velvet caravan gypsy jazz meets honky-tonk
noir take a walk on the dark side
high wire charlestoN craft distillers
February 2014 / Issue 8
Paprika Southern
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Table of contents 6 Letter from the Co-editors
8 Behind the Scenes Currently
10 See what’s inspiring the co-editors this month
12 Noir Take a walk on the dark side page 3
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High Wire We chat with Charleston distillers Scott Blackwell and Ann Marshall of High Wire Distilling Co.
Pour Deux A romantic Valentine’s Day menu for two
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Eclectic Ensemble
44 A Q & A with the members of Savannah band Velvet Caravan
Bunting D.I.Y. Learn to make this festive craft with our easy-to-follow steps
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68 Paprika Southern recommends P.S.
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Letter from the co-editors Welcome to Paprika Southern February! We are so happy to be back. This month we were inspired by the romance of Valentine’s Day, the glamour of Prohibition-era speakeasies, and the mystique of film noir. We kicked off January with a trip up to Charleston, SC to visit High Wire Distilling Co., where we sampled craft spirits and learned about the distilling process. Continuing through the month, we created a Valentine’s Day menu that is perfect for two, or easily adapted to a “Galentine’s Day” gathering (thanks, Leslie Knope!), got inspired to do some sewing by Abigail Kokai’s adorable bunting craft, and chatted with the musicians of Savannah band Velvet Caravan. We hope you’ll also be inspired to settle in with a noir film, break out your sewing machine, or whip up a flourless chocolate torte! We’re in the heart of winter here in the South, so let’s revel in it—spring celebrations will be here soon enough.
if you are interested in purchasing photographs from the magazine, please contact mail@paprikasouthern.com www.paprikasouthern.com
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The Team Bevin valentine Co-editor siobhan egan Co-editor Krystal Pittman Baker Advertising contributors
abigail kokai
charlotte oden
click here to read more about our contributors page 7
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Behind the scenes in February
Shooting our D.I.Y. Bunting feature with Abigail Kokai
Behind the scenes at our styled Valentine’s Day menu shoot (Don’t worry, we told Zooey she’s too young to drink!)
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Shooting and tasting spirits at High Wire Distilling Co. in Charleston
At Velvet Caravan’s CD release after party--stay tuned to our blog for more!
We love sharing sneak peeks of what we’re up to throughout the month, as well as connecting with our readers! Stay in touch and a get a behind-the-scenes look at what’s coming up by following us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Follow paprika southern
Instagram / Twitter / Facebook page 9
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Currently... See what’s inspiring the co-editors this month!
I recently bought Isa Does It, a cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. The vegan recipes are amazingly flavorful and hearty and I have to restrain myself from cooking from it for every meal!
Bevin
Lately I’m drawn to the elegance of midi-length skirts and dresses. I’d love to add this little black dress from Modcloth to my closet for spring.
I’ve been taking barre classes locally and am loving the mix of ballet technique with Pilates and yoga!
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A new Mitford biography? Yes, please! page 10
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The Vanishing by Wendy Webb--I love books where huge creepy houses are a main character! Siobhan
I know I am way behind the times, but I just recently started attending yoga classes. I feel lost, overwhelmed and extremely out of shape, but I know that will soon change. I’m sore, but it’s a good sore. Velvet Caravan’s new CD is incredible! Check out or Q&A with them on page 44. page 11
House of Cards Season 2--I loved season 1 and cannot wait for season 2 to start on Valentine’s Day!!
