Cheap clothes

Probably 10 or 12 years ago I participated in a market study. I was paid $50 to sit in a room with a group of other people, mostly women, and talk about clothes. One discussion has stuck with me. The moderator held up a pair of pants and asked us what we'd pay for them. At the time my business wardrobe consisted of nice dress pants and blouses and a few suits for when the customer was in town. The labels in my clothing were Liz Claiborne or Jones New York. My price point was around $70-$90 for pants. I was shocked when one woman said she'd pay $15...and many others in the room shook their heads in agreement that they too thought $15 was a fair price.

I'm currently reading the book Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth Cline.

Although I had an idea of what's been happening to clothing and fashion over the years, I really did not realize what's been going on. I'm only on the first chapter and already felt compelled to blog about it.

I do not buy (many) cheap clothes and I avoid H&M, Zara, and Walmart, so I was not aware that today one could pay even less than $15 for pants, dresses, blazers, and shoes. Maybe it's because I sew, or maybe it's because I never got into shopping with my girlfriends or maybe it's because I have difficulty finding clothes that fit right, but I pretty much dislike clothing shopping.

I was aware of the developing trend for large quantities of cheap clothing around 20 years ago. At that time I was a grad student on a very tight budget. I went on a trip to Germany and Austria (thanks to the deep pockets of my then boyfriend) and got a glimpse of how expensive clothing was in Europe. Maybe it was because I was in touristy towns, but I saw that clothes were sold in small stores at relatively high prices. But I also got the sense that because of the cost, the clothing was purchased wisely, worn often, and cared for. I returned home to find that a new discount store opened in my town with rack upon rack of generic clothing in a variety of colors and at a very cheap cost. I realized then that Americans could (and would) purchase clothes without much thought and because they were so cheap it wouldn't matter if they weren't worn or became misshapen rags after one washing. Even though I didn't have much money, I decided I'd rather live like a European. The problem was that even if I saved my money, quality clothing was disappearing from the stores.

I purchased my Liz Claiborne and Jones New York wardrobe from Macy's but soon I began to hate going there. The dressing rooms were cluttered with piles of discarded clothes, and the aisles were crammed with racks of generic, cheap clothes. Fortunately I found that because I had purchased relatively good clothes - $80 instead of $15 for pants really did make a difference in quality - I didn't have to shop that often. Then my job changed and I no longer needed suits for customer visits. Casual Fridays became Casual Monday-Thursday as well, and soon I was the "best dressed" engineer in my workplace when I wore pants that weren't out of denim. My wardrobe consisted of either clothing I sewed myself or sweaters, blouses and pants I picked up at Costco along with 2 gallons of milk and 24 rolls of toilet paper. Once or twice a year I ventured to the mall department stores to treat myself to a new outfit. I would succeed at finding a few things, but usually the day was long and frustrating because I was dismayed at the quality and trendiness of the clothing, lack of any sales help, and inability to find clothes that fit and could be worn for more than a few months.

Now that I'm in Germany I would love to say that I'm living like a European, but I fear that this now means buying cheap clothing, for the most part. When I walk downtown I pass many stores with racks of 10-euro tops - flimsy things that wouldn't last beyond one washing (and certainly not the 2-hour wash cycle of  European washing machine!). Truth be told, I haven't done much clothing shopping here, except for winter coats and ski jackets, but when I do, I won't be visiting H&M or C and A or browsing the racks of those cheap 10-euro tops. Thankfully there's no Costco here to tempt me with the convenience of buying clothing with my groceries. I brought my sewing machines, there's a fabric store just a 5 minute walk from my apartment, and I have Burda magazines.

Pfeffernusse

Here's my grandmother's Pfeffernusse recipe. I make half, which produces plenty of cookies, at least 5 dozen, but here is the full recipe:

2 1/2 lbs flour (8 3/4 cups)
1/2 lb brown sugar (1 1/8 cups)
1 1/2 lb dark Karo syrup (2 1/2 cups or 1 jar  + 4 oz)
1/2 lb butter (2 sticks)
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp baking soda disolved in a little water
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp crushed anise seeds
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Mix and heat the syrup, sugar and butter. Add 1/2 of the flour and dry ingredients. Cool, then add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and let set in a cool place for 2 weeks*. Roll dough into a sausage. Cut pieces about 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick. Bake in a 375 deg oven for about 11 minutes. Let cool and coat with powdered sugar (put in a gallon sized zip-lock bag and shake).


