How to Make...Pretty Much Everything

In METRO's August issue, we showcase local craftspeople who make everything from zines to fine leather goods to coffee. We also show you how to get crafty on your own: you'll find how-to's for nontoxic lip balm, a T-shirt tote bag and recipes for homemade elote, ricotta cheese and more.

We approached some more local crafty folk and asked them to put together how-to's, and here they are:

 

 

How to make a letterpress card, by local studio Zeichen Press.

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How to make tire taters, by Karen Olson Edwards

Most city dwellers have big dreams of living in the country and tending to a garden. But wait! Living in a metropolitan area and growing your own crops don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Karen Olson Edwards—author of the blog Mamalooma—makes a respectable city farm from her small St. Paul backyard. Take her lead, starting with potatoes.

You’ll need:

3 – 4 used tires (you can get them for free at auto parts stores)

4 -5 seed potatoes with sprouted eyes (try going to Mother Earth Gardens or Egg|Plant Urban Farm Supply)

Directions:

Wash out the tires and cut the sidewalls out.

Cut the potatoes into chunks and make sure each one has a couple eyes on it. Leave the chunks with the cut sides exposed overnight to “cure.”

Put the tire somewhere sunny and fill it halfway with soil. Plant the potato chunks eye-side up and about two inches down. Add more soil to the almost-top of the tire. Add straw to the top layer to facilitate moisture retention.

When the potatoes start sprouting over the first tire, throw on a second tire on top. Put more soil on the plant so only an inch or so is poking out. By doing this, you are forcing the plant to keep seeding buds instead of quitting once one layer has been achieved.

Repeat step five to add layers three and four.

When the green part starts to turn yellow, wilt, and die back, you are ready to harvest—either one layer at a time or all at once.

Refer here for Mamalooma’s original blog post on the matter.

A farmer’s rule of (green) thumb is that potatoes should always be planted Easter Sunday, even if you have to dig in the snow to do it. But don’t get discouraged—it's worth doing anytime. Depending on the resources you have or are willing to scatter around your yard, there are various methods you can try, including using fencing and straw or totes instead of tires. Happy growing! 

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How to make sea salt spray, by Meghan McAndrews (courtesy Beauty Bets)

You'll need:

Clean plastic spray bottle (reuse old ones!), 8 ounces minimum in size

1 c. water

1-3 t. of fine sea salt (use closer to 3 t. if your hair is thick, closer to 1 t. if it’s thin or super dry. You can always add more salt to the bottle, ½ t. at a time, if your results aren’t “beachy” enough!)

1-3 t. coconut-scented conditioner (I use good old-fashioned Suave!)

A little dab of hair gel (I use an unscented VO5 gel)

Optional: a few drops of essential oil—chamomile for us blondes, rosemary for brunettes, tea tree for those with oilier scalps, lavender for everyone else

Directions:

Combine the water, salt, conditioner and gel (and essential oils) in the bottle. Shake it up and you’re ready to go! To make sure it’s perfectly combined each time you use it, give it a good shake before you get to spraying. (Also, if you’re reusing an old bottle, be sure you label it somehow to avoid any mix-ups!)

Tip: Spritz it on liberally root to tip after shampooing, conditioning and towel-drying. Then I make two super tight low buns behind my ears and let it air dry. When I take out the buns later in the morning or afternoon, I’ve got super sweet ‘70s-style waves—no heat-styling required! You could also spray, crunch and diffuse or spray, crunch and air dry—whatever floats your boat!

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How to clean vintage jewelry, by Meghan McAndrews (via Hannah Kuhary)

Note: This method is safe for cleaning gold, silver, platinum, diamonds and hard stones. It is NOT SAFE for pearls, opals or jewelry with adhesives or loose stones.

You'll need:

Liquid dish soap

White vinegar

A toothbrush (softer is better, but any kind will do)

A lint-free rag or cloth

A smallish bowl

Directions:

Place jewelry in a heat-proof bowl. Heat 2 cups of water almost to the point of boiling. Add a couple drops of dish soap, one tablespoon of white vinegar and mix to combine. Pour the solution over jewelry, swirl it around a bit and let it soak until the water is cool. Brush jewelry with a toothbrush under running water and leave to air dry on lint-free rag or cloth. And…voila! Your thrifted accessories are sparkly and clean!