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Noir
a walk on the dark side
Noir is a style of film-making popularized in the 1940s featuring a visually striking aesthetic. Film noir is characterized by hard lighting with large expanses of dark shadow constrasted with crisp whites. Drawing upon the work of photographers such as Brassai, film noir explores the darker side of life, often featuring shady deeds and a criminal element. A popular trope of noir is the femme fatale, a woman who is alluring and irrestible to the main male character, yet is also his downfall. Femme fatales were played by popular actresses including Barbara Stanwyck, Rita Hayworth, and Lauren Bacall. In a film such as Hitchcock’s adaptation of Daphne DuMaurier’s Rebecca the femme fatale, the titular Rebecca, is unseen yet omnipresent, whereas in, for example, Double Indemnity, the femme fatale character plays an active role in moving the action forward. Contemporary movies that draw upon the visual strategies of noir include period pieces like The Black Dahlia or L.A. Confidential that pay homage to the genre, as well as highly stylized films such as Sin City that push the hallmarks of noir to an extreme. illustration by charlotte oden page 13
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The Films of Noir Dozens, if not hundreds, of films in the noir genre were produced in the 1940s and early 50s. We’ve compiled just a few here to get you started.
The Classics
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A Contemporary Take
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Shop the Noir Look click an item to shop it
BonLook J’adore Sunglasses, $49
Bauble Bar Onyx Oscar Collar, $36
Anthropologie Cinema Cloche, $48 Hobo Wrap Bracelet, $24
Gomax Heels, $20 Greylin Jumpsuit, $106 www.paprikasouthern.com
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Modcloth Ravishing Repeat Dress, $53
Madewell Lace Bralette, $32
Club Monaco Lace Tights, $29.50 J. Crew Skinny Calf Hair Belt, $59.50 Jeffrey Campbell Printed d’Orsay Flats, $90
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high wire
charleston craft distillers
text by bevin valentine photography by siobhan egan www.paprikasouthern.com
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The
building, an old well beyond its infancy. While doing the
Studebaker dealership on upper King Street in Charleston, SC. Now turned warehouse, this building houses High Wire Distilling Co., one of the distilleries newly-arrived on the Charleston—and the southern—scene. With the interest in craft cocktails on the rise, the recent success of independent breweries in the South and beyond, and an increasing national awareness of local and ethical sourcing, owners Scott Blackwell and Ann Marshall have hit on the beginning of a trend. We sat down with Scott and Ann to learn more about the distilling trend, sample their small-batch craft spirits, and find out just what High Wire is up to.
Scott and Ann—a husband and wife team—opened the doors to High Wire in September of last year, and in just a few short months have produced an impressive and eclectic inventory of craft spirits including whiskey, gin, vodka, and rum. After the sale of Scott’s previous business Immaculate Baking to General Mills in December of 2011, Scott and Ann found themselves searching for a new enterprise. With experience owning and running a bakery, a coffee shop, restaurants, including Immaculate Consumption in Columbia, SC, and more, another business in the food and beverage industry seemed a natural fit. They considered opening a brewery, but recognized the market as one that is www.paprikasouthern.com
research, though, Ann noticed data for craft spirits lumped in with breweries. With the craft spirits market one that is not yet saturated, and the potential for continuing their interest in natural, organic, single-source products, the pieces fell into place. “It felt natural to us to go into an arena that was still very small, a place we could be innovative and go back to our Immaculate [Baking and Consumption] roots with creativity,” says Ann. While there was a steep learning curve and what Ann describes as “a high threshold for entry” (think local and state permits, not to mention the government approvals that are required when dealing with alcohol, as just the tip of the iceberg), the couple were intrigued by this new industry and ready to take on a new challenge. Says Ann, “We’ve never been the kind of people who are happy just doing the same thing over and over again.” “What if ” became their mantra. One of High Wire’s first products was a sorghum whiskey made from sorghum grown in central Tennessee on a Mennonite farm. The sorghum itself—harvested by hand and boiled down to syrup in the field—is already a craft product in its own right. The character of whiskey it produces reflects the complexity of the sorghum syrup used page 20
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High Wire Distilling Co. proprietors Scott Blackwell and Ann Marshall