 *I never actually let it sit for 2 weeks, and I'm not sure of the purpose for letting it sit for so long. I sometimes refrigerate it over night after I've rolled it, because the dough is very stiff.

Back in Germany, in time for Christmas

This is going to be a long post! I am back in Germany, and also finally have internet so I can finally catch up on some stuff I wanted to blog about.

It's been a busy couple of months! We got our stuff packed and shipped - the air shipment made it here with my rigid heddle loom and spinning wheel. My sewing machine, serger and 4-shaft loom are currently en route via sea container.

 

 

We had been in a temporary, furnished apartment so we also were occupied with all the things one does changing apartments: packing, moving, cleaning, unpacking, cleaning, buying furniture from IKEA, putting together furniture from IKEA, cleaning, getting cable and internet connected, etc., etc. Oh, and more cleaning. We had to clean our old place, of course, but I didn't expect to have to clean the new one. The previous tenants did leave us a closet full of cleaning supplies - I just wish they'd used them during the 4 years they were here. I went through an entire bottle of Mr. Clean, numerous sponges, two sponge mop heads, and a pair of rubber gloves. The good news is that scrubbing floors, bathroom tile and ovens burns calories. Along with lots of walking, I've been able to lose about 15 pounds, despite a diet that includes beer, pretzels, spaetzle, and bratwurst. When my sewing machine gets here I will need to make some alterations to some of my clothes - and of course make some new ones!

But it's not been all work and no play (oh yeah, I did quit my work and am now a full time hausfrau!). We've been enjoying Christmas in Germany. Most of the towns have Christmas markets, either for just a weekend or for the entire month.

Stuttgart Christmas Market

You can buy Christmas ornaments and decorations, gifts, kitchenware, scrub brushes...the scrub brush booths are very popular and sell every type of brush you could imagine - Germans do like a clean house (the previous tenants in our apartment were Americans).

Christmas decorations in the Nuremberg Christmas Market

Of course there is also food at these Christmas markets. Bratwurst, of course, but chocolate covered fruit is very popular as well as warm nuts. But the most important item at the Christmas market is something called glühwein. It's a warm, spiced wine that will help you deal with the bitter cold as well as the crowds in the market. Every (adult) seems to be holding a cup of steaming glühwein - usually a colorful one, decorated with the name of the town, which you can keep or turn in to get your 2-3 euro deposit back. We've begun a small collection of them.

One of our favorite Christmas markets is in Esslingen, Germany. They have a market with a medieval theme, with stalls selling handmade items like baskets, knives, and soaps. The glühwein is sold in more rustic looking mugs and cups. I spied a booth selling spindles and just "had" to get one, along with some fiber. I was looking at a spindle that was more decorative but was undecided, then a woman walked right up and bought it! So I looked at some others and was actually glad she made up my mind for me because I chose one that was better balanced. The seller saw me twirling it in my hand and asked if I spun - or at least I think she did since I still don't know much German. I indicated I did, and the woman gave me a hunk of plain white fiber - I presume to practice with before I spin the purple fiber I bought. So nice!

Drop spindle from Esslingen Chistmas Market

 

Video from Esslingen Medieval Christmas Market 

I've created a little Christmas in our apartment too. We have a little, potted live tree, and I made a wreath for the front door.

And finally, I made Christmas cookies. I make them every year, but making them in Germany is special because these are recipes from my German-heritage grandmother. The white cookies are Pfeffernusse, and I made the sugar cookies I've made many times in the past (link to recipe here).
 

I had a little difficulty getting the oven temperature right. Not only is it an oven I've not used before, but I had to convert the baking temperature to Celsius. The first batches were a little overdone. But the cookies came out pretty good, and I will admit to eating more than a few - but having to scrub the oven beforehand worked off some calories and I deserved a reward!

I still have photos to share of some of the places we've visited, such as Italy, and I also have some knitting FOs to share. But I'll save that for another post since this one is now quite long.

Happy Holidays!