This method is perfect for people with skin allergies or sensitive skin—many drugstore jewelry cleaners have ammonia in them, which can be irritating and harsh.

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How to make freezer jam, by Karen Olson Edwards

There’s something so wholesomely rustic about harvesting and canning your own food for the winter. With sustainability at the forefront of many people’s and organization’s minds, it’s becoming so you can’t ignore it—and not that you would ever want to! Karen Olson Edwards—author of the blog Mamalooma—makes forging the road to canning simple with her recipe for freezer jam.

What you’ll need:

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 pouch freezer jam pectin

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, plus another 2 tbsp. or so of sauce

4 c. crushed raspberries

5 8-oz. jars and lids

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and pectin, stirring until well blended. Set aside.

If desired, remove seeds from peppers. Finely chop peppers, getting as close as possible to a puree. Mix in the raspberries and add to the pectin mixture. Stir for 3 minutes.

Ladle the jam into plastic or glass freezer jars*, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Apply the lids tightly. Let the jam stand at room temperature until it thickens—about 30 minutes.

Serve immediately if desired. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 3 weeks, or freeze for up to 1 year.

* Most new jars are freezer safe. Ball sells plastic lids that are not only great for freezer usage, but everyday storage as well.

Refer here for Mamalooma’s original blog post on this unique freezer treat.

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How to reupholster a dining room chair, by Jennifer Mitchell

While you're thankful to have dining room chairs, maybe you weren't that psyched when the hand-me-down chairs from your grandmother turned out to have the most awful, worn-out velvet fabric covering the seats. Have no fear--it is fairly quick and simple to reupholster the seats yourself. Here are materials and steps (for use with basic dining room chairs that have removable seats) you can follow to add your own flair to your chairs.

You'll need:

Upholstery fabric – amount will depend on how many chairs you have and the dimensions of the seat. You will want about 2 inches of extra fabric on each side of your seat

Staple gun with staples.

1-inch foam for each seat (if your seats do not have enough padding initially)

Directions:

Note: this is a two person job

Unscrew seat cushion from chair frame. Cut 1-inch foam to size and shape of seat cushion. Cut fabric 2 inches larger than size of seat cushion - as long as there are not too many layers (less than three) of fabric on the chairs already and the staples can get through, you do not need to remove the old fabric. Place foam on top of seat and set fabric centered on cushion.

Carefully flip over seat cushion, keeping the fabric and foam in place. Note where the screw holes are on the bottom of the seat that line up with the chair frame. You may need to arrange the fabric around these holes so the screw can go through or cut holes in the fabric to accommodate the screws.

Pull fabric taut and staple every 2 inches around the bottom of the seat - if  the fabric bunches or folds, you can try to pull the creases out and staple it smooth to the bottom of the seat. One person can pull the fabric taut while the other operates the staple gun. Screw seat cushion back to chair, and voilà!

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How to make fresh butter, by Ken Liss, cheese shop manager at Lake Wine and Spirits

(Makes 1 pound of butter)

You'll need:

3 pints organic heavy cream

Sea salt or kosher salt (optional)

Directions:

Pour the cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk. Enclose the top of the bowl tightly with a tent of plastic wrap (make sure the attachment is able to rotate freely) and begin mixing on medium speed. As the cream enters the whipped stage, stop the machine and scrape down the bowl, ensuring that the mixture is well combined. Return the mixer to medium speed. The cream will thicken further and then change color from off-white to pale yellow; this will take about 7 to 9 minutes. When it starts to look pebbly, it’s almost done. After another minute or so the butter will separate, causing the liquid (buttermilk) to splash against the plastic wrap. At this point, stop the mixer.

• Set a fine-mesh strainer or sieve over a large bowl. Pour the contents of the mixer into the strainer and let the buttermilk drain off. Strain the buttermilk again, making sure to get all of the solids into the strainer.

• With the strainer set over the bowl, knead the butter with your fingers to consolidate the fat and expel the remaining buttermilk. Transfer the butter to a super-clean surface or cutting board and continue kneading until the texture is dense and creamy, about 5 minutes. Refrigerate the buttermilk for use in a future recipe.

