Here is the deal, you can write in any hot burning questions you have for the orginial soccer mom, my mom (Hey I played soccer and she drove a Suburban so she qualifies).
August 12, 2006
Dear Soccer Mom, Can silk blouses be hand washed? Thanks, Diane Finch.
Hi Diane,
Here's the scoop on silk. Silk is a protein like your hair and as such can
be hand washed. If the blouse says "dry clean only" it's generally
because the dye may run, not because of the fiber itself. However, silk is
easy to re-dye if needed. Also, some silks (noil or "raw silk")
may shrink although most have probably been preshrunk before construction.
Start by washing an inconspicious spot like a the shirt tail to make sure
it's not going to fade or shrink.
If you decide to hand wash, soak the garment in lukewarm water and a mild
soap solution. My research showed that Ivory Snow powder, Woolite, Orvus Quilt
Soap, or even a mild hair shampoo were popular choices.
Rinse in cool clear water until the soap is gone. Fill the sink again and
add a quarter cup of white vinegar to the final rinse. Vinegar neutralizes
any remaining soap and restores the natural sheen of the fabric. Rinse once
again(so you don't smell like an Easter egg) and roll the garment in a towel
to remove the water.
Iron the garment while it is still moist. If allowed to totally dry, the garment
may yellow.
Never use bleach on silk. It will burn it.
Of course, I can not promise that your blouse will turn out perfect after
this treatment but under normal circumstances, these tips should work. Good
Luck. Fredda
Sept 12, 2004
Dear Soccer Mom, Are there patterns or instructions for sewing bedsheets? If so, where might I get them? Thanks Mary
Hi Mary, I don't think I've seen a bedsheet pattern. The top sheet would be nothing more than a flat piece of fabric with a turned bottom edge. The top edge would also be turned under then given about a two inch hem.
You can make a flat bottom sheet the same way but if you want a fitted bottom sheet, I would take an old fitted sheet apart for a pattern. Use a seam ripper to take the sewn corners out and the corner elastic if it has it. What you will end up with is a large flat piece of fabric with 90 degree angles cut in each corner. The solid piece in the middle will be the size of the top of your mattress. Extending from each side and each end will be a flap that is the same dimension as the sides of the mattress plus an allowance for some fabric to fit under the mattress. Cut your fabric from this pattern. The corners will then be sewn together, right sides together. You will end up with what looks like a shallow fabric box (It will look like a large version of a gift box top. Finish the edges. Sew elastic around each corner (about 12 inches for each corner) by stretching the elastic to fit flat around the corner and then zigzaging it in place. Once the elastic is released, it will gather each corner.
You did not mention what kind of fabric you are going to use but I would wash it before cutting and sewing it so in case it shrinks. Also, very little fabric is wide enough to make a sheet without sewing more than one length together. If you must do that, I would sew the seam twice for more strength. Good luck.
November 18, 2003
I have a lot of gifts to give this Christmas but not a lot of cash to use (and credit is OUT of the question!) What are some homemade gifts you could reccomend? I have people from my two teenage brothers to older female friends to give to--the range really varies. Help, please? Hope Marie
Christmas can be stressful when you have gifts to give and little money to buy them with. However, once you get past the idea that great gifts should cost a lot of money, there are lots of unique gift possibilities.
You've still got time to sign up for some quickie classes where the instructor could walk you through making clever gifts. You might start by seeing what's being offered this month at your local craft store. In my area of the country, we have Michael's and Hobby Lobby. Both chains offer craft courses every week.
Some of my favorite gifts have been made from beads. Even guys wear necklaces. Check out bead stores in your area for classes and bead stringing ideas. You may be surprised at how inexpensive and beautiful many semiprecious stones are. They may be sold individually or by the strand. Most bead store employees are very knowledgeable and will help you select what you need in the way of beads and findings (the stuff you need to put it together like beading wire, clasps, etc.). Be upfront about your cost and skill limitations and they may take it as a challenge to help you put together something great for little money. Even less expensive than necklaces are earrings. Again, a good bead store can get you going and show you how.
