How to Embroider by Hand 2

Hand embroidery is an interesting craft and since many generations provided women with many hours of pleasure. You can read more about this traditional hobby in histroy of embroidery. Hand embroidery is a type of needlework or handicraft, that is to be done without a machine. You need to learn to embroider by hand as the stitches involved are very intricate and require practice. You need to outline a pattern on the cloth piece to be embroidered. Let us go into the details of how to embroider by hand.

How to Embroider by Hand
The first thing to do is choose the cloth you want to try embroidery on. Then plan the design you want to stitch on your cloth. Choose the colors of the threads and the thickeners of the thread. You need to then choose a pattern from a chart or pattern sheet, that will help you decide the types of embroidery stitches to use. Then draw the pattern or trace the design over the cloth with a washable fabric marker or quilting pencil.

Tread your needle with the thread you wish to embroider your design. You can use thick cotton or wool yarn, in case you are trying to embroider by hand on pillow cases and napkins. In case of delicate patterns like monograms or fashion trims, you may use embroidery floss, silk thread or cotton thread that is divided into sections.

Now stretch the fabric on a tension hoop. You can keep the use of tension loop optional if you are not comfortable using it. But be sure that the fabric is stretched and not pulled out of shape. Now, holding the fabric in your left hand (right hand, if you are a leftie), begin stitching at the bottom of the fabric. Secure the threads with a double stitch to get started. Then push the needle up through the fabric and down again at the end of the stitch. Remember, the length of your stitch depends on the type of stitch you are following.

Once you are done with a particular color or section of your embroidery, weave the end of the thread at the bottom of the fabric in a secure knot. Continue to stitch till you complete your project. Remove the frame from the hoop only after completion. This was something about how to embroider by hand. Let us take some idea on interesting and easy embroidery project, for those trying to learn to embroider by hand.

How to Embroider Words by Hand
How to embroider words by hand is not a very difficult project to try. You need to choose your fabric and the colors of your embroidery threads. You need to follow a pattern for the words to be embroidered like block letters, cursive letters, etc. With a washable fabric marker or fabric pencil trace the image of the word you wish to embroider by hand. You can read some tips on embroidery stitches

Now, place your fabric in a hoop and begin stitching from the left bottom edge of the word. Push the needle up through the fabric from the bottom and leave a tail of embroidery floss of about two inches. Pull the thread across the width of your word and push the needle back down into the fabric. You need to follow this step till you finish the entire word. This simple stitch of embroidery by hand, is known as satin stitch. You can learn to embroider by hand with many other stitches like chain stitch, cross stitch, back stitch, etc. The answer for how to embroider words by hand also answers your query how to embroider letters by hand. Just follow this simple step for an single individual letter.

How to Embroider Flowers by Hand
Just like a word or letter, you need to follow the above mentioned steps. Trace a flower design on your fabric with washable fabric marker or pencil. Then choose the colors of your embroidery thread. You can let your creativity flow with a flower design. You can try dual colors for the petals and to show the shading in the leaves. You can even embroider by hand with double shaded embroidery threads. You can choose a satin stitch for the petals and leafs. You can try French knot stitch for the center of the flower. The stem can be stitched using a stem stitch. You can refer to an embroidery magazine for ideas and the type of stitches you can try. You can read more on custom embroidery patterns and design.

This was a bit in short, about how to embroider by hand. Hand embroidery is a very interesting arts and crafts hobby, that will keep you engaged for hours on end. You can decorate your pillow covers, scarfs, wall hangings, table cloths and many more things in your house with your embroidery by hand. You can even give think about hand embroidered personalized gifts. You can learn to embroider by hand very easily. Once you learn to embroider by hand, you will get hooked on to this interesting hobby for life.

How to Embroider by Hand

We often exchange gifts with our friends, and friendship bands and bracelets are good gifts. To add a personal touch to your gift, you can make your own friendship bracelets. Usually threads or embroidery floss are used to knot these handmade friendship bracelets. The knots in these embroidery floss bracelets signify the strong bond between friends. Friendship bracelets are available in a variety of styles and patterns.

You can craft embroidery floss friendship bracelets and gift them to your friends to make them feel special. They would love to tie it on their hand. Believe me, crafting a bracelet does not require much time and effort and it is simple and easy. And the best part is that it is inexpensive!

You can start with a simple pattern and as you get more experienced you can make more advanced patterns, and try designing on your own. Here are the steps to make an embroidery floss friendship bracelet.

How To Make Friendship Bracelet?

