2021 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

Laura_Elsewhere

PipneyJane said:

Baileys_Babe said:

@Cherryfudge please would you post the UK quantities for the chocolate cake as I would like to give it a try and I am not confident cooking in cups. Or could somebody let me know the volume in millilitres of an American cup? Thanks

An American cup measure is 8 fluid ounces, while a British one is 10 fl oz (240ml).   As @joedenise said, so long as you use the same measuring cup set for all your measurements, the proportions will remain consistent and you will have a successful result.  (I cook American cake recipes regularly.  Never had an issue.) 

If you are worried about things involving teaspoons and tablespoons, our measures are the same (5ml and 15ml).  Use gently rounded instead of smoothed off and you’ll be fine.

- Pip


PS. To complicate matters, the Australian/NZ tablespoon and the old, Imperial one are 20ml, which is equal to 4 teaspoons.

 My Mum has a Tala cone that has different levels on it showing how far apart the US and British "cup" measurement is...

I found this pic online

Baileys_Babe

Thank you @joedenise guess what I am going to cook this afternoon 😋 If anybody wishes to join me in the village hall for a slice and a cuppa later that would be splendid.

For Christmas, a family member very generously gave ds an old Singer sewing machine, it appears to be a hand-cranked model which has been adapted with the addition of a motor. I was aware it needed sewing machine oil but not the frequency and I didn't know you were supposed to replace the needles for each project. I had a vague awareness that different needles were available for different weight fabrics. We have been told that this machine is capable of sewing heavy-duty fabrics including denim. Thank you @Laura_Elsewhere for sharing your knowledge. 
The machine came with various feet which we have yet to identify, we need to spend some time trying to work it out.
The machine can only do straight stitch if anybody can direct me to some projects which would be suitable for a complete novice (ds) and somebody with very little knowledge and that was gained in the dim and distant past (myself), we would be very greatful.

Laura_Elsewhere

@Baileys_Babe please do NOT use the electric motor until it's been checked over - my family has one we've used for years that was a hand-crank professionally converted in the 1930s for my Gran (we have the receipt!) - when my electrically-trained Intended saw it, he shrieked in horror because basically, at any time, it can electrocute the user... safety standards, even for professionals, were lower in the past and of course the wiring is very old. 

So PLEASE get it checked by a (modern!) qualified electrical professional before using it at all... 

If you're lucky, though, you can easily disengage the motor and revert to hand-cranking... mine is straight-stitch only and I have made full-length fitted ballgowns, my Mum used her (my great-grandmother's) hand-cranked straight-stitch Singer to make my sister's full meringue silk and lace wedding dress with a 15-foot train and my silk bridesmaid's dress.... and we also used that Singer to sew the new heavy-duty canvas onto Grandaddy's 1914-18 war camp-bed back in the 1980s when we used it for overflow overnight guests, sometimes sewing through four thicknesses of thick, barely-bendable canvas. 

Old Singers are the perfect machine. I have an attachment for making buttonholes, but otherwise I just make everything with its straight stitch... it won't sew stretch fabrics, but there are vast numbers of things you can make without using zig-zag stitch  

What would the two of you actually *like* to make? What about something like a really simple linen camisole with pin-tucks down the front, to wear in summer as a top? You couldn't get much simpler... 

Oh and you can identify your model by looking at the serial number (typically in front of the machine, to the right-hand end) and looking it up here http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/serial-numbers/singer-sewing-machine-serial-number-database.html

Mine is one of 40,000 Model 27Ks made in 1902 - the K means it was made in the Scottish factory - there is still a railway station named 'Singer' just outside Glasgow! 

PipneyJane

Laura_Elsewhere said:

PipneyJane said:

Baileys_Babe said:

@Cherryfudge please would you post the UK quantities for the chocolate cake as I would like to give it a try and I am not confident cooking in cups. Or could somebody let me know the volume in millilitres of an American cup? Thanks

An American cup measure is 8 fluid ounces, while a British one is 10 fl oz (240ml).   As @joedenise said, so long as you use the same measuring cup set for all your measurements, the proportions will remain consistent and you will have a successful result.  (I cook American cake recipes regularly.  Never had an issue.) 

If you are worried about things involving teaspoons and tablespoons, our measures are the same (5ml and 15ml).  Use gently rounded instead of smoothed off and you’ll be fine.

- Pip


PS. To complicate matters, the Australian/NZ tablespoon and the old, Imperial one are 20ml, which is equal to 4 teaspoons.

 My Mum has a Tala cone that has different levels on it showing how far apart the US and British "cup" measurement is...

