter, forestry worker, farmer, and owner. There are four children in the household at the time of the census, one of which is named Marthe Jensdatter (Jens daughter) born in 1880.

On trondtor.no you find a Marte Opset, (born in 1880, deceased in 1943) who  is recorded as married to Anton Magnussen Flåtestøen (B.1872, D. 1913)

It also notes that in 1908 Anton and Marte took over Søndre Oppset mot føderåd from Jens Opset (Martes father). I understand this to mean that the young couple took over the family farm with the agreement that they would care for, and support Marte’s father. 

As far as I can see Marte did not have any children of her own. Her husband  though, had a child from his first wife when they married, a four years old daughter named Anne. Anne married Oskar Bjerke, and they in turn took over Søndre Oppset in 1954, using it as a holiday house. It seems they had children, and from the website trondtor, it seems as if one of them is still alive, but the information is not available, so this is the end of the trail for me.

If you are a relative, or have information about the family or photos, please get in contact with me at: rolanddesigns@gmail.com

 

Red currant jam

 

Red currant jam

I’ve been making jam since I was a teen and while there are many ways to make jams and jellies, the technique I use has worked for me well over two decades and are based on traditional methods. I rarely have jam till overs, but one year I got a little over eager and made more than we needed, when I opened the last jars two years later, they were still just as good.

Don’t rush when making preserves but allow yourself plenty of time since you cannot stop once you start. I usually use about 2 hours max from start to finish depending on how many jars I have. 

My first tip is to pick the berries on a sunny day when they are dry, not after rain. For jellies and jam you need ripe fruits, but don’t be afraid to add a few ‘unripe’ one, the unripe ones contain more pectin which is the thing that binds the jam together, using over-ripe fruits can make your jam runny as it might not set properly. You can buy pectin at most grocery shops, but I feel that it is cheating to use anything else than fruits, water and sugar. 

 

Throughout the year I collect glass jars with good solid lids that have no dents or damages; I wash them by hand, never in the washing machine. Then, before using them I give them a quick rinse before sterilizing them in boiling water.

 

The secret to successful preserves is sterilization, if the jars are contaminated in any way the jam will spoil.  I boil water in a pot and keep it boiling while I carefully place my pots and lids in it for at least a minute, then place them upside down to dry on clean dishtowels, or metal rack to dry. 

 

As soon as the jam is ready, pour it all the way to the top of the jars, place the lids on right away and screw them lightly, when the jars have cooled down a little so I can handle them without getting burned I screw the top down. The cooling process will make the jam compact and create a vacuum. This is a little messy, but don’t try to wipe the jars yet. Let the jam cool undisturbed, and when completely cooled wipe the little drips with a wet cloth before storing in a cool, dry place.  

By the time the jars are cold you should see the lids have caved in a little, this is a sign that the jam is hermetically sealed and airtight. If you find jars that are not airtight, store them in the fridge – they will keep in the fridge for a good while, but should be eaten first. You can also freeze jam, but that is again – cheating in my book.  I like the idea of food items that does not require electricity for preserving it, and I take jam making very seriously – Ha !

 

Classic recipe:

 

-       Rinse your berries several times in cold water. 

 

-       Place in a large pot and add a little water to cover the bottom of the pot. (About ½ a cm of water)

 

-       While stirring regularly, bring to boil, turn down the heat and let them cook until the skin is wilted, and the berries are soft.

 

-       Careful! Hot! Using another large pot, pour the berries through a sieve. Do this in several times, discarding the berries as you go.

 

-       Weigh the juice you have collected and add the same weight in sugar. For example, if you have 1 liter of juice, use 1 kilo of sugar.

 

If you want to use a little less sugar, you can cut it by 20%, but I don’t recommend cutting the sugar too much if you plan on making hermetical conserved jam. If you are going to use pectin, freeze, or store the jam in the fridge, you can cut out more of the sugar, but the result might not be the same.

 

-       Cook the sugar and juice together on medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar is dissolved. 

 

-       When the mixture has reached a gentle boil, let it cook undisturbed for 5x minutes.

 

-       Take it off the stove and skim off the scum. (Don’t throw it out, it doesn’t look too pretty, but taste very good)

 

-       Now you are ready to fill your jars. Be careful, the jam is very hot! This is not a job for children.

 

Red currants

 

Jars collected throughout the year

 

Separating the juice from the cooked berries

Original blogposts:

https://roland-designs.blogspot.com/2018/07/the-red-currant-season-jam-making-tips.html

http://roland-designs.blogspot.com/2012/07/red-currant-jam.html

 

Recipe I use:

https://www.davidlebovitz.com/red-currant-jam-recipe/

 

Tip for removing labels from jars:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmcRCfOTpOw&t=19s

 

 

 

Traditional Savoie cake

 Traditional Savoie cake

Also known as ‘Biscuit de Savoie’. This cake is very simple to make, and uses ingredients you probably already have in your cupboard. You can substitute part of the flour with corn or potato starch, this will make the cake even lighter. I have also seen others who add almond flakes in the bottom of the pan before baking, while others use orange flower water instead of a citrus zest.

 

Ingredients:

-          4 eggs

-          150 g sugar

-          150 g flour (Try 100 g flour/50 g Potato starch)

-          A pinch of salt

-          Zest of a lemon, or orange

 

-          Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until it forms stiff peaks.

-          Cream egg yolks with sugar, until light and creamy.

-          Add the zest of a lemon in the egg mixture.

-          Gently fold in the egg white in the egg mixture, while you sift in the flour little, by little.

-          Pour into a greased pan and bake for 30 mn at 180 degrees.

-          Decorate with icing sugar.

 

Traditional Gateau de Savoie