Things required:

   1. Embroidery floss
   2. Scissors
   3. Measuring tape
   4. Masking tape
   5. Clipboard

Steps for making embroidery floss friendship bracelet:

    * Take four colors of embroidery floss thread. Cut a 25 inch strand of each embroidery floss.
    * Tie a knot of two inches at the top of the floss strands.
    * Tape the knotted side of the floss strands to your work surface or clip it to a clipboard.
    * Spread out the floss strands. From now we will refer to them as strand 1, strand 2, strand 3 and strand 4. Start with strand 1, loop it over strand 2. Hold strand 2 and pull the knot until it is snug.
    * Now, take the strand 1 and make double knots along strand 3 and strand 4.
    * Again, begin with strand 2 and make double knots with strand 3, strand 4 and strand 1.
    * Repeat the process with strand 3 and 4, one by one.
    * When you finish with this, tie a knot to secure the end.
    * You can add a colored bead before the end knot.

Now your embroidery floss bracelet is ready to be tied around the wrist. Wasn't that easy? You may also like to know more on how to make friendship bracelets.

Color Schemes for Embroidery Floss Bracelet

You may use different color schemes to prepare your embroidery floss friendship bracelet, like primary colors - red, yellow, and blue, or secondary colors - orange, green, and violet. Using a dark color with white is one of my favorite combinations. You can also try to combine light and dark shades of the same color. There is another scheme called, analogous color scheme, that uses two or more colors, that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel, for e.g., yellow and violet. Some other possible schemes are white and red/pink on Valentine's day, yellow, pink, and pale green for Easter or you can go for American patriot - red, blue and white. The best combination would be, your favorite color knotted with your friends' favorite color. This also shows that although, you both may have different choices, you are still bonded to each other. And your bond is as strong as the knots in the friendship bracelet.

It is said that, "Friends are the chocolate chips in the cookie of life." Do not wait for friendship day. You can gift these bracelets any time. It would be the best gift to your summer class buddies or to your high school friends, on graduation. Embroidery floss bracelets are memorabilia, that will be treasured deeply by your friends.

How to Smock

Smocking a fabric is a popularly used embroidery pattern since years. This type of embroidery pattern is widely used in making clothes more fashionable. It is used to fancify skirts, shirts, frocks, kids wear and pillows as well. You can either smock a fabric using a sewing machine or with your hands. If you are wondering how to smock a dress, how to smock a pillow, how to smock by hand, how to smock with elastic, then this article will answer all your questions. Here is the detailed procedure of how to smock fabric.

How to Smock Fabric: Step-by-Step Procedure

Material You'll Need

    * Fabric
    * Cotton thread
    * Needle
    * Fabric pencil/chalk
    * Elastic
    * Pearl pins
    * Smocking pleater (if available)

Procedure

Step 1
The first step of how to smock a fabric is to pleat it. You can mark the starting and ending point of smocking with a fabric pencil. While using a smocking pleater is an easy way of doing this, you can also do it without this equipment. While working on the fabric just remember 3:1 ratio and start pleating the fabric. This means, that you have to take 3 inches of un-pleated fabric and then 1 inches pleated fabric. Go on doing this. Read more on sewing.

Step 2
Pin the pleats with pearl pins as you move on. Keep 3 inches fabric plain from both borders. The total number of pleats formed must be even. Now mark a horizontal line along the length of the pleats.

Step 3
To keep the pleats in place use a running stitch, which you can easily remove later. Go on removing the pearl pins used previously while pleating the fabric. Mark the required number of rows for smocking on wrong side using a fabric pencil/chalk.

Step 4
Now thread the needle with 3 strands of cotton thread, tie a knot at the end. Now let's see how to smock with elastic. Take a narrow elastic of size bit smaller than length of the fabric you have after pleating. Now place the elastic thread on the wrong side of fabric, over the marking of second row. Go in stitching it in a row. Once you reach the end, put a back stitch so as to secure the stitches properly. Now put a knot and cut off the remaining thread. Learn how to embroider by hand.

Step 5
Start working on the next row below it in the same way with elastic and thread. Go on doing this till you finish the number of rows you have marked for the project. The smocked fabric is ready to be used. Instead of using thread and elastic you can use an elastic thread as well.

Remember, that if you want to smock a particular part of a dress, first smock this part and then join it with other pieces to form a dress. Also, make all the marking on the wrong side of the fabric that won't be visible. Usually, the cuffs or sleeves of a dress are smocked. Smocked chest line is a popular fashion for dresses. This gives a classy touch to the outfit. You can have variations in the smock pattern. You can have wider or tiny pleats to have a detailed smock pattern. You can try this on a rough piece first and do variations as desired on the final fabric, to have a fantastic pattern ready!

Blanket Stitch Instructions

Any good seamstress will tell you that one of the most handy stitches to know is a blanket stitch. It is used to sew the edge of thick blankets or any other heavy and thick fabric. It is also used for sewing hand appliqué to a fabric. Of all the different types of embroidery stitches, it is the easiest to master and is usually done by hand, although you can do it in a sewing machine too. The trick to having a nice even looking blanket stitch is that all the individual stitches should be of the same size and they should be evenly spaced. Blanket stitching will come in useful for many other sewing projects for both adults and children. Here we are going to give you blanket stitch instructions.