to produce it, and is certainly unique to rated with Charleston establishment The Gin Joint, where they tested each the Charleston market. version in three classic cocktail recipes; Another innovative product High Wire their choice was unanimous. has produced is their Hat Trick Gin. By using all fresh botanicals, and do- It is these kinds of singular products— ing separate distillations for each bo- sorghum whiskey, a signature gin that tanical, High Wire created a gin that can stand up against major producis a true pleasure. Their goal was to ers, as well as a limited-run rhum agricreate what Scott describes as “a New cole made from sugar cane grown in St. American style gin” that would be George, SC—for which the small-batch bright and assertive and able to hold model allows. Rather than focusing on its own in a cocktail. They created quantity—if operating at full capacity twelve variations, which they whittled High Wire could, Scott estimates, prodown to four versions. To settle on the duce around 18-20,000 12-pack cases final formula, Scott and Ann collabo- in a year—they are able to concentrate page 21
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visit high wire online on quality, variety, and understanding the product. When possible, High Wire uses local, single-source ingredients, a practice not feasible in large-batch operations. They exclusively bottle the heart of each run—the “sweet” part, removing the unusable “heads” and “tails” at the beginning and end. High Wire’s production philosophy of authenticity is reflected in its branding. The High Wire logo—a tandem bike on a tight rope—in addition to referencing the husband and wife team ownership, is a nod to pre-Prohibition big-tent vaudeville. The history of their warehouse—located in the terminus where Charleston streetcars that navigated page 25
King Street used to turn around—fits nicely with this aesthetic. The Hat Trick Gin is another allusion to the same, inspired by the magic tricks and Houdini-style spectacle that fascinated Scott as a child. Going forward, High Wire plans to concentrate on gins and whiskeys, with the Hat Trick Gin, as well as a whiskey with its own unique branding, going into distribution, and the High Wire house line being available exclusively from the distillery. With their outside-the-box experimentation, concentration on quality, and craft mentality, High Wire is at the forefront of a national trend in small-batch distilling. www.paprikasouthern.com
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Pour Deux
a valentine’s day menu for two
photography by siobhan egan styling by bevin valentine www.paprikasouthern.com
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Cocktail French 75
Appetizer caprese salad
Main Course oysters on the half-shell
Dessert flourless chocolate torte
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French 75 Cocktail Make homemade simple syrup by adding one cup sugar to two cups boiling water. stir and continue boiling until water clears. remove from heat to cool. store in refrigerator in sealed container. combine three tablespoons gin, one and a half tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and one tablespoon simple syrup in cocktail shaker with ice and shake. pour into glass and top with dry sparkling wine.
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Caprese Salad layer slices heirloom tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozarella. top with balsamic glaze, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and fresh cracked black pepper.
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Oysters on the Half Shell drizzle fresh squeezed lemon juice over shucked oysters. pair with spicy cocktail sauce. serve over ice.
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Flourless Chocolate Torte ½ cup butter / 10 oz. bittersweet chocolate, 6 oz. semisweet chocolate / 5 eggs, separated / 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract / ¼ cup powdered sugar Garnish: powdered sugar / fresh raspberries Grease a 9” springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 250. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring until both are melted and chocolate mixture appears glossy. Remove from heat. meanwhile, In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks with vanilla until well-blended. When chocolate mixture is no longer hot, but warm, gradually whisk into the egg mixture until blended. In another bowl, whip egg whites with an electric mixer at high speed until the mixture appears smooth and peaks begin to form. Add in the powdered sugar and continue whipping until blended. Once blended, stir in about ¼ of the egg whites mixture to the chocolate mixture, and then gently fold the remainder of the egg white mixture in until it is just blended and the color appears smooth. Scrape the batter into the prepared springform pan, tapping on counter to remove bubbles. Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until edges are puffed and center is cooked through. Cool on wire rack. Serve dusted with powdered sugar and fresh raspberries.
Flourless chocolate torte receipe adapted from The Moveable Feasts page 41
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eclectic ensemble the musicians of velvet caravan
text & photography by Siobhan Egan
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V elvet C aravan’s
unique gypsy jazz playing style has been delighting Savannah music lovers for the past few years. Their signature sound—an eclectic mix of gypsy jazz, swing, Latin, and honky-tonk which they describe as “European redneck”— is mirrored by the diversity of the band members’ backgrounds. With the release of their new CD, Acoustic In Nature, the band continues to grow and entertain with exceptional talent and hilarious antics. Band members Ricardo Ochoa, Sasha Strunjas, Eric Dunn, Jared Hall, and Jesse Monkman took the time to let us get to know them.
