Absinthia Returns, Part 11

Bed from the Early Modern period of German furniture (1500-1800)

photo by R. Engelhardt

This is part of a continuing series of email letters exchanged with my Swedish friend, Absinthia. To see the whole series, start with  Living a Simple Life.

Second-Hand Crafting: Bed Linens

Hello again,

In Sweden, we would probably die without duvets. Seriously! Sometimes we have duvets and blankets on top of that! We have thin duvets for spring and autumn, and thick duvets for the midwinter.  During midsummer, we don’t need duvets at all.

Here are some second-hand sewing projects for the bedroom.

Bed Sheets

Two small sheets can be made into one big sheet. The seam will be positioned across the bed at approximately knee height, so it is hardly noticeable.

Duvet Cover

Here’s how I make the Swedish version of duvet covers from two fitted bottom bed sheets.  Measure a well-fitting duvet cover. Use that as a model when cutting off the sides of the bottom sheets. With right sides together, sew the two bottom sheets together, leaving two corners at one end open enough to be able to get your hand in.  Hem the edges of the open corners.  At the other end, sew the two corners shut, and leave the short side partially open so you can stuff the duvet in later. This end will go at the foot of the bed. Turn the duvet cover right-side out. Embroider if you feel like it. If you don´t embroider, it will all be done in about ten minutes.

To insert the duvet, you push it in through the lower partial opening. Then you put one hand through one of the upper corner-holes, the other hand in the other corner-hole, grab an upper corner of the duvet with one hand, the other corner with the other hand, and then shake gently until the duvet is in place inside the duvet cover. Some people like to sew a button and a button hole so you are able to close the lower opening. I have not yet tried it, but it seems practical.

Pillowcases

Measure a pillowcase that fits well, and use that as a model. Fold the fabric you want to use so it’s doubled. Cut it according to your measuring plus a quarter of an inch to make space for hems and seams. Sew the two short sides plus one long side. Leave the other long side open (to be placed uppermost when using). Hem it. Sew nice ribbons in place so you can tie the pillowcase shut later. Turn it right-side out. This is a very classic style here in Sweden. All of my grandmother’s old pillowcases looked like this. If I feel ambitious, I can add decorations like lace ribbons sewn along the sides or some sweet embroidery.

Traditionally we add some small embroidery diagonally at one of the upper corners, the initials maybe or some cute motif, not necessarily fancy. Just something to brighten things up a bit. Everyday life needs a bit of a golden rim too, you know ;-)

-Absinthia

Dear Absinthia,

My philosophy is, "use the beautiful, old things passed down from family... or give them to someone who will."  My friend, Alice, has sold quite a few vintage and antique linens for me, to ladies who are thrilled to get them. 

- amanda

The conversation continues here:
Absinthia Returns, Part 12

Absinthia Returns, Part 2

Fair Trade products (photo by Andie Gilmour)

This is part of a continuing series of email letters exchanged with my Swedish friend, Absinthia. To see the whole series, start with Living a Simple Life.

Dear Absinthia,

Last night my husband and I were discussing the “throw-away” mindset that our culture has regarding many things that we purchase, including clothes. They are so cheap at the big box stores, that many people buy a few outfits, wear them for a season, and then get rid of them and buy more. What a waste! But I suppose it keeps millions of poor factory workers from starving.

- amanda

Hello :-)

This “buy-wear-throw” away culture… I heard a politician on the radio once defending it with “but we support the poor countries if we buy things.”  But, sad to say, that is not true. The only ones we support if we buy in the big brand stores, are the western multi-millionaires that sit comfortably on their big moneybags. The poor seamstresses make less than half a dollar a day. They have to borrow money from the black market money lenders to be able to buy food and pay the rent. The poor young girls that put the iphones together, they have such bad work-situations (too long days, no rests, too stressful etc.), that the factory owners have had to block the doors out to the roofs to stop them from commiting suicide.

I look for this kind of information in the newspapers. It never hits the headlines, but one finds it if one looks for it. And I do, because I refuse to live a good life on the back of my brother, and I refuse to eat from my sister’s plate.

Some years ago, more than ten years ago now I guess, a young boy child finally was able to run away from the debt slavery that his parents had sold him into. He started fighting the money lenders that organize this kind of thing, and he started fighting against the system that allows child labour.  I had the chance to hear him speak on these issues, and he said, “The only way to end this, is to not support them in any way. It is so easy. Just don´t support them. Don´t send your money in their direction.”  He was so dangerous for the factory owners, that he was murdered after just a few years. 

So, I don´t give them my money. I don´t buy any product made with child labour, or under other kinds of unfair conditions. I make the things I need myself, or I get it from a local producer (the local seamstress, the local fire wood seller, etc.), or from someone with a “clear” source, such as Fair Trade, from whom I buy cocoa and vanilla.

By not letting people fare ill, at the same time I’m not letting the earth fare ill. By not letting greedy people enslave others, I don´t support the polluting transports. So Fair Trade is both fair for people and for the planet’s eco-system. All of us must stick together, earth and people are one. It is very easy, if one lets it be easy :-)

- Absinthia

The conversation is continued here:
Absinthia Returns, Part 3

Absinthia Returns, Part 1

Shopping mall in Toronto, 2008  (photo by Benson Kua)

Living a Simple Life

My Swedish friend, Absinthia, has kindly agreed to have another conversation with me for this blog.  In 2011, we posted an 8-part series of emails, starting here.  The current series is about living a simple life, and I think you'll enjoy her perspective.

Dear Absinthia,

I have been thinking about you a lot, lately, and I hope we can have another conversation--this time about simple, basic living. As humans, we must start making the transition. Global warming is happening faster than we expected, and we’ve just got to take swift, major steps to correct the way we are living on this Earth.

- amanda

Hello!

I wanted to think if I have something to say and share about simple living, and I think I do :-) We have been living a small simple life for some years now so I have learned quite a lot, remembered lessons my granny and grandfather taught me, read some, heard some, realised some and thought some too ;-)

I am now a teacher fiber crafts, and I also do commission work.  It may sound strange, but I am much happier and feel physically much better now, even though we have approximately a third as much money as we did before.

I hear and read that many people think that Christmas is a very stressful time. I think that may be because they are focused on the material stuff “Buying, buying, buying!!!” instead of making an experience “let´s have a lovely holiday together: read, tumble around in the snow, and drink hot cocoa!”

And this is the core of the climate-disaster in the making, don´t you think? If we stop the “buying, buying, buying,” then the big businesses cannot enslave the poor countries into child labour, and then the international traders will no longer get rich from all those poisonous mass-producing industries that contaminate the water and the earth, and all the cheap stuff will no longer be transported hence and forth, bought by us and then hardly get any use before we exchange it with some new cheap bad-quality stuff, and then get thrown away at the junk heaps everywhere.

We have completely stopped buying Christmas gifts. We buy trees in an agroforestry-project and send their gift-cards as Christmas cards :-) It saves the earth and gives the growers and their families a way to support themselves. I am happy to have found such a nice project to support. We have supported them for more than 10 years now :-D

- Absinthia

The conversation is continued here:

  Absinthia Returns, Part 2.