Picture frames also make great gifts. I think it's also a nice touch to frame a picture in it that has meaning for both you and the recipient. You can find simple picture frames to finish in craft stores or look for slightly damaged frames that can be recovered in the clearance section of department stores (frames with wide, flat surfaces work well for crafts). There are lots of ways to finish frames. You can decoupage them with fancy papers (wrapping papers, handmade papers, craft papers), leaves, labels, or a collage of personal photos you've color copied then cut out. You can cover them with fabric. You can do broken plate mosaics on them or cover them with small mosaic tiles. You could even cover them with bottle caps or buttons.
If you have any sewing skills and access to a sewing machine, there are a lot of quick and good looking hats, capes, scarves, and throws that can be made from fleece. Fleece is a soft, warm material that has the added bonus of looking good on both sides and not raveling when you cut it. I recently picked up an instructional booklet on working with fleece from Hancocks Fabrics (most fabric stores will have tables full of fleece right now) and most of the projects were very simple. Some did not require any sewing at all. You just cut out the shape- like a throw or a scarf- and cut fringe on each end. Drop into a fabric store and look at all the patterns and fun colors found in fleece and talk to someone about working with it. It's probably the easiest material you can work with.
Check out Naughty Secretary Club's section called Tips and Tidbits. There are several good ideas there for one of a kind gifts. You'll find instructions for making bowls out of old records albums and boxes out of their record jackets.
You could try making handmade soap. Craft stores have all the fixin's. You can imbed little trinkets to make each soap bar individual. You can also use unusual items as molds. Candy molds or muffin tins in different shapes make great molds.
You should also definitely check out www.sublimestitching.com. Jenny Hart makes hip little embroidery kits for tea towels, banners, baby bibs, and pillow cases that should be a big hit with your friends and family. The kits come with everything you need to finish the project including clear instructions.
I have just touched on how to do some of these projects. I suggest you get on the internet to look for more detailed instructions on many of these crafts such as decoupage, mosaics, or working with fleece. For more ideas about crafts, check out some of the crafting websites such as www.getcrafty.com and www.craftychica.com. You should also take a look PAD: THE GUIDE TO UNTRA LIVING by Matt Maranian. It is absolutely filled with wonderful crafting ideas and instructions.
May 9, 2003
Dear Soccer Mom; Can you tell me where I would get barkcloth at. Can I purchase it in the usual fabric stores, or do I have to get it at a certain place. Thanks Stephanie
Hi Stephanie, Vintage barkcloth was produced in the late 30's throughout the 40's and 50's. Lots of it was made in many different patterns and much of it has survived. At any one time there are about 400 pieces of vintage barkcloth for sale on Ebay (one of my favorite sources). You can also find it from time to time in antique shops and malls. Since barkcloth was generally made from 100% cotton, it was strong, durable, and washable fabric. Much of the vintage barkcloth still is. However, you have to watch for damage from the sun and general use. Another potential problem is that it can be difficult to collect enough vintage barkcloth of the right pattern for your project.
Because of the resurgence in popularity of barkcloth, it is now being reproduced. The advantage of new barkcloth is that it is made in wider widths than vintage, you can get as much as you need, and there won't be any fading or sun rot. Most large fabric stores that handle upholstery and drapery fabric will have a few reproduction barkcloth selections. I would also look on the internet. Check out www.reprodepot.com, www.contemporarycloth.com, and www.barkclothhawaii.com. All carry different types of reproduction barkcloth that might interest you. If you want to search on your own, try these different terms in your search engine, "barkcloth," "vintage barkcloth," and "bark cloth." Good luck
February 16, 2003
Shariz is a favorite wine of mine. I recently heard that the same grape is grown in America, but we call it something different. I can't remember what it is. Do you know? Thanks, Janet
Dear Janet, I love Shariz too. It’s light, fruity and easy to drink. Australian wineries have become famous for their Shariz. According to Robin Garr of wineloverspage.com, Shariz is made from the same grape as Syrah. The grape is called Shariz in Australia, Syrah in France and may be called either in the United States. Regardless of which name the wine is called, the grape it comes from is the same. I’ve seen it called both by American wine makers.