Simple Blanket Stitch Instructions

Here is a step by step blanket stitch instructions that will teach you how to make a simple blanket stitch on a piece of fabric.

    * The first thing that you need to do is to thread a needle with a strand of embroidery thread and then make a secure knot on one end.
    * Take your piece of fabric and hold it tight in front of you. Draw a line about ½ cm away from the top edge of the fabric, which is parallel to it.
    * Now insert the needle from the bottom side to the top at the edge of the fabric at the left. Now insert the needle again from the drawn line and take the needle out at the edge of the fabric, directly opposite to the location where the needle was inserted.
    * As you draw the needle out through the top edge of the fabric, make sure that the thread is under the needle.
    * The resulting stitch will look like a square and this is what we are aiming for.
    * Again insert the needle at the line at equal distance and take it out parallel to it at the edge.
    * Place the thread under the needle and draw out the needle slowly, making sure that the stitch is secure.
    * Repeat steps, making sure that the height as well as the spacing of the stitch is maintained.
    * When you finish, insert the needle through the back of the stitch and secure with a knot.

Machine Blanket Stitch Instructions

It is possible to do blanket stitch in a sewing machine provided you have the right embroidery sewing machine. Different sewing machines depending upon whether they are manual or automatic, will have different setting for sewing it. For a manual sewing machine, you need to set the set the needle tension to 1. Then you have set the fabric into the machine and start stitching along the edge of the fabric. You can also roll the edge of the fabric to make decorative blanket stitch along the edge of the fabric.

Embroidery Blanket Stitch Instructions

Many beautiful embroidery can be made with blanket stitch. It is also used in knitting patterns for baby blankets. Another very important embroidery that is made with the blanket stitch is called as the button hole wheel. It is often used for making floral motifs while embroidering. To make this stitch, you need to simply make a blanket stitch in the form of a circle so that each stitch passes through one central point. Make sure that the blanket stitch are evenly and tightly spaced, otherwise the embroidery stitches will be ruined and these tips on embroidery stitches will go waste.

This was all about blanket stitch instructions. Blanket stitch is one of the most simple and easiest stitch to master. It comes in very useful for making appliqués and for embroidery. Now that you know how to make blanket stitches, you can make any embroidery project with it.

How to Use Piercing Needles

Important - This article provides information on how piercing needles are used and hence, should not be re-created in any manner. Professional body piercers are trained and have experience in the field, and which is why, they are the ones best suited for the job. If you are under the age of 18, seek parental advice before reading this article.

In today's world, 7 out of 10 people have body piercings. Although this form of body art has been accepted in the East for centuries, but the West has recently experienced its exploding popularity. Teenagers and 20 somethings are looking towards getting their ears, noses, eyebrows, tongues, nipples, navels, and other parts of their bodies pierced. With growing popularity, the need to find more advanced piercing methods also arises. Which is why, you will see latest piercing guns being used at various piercing parlors. However, there are professional piercers who still opt for the traditional piercing method of using needles to get the job done. Regardless of what instrument is used, there is going to be a certain level of pain which no one can avoid.

But that isn't the main concern of our article at hand. What we are here to discuss is how to use piercing needles. Now let me be absolutely frank here. I do not like or support the idea of anyone purchasing piercing needles and start experimenting with them on themselves or others. An individual has to be trained properly and should have enough experience before he/she starts piercing themselves or anyone else. So keep this in mind at all times and, if you want to learn how these needles are used for real, do seek professional help. As for the purpose of this article, we are only providing you with the written information.

Using Body Piercing Needles

There are various sizes of piercing needles available in market and they are all used for particular piercings. As different types of body piercings require a certain size of needle, a professional piercer will select it accordingly. To begin the process, you will have to...

    * Purchase only marked needles as the material is same as the ones used in hospital tools. This way, you can ensure that there won't be any infection or an allergic reaction.
    * Wash your hands with antibacterial soap and then use hand sanitizer. Hygiene is crucial while piercing any body part as the germs from your hand can come in contact with the pierced skin.
    * Pat your hand dry with a clean towel and wear latex gloves as soon as you've washed and sanitized your hands. Also, the area where you are going to hold the procedure also has to be sanitized and hygienic.
    * When you open the needle packet, make sure that the needle is hollow as this will help in protecting the skin from any bruises and tissue damage.
    * Next, you need to select the right gauge size. Primarily, most piercings can be done with a 14 gauge needle. However, the use of 16 gauge can be required, depending on what you are piercing. (This is where your training and expertise is needed).
    * If you purchase pre-sterilized needles, you can skip the step of sterilizing them before use. You might have to sterilize the clamps though.
    * Now one of the most important things to keep in mind is to hold the needle as steady as possible. You have to precisely hold the needle close to the skin where the piercing is supposed to be made.
    * Hold your hand steady and try to grip the needle tightly. If you have a weak grip or your hand shakes a lot, the process is going to be more painful than it normally would.
    * The sharp edge of the needle has to face downward so that the skin is pierced with precision. As you hold the needle, that sharp edge should align your forefinger properly.
    * When the needle is pierced through the skin, not the fingers, but your wrist has to turn to find the perfect angle.

