The Care and Keeping of your Stringed Instrument (Applies to Violin, Viola and Cello)

I have been blessed with some wonderful new music students this week so I made up this checklist for the two who are taking Violin. So, I thought it would be a good idea to share it with others. It's a nice checklist for beginners to keep in their case as a reminder because it seems like a lot to do when you first start. If you are a music teacher, feel free to pass this on to your students. And if you're interested, I can email the original printable document to you (it's 2 pages). Just email me at missmckennaray@gmail.com :)

The Care and Keeping of Your Stringed Instrument

Applies to Violin, Viola and Cello

By McKenna

cherishingmyrole.blogspot.com

Playing Preparation

When you're getting ready to play your Stringed Instrument, be sure to follow the steps below to ensure the safety of your instrument. Remember, a Stringed Instrument is delicate and must be taken care of properly so that it doesn't break or crack. Naming your instrument is never frowned upon. Here are a few things to remember.

1. When you get out your case, be careful that you don't bang it around. Place it gently on a flat surface (like a bench or table), lid facing up, then carefully open the case.
2. Take the bow out of its holder and tighten the screw at the end (twist it to the right or away from you) until it's firm but there's still a slight dip in the wooden or carbon-fiber backbone. Don't forget the rosin!
3.  If playing a Viola or a Violin, take it out of its cozy little nest in the case, attach the shoulder-rest to the belly of the body below the chin-rest with the side that dips down on the right*.
4. The final step before you're ready to play is to tune your Stringed Instrument. There are 2 ways to do this**. You can tune your Stringed Instrument to a piano or use an automatic tuner; that's up to you.

Quick Note Regarding Tuning

For Viola and Cello, the tuning pattern is: D-G-C-A, meaning, that's the order in which you tune each string. The order of strings from Left-Right when you're holding it properly is C-G-D-A***, but this is not the order in which you tune the strings...it's weird, I know. You may use the fine-tuners most of the time for tuning; twisting the screw to the left lowers the sound of the string and twisting it to the right makes the sound higher. Very occasionally, you will need to let out your fine-tuners and use the big tuning pegs to do some close tuning.

 

For Violin, the tuning pattern is: A-D-G-E, meaning, that's the order in which you tune each string. The order of strings from Left-Right when you're holding the Stringed Instrument properly is G-D-A-E****, but this is not the order in which you tune the strings...it's weird, I know. You may use the fine-tuners most of the time for tuning; twisting the screw to the left lowers the sound of the string and twisting it to the right makes the sound higher. Very occasionally, you will need to let out your fine-tuners and use the big tuning pegs to do some close tuning.

 

 

 5.  Congratulations! You're all ready to play. Go for it!

*If you're not sure how you should put the shoulder-rest on, just place it on your left shoulder and the side that dips down to your collar bone (the small side) goes on the right of the belly.

**I'm sure there are more ways to tune your Stringed Instrument but those are the two ways I know of. I suppose you could tune by ear if you had perfect pitch!

 

***The notes on the piano, in reference to the strings for Viola is: The first C below Middle-C, the first G below Middle-C, the first D above Middle-C and the first A above Middle-C

The notes on the piano, in reference to the strings for Cello is: Exactly like Viola above, except an octave lower on every note :)

****The notes on the piano, in reference to the strings is: the first G below Middle-C, the first D above Middle-C, the first A above Middle-C and the second E above Middle-C :)

After You're Finished

There are a few things to do after you're finished with the fun of playing your Stringed Instrument. Be sure to follow these steps. They're almost more important than the steps you took before you played. It keeps your Stringed Instrument safe for storing so it doesn't break or crack or sweat or any number of horrible things!

1. After you're finished playing, place your bow somewhere safe and, if playing Viola or Violin, take the shoulder-rest off your belly...I mean, your Stringed Instrument's belly.* Place it either in the top pocket of the case or upside-down in the small part of the nest where the neck of your Stringed Instrument rests; there should be room there.
2. Next, carefully place your Stringed Instrument in its little nest in the case. Just look how cozy it is! Be sure to secure the velcro over the neck so it doesn't slide around.
3. Don't forget to take a soft, dry cloth and clean the rosin residue off the strings. This is important because it keeps your strings clean so they last longer.
4. Finally, loosen the hair on your bow by twisting the screw to the left (or towards you) and put it back in its holder in the lid of your case. Now all that's left is to zip or buckle up your case and store it in a place where it's not too hot or too cold so it stays comfy.
5. Be consistent in your practice! They say "Practice makes perfect." Well, that's not true. As my Mamma puts it, "Perfect practice makes perfect." Put another way, you can always practice without learning anything. Banging your hands around on the piano can count as practice, but not perfect practice :)

*Well, that was embarrassing...