January 13, 2003
I tried to clean a nice white evening bag but the inside lining is now stained from the water I used in cleaning it. How can I get out a water stain from my purse? Thanks.
Dear Ms. Klein, Actually it was probably not the water per se that caused the stain. Some fabrics, particularly silks, are treated with a product called sizing. Sizing gives body to a fabric but usually washes out after the first wash or dry cleaning (starch is a type of sizing). When the sizing in your silk purse got wet, it was carried by the water to the edges of the wet spot where it caused the stain. The same thing happens when you try to spot clean a silk blouse. The sizing spreads to the edges of the wet spot and turns darker than the fabric.
I suggest you start with the least drastic treatment first. Occasionally sizing will become rather thick and dusty where it has gathered (the stain). Try gently working the stained fabric between your dry fingers to see if it will just crumble away. Don’t work it so hard that you damage the fabric.
If that doesn’t work, try holding the purse over a steaming kettle of water. As the fabric becomes limp and moist from the steam, try to work the stain out with a soft cloth or a soft paper towel. Some steam irons will shoot steam out without having to touch the fabric with the iron. If yours will do that, you can use your steam iron. Be careful that you don’t scorch your purse with the heat of the iron though. You just want to use the steam, not the iron itself. Heat sets many stains. In general, you should work on any stain from the outside in, not the other way around.
If all else fails, wash the purse again to remove the rest of the sizing. Water spots are water soluble.
Here are some things NOT to do. DON’T use a home dry cleaning solution. It won’t take out a water spot and it may damage the silk. DON’T use chlorine bleach. Silk is made of a protein and protein will dissolve in bleach. A dilute mixture of bleach and water may weaken and discolor the silk fiber. So don’t even think about it.
If it is dry cleanable, take it to a really good dry cleaner, perhaps one that specializes in cleaning wedding dresses or formal wear, and get their opinion on whether they can clean it. A good cleaners won’t even attempt to clean something they know they might damage.
October 13, 2002
Dear Soccer Mom, Do you know where I can find a very simple pattern (maybe online) that will show me how to sew a simple, loose fitting, washable, "shabby chic" type slip cover for my sofa. It is white, large, cushy, etc. but it is getting dirty and I want to cover it. Also I need patterens for my chairs. Actually a specific pattern is not essential, if I could just find general intructions to follow, that would work. I do not plan to use cord trim. That takes too much time! Many thanks, Maggie
Dear Maggie,
Slipcovers are so popular now. They are a great way to spruce up an old sofa or keep a new one clean while the kids are small. If you have basic sewing skills they are not hard to make either. Most patterns for slipcovers are not truly patterns at all; instead they are directions on how to make a slipcover. Because there are so many sizes and shapes of sofas, it would be more trouble to alter a pattern to fit your sofa than to cut your own.
Most of the major pattern makers offer a slipcover pattern/instructions in their home décor section. I got on the Internet and found a site that rated slipcover patterns. The Simplicity pattern #7565 got two stars with the comment that it also provided several patterns for chairs as well.
There are several sites on the Internet that provide slipcover instructions. I would start with www.fabricworkshop.com or www.conso.com/site_files/pdf_files/slipcover.pdf . Both of these have clear instructions for making your slipcover. If you do not want to use trim or cording, just skip those instructions and move to the next section on construction.
If you had rather have a whole book on slipcovering, try SIMPLY SLIPCOVERS (1997) published by Sunset Books. This may be more than you ever wanted to know about slipcovers but it has nice pictures and clear instructions. GOOD LUCK!
September 15, 2002
Dear Soccer Mom,
Thirty-five years ago I made two hangings of felt glued onto burlap, recreating some fanciful children's drawings for my kids. Then I glued the burlap onto some stiff cardboard strips. They hung on the wall for some years, but have been haphazardly stored since. After a recent move our daughter was poking through our garage and discovered the hangings, and would like them for her kids. They are quite dusty and there's a water stain on one corner.
