Did you know that today Tuesday, April 28, 2009 is National Zipper Day? I had no idea there was such a holiday until I recently read an article in the newspaper that pointed out that few people have any real appreciation for the lowly zipper which keeps their clothes fastened together. It's history records a slow birth and many years of rejection, but the zipper eventually found its way into everything from pencil cases to space suits to countless "fly" jokes.
One of the first zippers was actually invented by Elias Howe in 1851, but did not reach the market as Howe was preoccupied with the sewing machine that he had patented in 1846. Whitcomb L. Judson who loved making many different kinds of gadgets came up with a slide fastener for a friend who had back problems and could not tie his shoes. In August 29, 1893 he patented his new "clasp locker"These clasp lockers were used by the apparel industry by 1905 but were not consider practical.
The design actually used today which is based on interlocking teeth, was invented by an employee if Whitcomb Judson's, Swedish born Gideon Sundback in 1913 he patented the "hookless fastener". Later improvements were made in 1917 that became known as the "Separable Fastener."One of the first customers was the U.S.Army as it used the zippers on clothing and gear for the troops of World War I.
In 1925, B.F. Goodrich decided to market galoshes with Sundback's fasteners and the product became very popular, because these new galoshes could be fastened with a single zip of the hand. A Goodrich executive is said to have slid the fastener up and down and exclaimed "Zip 'er up," echoing the sound made by the clever device, hence the fasteners came to be called "zippers."
In the 1930's a sales campaign was started featuring zippers in children's clothing praising zippers for promoting self-reliance in young children by making it possible for them to dress themselves in the self-help clothing. The zipper beat out the button in 1937 in the "Battle of the Fly" when French fashion designers raved over zippers in men's trousers. The zipper was declared the "Newest Tailoring Idea for Men" and among it's virtues was that it would exclude "The Possibility of Unintentional and Embarrassing Disarray." Obviously, the new zippered trouser owner had not yet discovered the experience of forgetting to zip-up!
The next time you zip-up perhaps you will have a little more appreciation for this very useful invention that is so much taken for granted.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
14 Uses For Coffee Filters
The following were sent to us from our Aunt who is always coming up with neat things that you never think about. The following are some terrific uses for plain old coffee filter that you can purchase at stores like the Dollar store, Dollar tree, or Big Lots for $1.00 and get 1000 of them.
1. They are great to cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave.
2. They are excellent to use to clean windows and mirrors. Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.
3. They are great to use to protect China, by putting a coffee filter between each dish.
4. They work great to filter broken cork pieces from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.
5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.
6. They work great to apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter to apply and ball up one to polish with afterwards.
7. They work great to recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.
8. They are great to use to weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.
9. They are great to hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.
10. They work great to stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from dropping through the drainage holes.
11. They work great to prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.
12. They work great if you put a few on a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc. on them as they will soak up all of the grease.
13. They are great to keep in the bathroom as they make great "razor nick fixers."
14. Last but not least, they work great in a Coffeemaker!!
By making use of these terrific ideas for using coffee filters, you should be able to save enough money so that you can spend your money on more pleasurable things like something from Two Artisan Sisters studio!
1. They are great to cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave.
2. They are excellent to use to clean windows and mirrors. Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.
3. They are great to use to protect China, by putting a coffee filter between each dish.
4. They work great to filter broken cork pieces from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.
5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.
6. They work great to apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter to apply and ball up one to polish with afterwards.
7. They work great to recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.
8. They are great to use to weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.
9. They are great to hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.
10. They work great to stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from dropping through the drainage holes.
11. They work great to prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.
12. They work great if you put a few on a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc. on them as they will soak up all of the grease.
13. They are great to keep in the bathroom as they make great "razor nick fixers."
14. Last but not least, they work great in a Coffeemaker!!
By making use of these terrific ideas for using coffee filters, you should be able to save enough money so that you can spend your money on more pleasurable things like something from Two Artisan Sisters studio!
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