With a firm, sure hand, you also decrease the risk of any injury. Also, when the needle is being pushed inside the skin, you have to make sure that your fingers aren't sliding up and down the needle or there's going to be a lot of pain.

I am going to repeat myself here, but it's important so I will. Without proper training, please do not use piercing needles on yourself or anyone else. It can be quite dangerous when you don't know what you're supposed to be doing. Just leave the piercings to the professionals, shall we?!

How to Sterilize Piercing Needles

Body art salons can prove to be a point of cross contamination if proper hygiene standards are not maintained. Health council requires the tattoo and piercing parlors to maintain highest degree of sanitation and sterilization. As most salons indeed adopt safe piercing practices, the risk of contamination and infection has greatly reduced. Nonetheless, one must be well informed about what are the safe practices of sterilization at home as well as commercially. Home piercing may also lead to infections, if no sterilization has been ensured. So, let us know how to sterilize piercing needles for maximum safety.

How to Sterilize Piercing Needles at Home?

Piercing at home is not recommended unless absolutely necessary. Home piercing may cause a lot of discomfort, pain and increased risk of infection. Besides, you are also likely to pierce unevenly, if you are not careful or do not know how to use piercing needles. However, the most important issue is that of sterilization. Home sterilization techniques cannot get rid of microbes completely and effectively. Nonetheless, you can try any of the following techniques of needle sterilization at home.

Method 1
Place the tip of the piercing needle on a burning flame of a candle or any other heat source. Allow the tip to become red hot. Take some rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide solution on a cotton ball and wipe the tip with this solution. Do not forget to wear sterile latex gloves while touching needles. Apply rubbing alcohol on your earlobes as well to disinfect them. Although, this method does not assure complete sterilization, it is the best you can do at home.

Method 2
Clean the piercing needle with antiseptic solution. Place the metal portion of the needle in boiling water. Let it stand for at least 5-10 minutes. Wear your sterile latex gloves and remove the needle tip from water. Wipe it with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide solution. Treat your earlobes with rubbing alcohol in the same way as mentioned above.

One must note that piercing at home carries increased chances of scarring and infection. If you must, you should never go beyond earlobe piercing at home. Complicated body piercings such as tragus piercing, naval piercing or tongue piercing must be done by a professional only. While doing ear piercing, apply an analgesic cream or some kind of numbing agent to the earlobe to reduce pain. Do not numb your ear with ice packs, as it will make the skin coarse, thereby leading to rough piercing.

How to Sterilize Piercing Needles Professionally?

In commercial parlors or salons, needles are sterilized using a specialized device named autoclave. Needles are packaged in special sterilization pouches and only then placed in an autoclave. A indicator strip that changes color when sterilization is completed, is also placed in an autoclave. Once you have filled all the needles and loaded the indicator strip in an autoclave, set the timer and adjust the pressure. At the end of cycle, vent the autoclave by putting on the vent option. Wear sterile latex gloves and remove the needles when the pressure and heat gauge read zero. Ensure that the needle pouches are dry.

This is the safest and most effective method of needle sterilization. However, this method can be used only if the needles are metal pointed. Piercing guns, which are made of plastic cannot be sterilized in this way. Hence, there is a fair amount of risk involved if you choose to have piercing using a gun. Although there is no direct contact of the needle with the customer's skin, indirect contamination may occur, when the professional touches the person's skin and then the gun.

The safest way of getting a body piercing is to get it done from a professional, using a piercing needle only. Ensure if the professional sterilizes the needles in an autoclave or not. If not, it is best to give such a salon a miss and opt for other safer solutions.

Sternum Piercing

As each generation grows up, it's obvious that they are going to make almost all their decisions without consulting anyone. Growing up, the things that they couldn't do (perhaps their parents didn't approve of it), now is their chance to get exactly what they want. I am talking about getting body piercing and tattoos. The newer generation are finding new locations to get themselves pierced at, and are loving it. As a sign of defiance, freedom, independence, and sex appeal, many piercing fanatics are turning towards sternum piercing.

There are different types of body piercings that have become popular in recent times. And vertical and horizontal sternum piercing have quickly become one of the most favorite places to get pierced, for men and women. Perhaps you are planning on getting yourself pierced (for the first time or again). If so, then perhaps you would want to keep an eye on this unique piercing. In the following article, we will go over all details about the sternum piercing; it's location, procedure, cost and aftercare instructions.