The issue of UFOs

I'm talking about those pesky, unfinished objects, not ET. Since we're going to be gone for 3 years, I've been approaching the stuff in the house with this question in mind: if I don't bring it with me to Germany, will it be relevant in 3 years when we get back? This has helped me part with stuff like magazines I thought I'd get around to reading and electronic gadgets that I don't want to bring but will be very obsolete in 3 years. It's also made me face my UFOs. Many of these projects have been sitting idle for years now already, do I really want to condemn them to 3 more years?

For example, there's the Burda jacket I started over 5 years ago and never got back to. I don't know why I put it aside so long. Maybe I thought that since I'd gained a little weight it would be too small, so why bother, or maybe it just seemed too complicated. But I tried it on and it will fit (I have lost a little weight), the style is still OK, and I must say that my workmanship on it was very nice, so I think it is worth finishing. It's coming with me and I will get it finished.

There's a myriad of knitting projects in various stages - three sweaters need blocking and seaming and a little finishing work and there are a couple of single, unfinished socks that either need to be frogged or finished (along with a mate). All are coming with me. It's going to be a UFO marathon!

But there is also fabric, yarn, and fiber for new projects, however not as much as I thought I would bring. After reading Rose's comment on my last post I realized I was way too ambitious in my thought of what I could use up in my projects. I probably still am. With a desire to sew, knit, weave and spin I have to accept that my project-time has to be split among these activities. It also made me realize that I have far too much fiber for spinning. I must, must, must resist buying more no matter how soft and tempting it is. At least fabric, yarn, and fiber can fit in my suitcase so if by some miracle I actually use up what I bring I can shop my stash during a visit home.

That is all...back to packing!

Maximum stash anxiety

I have a problem. It's what could be called a  princess, 1st world, or champagne problem, but it's a problem for me none the less. You know from reading my blog that I haven't been sewing much over the last few years. Except for my annual Christmas party dresses and some home dec, the sewing machine has been pretty idle. Well, now I have time while I'm taking a break from work to live in Germany for a few years. At least I'll have time for sewing during the week - our weekends will be spent traveling as much as possible. But that week will have to split among my many interests as well as my desire to learn German and explore the local surroundings. That's princess problem #1: too many hobbies, not enough time.

Princess problem #2 is that I have too much fabric. Selecting what to bring is giving me anxiety. I had a crazy idea to create a huge SWAP (Sewing With A Plan) to cover the next few years, but there's just not time or energy to do that. I am only home for a few weeks to gather what I want to have packed and shipped to Germany. It's totally out of the question to bring all the fabric - there's far too much, but at least I don't have to get rid of what I don't bring. Most of my fabric is stored in plastic bins and swatched on cards so I know what I have, but confronting it sort of feels like you do after you eat an entire box of cookies. I'm sick to my stomach that I acquired more than I can really use, but I want them all. There's some really great fabric stored away that I'd like to bring, but I think the best strategy right now is to bring the fabrics that aren't stored. Some of the fabrics are ones I pulled out because I had intentions of actually make something with it (ha!), and some are purchases from over the last few years that never got stored or swatched. It's all good stuff, and while I don't have exact plans for all of the fabric, I have some ideas of what it can be used for. I think this way I'll have fabric to sew and hopefully I won't have to buy fabric locally, where it's expensive and probably redundant to what I have at home. I will be making some trips home so I can bring some fabric back with me if I really need to. Hmmm, should I bring all my swatch cards to Germany or will that just make me nuts because I didn't bring the perfect fabric with me?

Princess problem #3 is too many patterns. Darn those sales at Joanns! I also have a sizable collection of Kwik Sew, Jalie, and independent patterns. Burda? I have 13 years of Burda magazine patterns. Thirteen years. And lets not forget the other foreign magazines - Patrones, Diana, Ottobre, a few La Mia Boutiques. I've done a bit of traveling and buying them is one of my weaknesses. So my plan for patterns is to bring a selection of envelope ones that I think would work with the fabric I'm bringing and to bring the last two years of Burda magazines. I still get Burda delivered to my address in Germany and of course I can go to any newstand and buy Burda and other sewing magazines (Ottobre, Patrones, Diana), so I don't think I will have a shortage of patterns to use. And if I really want a Big-4 pattern for some reason, I can probably have someone (mom?) mail it to me.

Princess problem #4. I also knit. So problems #2 and #3 apply to yarn and knitting patterns/magazines as well.

Princess problem #5. I also spin. At least fiber is squishable.