Did where you grew up have an influence on Ricardo: Grew up in Caracas, your musical developVenezuela but moved to New ment? If so, how? York and then Pittsburgh Ricardo: Oh yeah, I grew when I was turning 18. up training to be a classical Sasha: I am from Europe violinist in Cararcas, Veneand grew up in a place that zuela. Always around music and musicians. was called Yugoslavia. Where are you from?
United States as gypsies), since the early childhood I was exposed to that kind of music, and I actually learned how to play music from them. Eric: My grandmother (Laverne Sally Beaumont) was my biggest influence. She was a sort of ragtime and old school swing pianist. She played in Savannah during the 1940’s at supper clubs and other venues that I’m not sure of.
Eric: Born in Tifton, Ga. Sasha: The country where I Moved to Savannah when grew up is located in South East Europe and specificalI was in 2nd grade. ly in a place called Balkans, Jared: Born and raised in which is a peninsula that contains Greece, BulgarIowa. ia and former Yugoslavia. Jesse: I am from upstate Because it always had a Jared: I grew up in a famiN.Y., a small farming com- very significant Roma pop- ly that was very supported munity north of Syracuse. ulation (better known in of music. We were always www.paprikasouthern.com
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From left to right: Eric Dunn, Jared Hall, Ricardo Ochoa, Sasha Strunjas, Jesse Monkman / Image courtesy of Velvet Caravan
singing and playing music. My grandmother played boogie-woogie piano and I started my love for piano listening and learning from her. I then played full-time as a cocktail/church/rock music piano player and entertainer in Iowa and then moving to Austin, TX to tour and play with Rock/ Country bands. Jesse: My parents had a working dairy farm and dinner theater operating from the same buildpage 47
ing. One half of the barn was dedicated to the cows while the other half entertained patrons. It wasn’t until I left for school that I realized shoveling cow s--t in the morning and entertaining in a tux at night was “unusual”. Best education I ever received was right there on the farm. Influence? hell yes--I play a box with Velvet. Showing people how much you can do with seemingly so little is a tribute to my upbringing.
What instruments do you play? Ricardo: Violin, fiddle… neck guitar, whatever you wanna call it. Sasha: I play guitar (have been playing for many, many years). I have sadly never learned how to read music, so I have to “wing it” (I play by ear). In addition to guitar I play a Greek instrument called Bouzouki (also used in Irish music), Oud, which is www.paprikasouthern.com
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an Arabic instrument and ground for rehearsing, a mandolin, that I start- reading music, and pered playing when I lived in forming. Kentucky. Jesse: School of experience! Eric: Guitar and bass. Then New England Conservatory for my formal Jared: I play piano, B3 or- training. gan, accordion, guitar, and I tinker with a few other Are there any instrustringed instruments. ments that you don’t play that you would Jesse: Cajon, marimba, love to learn? timpani, and other classical percussion instruments Ricardo: Jeez, I always want as called for. to learn new instrument as if my instrument wasn’t Where did you learn to hard enough. I picked up play music? the Ukulele a while back and I am able to get around Ricardo: I started in my a couple of songs. I always hometown when I was very pick nerdy instruments like young but did all the good the Theremin (way harder training in New York and than anything else). At this Pittsburgh point, I think I reached my mental capacity and I am Eric: Started on guitar at scare of picking something age 12, then moved solely new. to bass at 18. Then to upright bass at 25. Eric: Drums/percussion. Jared: High school and college were my big learning years for music. I studied classical piano and opera singing in college, which gave me a strong backwww.paprikasouthern.com
very rewarding but I would love to able to spend a day in the shoes of any of my band mates. It’s not the instruments but the skill they show day in and day out. Makes me want to learn them all! Have you always wanted to be a musician? Ricardo: Oh yes, my dad was a musician and my oldest sister is a music educator. It was an easy pick. Sasha: I always wanted to be a professional musician, however never achieved that. I work in the Savannah area as a physician. I currently play with Ricardo Ochoa, Jared Hall, Eric Dunn, and Jesse Monkman in a band called Velvet Caravan that seems to have gotten pretty regular following. Eric: Yes, as long as I can remember.