Creating an Atmosphere of Love...Part 2

I know that you've been waiting a long time (Over 2 months!) for the second installment of my Atmosphere of Love series and I thank you for your patience. This is the second time our family has moved this year and, unfortunately, it has taken a toll on my blogging time. But everything has a time, orchestrated by God according to His perfect plan for our lives. It's such a comfort to know that He orders my days and I don't need to worry about anything!!!

 

 

Include and Involve your Siblings

 

Today, I'm just going to take a moment to encourage you to use the power of involving your siblings. I've always found that when I include my brothers and sisters in anything that I'm doing, it strengthens my relationship with them. Even something as simple as washing the dishes can make you the hero of the day! I think we all know this. Your little sister just wants to help you make the bed or switch the laundry. "But it's such a nuisance!" you think with a scoff, "It'll just slow me down. Not that I don't love her, it's just that there's a more efficient way to do things!" Well sure there's a more efficient way to do it, but you've lost an opportunity to be a blessing and to be the soaring hero with the sweet red cape, in the mind of your little sister! So take an extra moment today to be a blessing to your siblings in big and small ways.

 



Regency Drawstring Gown and Half-Robe

Ever since I saw Jane Bennet (Rosamund Pike) in her lovely blue and pink half-robes in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, I have dreamed of having one of my own. Seeing Elinor Dashwood (Emma Thompson) in her own striped version confirmed my desire and I plunged into research. And now, thanks to the Historical Sew Fortnightly (HSF) ( Click here to join in the fun! ), I have finally got the chance to finish my project!

I made it of blue sari fabric that my Daddy brought back for me from England a few years back. I actually made a dress from it in 2009 for a piano recital (I was playing a Pride and Prejudice piece) and I wasn't pleased with it in the end. I only wore it once. Here's an old picture of it below.



It wasn't terrible, but the neckline was too high (I didn't know about fichus yet) and I didn't have my stays way back then. Anyway, after years of sitting at the bottom of my historical wardrobe bucket, I joined the HSF and the poor old dress got nice new facelift :)

This fortnight's challenge is "Robes & Robings". I used about 3 yards of Indian sari fabric recycled from the other dress. I used my favorite; Jennie Chancey's Regency pattern ( sensibility.com ). I actually have nearly the whole set of her Regency patterns. This half-robe is dated toward the beginning of the Regency era (1790s-1810s) The gown I wore underneath was 1790s as well. The only notions I needed were 2 small white buttons. This gown is historically accurate, even if where I wore it wasn't. See, half-robes were actually house-coats and wouldn't be worn outdoors so much. However, since I don't have access to an accurate indoor setting, my backyard served just as well, methinks. Since it was a refashion, it only took me about 2 hours to complete. I ended up spending most of my time on the white dress beneath :) In the end, it cost me absolutely nothing but 2 hours, since the fabric was a gift and I already had the buttons! It was an easy last-minute project that was doable since, our family is moving in a few weeks. Below are the pictures of the finished product. If you have any questions about altering Jennie's Regency pattern to be a half-robe, feel free to email me at missmckennaray@gmail.com.

 

A view of the back.

Closeup of the fabric details.

I made this white cotton drawstring gown this week as well. I needed something to go underneath and I finally broke out my "Elegant Lady's Closet Pattern" (also Sensibility :) The pattern is fantastic! Easy to understand and super practical. I've been in need of this Regency wardrobe staple for a long time and now that I have it, so many possibilities have opened up! I made it out of, get this, a size Full white cotton flat sheet from Wal-Mart! I recommend that fabric to everyone! It's great for unmentionables and so many of the classic white staples you need for any historical wardrobe and it's really inexpensive for fine quality fabric.