I took them to the cleaners today, but the clerk was afraid that the dry cleaning solution would dissolve the glue. When I asked about washing them in Woolight she said she thought the burlap (which is quite stiff by now) would get too wrinkly. Could it be ironed, or would that loosen the glue, too?
Do you have any suggestions? How about working on the water stain, and just trying to brush off the dust? What might work on the stain?
Many thanks for any ideas, Joyce Rice Oregon
Dear Joyce,
How nice that your daughter wants to use your wall hanging again. Restoring old fibers can be dicey and whether you are cleaning the Shroud of Turin or an old craft project, it’s always a good idea to start with the gentlest method first.
There are two issues here- the fiber content and the glue. Ordinarily felt is not a fabric that gets washed or immersed. It is generally made of a combination of wool and other fibers that are matted and compressed into a sheet. It doesn’t have the stability of a woven fabric. While burlap is woven, it’s also not a fabric that’s designed with washing in mind. I’m assuming you don’t remember what kind of glue you used (anyone who can remember something like that after 35 years probably doesn’t have enough to think about). However, back then white glue (i.e. Elmer’s Glue) was used for most crafts. White glue is water soluble and would probably dissolve in too much water or other liquid. I also doubt that the colors in the felt are colorfast and too much liquid will probably cause the felt and burlap to warp and distort. So, I think washing in Woolite or having it dry cleaned is out.
I would probably start by giving it a gentle vacuuming front and back with a hand vac or with the upholstery attachment of the vacuum cleaner. You might also let it air out by hanging it outside in shade (direct sunlight might fade the colors). If it still smells a little musty a little spritz with a product like Fabreeze should help.
Before attacking the water spot, do a little spot check to test the felt for colorfastness. On an inconspicuous spot, blot it with cool water and either a white cotton ball or cotton swab then check to see if you have color on the white cotton. Be careful about using terrycloth or other textured fabrics as cleaning implements. They may be too rough and loosen the fibers of the felt. If the felt appears colorfast then you might try just a little cool water on the stain blotting with a paper towel often. If that doesn’t work, you could try a dilute solution of laundry detergent and water. Don’t soak the felt in anything. Just put a little of the solution on a rag or paper towel and gently work it in then blot it up. Blot again with cool water. Dry cleaning solutions won’t take out a water spot. Since felt almost always has wool in it, don’t use anything with chlorine bleach. Wool is made of protein and bleach will dissolve it. After 35 years that water spot may be permanent. The best course of action may be to leave it alone or consider it an additional embellishment opportunity and glue another piece of felt over it. (For more information on spot removal check out www.iastate.edu/~tc-ext/stainfaq.html, they must spend a lot of time thinking about stains in Iowa.)
I don’t see why you couldn’t iron it using a fairly low setting like for silk or rayon. Use a press cloth to be on the safe side.
After 35 years some loosening of the glue seems inevitable. Get a good quality fabric glue and reglue the places where the old glue has failed. Good luck.
Dear Soccer Mom,
I am thinking of venturing into the world of sewing. However, there is a problem, I have no clue where to begin I can't even thread a needle and don't even have a machine. I know it is much too complicated a subject for you to tell me everything here, but can you at least give me the bare bone basics of what I am going to need and maybe some tips on picking out a sewing machine?
Three of the most practical things I learned to do in high school were type, sew, and think. While I don’t sew everyday (and some have questioned whether I think everyday as well), I have always been glad I knew how. I’ve made drapes, designed wonder woman costumes, and taken up lots of hems thanks to Mrs. White and her homemaking class.