Sternum Piercing Information

Before we get any further, let me make something clear. Although I am in for piercings myself, I always advice everyone to get the piercing done from an experienced piercer. Any kind of piercing, if not done correctly, can become problematic. Apart from the sternum piercing, there are other piercing names too that you can learn about. For now now lets go through this particular piercing information mentioned below.

Sternum Piercing Location
If you aren't familiar with sternum anatomy, let me explain you where exactly is the piercing done. The sternum is the flat, long bone in the middle of our chest. It is shaped like the alphabet "T". This is the exact location where your piercing will be placed. This area is not easy to pierce as it is neither flat, hangy, or concave. For the piercing to stay in place, a canal has to be made under the skin. This way, your jewelry will get inserted and stay intact.

Many people have experienced their bodies rejecting the piercing as well. By "rejecting" I mean that your body does not accept the metal jewelry placed inside and tries to push it out. Women get this piercing done right between their cleavage and for men, it's on the top and bottom of the pectorals. The piercing looks really sexy (without any doubt), no matter which pattern you choose.

Sternum Piercing Procedure
For sternum surface piercing, the actual procedure doesn't really take that long. The whole process takes about 5 minutes or so. However, the prep time should be a bit more than that. Whichever piercer you choose, make sure that he/she disinfects the tools, jewelry, the piercing area, and his/her hands in front of you. Also, see if the hole marks made on your chest are matching with the jewelry.

Now, similar to any other type of piercing, your piercer will pierce the surface bar in the area marked for piercing. But remember, this can only be done if your skin is flexible at that area. The jewelry needs to get enough support; at least for the first few days. The jewelry as well will be a bit bigger while piercing. And in a couple of weeks' time, you will have to go back for a smaller, more sexier jewelry. But what many of you must be scared about is, the sternum piercing pain level. As I have mentioned in many of my other piercing articles, the pain level will fluctuate from person to person. Depending on how tolerant you are, the pain would be higher or lower for this one.

Sternum Piercing Cost
For this type of chest piercing the cost can come anywhere between US $100 to US $150. This difference in price depends on your piercer selection (some more popular piercers have extra charges) and the jewelry (studs, diamond studs). So keeping that in mind, the final amount that you need to pay for the piercing will vary.

Sternum Piercing Aftercare
Once you get the piercing done, there are certain sternum piercing care instructions you need to follow. At first the piercing may not be too comfortable to handle and work around. But proper body piercing aftercare tips has to be executed in order to keep the piercing in place. This also helps in the jewelry not rejecting your body.

    * The sternum piercing healing time is from 4-6 weeks. So the area will be tender and painful to touch in the initial weeks.
    * To avoid piercing infection, make sure you clean the piercing with cotton ball soaked in saline solution every day.
    * While in the shower, lightly lift the jewelry and clean with a saline soaked Q-tip. This will remove all the crusting formed around it.
    * Take a mild soap and clean the jewelry as well and don't touch it often during the day.
    * If there is any bacteria or infection present, the healing time can increase.
    * Don't twist and turn your jewelry for at least 3-4 weeks. Just clean and move it while in the shower.
    * Call your piercer when it's time to remove the old jewelry and replace it with the new one.

The risks of body piercings are many, but with proper care you can turn it in your favor. Sternum piercings look really sexy when they are not infected and clean. So follow the necessary precautionary steps and get the piercing you've been wanting for so long.

Nape Piercing Jewelry

Nape of the neck is also known as 'medulla oblongata', and the piercing is done at the back of the neck region, or even slightly below it along the spine area. It requires an adequate thickness of tissue to sink into and pierce through, for nape piercing jewelry. This is usually 1.6 mm in length, within the skin surface. Commonly used jewelry consists of curvy shaped ones, or PTFE (teflon) where these provide the body a better chance at healing wounds. Titanium is another option for jewelry used in surface body piercings. Once the healing process is complete, which is about 8 weeks, the long vertical bars used for the initial piercing is removed, and replaced with something shorter after the swelling subsides. We look into the different types of piercings that people get over their bodies, known as 'surface piercings', and how different kinds of jewelry are used, to adorn nape piercings.

What are the Different Types of Surface Piercings?

Besides nape piercings, there are other forms of surface piercings that people sport all over their body. Some forms of these piercings can be weird, and not something that people in their right minds would do. There's always someone who wants to take body art and piercings to another level, and this is just one way of doing it. Besides the obvious piercings known today, like the navel or eyebrow, there's a whole lot more to piercing than meets the eye. There are two problems that take place if piercings aren't done in the correct manner. One being, 'mitigation', where the piercing moves from the original place that it was inserted into, and second, 'rejection', where the body cannot take the the insertion of the foreign object, put into that part of the body, pushing it out and causing an infection or form of inflammation. If you take care of the piercing in the way that you should, by keeping it clean and free from the possibility of an infection or reaction, then the chances of having a fully healed piercing is possible. Here's looking into the different types of body piercings that require surface piercings inclusively.