• If desired, mix any seasonings into the butter. For ingredients other than salt or herbs, transfer the butter back to the mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on at low speed and slowly add the ingredients until just combined. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 4 months.

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How to make a T-shirt tote, by Dana Raidt

In high school, I used to be mortified every time my dad would wear his two-sizes-too-big “Get Horny” T-shirt on Vikings game days. If only I’d had a sewing machine! Do us—and more importantly, the people who have to go out in public with you—a favor and repurpose your beloved but outdated (or downright embarrassing) T-shirts into an eco-friendly shopping bag with this easy how-to.

You’ll need:

Heavyweight cotton T-shirt

Pins

Sewing machine (or a needle, thread, an extremely steady hand and lots of free time)

Medium-size bowl

Water-erasable marking pen

Scissors

Directions:

Turn T-shirt inside out (if it’s really embarrassing, maybe leave it right-side out so it ends up inside out) and pin the bottom of the T-shirt along the hem. Using a sewing machine, sew the bottom of T-shirt closed, reinforcing as needed. Flip shirt right side out and lay flat on a table, making sure all seams are lined up.

Place a medium-size bowl about halfway over the neck hole. Using the pen, trace along the edge of the bowl. Cut along the outline, making sure to go through the front and back sides of the shirt, in order to create an opening for the bag that’s larger than what the neck hole allows.

To create handles, line up the hems on the front and back side of the sleeve and cut, making sure to go through both sides of the shirt. Repeat on the other sleeve. You can hem around the neckline and sleeves to reinforce your handles and avoid fraying.

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How to make homemade ricotta cheese, by Ken Liss, cheese shop manager at Lake Wine and Spirits

Makes 1 ¼ cups (about 10 oz.)

This recipe was found in The Paley’s Place Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from the Pacific Northwest (Ten Speed Press, 2008), a cookbook by chef Vitaly Paley and his wife, Kimberly. Ricotta is a good cheese because it’s easy to make [it doesn’t need rennet for coagulation] and is very useable.

You’ll need:

½ C heavy cream

4 C whole milk

2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

Pinch kosher salt

Directions:

In a non-reactive saucepan combine the cream, milk and lemon juice and cook over medium-low heat until the mixture reaches 205°F. (Remember, cheese-making is a science and temperature is crucial.) Remove from the heat and let rest for about 15 minutes, during which time the curds and whey will separate.

Line a strainer with cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Ladle the curds into the strainer to drain the whey. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, refrigerate and let drain overnight.

Discard the whey and wipe the bowl dry. Transfer the ricotta curds to the bowl. Stir in the salt, cover tightly and refrigerate until needed. Ricotta will keep well refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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How to make homemade lip balm, by Dana Raidt

Take a quick look-see at the ingredients list on the lip balm in your purse. Now, think about how many times a day you apply the stuff near your mouth (yum, salicyclic acid!). Why not try making a natural—and cheaper—version at home instead? Invest in a few 5-ml jars or tins and you’ve got yourself a stockpile of thoughtful, homemade birthday or hostess gifts.

Makes one small jar.

You’ll need:

One part beeswax (coarsely chopped or grated)

Two parts oil—coconut, avocado, sweet almond or some combination of these. (Make sure you’re not using food-grade oil; buy the ones in the health and body care section of your local natural foods store.)

Essential oil—try peppermint, lavender or rosemary

Vitamin E oil or honey (optional)

Lipstick, for color (optional)

Jar, tin or tube for storage (available from elementsbathandbody.com)

Directions:

Melt ½ teaspoon beeswax over low heat in a Pyrex glass measuring cup that has been placed in a saucepan containing about an inch of water. Slowly mix in a tablespoon plus a teaspoon of oil with a toothpick or small whisk. If the balm isn’t your preferred consistency at this point (although keep in mind it will harden when it cools), add oil or beeswax a little at a time to adjust.

Add a couple drops of essential oil (be warned: these are extremely concentrated) and/or one drop of vitamin E or honey. If you want to add color, shave off a tiny sliver of lipstick and mix it in until the color is even. Fill the container and let cool. Make sure you add the essential oil and color right before filling the container, as they will evaporate over the heat.

Watch metromag.com for even more DIY directions and recipes.