Princess problem #6. I also weave. My 4-shaft loom is somewhat portable and the rigid heddle folds up, so that's good for space issues. And I can weave with the yarn I spin, so there's a bonus! Well, at least the weft - I still need the right warp yarn.

Ok, my head hurts now, and I need to get back to deciding what to bring. I haven't even touched my notions. Scissors, thread, elastic, zippers, buttons...this is going to be harder than I thought.

Regensburg

Regensburg, a set on Flickr.

We visited Regensburg, Germany earlier this month. It's one of Germany's oldest towns, founded in 179 AD by the Romans. A lot of the medieval city center is preserved, so there are lots of skinny, winding streets to explore. 

Generations and Generations

I’ve been researching the genealogy of my family for a number of years now and have quite a lot of information. I love puzzles and solving things, so hunting down ancestors fits right in with that. I know that many of my ancestors came from Germany so I was hoping to be able to do some further research while I am here. When I reviewed my data I was thrilled to see that one family came from Stuttgart, Germany, which is where I am living right now! Even better, I was able to attend a seminar here on how to search for your ancestors. We had a personal tour of the Landeskirchliches Archiv in Suttgart, where most of the “church books” are held that contain all the names and birthdates of people who lived in this area. A German genealogist helped explain how to go about our research and also helped to decipher the German script on the microfilms of those church books. We were a small group of five visitors at the archives but I was the lucky one who actually had ancestors from here and knew the town they were from, so the genealogists where able to help me with real research. You must know the name of the town when searching because there is no index of surnames to help you. Based on the town name (Fellbach), the German genealogists were quickly able to locate my ancestor’s name on the microfilm and confirm that he was born here and immigrated to America. He’d changed the first letter of his last name so I wasn’t confident of other research I’d found that linked him to a long family line here in Germany, but now I feel I can link to it. Assuming this other research is correct (I don’t have definitive sources), I can go back 14 generations:

me
father – Robert Olsen (1925 – 1998)
grandmother – Marguerite Coxey (1892 – 1978)
great grandfather – William C. Coxey (1866 – 1939)
2nd great grandmother – Elizabeth Edler (1829 – 1906)
3rd great grandfather – Jacob Lange Edler (1782 – 1852) <<<< he’s the one I researched
4th great grandfather – Johann Caspar Idler (1742 – 1815)
5th great grandmother – Anna Maria Schäfer (1709 – 1763)
6th great grandfather – Johann August T. Schäfer (1672 – ?)
7th great grandmother – Anna Fridle (1639 – 1693)
8th great grandfather – Martin Fridle (1607 – 1669)
9th great grandmother – Apollonia Rebmann (1586 – 1634)
10th great grandfather – Hans Jacob Rebmann (1557 – 1597)
11th great grandfather – Jakob Rebmann (1525 – 1575)
12th great grandfather – Hans Rebmann (1500-1565)

I can also go back 12-13 generations on many other paths, including the Idlers back to 1536. Pretty neat, but also amazing when you think about how if just one of those people had died as a child, like so many of them did, I wouldn’t be here. It’s also mind boggling when I start realizing how many ancestors I have. I decided to calculate the number of people in the early 16th century (around 14 generations ago for me) that were needed to pair up to create the offspring that eventually led to me.

Are you ready?

One generation is 2¹ = 2: mother and father
The next generation is 2² = 4: two sets of grandparents
Three generations back is 2³ = 8: four sets of great grandparents
...and so on
So 14 generations is 2¹⁴ = 16384 or 8192 sets of great-great-great-great-great…ok, 12 greats in there…grandparents.

Somewhere there has to be some duplication because if you keep going you’d need more people than were alive. I obviously don’t have all the names of my ancestors, but I do have quite a lot. I started seeing the same name in different generations that weren’t in the same line, so I’m sure that if I did have all the names, I’d see that I don’t actually have 8192 different sets of 12th great grandparents. Also, this number includes people in other parts of Germany and also Norway and England, where I know I have ancestors from as well.

And then there’s the other direction. How many people are the result of Hans Rebmann being alive from 1500 to 1565 and having children? A lot, and I’m sure he was just happy that his son, Jakob Rebmann, survived.

But back to the Idlers. They all lived in Fellbach, which is about 6 km from where I am. I am definitely going to make the short trip over there and walk around, take pictures, and imagine my relatives living and working there.