Hip Piercing: This type of piercing is done around the pelvic region, that is, where the hips taper down, along the hip bones.

Corset Piercing: Just like how the pattern of a corset crisscross in successive patterns, the same is showcased by an array of piercings that meet at points, with bands attached to them to form a corset like pattern.

Stomach Piercing: Usually done as navel piercings, this includes the surrounding areas that covers the torso region as well.

Madison Piercing: This piercing is placed above the collarbone, usually as a horizontal piercing. Collarbone piercing can be experimented with other kinds of jewelry as well.

Neck Piercing: This piercing can be found anywhere along the side of the neck, where people usually put two studs protruding from the skin surface, resembling a two-fang vampire bite.

Vertical Tragus: The tragus is the eternal part of the ear, where it bulges just before the opening towards the inner ear. This is where cartilage piercings are done, right on this bulbous cartilaginous portion.

Nape Piercing: As you now know, nape piercing jewelry is placed on the back portion of the neck or the lower area along the spine.

Anti Eyebrow Piercings: This type of facial piercing is where jewelry is placed either beside the eye portion, or below it. Anti eyebrow piercings don't have to follow the usual form of piercing one's eyebrow, but can travel anywhere around the eye area.

Wrist Piercing: Wrist piercing is usually done on the upper side of the wrist, where the veins are prominent, or on the top portion as well.

Sternum Piercing: Sternum piercings are done along the sides of the body, where the rib cage curves. This can be done on the lower or upper half of one's body, on the sides.

How is a Surface Piercing Done?

When nape jewelry piercings are done, along with the other kinds, there's a certain method that goes into puncturing these into the skin. Due to the body's resistance of holding in horizontal piercings, barbells are used, that are bent at 90 degree angles, giving the body a sort of restriction when trying to push the piercing out. A skilled person is needed to practice this form of piercing, who knows exactly how to place the jewelry, and what depth is required for penetration. Due to the chances being high of the body rejecting the piercing even in the future, people have to constantly be aware of the piercing presence. Later on it is then too late to have it removed, being an area that's been healed and closed off at the entry points, leaving behind scarring as a result of carelessness. Here's how surface piercings are done, and what kinds of jewelry is used for nape piercings.

Scalpelled
This is done by using a low pressure flap, under which the jewelry is placed, but the chances of the body rejecting this piercing is high.

Punch and Taper
The needle used here is the same shape as that of a barbell (the 90 degree piercing), helping the wound heal faster, avoiding the situation of migration.

Traditional
Using nylon/curved barbells, where the long term effect of this aren't evident. Therefore it is advisable to ditch the idea of using this type of piercing.

Surgical
Skin tubes are created, where the jewelry can then be placed within. You can do some further reading about, risks of body piercings to understand the concept of getting a piercing.

Scar and Brace
This is done by inserting the piercing into a tough layer of tissue, or using a small bar like implant that is placed within the skin, that acts as a brace.

How Do I Take Care of my Nape Piercing?

You need to understand that getting a surface piercing done on the nape of your neck is tricky and poses as a problem in the long run. Due to the presence of material rubbing against the piercing, this can over time lead to rejection, since the friction caused can create a problem for the wound to heal. Clothes can get snagged onto the piercing, where nape piercing rings should be avoided, since this can cause the skin to tear easily from the pressure of the pull, leading to painful skin tears. What you need to do is make sure you keep that area exposed as often as possible to avoid the healing process from being hampered. It is recommended that you use PTFE piercings, during the healing process and then switch to something else after it has healed completely. Using barbells in the future would help, being angled the way it is to avoid the body from rejecting the piercing. Don't touch that area with unwashed hands, and always make sure to avoid soap or chemicals from invading the wound area. It is advisable to keep it dry at all times, and apply creams specially made to keep the area infection free.

As you can see, nape piercing jewelry can range from what is not advisable for your body, to what your body can handle. Always remember to avoid removing your clothes too fast, and putting them on too quickly, knowing that you have a piercing that could get caught in it. Follow hygiene tips and instructions from your piercing artist as well, and make sure you go to someone you trust and knows what he/she is doing. Good luck.

How to Become a Body Piercer

This is an interesting piece of information for all those who always wanted to become a professional body piercer but were unable to do so, as there was not much awareness about body piercing, being a professionally acclaimed work. The truth is that body piercing has come a long way, from being a pious and necessary ritual in many civilizations, to a social taboo in various other cultures. Body piercing is now a fashion style for youngsters, teenagers and adults alike. It is an established art and owing to its popularity, numerous regulatory bodies have been established to monitor the professional standards in this art. So how to become a body piercer? Let's know more on that in detail, in the further paragraphs.

