Easy-to-Sew Pouches for a Garden Kneeler–Tutorial

For the past few years (since I turned 80), I’ve had some back problems which make it difficult to do any gardening.  I can get down on my knees but have trouble getting back up.  Then, I found the Rumford Gardener’s Kneeler/Seat on Amazon and that solved the problem.
The unit can be used as a seat or, more importantly to me, a kneeler.  It folds for easy storing, is shipped fully assembled and has been such a great help to me that I ordered another one to keep near the back yard.  I’m sure there are other brands that are just as good, but I haven’t used them and I know this one is a good value at around $25.

I noticed that there are also pouches for tools available but they cost about half as much as the kneeler and I thought it wouldn’t be hard to make a set.  These pouches are simple, easy-to-sew and work great for me.  I put four hand tools that I use the most in the pockets and can carry the kneeler from place to place in the yard without difficulty.

Here is how I made the pouches:

Choose medium weight fabric – heavy canvas would be difficult to sew and turn.  I found a remnant of medium weight outdoor fabric that worked perfectly.
TOOL POUCHES FOR GARDEN KNEELER – two pouches

CUT:
2 pieces 8 inches wide x 30 inches long of fabric for base
2 pieces 8 inches wide x 8-½ inches long of fabric for pocket
2 sets of Velcro fasteners 6-½ inches long

On top edge of pocket, turn down ¼ inch and another ¼ inch and stitch to form a ½ inch hem.

Place base right side up on surface.  Pin pocket fabric right side up on base, matching pocket with bottom and sides of base fabric.  Baste close to bottom and side edges to secure pocket.  Stitch down the center of the pocket fabric to make two sections.

Bring top edge of base down to line up with bottom edge of base, right sides together (pocket will be on the inside).  Using ½ inch seam, stitch along the sides and bottom, LEAVING OPENING ON ONE SIDE OF ABOUT  3 INCHES TO TURN.

Trim corners, turn and top stitch ¼ inch from the edges all around the base, tucking in the opening seams and securing.

Working with the back of the piece, measure from the top edge down 6-½ inches and draw a line.

Stitch one piece of Velcro with the bottom edge of the Velcro slightly covering the drawn line.  Stitch the other piece of Velcro to the back top edge.  Top edge will fold down to secure pouch.

Fold edge down over bars on stool with pockets on the outside.

Repeat with the other pieces of fabric and Velcro to complete two pockets with a total of 4 sections for small hand tools.

*I’m not being paid for my endorsement of this product – I just like it a lot and want to share.

Amish Children Garden Banner – Canvas Duck Fabric

A while back, I made my first garden banner featuring a harness horse.  So far, it has held up well through a very hot, sunny summer and a few torrential rains.  I wanted to make another banner for “back to school” and chose a favorite design by Helan Barrick from my decorative painting days.  I call this a banner rather than a flag because it is quite stiff and becomes even more so when exposed to the weather.

I used canvas duck fabric (not outdoor canvas which is treated) which was sewn to make a double thickness 12×18 inch banner with sleeve and primed it with two coats of Gesso front and back.  Then I drew the design on the front and painted it with acrylics.

For the back, which I can see clearly from my front window, I painted a design of an Amish-style quilt block.

Both sides were finished with two coats of Minwax Clear Satin Polycrylic to make it weather-proof.

I like seeing the banner in my front yard – my dog Rusty is looking out the door, probably admiring the quilt block on the back!

Harvest Relish (One Quart)

Exactly 14 years ago today, September 7, 1995, I made this relish for the first time, making a big batch so I could use up some more of the tomatoes and cucumbers my husband was continually hauling into the house from the garden in a big oversized wicker basket.  We had to leave our big garden behind over 8 years ago when my husband was very ill with Alzheimer’s and he passed away 5 years ago.  So, today on the anniversary of the first try at this recipe, I made a quart of this relish for myself and for my daughter when she visits.  We especially like it served alongside grilled pork tenderloin.  The recipe is from the book, The Forgotten Art of Making Old Fashioned Pickles.

HARVEST RELISH

• Servings: One Quart
• Print

• 2 cups cucumber, peeled, seeded and ground
• 2 cups tomato, peeled and chopped (prefer Roma)
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 cups white vinegar
• 1-1/2 tsp. Chinese mustard
• 1-1/4 Tblsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

Place cucumber, tomato and onion in a large pot.  Add sugar and vinegar, stir to blend and cook until vegetables are tender – 20-25 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, flour and turmeric.  Stir into the cooked vegetable mixture, reduce heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes until mixture has thickened.

Add salt and pepper, mixing well.  Pour into sterilized jars, cap and process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes (for pint and half-pint jars).

Yield:  One quart (2 pints) 

Best of Show Dill Spears

Twenty-five years ago (1983), my husband, daughter and I were living on two acres of land on the Ohio/Indiana border.  Fruit trees took up about one acre and a huge vegetable garden took up the other half, barely leaving enough room for a small house.  My husband loved his mini-farm and spent every spare minute away from his normal job working in the garden.  He got excellent results and from the first asparagus in April to the remnants of the garden in the fall, I tried to use everything he hauled into the house every day.

He enjoyed walking down the rows of the garden in the early summer, pointing to each plant and telling me what kind of vegetable it was and how many plants he had.  He did this every day – a little boring, but he was so proud of his garden.

We always had a bumper crop of cucumbers and I processed them immediately to be sure we had crisp, crunchy pickles all year around.

The first year I seriously entered a county fair was in 1983 when I was brand-new to canning and preserving.  Imagine my surprise when we went to the fair and saw I had won a blue ribbon and a coveted BEST OF SHOW rosette for my Dill Pickle Spears.  That year, they had gotten creative in displaying canned goods and had them arranged on an old red wagon.  At the very top was a big, beautiful rosette and a completely empty pickle jar.  The judges told me they had liked the pickles so much that they had eaten all of them with their lunch that day.

Here’s the recipe:

DILL PICKLE SPEARS

• Servings: Approx. 10 quarts
• Print

• 4 lbs. pickling cucumbers, cut in spears
• Dill seeds
• Whole peppercorns
• 2 cups of 5% acid strength white vinegar
• 4-1/2 cups water
• 1/3 cup pickling salt

Place spears in sterilized hot quart jars.  Add 1 tsp. dill seed and 3 peppercorns to each jar.

Combine the vinegar, water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Pour over the cucumbers, filling to within 1/4″ of jar top.  Seal and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

I’ve found an asparagus steamer is good for processing just a few jars. Let jars cool on a rack before storing. Allow pickles to cure for at least 2 weeks before using for best flavor.

Makes approximately 10 quarts 

This is a good website for canning and preserving foods.

As a Best of Show Winner, I had my picture taken and there was a small article in our local newspaper with the recipe.

My husband passed away 4 years ago and since the dill spears were his favorite and not mine, I don’t make them any more.  But I think of him every time I drive by a big vegetable garden and remember the first Best of Show ribbon I ever won.