Jared: I would love to play classical guitar and trumpet. Jared: Yes. It all started by watching the Jerry Lee Jesse: As a percussionist I Lewis docu-movie Great play both pitched and un- Balls of Fire. After that pitched instruments. It is and going to several rock page 48
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concerts as a youngster, I Jared: My wife took a job was hooked. here as a voice professor at Armstrong Atlantic State Jesse: Yes—my mother’s University. After moving chipped china is proof here I asked who would be a good contact about the How did you end up music scene here in Savanplaying music in Sa- nah and everyone said Rivannah? cardo was the guy to talk to. I then came down to meet Ricardo: I moved to Savan- up during one of his gigs nah in 2000 to play in the with Sasha at B. Matthews Savannah Symphony. Af- and the rest is history! ter the orchestra closed its doors, I could have gone Jesse: My girlfriend (now to other cities and continue wife) came down for school my career as classical vio- at SCAD. I knew little linist but I felt in love with about the scene but found Savannah and its people. I a home with the Savannah was able to open my mind Philharmonic, Jacksonville to other styles of music and Symphony and the organic I was able to pay my bills by formation of Velvet Caradoing music-related jobs. van Sasha: I moved to Savannah area three years ago and met Ricardo almost immediately. We started playing ever since then 3 to 4 times a week. Eric: After art school in Atlanta I returned to Savannah in 2005 and started The Train Wrecks with Jason Bible. Been doing it since. page 49
friends and family that are not musicians. Eric: People, places and just the will to be better at my instrument Jared: I enjoy traveling. I love to see new places and meet new people. I also get some great reading time in when I fly and it lets me take time to examine my life and my music. Jesse: Well..hmm. That a thesis in itself for everyone I think. How about a few words- hope, pain, longing, ecstasy...the human experience I guess.
Describe how you got into gypsy jazz. What Where do you find both drew you to this type of musical and non-mu- music? sical inspiration? Ricardo: I always love GypRicardo: I of course find sy Jazz. Violinist Stephane musical inspiration in the Grappelli and Joe Benutti people I play with. Not to be specific but I always only the closest to me like found it very difficult and the guys from Velvet Car- intimidating. It wasn’t until avan but also guys [and I met Sasha that I undergirls] from other bands in stood what it was all about Savannah. Other inspira- and honestly it doesn’t tion comes from my other have anything to do with www.paprikasouthern.com
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difficulty or intimidation. That music could not be more honest and simple. It is the people that copy it [that are] the ones guilty of making it hard and pretentious. Anyway, I love how gypsy jazz combines technical abilities with passion and sense of humor. It fits my personality. Eric: Seeing Roby Lakatos at the 2011 Savannah Music Festival, then of course sitting in with Ricardo and Sasha at B Matthews. Besides the virtuosity of the musicianship, just the all-out fun [drew me to the music].
hooked. I went out and Eric: There are never permade myself a cajon and cussion or piano in a tradijoined in the next opportu- tional gypsy band. nity. Jared: Our sense of spontaWhat makes you differ- neity and energy we have ent from other bands on stage with each other. playing gypsy jazz? We are all also coming at the band from different muRicardo: We are unique be- sical backgrounds, therecause we didn’t set out to fore some of the sounds play a specific style. We were may not be so traditional, more interested in play- which to us, is exciting. ing with each other. The only one in the band with Jesse: The combination of gypsy background is Sasha musicians coming from and even he prefers to play such diverse backgrounds more Latin than gypsy jazz. and styles. Also the level The rest of us bring other of audience participation ingredients to the mix (Lat- goes beyond most bands. in, honky-tonk, southern swing). We have no idea You seem to have quite how it works together but the following in Savanwe are happy that it does. nah and beyond. What do you think attracts southerners to your music?