The main personal prerequisite for sewing is patience. Most sewing projects take a little time and have sequential steps. It can be frustrating but that’s where the second prerequisite comes in. Take some lessons. Sewing is all about technique. Sewing isn’t necessarily difficult (my rule of thumb on most things is “before you say you can’t do something, look at who does it for a living”) but it’s much easier if you know the little tricks and techniques that the pros use. Some sewing machine retailers offer courses or even provide them as part of your sewing machine purchase. Most likely, however, you’ll need to find a teacher. Retailers and fabric shops may be able to recommend someone who gives private or small group lessons. It’s not unusual for teachers to provide the machine for you to learn on if you’re not ready to make a commitment to buying a machine yet. However, I would encourage you to learn on the machine you are going to sew on. Check with the city recreation department or community college for personal enrichment courses on sewing also.
The main draw back to sewing as a hobby is that it requires a fairly big investment in equipment. Obviously the main piece of equipment is a sewing machine and like cars, they range from Fords to Mercedes. There are computerized machines that will embroider an elaborate design while you watch TV in the other room (now where’s the sport in that?). Most likely, however, if you’re just starting out you should get a good basic mechanical machine. It’s hard to go wrong with the recommendations of Consumer Reports. They reviewed sewing machines of varying complexity in their December 2001 issue and I suggest you read that article before buying your machine. I’m not going to go into all of nuances of the different machines since they’ve already done it in more detail. Read it at the library or log onto www.consumerreports.org (you’ll have to pay a small fee for the information on line).
A machine is only the first piece of equipment you’ll need. Second on the list is a good pair of scissors. And I do mean a GOOD pair of scissors. Fiskers makes fine scissors but the Cadillic of scissors are Guingers. In addition to never running with your scissors (I’m a mother, I’m required to say that), you should also never cut anything but fabric with them. Never, never let anyone cut paper or beading wire with them. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to cut fabric with a dull pair of scissors or ones that have nicks in the blades. Also, if you’re left handed as I am, get left handed scissors. If you are left handed and you’ve tried to do much cutting with right handed scissors, you already know why.
After scissors and a sewing machine, you need a variety of smaller items like straight pins, a package of sewing needles, a pincushion, a thimble, a measuring tape, a yard stick, a seam ripper or a little utility knife with a snipe off blade, and thread nippers or a small pair of scissors to keep by your machine. I also suggest you get a fold out cutting board that you can lay over a table or bed for cutting out your projects. They are usually made of cardboard and fold up to store. They’re not expensive and will save your table top from getting scratched. You will need at least six or so empty bobbins for different thread colors. I have about 20 bobbins filled with different colors thread. I would also get a little clear plastic bobbin case to put them in which will keep them from becoming a tangled mess. Have a variety of different size machine needles. As you will learn in your sewing classes, you need to change your machine needle regularly and use the right size for the fabric you’re sewing.
Other handy but not essential items are a rotary cutting tool, a self healing cutting mat, and a clear plastic ruler. These often come in handy for craft projects. To store this plethora of sewing stuff you can get a fancy sewing case or you can do what I did and buy a big, cheap, plastic tool chest with lots of compartments. That has worked the best for me. You can find all of these items at a fabric store or a discount store that has a sewing section like Walmart.
Consumable items you will need are fabric (duh) and thread. I’m a big fan of thrift stores and garage sales but be careful about buying old thread. It may break easily or unravel on you. Fabric that’s been stored properly, on the other hand, can last for many years. If you are going to sew with a pattern, the pattern will list all of the notions (that’s what you call all of the extra stuff you need like zippers, thread, buttons, etc.) necessary for a specific project.
Remember to watch for sales and coupons for buying those expensive items like sewing machines and fancy scissors.
| In summary, here’s Soccer Mom’s Essential Sewing Checklist: |
| SEWING MACHINE |
| SCISSORS |
| STRAIGHT PINS |
| SEWING NEEDLES |
| SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES |
| PINCUSHION |
| THIMBLE |
| SEAM RIPPER OR SMALL UTILITY KNIFE |
| THREAD NIPPERS OR SMALL SCISSORS |
| TAPE MEASURE |
| YARD STICK |
| CUTTING BOARD |
| BOBBINS |
| BOBBIN CASE |
| TOOL CHEST |
|
Dear Soccer Mom, What the hell is a barkcloth? I have a friend helping me redo my apartment with a retro 50's feel and they keep saying I need to get some barkcloth this and that. Is it something to do with a tree or a dog or neither?