I found this pic online

Ooohhhhhh...... I want one of those!  I remember them.  (I also want one of those hand-held, pint jug sized flour sifters, the ones where you squeeze the handle to release your sifted.  I've not seen one since the late 1970's...)

- Pip

PipneyJane

Laura_Elsewhere said:

@Baileys_Babe please do NOT use the electric motor until it's been checked over - my family has one we've used for years that was a hand-crank professionally converted in the 1930s for my Gran (we have the receipt!) - when my electrically-trained Intended saw it, he shrieked in horror because basically, at any time, it can electrocute the user... safety standards, even for professionals, were lower in the past and of course the wiring is very old. 

So PLEASE get it checked by a (modern!) qualified electrical professional before using it at all... 

If you're lucky, though, you can easily disengage the motor and revert to hand-cranking... mine is straight-stitch only and I have made full-length fitted ballgowns, my Mum used her (my great-grandmother's) hand-cranked straight-stitch Singer to make my sister's full meringue silk and lace wedding dress with a 15-foot train and my silk bridesmaid's dress.... and we also used that Singer to sew the new heavy-duty canvas onto Grandaddy's 1914-18 war camp-bed back in the 1980s when we used it for overflow overnight guests, sometimes sewing through four thicknesses of thick, barely-bendable canvas. 

I never played on my mum's treadle sewing machine - she gave it away when I was very small - but I know she used it to create a canvas tent, back in the 1950's, extending it after a few years, when my sister and I came along.  It would sew through anything....

- Pip 

OWD_nana

Hello pipneyjane. I wasnt missed, thirftwizard welcomed me on 1st January. Lots of pages ago. lol.
I would still like a piece of ginger cake by the fire though. Love anything with ginger in it. yum.
I cannot knit sadly. Just to prove how little i know. I asked a friend to knit me a beret.(One big enough to put all my long curly hair up into) Similar to what Rastafarians use for their dreds. Pattern said four balls so ordered four. 500 gram not 250g. Idiot. It actually used one 500g ball. Remaining 3 given to friend. Can i just count coupons for just that ball. Its become a costly hat, but i love it and it does the intended job. so okay with me.
I do however like to sew and cook.

OWD_nana

sorry that should read "50g not 25g"

Baileys_Babe

PipneyJane said:

Baileys_Babe said:

@Cherryfudge please would you post the UK quantities for the chocolate cake as I would like to give it a try and I am not confident cooking in cups. Or could somebody let me know the volume in millilitres of an American cup? Thanks

An American cup measure is 8 fluid ounces, while a British one is 10 fl oz (240ml).   As @joedenise said, so long as you use the same measuring cup set for all your measurements, the proportions will remain consistent and you will have a successful result.  (I cook American cake recipes regularly.  Never had an issue.) 

If you are worried about things involving teaspoons and tablespoons, our measures are the same (5ml and 15ml).  Use gently rounded instead of smoothed off and you’ll be fine.

- Pip


PS. To complicate matters, the Australian/NZ tablespoon and the old, Imperial one are 20ml, which is equal to 4 teaspoons.

@PipneyJane I think we must have cross-posted earlier, I was trying to reply whilst ds as was doing his Maths he needed more support than usual so it took me longer to write my reply. I know it would be better if I concentrated on one thing, but usually, he only gets me to check the answers at the end of each session. Thank you, for the explanation, I knew the cups and tablespoons were inconsistent sizes around the world but I couldn't remember how and where. I will copy this post so I can refer to it in future.  

PipneyJane

OWD_nana said:

Hello pipneyjane. I wasnt missed, thirftwizard welcomed me on 1st January. Lots of pages ago. lol.
I would still like a piece of ginger cake by the fire though. Love anything with ginger in it. yum.
I cannot knit sadly. Just to prove how little i know. I asked a friend to knit me a beret.(One big enough to put all my long curly hair up into) Similar to what Rastafarians use for their dreds. Pattern said four balls so ordered four. 500 gram not 250g. Idiot. It actually used one 500g ball. Remaining 3 given to friend. Can i just count coupons for just that ball. Its become a costly hat, but i love it and it does the intended job. so okay with me.
I do however like to sew and cook.

OWD_nana said:

sorry that should read "50g not 25g"

Just count the coupon for that one ball.  (In our parallel universe, we frequently raid the recipient's coupons, if it's a gift to them.  That wouldn't have happened in the real 1942, unless they were family.)

I'm also owned by a mane of long, curly hair.  It wears me.

- Pip

Baileys_Babe

Thank you @Laura_Elsewhere I like the look of the tala measuring cup, I am going to keep my eye open for one, initially in the charity shops when they reopen and if not successful I will add it to my wish list.