 I want to give a very special thanks to my dear sister Marley who was gracious enough to photograph me today, even though she wasn't feeling very well. She has incredible talent as a photographer and took these all on my digital camera! Visit her blog at nogostatusquo.blogspot.com

Creating an Atmosphere of Love...Part 1

I believe, with all my heart, that we as young ladies-in our divine-appointed role as daughters and sisters, help set the tone in our home. My Mamma would say it like this, "Be the thermostat. Not the thermometer." :)

I was reminded of this very thing last night. As I was finishing dinner clean-up, I saw our little ones go into the living room to say their good nights to Mamma and Daddy. My heart overflowed as I saw them stretch out their arms to be lifted in love. There were manly hugs and top-of-the-head kisses for our 9 year old and 6 year old boys and fond caresses and lip-kisses for our little girls who are 7 and 3. Then they came into the kitchen to say their good nights to me. The boys gave me forehead-to-stomach hugs and the girls fairly leapt into my arms! I picked up our 3 year old, Mandee, and covered her face with kisses, encouraging her with, "I'm so proud of you going pee-pee in the potty! You're such a big girl! Sleep tight and be good for Marley." She just grinned from ear-to-ear and planted a kiss on my cheek. I let her out of my arms and watched her skip down the stairs in merry baby delight; reveling in the love that had been bestowed upon her. My heart smiled with my face and I had an overwhelming feeling of gratefulness! Not every girl is blessed with such a family as mine. We say good morning and good night to each other every day. We get to sit down to meals together and clean up together. We cuddle and read books and delight in each other's company. We are earning crowns together, as I have said to myself so many times.

 

I am not saying this to boast. I say this out of a heart truly overflowing! Each of us girls has an opportunity every day to be a blessing to our families. I believe we have a big part in creating an atmosphere of love, joy and peace in our families.

 

"Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,

Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones."

Proverbs 16:24

 

Use Your Words for Edification

I like big words. But that's not the only reason I chose to use "edification". Webster's 1828 defines it as:

"A building up, in a moral and religious sense; instruction; improvement of the mind..."

Each one of us young ladies has a unique opportunity in the lives of our siblings. That is, to build them up with our words. A great example is the verse above. It's always wonderful to find out what God thinks about...anything! I love it when I come across a Scripture that throws light on a subject I've been pondering.

I see such a big difference in the response of my siblings simply by changing the tone of my voice! Notice the verse says pleasant words. That invokes, in my mind, a gentle, sweet tone of voice that is pleasurable to listen to. Thinking on that, I see that my tone is not always pleasurable to listen to...
 

Even the way you simply respond to any situation affects their response. Say you just found your little brother Bobby up in that tree Dad said wasn't safe to climb on. If you stiffen up and march up to the foot of the tree and yell up, "Bobby!!! What did Dad tell you about that TREE?! Get down here NOW!" Most likely, Bobby, being a boy, will stick his tongue out at you and attempt to climb higher, just to spite you.

On the other hand, if you catch Bobby in that tree, and call up, "Hey there, Bobby! Whatcha doing?" he might look down and smile at you, "I'm seein' if I can get to the top." Then, you should shake your head and gently probe him, "Do you remember what Dad said?" If he had truly forgotten, he would climb down and apologize. But, if he had deliberately disobeyed, he might settle himself comfortably in the crook of a branch and, prepare to reason you out of going to alert Mom and let him stay. At which point, you would encourage him to get down, then proceed to tell Mom. Or, if he's younger, he might just stand on the branch and start jumping and chanting, "You ca-an't get meeeee!" In which case, you should promptly hold your arms out below him :)

Proper response makes a world of difference! Find opportunities today to encourage your siblings to love and good deeds. Who knows? You may just change the course of their lives simply by speaking sweetly and urging them to do the right thing.

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
Ephesians 4:29



We've Got Chickens!!!

L-R: Babs, Mac, Edwina and Ginger :)

I honestly never thought the glorious day would come...the day we finally got chickens!!! You may now refer to me as "Mrs. Tweedy"

Meet Ginger, Babs, Mac and Edwina. Sound familiar? It does, if you've ever had the pleasure of seeing the Aardman film "Chicken Run"!

Babs is actually posing! She has quickly established herself the leader of the flock.

 And they live in just the cutest little coop you've ever seen. See?!

 

 

It looks like a little gypsy wagon from afar :D

 

  

Here's a few closeup photos.