You're not barking up the wrong tree (sorry, I couldn't resist that) if you're interested in barkcloth. First popular in the 1940's, barkcloth was a favorite of professional designers and homemakers until the early 60's. The name is derived from the fabric's texture which looks and feels a little like the bark of a tree. Generally barkcloth was made of cotton which made it durable and easily laundried. At the height of its popularity, barkcloth was designed by artists as diverse as the surrealist Salvador Dali and the primitive painter Grandma Moses. The designs were as varied as those artists' styles. In the 40's, large florals and tropical prints were popular. As modern design evolved in the 50's, barkcloth designs changed to reflect that trend. Today, those styles are referred to as "Atomic" or "Eames Era" (Eames was an influencial furniture designer of the time). If you want to give your interior a vintage look, whether it be floral shabby chic, Miami deco topical, or funky 50's atomic, you can't do better than barkcloth. You can go all out with drapes and furniture slipcovers or just add a touch with pillows or throws made from barkcloth. Barkcloth can also spice up your wardrobe. Purses, totebags, and jackets from barkcloth are a great look. See the handbags and totes Soccer Mom makes for Naughty Secretary Club Jewelry here.
Dear Soccer Mom, I just got back from vacation and have a ton of cute pictures I want to frame. Sure there are the plain old frames lying around my house and I could go to Target and splurge there, but I was hoping to make some of my own. I am feeling crafty and just need a little inspiration. Well look no further for inspiration, displaying your favorite pictures will give you plenty of chances to get crafty. It would be relatively easy to make your own picture frames for your pictures. You can either by cheap frames to start with or make your own. If you buy them, get simple, flat frames with as little detail as possible. You could also cut out your own frames from foam core board using a good craft or utility knife. If you do this, you can cut it to any shape you want. You could also make your frame from a pre-cut picture mat. With both the foam core frame or the mat frame, you will need to construct a back with cardboard that you glue to three sides of the back of the frame. Leave the the third side free to slide in your picture when you are through decorating. You can either set these frames on a small easel or attach a narrow piece of card board at its end to the back of the frame. Use a piece of ribbon that is hot glued to the back of the frame and the stand. Look at commercial frames to see what I mean. Now that you have a basic frame, my favorite decoration is decoupage. You might want to make color copies of some of your pictures, cut out the parts you like and stick them on to the frame in an artful manner using a craft glue such as Mod Pogue. You can finish the edges by hot gluing small shells to the edge or do a grouping of small shells in one corner of the frame. You could also use ribbon or thin cording to finish the edge. Aside from frames, you could also turn some of your pictures into refrigerator magnets. Again, I would use color copies rather than the originals. You could enlarge or reduce them that way as well. You can buy sheets of flexible magnet sheeting at a craft store. Glue on your pictures and cut them and the magnet sheet to the size you want. My third idea would be to use one or two of your favorite pictures to make stand ups. Color copy your pictures you want to use. I suggest you enlarge them for this. Roughly cut out your picture or whom ever you are going to immortalize and attach it to foam core board using spray mounting adhesive. Using your sharp and trusty matte knife or jig saw with a fine blade (if you are so endowed), cut out the figure carefully. Like a picture frame, you will need to attach a piece of card board on the back to make a slanted leg for the cut out to lean against. There photo cut outs were popular in the thirties and forties and have a funky, nostalgic look about them. You could experiment with back and white copies rather than color if you want it to have an old look. |
Dear
Soccer Mom,
I have always lived in apartment where I never had the need to worry about lawn care. Well, my boyfriend and I are about to start living in sin in a rent house and all the yard maintenance will be left up to us. We can not afford to go out and buy a ton of stuff, so can you tell me the bare necessities that I will need to keep my yard looking decent.
