Lest we forget

Blow out, you bugles, over the rich Dead!
There's none of these so lonely and poor of old,
But, dying, has made us rarer gifts than gold.
These laid the world away; poured out the red
Sweet wine of youth; gave up the years to be
Of work and joy, and that unhoped serene,
That men call age; and those who would have been,
Their sons, they gave, their immortality.

Blow, bugles, blow! They brought us, for our dearth,
Holiness, lacked so long, and Love, and Pain.
Honour has come back, as a king, to earth,
And paid his subjects with a royal wage;
And Nobleness walks in our ways again;
And we have come into our heritage.

Rupert Brooke

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Talking Sewing Machines

Margaret Mary, Therese, and I had recently discussed the topic of what to look for in a basic sewing machine; a Ravelry group (log in required) is also exploring the topic.

Margaret Mary is the most experienced seamstress of all of us Church Ladies. Below follows her advice, which I am sharing in her (extremely busy) stead.

I've owned 2 machines; a Singer I bought in college (fairly basic, steel body, a few decorative stitches, all mechanical - no computerized features, automatic buttonhole attachment), and a Viking/Husqvarna I got about 15 years ago (more decorative stitches and auto buttonholes, computerized features, I can get tons of add-ons and bought a foot that does quilting through multiple layers).

I've sewn miles of fabric, literally, and would feel perfectly comfortable with a machine that had only the following features:

• Stitches - straight stitch (obviously), zig-zag, and running zig-zag for knits. Everything else is extra. I use my decorative stitches on little girl dresses, etc. But none of them are on the essentials list.

• Buttonholes - The most basic machines have buttonhole features that will make the stitches but not stop automatically at a certain length. This is workable, but not nearly as convenient as a machine that will automatically make ten identical 16 centimeter buttonholes on the front of your blouse. If there's a choice, go with something that does buttonholes automatically.

• Construction - It is almost impossible to find a metal sewing machine anymore. This was a big surprise to me when I was shopping, but C' est la Vie. I used to like using my magnetic seam gauge and pincushion stuck on the machine, but I'm not so old that I can't adapt.

• Computerized - again, not essential, but easy to use. When my old, mechanical one was not working quite right, my husband or I could take it apart to various degrees and make it better. That's not as possible with the new one.

• Case - get a case for storage unless you have a dedicated table for the thing or never plan to use it away from home. It's likely the case will not be included in the price of your machine.

• Find out where you can have it serviced. You'll want it to be someplace local and fairly convenient. Repairs on any model are outrageously priced, so look into a warranty of some kind, but don't overpay for one. Really, unless you get a lemon, machines need few repairs. I had to replace a presser foot on my Singer and the arm that lifts my Viking broke once. Those are the only repairs I've ever had in a lot of years, but the prices are ridiculous.

What about you? What do you like about your machine? Do you have a great story about how you acquired it?
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Hint of the Day: Strawberries

Yes, my egg slicer actually does look like this....

If you work gently, you can use an egg slicer for large batches of perfectly sliced strawberries.

Celebrating Sunday: Pentecost

Reflection:
Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common.
[Acts 4, 32]

Recipe:
Today is the birthday of the Church!

Serving an entree that flew is a Pentecost tradition from medieval times. Depending on how many are at your table, a chicken, turkey breast, or Cornish hen would be a nice modern day substitute for the original dove or pigeon. For bonus points, decorate the table with red rose petals to symbolize the tongues of fire.

My favorite way to roast chicken is more work that the usual spirit of the Celebrating Sunday series, but it is very good... a Julia Child meets Nigella Lawson affair. I brine the chicken overnight in salt water with a sliced lemon. Before I cook it, I drain it and pat it dry. I heat some butter and oil in the roasting pan, and brown it on each side- more work, but it yields a beautiful color and crispy skin. With the bird breast side up, I scatter sliced potatoes, quartered onions, and whole, peeled garlic cloves around it and place a lemon quarter in the cavity. I bake it at 350 for 20-25 minutes per pound, or until the bird clocks 165 (if not for anyone pregnant or immuno-compromised) and 180 if serving the former. When the chicken is done, I mix a drained can of artichokes and some fresh tarragon in with the potatoes and onions, and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with fresh bread and a green salad.

If you didn't hear the Pentecost Sequence at Mass this morning, enjoy the one featured below.




