Secret Recipes
Happy January and happy New Year! This is National Oatmeal Month and Sunday, January 5th, is… National Bird Day. Mom loved feeding our backyard birds (and squirrels), especially those that stayed for our Michigan winters. I remember helping her turn milk cartons into feeders and hanging them around the yard (just out of the reach […]
Thursday will be National Hard Candy Day and National Gingerbread House Day was just celebrated last Thursday. Thus, here’s Mom’s “Christmas Candy House” instructions, which she originally shared with her readers 50 years ago. CHRISTMAS CANDY HOUSE By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in her self-published newsletter, Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipes Newsletter (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, […]
CHRISTMAS TREE BOOT ORNAMENT By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in her self-published folder, Granny Square How To (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; Fall 1986, p. 2). [NOTE: As always, I’m asking only for proper credit if you care to re-share this.] INGREDIENTS/ITEM NEEDS: 3-round squares*, using 4-ply yarn and “H” hook [*See: Granny Square How […]
Happy I Love Yarn Day! TRIANGLE GRANNY – Half of a Granny Square (For 3 Rounds) By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in her self-published folder… Granny Square How To (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; Fall 1986, p. 1). [NOTE: As always, I’m asking only for proper credit if you care to share this.] HOOK NEEDS […]
Happy October and National Women’s Small Business Month! Additionally, the second Saturday of October is also I Love Yarn Day. Next to journaling, crocheting was one of Mom’s favorite hobbies. For centuries, hobbies have often been turned into small businesses – more so by women than by men. Mom’s mom, my grandma, was a passionate […]
Happy September and happy National Sewing Month! AMISH WINDMILL QUILT PATTERN (Hand Sewn) By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in her self-published newsletter… Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipes Newsletter (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; Sep.-Oct. 1990, p. 5). INSTRUCTIONS: Make your pattern for the 2 squares from heavy, box-weight cardboard. Use a T-square to be sure corners […]
HOW TO MAKE POCKETS FOR GRANNY SQUARE VEST By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in her self-published newsletter, Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipes Newsletter (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; Nov.-Dec. 1987, p. 11). Whether you use one pocket or two pockets on the Granny Square Vest, per directions… [see also https://therecipedetective.com/2024/05/06/light-spring-vest/]… You will make a 12-round Granny […]
CROCHET ABREVIATIONS & STITCH EXAMPLES CROCHET ABBREVIATIONS By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in her self-published folder, Granny Square How To (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI: Fall 1986, p. 1). The only abbreviations in my patterns… STITCHES: ½-DC…….Half Double Crochet DC………..Double Crochet SC………..Single Crochet sts………..Stitches rnd(s)…….Round(s) ch…………Chain SIZES: X-Lg………Extra Large Lg…………Large Med……….Medium Sm………..Small [For reference, see […]
LIGHT SPRING VEST By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in her self-published newsletter, Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipes Newsletter (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; May-June 1986, p. 10). This crocheted, light, spring vest (pictured above), made with large granny squares, brought Mom many compliments, every spring. See also Mom’s ‘Granny Square – How-to’, which was featured on […]
Granny Square – How To By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in her self-published folder, by the same name (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI: Fall 1986, p. 1) #GloriaPitzersCookbook