Michele says: Now that we’ve completed our first sewing project, it’s almost time to move on to the next big step in sewing: the sewing machine. Before we do, though, we’re going to get back to the most basic of basics and learn how to reattach a button in under five minutes. But what do …
Michele says: If you had to summarize summer in three words, which words would you choose? Swimming, picnics, and ice cream? Vacations, thunderstorms, and fireflies? Bikinis, bonfires, and s’mores? How about red, white, and blue? To me, summer never fails to feel like one big patriotic party, and the colors of the season seem to …
Dear Home Ec 101, I love your blog (and book), but have a question I don’t think has been addressed. We live in a small duplex with 5 animals (three dogs and two cats). While I’m learning to keep stuff clean -mostly 😉 – there is one recurring issue that I’ve been having. We have …
Dear Home-Ec 101,I am sorry if you have had this question before, but maybe it bears repeating. I live in hot and sticky Thailand, and I have noticed my tops are not smelling very fresh anymore when I perspire. I usually wash them in cold or warm water with liquid detergent then I hang them to dry. After …
Dear Home-Ec 101:I have a coffeemaker with a removable water reservoir. It turns out that it never totally empties, and now it smells musty. I have tried cleaning it with vinegar and denture tablets, as suggested. I live in southern Louisiana, and musty smells are a way of life, but not in my coffeemaker!Any other …
Michele says: I’m sure most of you would agree with me if I said that nothing is tastier than an ice cream sandwich on a hot summer’s day. It’s cold, it’s creamy, and it conjures up memories of childhood summers spent chasing down the ice cream man. Despite its deliciousness, however, I’m often wishing for …
Michele says: Over the past few months here at Home Ec 101, we’ve learned an awful lot about the basics of sewing. We know the straight stitch and the Frankenseam, we know how to hem trousers two different ways, how to repair holey jeans, and we even learned how to darn socks, but for those …
Michele says: Have you ever had a popover? If you haven’t, you’re missing out on one of my all-time favorite sides for a Sunday roast. Crispy and crunchy outside with an airy inside, popovers are the perfect utensil for transporting gravy from plate to mouth. Like Yorkshire puddings without the pan drippings, popovers are simple …
Dear Home-Ec 101, My problem is that I keep towels that we have used in a closet until I do laundry at the end of the week, and I wanted to know if there is anything I could put inside the closet to keep down the musky smell until laundry day? Signed, Musky in Muskogee Heather …
Michele says: I have come to the realization that sharing my willingness to toss old socks has made me out to be exactly what I’m not: wasteful. I’ve darned a slew of sweaters and I’ve frozen enough manager’s special groceries to feed the Army and the Navy. I’ve never, ever missed an opportunity to haggle …