Jared: I actually fell in love with this type of music when I traveled to Hungary in college and heard several local Hungarian gypsy groups in the restaurants “I think and taverns. I also was southerners like drawn to Django through Ricardo: This mu[our music] because we sic is attractive to Willie Nelson, who is one of Willie’s inspirations have a little of bluegrass all kinds of people and influences. young and old. It’s and country swing contagious, it’s funin it. But who doesn’t Jesse: I just loved the enerny, it has personallike bluegrass and gy—it has such drive and ity and it is virtuosic. country swing?” passion. I saw Ricardo and I think southerners like Sasha perform and I was it because we have a little www.paprikasouthern.com
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of bluegrass and country swing in it. But who doesn’t like bluegrass and country swing? Even though it is European in the core, it has a strong resemblance to redneck music…about a year ago we started calling it European redneck music. Eric: The all out camaraderie of the group and the musicianship followed by onstage antics. Jared: People can have a good time when they listen to us—it’s good music to dance to, drink to, relax to, etc. We can also play in almost any setting, since we are basically acoustic. Jesse: We are down to earth. It’s really important to us to connect with the audience and we can really feel it when a connection is made. Tell us about the new CD, Acoustic in Nature. How is it similar/different from what you play at your live gigs? Ricardo: We recorded Acoustic In Nature at the Lucas www.paprikasouthern.com
Theatre. Recording in a theatre setting instead of a studio setting gave us the canvas to be true to what we do. The recording was done live, meaning that there is no overdubbing. We are all playing the song at the same time without cutting and slicing, the way we do it at a show. From the start of the song to the end of the song is one take. You can hear all kinds of mistakes, well, at least we all can hear our own mistakes. As painful as that is to each of us individually, we were able to capture ourselves as a group. So what you get on the CD, it’s pretty much what you would get at a show.
and classics. You’ll also find some humorous quotes from classic rock. We have an identity crisis! I know some of you play with other bands and do solo gigs. Can you tell me a little bit about your other projects?
Ricardo: From time to time, I play with City Hotel (Bluegrass band), Damon & the Sh!tkickers (Country), and the Train Wrecks (Americana); I am kind of the second fiddle to all of them. I am very happy with that. I love playing with all of them. I also play keyboards with GAM and I am prinEric: Well we recorded it cipal second violin of the live but a couple of tracks Savannah Philharmonic. you will notice we hardly ever play out at a bar or Eric: The Train Wrecks is restaurant. These are more our other band. Jared, Riserious pieces that we save cardo and myself like to for concerts. rock the hell out on some whiskey soaked Americana Jesse: The CD is an eclec- from time to time as well. tic representation of what we offer our audiences at Jared: I also play solo piadifferent gigs. Some Latin, no. I set in with the Train swing, gypsy swing. Also a Wrecks on keyboards every combination of originals so often. I also play and repage 54
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cord with Colin Gilmore, based in Austin, TX and I play and record with William Pilgrim based in Los Angeles, CA.
with my current band we are going to have a chance to play at international Gypsy festival in Samois-Sur-Seine, near Paris, France that takes place evJesse: I am a classically ery year at the end of June trained percussionist. I play with many orches- Eric: On a spaceship with tras such as the Savannah my grandmother sitting in Philharmonic, Jacksonville on piano. Symphony, Hilton Head Symphony, and Atlan- Jared: I would love to back ta Symphony. I am also a up Willie Nelson for a composer and published Django inspired album and works for marimba and then perform it at Carnepercussion. gie Hall! If Velvet Caravan could play anywhere with anyone where would it be and who would it be with? Ricardo: Well, it is kind of happening already. In April we are playing with the Hilton Head Orchestra. They are backing us up. That is going to open the doors to perform larger stages with other orchestra in the U.S. Orchestras have POPS series and groups that can do what we do are in demand. Sasha: I am hopeful that page 55
at The Jinx [in Savannah] on April 18th and lots of swing dancers and Fez hats will be involved. Jared: We are so excited to play with the Hilton Head Orchestra in April and we hope to start playing beyond Savannah for music festivals, concert series, orchestral concerts, etc. Are you sweet or are you spicy? Ricardo: 60% of the time I’m spicy ALL the time…
Jesse: Soloing with the Berlin Philharmonic on a Sasha: If I had to compare world tour. us with paprika it would definitely be a chipotle!!! What’s next for Velvet Caravan? Eric: Sweet… I’m such a lover!! Ricardo: Besides the concert with orchestras project, we Jared: OH--I am spicy!!!! are collaborating with the ladies from the band Lovely Jesse: Sweet...for a farm Locks and Aaron Zimmer boy from New York. from the band City Hotel to develop a swing dance visit show. Three and four parts velvet harmonies, a lot of energy, and tons of fun songs from caravan back in the day. We are online scheduled to do this show www.paprikasouthern.com
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Bunting D.I.Y.
