I’m honored today to have a guest post here on 3191. It’s our first guest post EVER! Of course, we had to ask someone completely amazing to take on our first guest post and that friend had to be Shari Altman. We love Shari!

Those of you who have gotten an copy of 3191 Quarterly, Issue No. 11, have probably already poured over Shari’s piece in the issue (the opening spread can seen above). I love Shari’s approach to practical and simple wellness.

Shari has been a big support in my life over the years not only with her dedicated friendship but with her spot on advice. So, a special tea treat today from Shari to you! I will let her take it away now … Shari: Thank you for all of your sage advice, dear friend. xo

THE 5:30 PM BLEND

I created this herbal tea as a refreshing and nourishing blend for the late afternoon or early evening. It’s a pre-dinner tea, so to speak, to help me unwind from the stresses of the day and refresh myself for dinner preparations, while also nourishing my body.

Recipe:
1 pt Skullcap (dried)
1 pt Anise Hyssop (dried flowers and leaves, homegrown)
2 pt Peppermint (dried)
2 pt Schisandra berry (dried)
1 pt Milky oat tops (dried, homegrown and given to me by a friend)
1 pt Grapefruit peel (dried by me)
Note: a part is just a measurement. In the recipe when I refer to parts, I am using ounces.

I chose skullcap because it is a wonderful nervine plant that aids in relieving tension and helping me let go of the problems and stresses of the day.  Anise hyssop adds a wonderful flavor to the tea and is good for digestion. Peppermint is my go-to herb when I need an afternoon pick-me-up but don’t want any caffeine. Schisandra berry is an adaptogen, providing energy and focus but it is also restorative. Milky oat tops soothe the nerves and nourish the whole body. I added grapefruit peel for that important bitter flavor that our body needs in order to get the digestive juices flowing before a meal.

A few great additions or substitutions:

Lemon Balm–Now that I have lemon balm growing in my herb garden again, I might add some fresh lemon balm leaves to this tea to give it a great lemony flavor, to improve mood, and to aid in digestion.  If you don’t have any lemon balm on hand, try a squeeze of lemon juice.

Honey–Raw, unpasteurized honey is the perfect sweetener for this blend.

Mint– Experiment with different types of mint such as spearmint, apple mint, or even chocolate mint.

Berries: Dried blueberries or dried elderberries could be used in place of the schisandra berries.

Ginger: Crystallized ginger or fresh ginger slices would add a spicy kick to this blend.

I typicaly add 1-2 TB to a French press and then pour hot water in just off the boil. For a medicinal strength tea, you should let it steep for at least 10 minutes. If you want a lighter, more fragrant tea, then aim for just a few minutes of steeping.

During the growing season in Vermont,  I concentrate on making fresh tea blends. Today I made a fresh tea with dandelion flowers and leaves, violet flowers and leaves, lemon balm, and oregano (do not drink oregano tea when pregnant). I generally pack my French press full of fresh herbs and then add water just off the boil. Play around with steeping times. Take a taste at 3 minutes, 5 minutes, and 10 minutes and see which you prefer. You can also make a cold water infusion during the summer months.

Happy tea time!
—Shari

p.s. If you’ve never used these herbs before or are taking medication or pregnant, please consult your doctor before using.

I have been spending a lot of time with linen lately (thank you to everyone who shopped for tea towels and napkin sets at by3191! I will have more tea towels in the shop next month). I am always enamored with the beautiful selvedge of these fabrics and feel it is a shame when it ends up in the scrap pile.

My love of the selvedge led me to create these pillowcase instructions a few years back, and this week I revisited them when I came across a linen selvedge I really wanted to feature. I altered the instructions a bit to accommodate fabric that is only 54 inches wide, and wanted to share them with you here. With these instructions, you will be left with a large scrap—I turned mine into a set of four napkins.

If you have access to a sewing machine and can sew a straight line, you have the skills to make a pillowcase! They are lined with french seams which are quite easy to do once you get the hang of it, and you will end up with no raw edges and a nicely finished and sturdy case. Please refer to my previous post for more photos on how to create a french seam.

Materials for one standard-size pillowcase:

1 1/4 yards linen, chambray or other fabric with a selvedge you’d like to feature.
Coordinating thread

Before you cut your fabric, wash it in hot water and dry it in the dryer (just as you would your sheets). Most linens will be marked “dry clean only” because they will shrink when washed. You want any shrinkage to happen before you cut. For each pillowcase, cut a piece that is 32 inches by 43 inches with your selvedge running down one of the 43 inch sides. The best way to cut linen so it is square to the weave of the fabric is by pulling threads. (I found a little tutorial on pulling threads for you here).

Fold your piece over, so that the selvedges match up on one side and the side of the fabric you want to feature is facing out (if you’ve never sewn a french seam, this may seem wrong to you).

Sew a 1/4 inch seam along the bottom and side, leaving the selvedge sides open and the folded side untouched.

Trim at the corner. Also trim away any loose threads or uneven bits.

Press the seam over to one side. Turn inside out. Use a chopstick or a capped pen to make sure the corners poke out, and then press all the seams flat. At this point, if you are using fabric that is the same on both sides, it may look like you have a finished pillowcase, but you’re not done yet! Sew another seam—3/8th of an inch this time— around the side and bottom.

Trim away the corner again.

You now have your raw edges encased in a nice french seam! Turn inside out again, trim threads, and you’re finished!

Crisp linen cases feel great in the summer time! To avoid deep wrinkles, take the cases out of the dryer when they are still damp, or better yet, dry them on a line in the sunshine!