How to Become a Professional Body Piercer

There are many reasons why one may wish to get a body piercing done. Many people find it appealing and sporty to get a body piercing done while some go for body piercing due to some astrological significance. Whatever be the reason, body piercing provides career opportunities to people who're skilled in this art to make decent income. How to become a body piercer? Follow the tips mentioned further to know more about the answer to this question.

    * Decide if you really want to become a body piercer. You must be comfortable in dealing with people and handling piercing tools. Also, deftness of hands and eye coordination must be very good. It's a very responsible position, so don't enter into it, if you're uncomfortable in carrying out piercing.
    * Contact local health organizations and learn more about infections of the skin and blood that can occur due to body fluids that you may come in contact with while working with clients. Infections can also occur due to infected body piercing tools. It is essential to be aware of body piercing infections so that as body piercers, one is able to guide clients, effectively.
    * The art of body piercing is intricate and so one must get a proper body piercer training. Check out in your locality or near by areas about body piercing training shops. Request professionals in the shop to let you train as an apprentice. If you make them aware that you have done certificate courses from OSHA or the red cross, on blood-born pathogens, they will let you acquire training full time. It is generally not easy to get a piercer to train you, hence good contacts can help you in getting a skilled piercer.
    * Inquire in local health organizations about any licenses necessary for practicing body piercing professionally. Get at least 3 months training as a full time trainee.
    * Generally, a refresher course is essential to learn about the basics of body piercing.
    * Focus completely on learning all about sterilization, contamination and other health and safety concerns so that you're able to learn the minute intricacies of body piercing.
    * If you're unable to get a skilled piercer to train you, join a piercing school for $2000 to $5000 that will help you learn this art on specially designed silicon bodies. There are online courses for learning body piercing that guarantee you 'employment certifications'. Those willing to know how to become a body piercer, must ensure that they're NOT fooled by any such school or online programs, as the only way to learn an art as intricate as body piercing is by practicing it under a professional. If an individual is joining any training school, one must ensure that it is authentic and registered under state regulating bodies.

So this was all about how to become a body piercer. Remember that there are no right or wrong rules to become a body piercer. All you need to do is to do a proper research before entering this profession. Proper body piercer training can only help you to excel in this profession so that you can give quality customer service. How to become a licensed piercer is more important than just becoming a body piercer for earning money. As the last piece of advice on how to become a piercer, I would say, one must be aware of the fact that salaries as a body piercer, depend on numerous factors. In body piercing arts, for instance in industrial pricing, industrial piercing prices vary between $40 to $75 per piercing. Salaries mostly depend on the popularity of the body piercing center one is working with and the number of clients visiting the place. So all those who're interested in body piercer job description must ensure that they're able to learn every minute detail of this job so that they can be successful body piercers.

Microdermal Jewelry

Microdermal jewelry is not meant for everyone. If you are heroic enough and can bear some pain to adorn the coolest look ever then only think about sporting microdermal jewelery. Mocrodermal jewelery is essentially available in smaller sizes. Why? If you know what is microdermal piercing which is also known as dermal implant, you would never ask this question. Well, don't worry if you do not have any idea about it. Just read the following article to know more about this painful pleasure.

What is Microdermal Piercing?

Microdermal piercing is essentially a type of permanent body piercing. But it does not look as if it is pierced. Microdermal piercing gives the appearance as if the jewelry is screwed into the skin. It is essentially made of two different parts, the anchor and the ornamental side. The anchor has a flat bottom with a protruding step that sits even to the level of the skin surface. And the upper part that is ornamental part is then fixed on top. This makes changing microdermal jewelry very easy where you do not have to remove the anchor from the skin. All you have to do is remove the ornamental part and place the other one of your choice.

Microdermal implant involves a special procedure. Before the piercing or implantation, the skin where implantation has to be done is cleaned and sterilized. Then some part of the skin is removed from the area using a dermal punch. Now, the microdermal jewelery is placed with surgical forceps in the desired location. After the wound is completely healed the ornamental side will always look even with the skin surface.

Microdermal Jewelry Designs

I am sure now you know why microdermal body jewelry is smaller. Well but the size of this jewelery does not limit the kind of variety of designs you can have when it comes microdermal ornaments. Classic diamond microdermal jewelry is popular with women. Petite, shiny, and colorful diamonds can be worn on almost every part of the body. Many girls prefer to wear their microdermal diamond near the eyes, on the neck, on the nape, on the belly button, and some even sport it on the cleavage and the tongue. Basically, there are no limits as you can implant as many diamonds as you want and at any part of the body.