craft by Abigail Kokai photography by Siobhan Egan
Special Thanks to Scribble Art Studio www.paprikasouthern.com
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get crafty. this sewing craft is perfect for holidays, or everyday. choose fabrics in your favorite colors for year-round decor, or seasonal colors for a festive holiday touch. perhaps pinks and reds for valentine’s day, or shades of green for St. patrick’s day? consider having a sewing party and pooling scrap fabric with friends. it’s time to break out your sewing machine and have fun!
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materials
step one
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Paper Scissors Straight pins Sewing machine Assorted fabrics 1� wide ribbon
Draw a triangle shape the size you want onto a piece of paper. You can have varying sizes of pennants in your bunting by drawing a couple different sized triangles. Cut out the paper triangle(s) to use as your pattern(s).
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step two
Select your fabrics. You can use an assortment of fabrics. For a patchwork style, cut a variety of strips of fabric. You can sew together the strips to form a large ‘patchwork’ cloth, then lay your paper pattern on the patchwork cloth to cut out the triangle shapes. You will need to cut two pieces of fabric for each pennant (a front piece and a back piece). Trace the pennant shape onto the fabric or pin the paper pattern to the fabric to cut the fabric to the desired triangle shape.
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step three
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With all of the triangles cut, lay each front piece facing the back piece and sew two sides of each triangle pennant. At the point of each triangle, clip the tip away to prevent a bulky wad of fabric in the point when you turn your triangle right-side out. And turn all of your triangles right side out.
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step four
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Now that all of the triangles are together, you are ready to attach them to the ribbon. If you have a varying sized pennants, consider assembling them in a pattern when you attach them to the ribbon (big, small, big, small, etc.) Lay your first pennant onto the ribbon, starting at least 6” in from the first end of the ribbon (you’ll want to have a little handle to hang it up by at each end). Sew the open edge of the pennant onto the 1” wide ribbon, so that the top of the fabric pennant sits in the center of the ribbon. Sew on all of your fabric pennants, and cut the ribbon at least 6” from the last pennant. Fold the ribbon over the top of the the triangles and sew the entire length of the bunting. page 64
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step five
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To finish the ends of the ribbon, fold a small piece back and stitch in place to create a loop. You can use the loop to hang the bunting--perhaps in an open window. And enjoy!
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P.S. Paprika Southern recommends
atlanta The High Museum of Art will present a retrospective of the work of photographer Abelardo Morell entitled The Universe Next Door. Morell is known for his large-scale pinhole photographs, and this show will include new work commissioned by the High. February 23 - May 18
washington, D.C. Rebekah Jacob Gallery, in conjunction with the National Endowment for the Humanities, will present a celebration of Black History Month. Events include a one-night exhibit of rare Civil Rights era photographs, a screening of the film Freedom Riders, and a panel discussion. All events take place February 13
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savannah The annual Savannah Book Festival will take place this February. Featured authors include Alice Hoffman, Melanie Benjamin, Wally Lamb, and many more. The festival is free and open to the public, and paid tickets are available to keynote addresses. February 13-16
new orleans Currently on view at the New Orleans Museum of Art is Photography and the American Civil War, an exhibition of over 200 historic photographs from the Civil War. On view through May 4
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Follow along with Paprika Southern throughout the month: Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram See you in March!
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