Here are their perches and the place the have decided to consolidate their...droppings...

Here's where we gather the eggses ;)

  I just thought y'all might like a little peek into our homesteading world. Pictures of the garden and a video about raw milk are coming soon. I haven't gone crazy, yet...have I...

Bramblewood Fashion Origami Owl Giveaway

You've seen me mention Bramblewood Fashion before. I participated in part of their Fashion Blog Events earlier this year. Anyhoo...they are hosting a fantastic giveaway from "Origami Owl". Origami Owl is a company that does custom-made lockets that fit your personality. You can sign up for the giveaway at 

http://www.bramblewoodfashion.com/2013/07/roses-lace-sunday-style-origami-owl-gc.html 

Gored "Medieval" Skirt Tutorial

"Necessity is the mother of invention" has been so true for me lately! One of my favorite book series is called "The Knights of Arrethtrae" and the author, Chuck Black, is hosting a video contest. The objective is to take a scene from one of the books in the 6-book series and turn it into a short film up to 8 minutes long. The book we chose is "Lady Carliss" and the scene takes place in a swamp. Which won't be too hard to find, I suppose. 

Anyway, I am Director and Costume Designer and I needed to come up with a medieval-type outfit for my sister (who is playing the role of Lady Carliss). Thus, the "pattern" for this gored skirt was born! Depending on what fabric you use, it can be worn two different ways. Using fabric like wool, velvet, linen and silk gives the effect of a medieval skirt paired with, say, a blousson and a jerkin or cuirass...maybe some vambraces and a nice thick belt with a cape :) On the other hand, it works nicely in the modern world as well. The fabric I used is a medium-weight jersey fabric. It hangs really nicely! Denim, cotton, and velveteen would also do well. I doubt that crushed velvet would work, but if you give it a try, please let me know how it behaves for you. 

The skirt has a drawstring top (just to hold it up properly) and is worked in 6 "gores" or panels. They are narrow at the top and flared at the bottom. This gives the skirt an extra flowyness quality that is seen in many, many medieval designs and that's what inspired me!

Okay, so on with the tutorial! 

Gored Skirt Tutorial

By McKenna Rosen

 You Will Need:

4 Yards Fabric of Your Choice

(Suggestions Above)

Matching Thread

Drawstring or Ribbon

Measuring Tape

Chalk (For Marking the Fabric)

First, take the measurements of your victim, er, recipient (or yourself); measure waist and waist-to-hem. That's all you need! 

Next, divide and conquer! Actually, just divide your waist measurement by 6 and add 1. Then, take your length measurement and add 2. Not difficult. Think about it. Since you have 6 panels, you're dividing your waist measurement by 6 and adding 1 for seam allowance. Thus, you have again achieved your waist measurement after the panels come together.

The picture below illustrates really well what I'm going to explain here next:

Okay, so this is the overall shape you're going for. The piece on the left is cut on the fold. The top (narrow end) is HALF the final number you came up with above (because it's on the fold),  and the bottom is a slanted line to flare it out. The pieces on the right are your final number (not halved) cut on the selvedge edge so they're 2 pieces. This is 3 of your 6 pieces. The left panel is the center front and the two on the right are the side-front panels. I was able to cut mine on one width of fabric, but you may need to get creative if your fabric is super narrow :/ 

Do this again for the back panels; it's the exact same thing. Now if you haven't already seen in your head how this is going together, I'll give you strict instructions below.

1. Stitch FRONT-SIDE panel to FRONT panel, right sides together, matching the slanted edges. Press seam allowance

2. Repeat for second FRONT-SIDE panel.

3. Stitch BACK-SIDE panel to BACK panel, right sides together, matching the slanted edges. Press seam allowance.

4. Repeat for second BACK-SIDE panel.

5. Match up FRONT and BACK pieces together at selvedge edges. Stitch. Press seam allowance.

Try it on your "recipient" and make adjustments if needed (any knit or jersey fabric will need to be taken in because of how it stretches). 

All that's left is to make the casing, thread the drawstring through and finally, finish off the hem at the bottom! 

There you have it! Please email me (missmckennaray@gmail.com) or comment below if you have any questions. I would love to see your versions and variations of my idea so please send pictures and maybe I'll end up posting them!