As a long time home owner, I can tell you that my favorite piece of yard equipment is a good lawn service. They do all the mowing and edging then blow the debris into the neighbor's yard. What more could you want? However, as a first time homeowner or renter, I assume this is not an option for you. Assuming you have a lawn, you will need a lawnmower (duh). When we first had a home, one of our rituals of spring was to go to garage sales and find a working lawn mower that would last us through the season. The problem with this strategy is that after a few seasons of buying old, smoking lawn mowers with dull blades, you could buy a decent new one. This is a fairly major expense but a necessity. As with any major purchase, start with Consumer Reports. Every library has them or go to their web site at www.ConsumerReports.org. There is a small fee to use the web site but worth it. Remember, you just need to cut the grass not impress the neighbors so a modest one that might mulch or at least has a bag is adequate. After the lawn mower, you may want to get an electric string edger. For this you will also need an exterior extension cord long enough to get from your exterior plugs to the curb. It helps to measure this distance before you go to the store. Don't use a regular interior extension cord unless you want to end up with really frizzy hair. The third major piece of equipment you will need is a water hose. Hoses come in all price ranges depending on the length and composition. Like an extension cord, the hose needs to be long enough to meet your needs so measure before you buy. A good quality, kinkless hose is worth the extra money. It will lie flat and won't kink up when you're trying to reach that last thirsty begonia. There are any number of different nozzles you can get for the hose but I personally have become quite talented at holding my thumb in different positions to get just the spray pattern I want. That is fine for watering plants but unless you are really into communing with nature, I do suggest a yard sprinkler (your thumb can only hold that position for so long). My favorite is an oscillating sprinkler I bought at Sears years ago. It can be adjusted to make a complete circle or any variation there of. The height of the spray will also adjust. Being able to adjust it's range keeps you from wasting water (no matter how much water goes on the street, it will not grow more pavement). For the fall if there are a lot of deciduous trees on your property you will also need a rake. That covers the biggies- the mower, the edger, the hose, the rake and the sprinkler. If you do any gardening at all you will need a hand trowel. You will use it in the yard and in container gardening. You will also need a shovel. We live at fairly busy intersection and over the years we have collected a number of shovels that have fallen off of trucks when they screeched to a halt at the stop sign. Despite having such a selection to choose from, my personal favorite is what I believe is called a sharp shooter or a spade. It has a fairly short handle with a grip on the end. The blade is long and narrow. This shovel is great for digging holes for larger plants. Mine has buried its share of pets over the years as well. A trowel and a shovel can be found at a garage sale or estate sale, just make sure the wooden handle on the shovel is not cracked. A pair of anvil or bypass pruners and hedge trimmers if you have hedges that require shaping are handy. Lastly, a large straw hat is essential garden equipment. Skin cancer on your face is a lot worse than black spots on roses. My final piece of advice is care for your equipment. Especially at the end of the season, clean everything, put a little oil or petroleum jelly on the blades, oil the hinges, and drain the lawn mower motor. If you put your hose away each year it will last a long time. I'm really terrible about this but at least we live in a mild climate. Besides, do as I say, not as I do. * I also saw a good idea in a mag at the dentist this morning. A woman used an old golf bag that still had its little rolling cart as a garden bag. It was great to hold long handled tools and has a pocket (used for golf balls and gloves in its former life) for small tools and garden gloves. They are all over at thrift stores and garge sales! Read about gardening more in depth here. |
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Dear Soccer Mom,
What can I do about moles all over my yard? I've tried mole poison from the hardware stores which only seems to help them multiply. In April I spread grub worm killer stuff, no change.
Please help, 500 moles in Indy!
