16 February 2018 - Modern Fashion Alchemy

Nylon - The Granddaddy of Man-Made Fibers

"Ten years of research had preceded the granting of a patent for nylon to Dr. Wallace Carothers. The first truly synthetic fiber, nylon is made from such basic materials as coal, air, and water."

Nylon was first showcased at the 1939 World Fair in New York.

In 1940, nylon stockings hit the market.

Everyone and their grandma got in line for these babies.

Then the war came.

Nylon was in need for use in the military. Wool and silk were in short supply so a campaign to collect nylon stockings was started to reuse the material for clothing and parachutes.

This led to some creativity by stocking-less women.

They would draw seams on their legs or even paint on tinted shades.

Today nylon is used in a variety of ways or blended with other fabrics. Now nylon and other synthetics are typically delicate fabrics.

You gotta follow the wash instructions on your clothes people. If you own delicate fabrics you can't just throw them in the wash on the "Heavy Duty" setting. Believe me I have experience with this. Now I don't buy anything that can't be thrown in the wash.

I won't however be painting clothing on myself anytime in the future.

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15 February 2018 - The Mustard Mix

This History of Mustard "The delights of mustard as a food accompaniment apparently had been known only a few years before the appearance of the advertisement described in today's historical note." TODAY IN HISTORY On February 15 1768, one Benjamin Jackson advertised in a Philadelphia newspaper that he was "the only mustard manufacturer on the continent. I brought to art with me into the country." Mr. Jackson came to America from London, England. He sold his product labeled in glass bottles. Benjamin Jackson, from the book Chocolate: History, Culture, and Heritage, was a chocolate and mustard maker. He introduced mustard into his chocolate shop where he also sold other spices and flours. Now the mustard he sold was not like the mustard we have today. He sold bottles labeled "Flour of Mustard" which means that you had to follow the directions on the bottle to mix the powder with hot water to create your condiment. Mustard...

1 January 2018 - Happy New Year!!

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19 March 2018 - Why Woodn't You

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Almanac for Homemakers

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