the peaceful peacock

Fall is shimmying its way in, which can only mean one thing:

It’s time to gear up for weaving.

Beautiful, glorious weaving.

Don’t get me wrong–I love pickles.  I love the smell of pickles.  It’s a smell that’s perfect for pickles.  Or jalepenos.  Or pickled asparagus.  But not for anything that has absolutely no relation to pickledness.

I’ve stared down many a potentially perfect jar that carries with it the fatal pickle stink flaw.

There has to be a sure fire answer for this one.  Some say Dishwasher!  Or Baking Soda!  Or Vinegar!  (Odd….getting rid of a vinegar smell with vinegar.)  I know for a fact that merely sticking the offender in the dishwasher won’t work.  If that worked, all the free jars at the Co-op would not smell like pickles and salsa.

We’ve tried rubbing baking soda on the lid with a little success, but I don’t think we were giving it a valiant enough effort.

Here are some suggestions that are simple enough to try with ingredients found around the house:

• Mix equal parts water and vinegar, fill jars, and let stand overnight.  Rinse.
• Fill the jar with crumpled newspaper, which should absorb the odor overnight.
• Boil the jars and lids in a mixture of water, dish detergent, and a bit of rubbing alcohol.  Rinse thoroughly.
• Put the jars and lids out in the sun.
• Rub essential oil on the lid, close the jar, let sit for a few days.
• Put untreated charcoal briquettes in the jar  and let sit for a few days (this also works with moth ball stink).
• Pour enough vodka into the jar to cover the lid when the jar is inverted.  Shake it around once in awhile and let sit overnight.

And of course there is one sure fire way:  just open it up and let it sit.  Time always manages to do the trick.

Which one works best for you?  I’ll be waiting out in the sun by the bbq, vodka drink and newspaper in hand.

I just had to throw away an enormous ball of tangled yarns.  A lot of yarns.

It pissed me off, it felt really wasteful, and I had to force myself to do it.

So here’s my new solution:

With the realization about being a visual organizer, I’m totally re-evaluating how I store and use all of my equipment, projects, and gear.  I’m pulling this technique straight from the kitchen, where we store all of our bulk foods in glass jars on a shelf.  (Bulk foods are the items we buy in bulk from the Co-op:  flour, beans, grains, spices, etc.  It’s a great way to save on space and money–you just buy what you need.)

The jars make the ingredients easy to find, easy to replenish, and easy to identify.

I have great faith that this technique will make things like my current project (this super cute hat made in Plymouth sparkly llama ) easy to finish instead of a heartbreaking, tangled mess that will inevitably end up in the trash.

And re-used jars are free. *

*Come back tomorrow and I’ll tell you how to get rid of the pickle smell.

If you like tree porn, check out this site for more.

Heating up tortillas is a challenge for those of us who don’t cook food in microwaves.

Here’s how we do it:

That’s a cooling rack that’s sitting on top of the pot of chile verde.  The heat and steam from the simmering food makes an energy efficient, simple tortilla warmer-upper.

My man is a genius.

Every so often, I wake up on a Saturday morning feeling really antsy and twitchy.  A gut feeling comes over me, one that can only be described as “Yard Sale Fever”.

As a fiber and textile artist, I have a lot of supplies on hand.  Spinning requires roving, knitting and crochet require needles, hooks, and a hefty supply of yarn.  Sewing requires fabric, recycled wool beer coozies require a big stash of recycled sweaters.

And then there’s weaving…cone yarns, shuttles, tools, rags.

And dyeing…measuring cups and jars, scales, dyes, chemicals, mixers.

And felting, both wet and dry…mats, prep fabrics, needles, wool.

And of course vintage supplies like linens.

And trim.

Patterns.

Lace.

Scraps, of course.

And the mending pile.

And works in progress.

Catch my drift?

Perhaps the most important thing you should know is that we live in an 800 square foot house.  All four of us.  It’s really hard to make everything fit in here, despite the multitudes of organizing methods I’ve attempted.  Just when I get a system up and wobbling, the dead of winter comes and it’s time to add another hobby to the repertoire (that’s how I stay sane in our lengthy Montana winters).

I’m at an organizational standstill, unable to function and pursue anything new until the problem gets resolved.

Enter the itchy bargain finger.

Vintage milk baskets.  They stack when in use, they nest when idle.

They’re the perfect size for rolls of fabric, open so that wool can breathe, portable so I can tote them around the house or to classes, and I can see everything.  I have to be able to see everything because it’s how I stay organized.

Did you know that there are multiple organizing styles?  I’m serious.  It’s true.

If you’re having trouble staying organized, it might not be because you’re a mess.  You’re probably not using a system that works for you.

I have not been using a system that works for me.

I’ve tried file cabinets, boxes, cabinets, drawers, shelves, you name it.  There are two issues with every system I’ve employed:  if I can’t see it, it suddenly doesn’t exist; and there’s just not enough compartments, space, etc. to get the job done effectively.

Every solution has been a bandage on the sliding catastrophe known as my studio.  Currently, I have a work area (in the living room) and a storage area (a bedroom).  Every so often, I freak out, get rid of tons of stuff, realize that I needed a good portion of it, and am forced to re-supply.

Another bandage.

We live in a rental, so built-in shelving is not an option.  It would be a great solution but it’s just not feasible right now.  I have to find a permanent, yet mobile solution.

Like vintage milk crates.

Fifty of ‘em.

For twenty five bucks.

Score.