Moles seem to be tenatious little creatures. We don't have much of a problem with them where I live because the ground is thick, hard clay and they like friable soil. Having said that here goes what I know about Moles. They are basically insectivors although they will eat other things. Trying to kill off the grub worm population is a good idea because that is a favorite food. Unfortunately, they also like beneficial earthworms and you don't want to kill those. They like to bite off their little heads, roll them up and store them for a snack (I'm not kidding about this). Moles are active year round so your control procedures can't stop at the first frost. You need to keep baiting through the winter. You might check out Oregan Rodent Control Outfitters for their mole bait which was studied by some university and shown to be effective. However, remember that rodent bait is poisonous to pets and other animals so use the bait according to directions. Continue to try to control grubs. Also, Moles like areas around wood piles, under trees where there are lots of leaves piled up and areas with mulch. You can try cleaning up around any of those areas you might have. They will also feed under bird feeders so try putting away the feeders for a while. Good luck.
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Dear Soccer Mom, I have recently invited my partner's parents over for a fancy dinner where I am planning on serving wine with the meal. Now typically if it were just the two of us at home we would be content with splitting a six pack, however I am not sure how the folks would feel about that. Not to mention, I am trying to impress them. Well as it turns out, they are pseudo wine connoisseurs, so that makes me even more nervous about trying to select a decent wine. Any advice so that I won't embarrass myself and maybe can score some brownie points at the same time?
Wine can be so intimidating. It ranks right up there with big policemen with mirrored sunglasses. Here are my very basic rules. Never buy wine that has a screw off top, has a loop for your thumb, or comes in a cardboard container. You are miles ahead with the parents if you just get those three rules down. After that, it gets a little more complicated. Generally, the stuff about white wine with white meats and red wines with red meats is not as hard and fast as it once was. If your friend's parents are real connoisseurs, they probably drink some sort of red wine. It is considered much more complex and sophisticated in taste than white. Having said that, to be on the safe side, I would have both to offer. Chill the white but red is served at room temperature (you probably already knew that). There are about six glasses of wine per bottle. Since I don't know where you live, I can't recommend a particular store in which to shop but in most towns of any size there are at least one or two liquor stores or wine shops that are known to have staff that are helpful and knowledgeable about wine. Find out where these stores are by asking around at work or from friends. I would start by deciding on a menu before I went to the store. It will make it a lot easier. Also have a price in mind for what you want to pay. There are good wines in all price ranges and if you need to stay under ten dollars a bottle (or even less) don't be embarrassed to say so. My experience in wine, antiques, or whatever, is that people enjoy talking about their passion and they particularly enjoy helping someone young and new in the area. Let's suppose, however, that there is no magic store with warm, empathetic staff to guide you. Instead, you have gone to a giant discount club with aisles and aisles of glistening bottles from everywhere in the world. What's a novice shopper to do? WWW to the rescue. There are many good sites that can help. You might try Food and Wine Magazine's site, foodandwine.com. They also put out a yearly pocket guide, Food & Wine Magazine's Official Wine Guide 2001. I would have wine to offer before dinner. For this you may want to have a bottle of white as well as a red. For dinner, have a couple of your red selections. You are probably looking at buying three or four bottles (three if you can get by with offering some of your dinner red before dinner). Columbia Crest Winery Chardonnay (Washington State) is not expensive but very good. Many good and inexpensive reds are produced in Chile. Santa Rita Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon is excellent and under ten dollars. Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon is also quite good. Cabernets are great just to drink or to have with dinner. Many good wines also come from Australia. Shariz is most closely associated with Australia. It is a fairly light, fruity red that I like for sipping or with food. It's good with grilled food or fish. Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz is cheap and good. Lindemans Bin 50 also makes a good Merlot. Merlot is another lighter, fruity red wine what is good to have with beef, salmon, or chicken. If you are doing Italian, a Pinot Grigio would be good such as Pradio Pinot Grigio from Italy. Then of course, you might want to serve a Chianti such as 1998 Cecchi, Classico. This is by no means complete but none of these wines are expensive and you shouldn't feel embarrassed serving them to someone who knows about wines. Of course, you can also win points by steering the dinner conversation toward wines. Try to look fascinated as the parents get a chance to look sophisticated and knowledgeable (I would take notes on my napkin if I really wanted to butter them up). You can then go back to beer when the evening is over. Read about choosing the right wine glass here. |