About Celebrating Sunday

The Bounty List

I was intrigued by this conversation (login required) from a while back on the Ravelry forums, in which people were asked to post items for which they always purchased name brands. The Bounty List, so called because of the original posters preferred paper towels, ended up as ten pages of posters favorite products. For myself, high up on the list would be:

• Hellman's Mayonnaise
• Jacob's Cream Crackers (when I can get them)
• Thomas English Muffins
• Burt's Bees Chapstick
• King Arthur Flour (for breads)
• Method French Lavender Surface Cleaner

So, what are some of your favorite "accept no substitutes" products?

*Disclaimer: We are not being compensated, no affiliation, you know the drill....

Hint of the Day

It's easy enough to drop down to fix a stitch that's knit instead of purled. And this technique is great for fixing cables that are crossed the wrong way, but when you have to drop down more than a few rows, and with a six or eight stitch cable, how do you make sure you pick up all the ladders in the right order?

Reach in your medicine cabinet for your comb. The wider the teeth, the better. Start unraveling the cable stitches one row at a time, placing the big loop on to the comb teeth, starting from the outside in. Voila! All your ladders are in order and not tangled. Now cross your cable in the right direction, and insert the first (and smallest) ladder into the stitches. Then pick up all the stitches as you would an individual using a crochet hook and the remaining ladders/loops.

This just in from Ravelry: another use for your slow cooker.

Celebrating Sunday: Feast of the Ascension

Reflection:
As therefore at the Easter commemoration, the Lord's Resurrection was the cause of our rejoicing; so the subject of our present gladness is His Ascension, as we commemorate and duly venerate that day on which the Nature of our humility in Christ was raised above all the host of heaven, over all the ranks of angels, beyond the height of all powers, to sit with God the Father. [St Leo the Great, Sermon 74, para. 1]


Recipe:
40 Clove Garlic Chicken

About Celebrating Sunday

Ordination Sweaters

Ordination season is upon us. And while there are many options (see our "Gifts for Priests" posts), I'm currently exercising a preferential option for knitting sweaters.

I'm hard at work on the Twisted Pine Pullover for Deacon Pat, who will be Father Pat in a few short weeks. I had expected to fly through this sweater- after knitting a DK Aran sweater for my husband for Christmas, I thought a simple cabled worsted/bulky weight would be done in no time. The main thing that's slowing me down? The dark yarn.

Will I finish in time? I hope so! But as I knit to the finish line... er neckband, I have a few do's and don'ts to share.

Do
1. Pick a pattern commensurate with your skill level and the time you have available.
Here are a list of some nice patterns that are free or available from your public library:
Ben
Leo
85-6 Pullover (a Tree of Life-esque motif)
Cobblestone Pullover
Durrow
Jamesey
January Aran Sweater (EZ)
#17 Man's Cable Sweater
Smokin'

Also, substituting a simple knit and purl pattern can make a stockinette pattern look more elegant. Just make sure you get the same gauge.

2. Knit the front first. Push comes to shove, you can knit the back and sleeves in stockinette.

3. Consider a vest instead, especially if it's for a warm climate. Vests have less positive ease than a sweater, so it will knit up faster.

4. Pick a washing machine friendly yarn. Sensitive to wool, Berroco Comfort has been my go to yarn. I quote Therese, "This is acrylic?" The heather line is especially nice.

5. Use needles that contrast with the yarn for maximum visibility.

Don't
1. Knit in black, navy, dark green, etc unless you have a lot of sunny daylight knitting time. Burgundy, slate blue, oatmeal, and gray are all nice masculine colors that are much easier on the eyes and brain.

2. Start too late. It's better for a project to be gift wrapped in the closet for months than to be weaving in ends on the way to the cathedral.

3. Make it too hard on yourself. If you have a group of Church Ladies that knits similarly enough, farm out the pieces. Just make sure the yarn is all in the same dye-lot and matching parts are blocked to the same size.

Do you have any other tricks of the trade or patterns to share?

Image source

Ascension Thursday

"Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven?"
[Acts 1, 11]

Image: Guariento d'Arpa, "Ascension of Christ," 1344

Celebrating Sunday

Reflection:
One warm Sunday evening in the moon of goldenrod, we all, grown-ups and children, were sitting in the orchard beside the old Pulpit Stone, singing sweet old gospel hymns...That evening, after they tired of singing, our grown-ups began talking of their youthful days and doings...There was a little space of silence, then Uncle Alec began in a low, impressive voice, to repeat the words of the ninetieth psalm-verses which were thenceforth bound up for us with the beauty of that night and the memories of our kindred. Very reverently we listened to the majestic words. [L.M. Montgomery, The Story Girl]

Recipe:
Orange Apricot pork chops

About Celebrating Sunday