Apart from diamonds or colorful gems you can go for microdermal jewelry tops that are also called as microdermal anchors. that are available in various shapes and variations. You can go for simple round shape tops for a simple yet edgy look. Girls can choose from star shape, flower shape, heart shape, or butterfly shape tops to get the pretty and feminine look. You can also go microdermal danglers that are very popular with college students. Half ball is again one of the most preferred style with boys. It looks like a small steel ball on your skin when its implanted properly. One of the best location to implant the jewelery is the tattoo if you have any. A rightly placed microdermal jewelry can enhance the beauty of your tattoo.

You can choose any microdermal jewelry but make sure that it is implanted by a professional. Also be assured to buy a jewelery made from titanium and not steel or any other material. The risk of developing any kind of skin infection is less with titanium as it is less reactionary in the human body. But even with titanium you carry the risk of inward traveling infection, keloids, hyper tropic scarring, bruising, and other risks of body piercing. In most of the cases, the skin rash and redness disappears after few days but if it persists for longer you must go to the doctor or visit a professional who did the implant for you. Also remember, that you have to remove the implant by a surgical process by a doctor or professional only. So go for microdermal jewelry only if you are ready to pay a price for it.

Microdermal Piercing Removal

Microdermal piercings are a new trend growing amongst youngster and adults today. They're dunking the old method of surface piercings and shifting to a whole new level of piercing one's skin. Microdermal piercings are those which consist of a entry point, but no exit point so that the jewelery doesn't poke its end out of the skin. Here the piercing penetrates the skin to a considerable level, where the jewelery has a flattened surface with holes in it, so that, the skin heals around and through it, giving it more leverage to hold down the piercing in place. In this way the wound is given significant healing space with a higher chance of it not rejecting the piercing jewelry.

The other end of the microdermal implant which peeks out of the skin, can be changed as and when the person wants since this can be screwed in and unscrewed with different ends. These surface anchors, as they are called require a surgical procedure that is not painful to undergo, and can be done successfully by a trained microdermal piercer. Microdermal piercing removal procedures are the ones that aren't easy to withstand since these require a lot of painful maneuvers. We'll see how this is done and what costs come into play to get it done.

Microdermal Piercing Surgical Procedure

In order to remove a piercing, the person in question who has the microdermal piercing and seeks removal will have to either go back to the same person he/she got it from, or go to a trusted piercer to have it removed. The procedure involves two surgical instruments to be on hand.

    * Scalpel
    * Forceps

It is important to go to a sterile parlor to get your removal done for fear of an infection. Those who seek removal procedures sometimes try to do this on their own, but keep in mind that surface anchors with inserted flattened surfaces are not easily removable, being a permanent piercing to begin with. So when this is done, the piercer firsts wipes the area with an anti septic liquid to keep the area sterilized and ready for incision. A cut is made through the skin around where the anchor is placed, making it big enough to pull the microdermal jewelry out using the forceps. It is a painful procedure no doubt, but has to be done nonetheless especially if the body is rejecting it due to some reason. It is known to be quite a reliable choice of piercing, considering that it is a permanent type that isn't meant to be removed. There are certain things to look out for when getting this done, being as dicey a piercing as it is. Possible problems that can arise with a microdermal piercing are hypertrophic scarrings, inward traveling infections, implant rejections, keloids, bruising and deep microdermal placement.

Microdermal Piercing Scars - Removal Aftermath and Costs

The scars remaining that are left behind after a microdermal piercing is removed, depends on what kind of body piercing jewelry you have affixed into yourself. Surface anchors are a more complicated type of body piercing jewelry, being a very deep set and sturdy choice of jewelry. Others go for jewelry that sometimes easily pop out of their skins, since the body rejects these and pushes them out through the wound. Not all piercings react well with one's body, so the chances of being subjected to a rejection are high if you don't use the right kind of jewelry. The scars are severe when the surgical means call for a tissue tearing around the area, where healing can take time provided you apply something for it to heal faster. If an infection is the one to blame, then scarring is more severe and will take time to heal and may leave lasting marks if not treated sooner.

Microdermal piercing removal cost doesn't really require that you shell out big bucks. Some piercers do it for free, while others charge a small fee to have it removed. Getting it done in the first place will cost you about 30-40$ alone, while removing it isn't all that much of an expense.

Microdermal piercing removal procedures are usually done because the surface area that one has it on isn't agreeing to the presence of the piercing. Others may want to get rid of it overtime if not accepted in a workplace or situation. Opting for this kind of piercing over a surface piercing needs your one hundred assurance, since as you can see, things change and call for a removal procedure. Whatever your reasons to have this removed, just be sure to go to a trusted piercer to have it done professionally.

Saline Solution for Piercings

Body piercing is one of the coolest things these days and, if you too believe in it, you must have gotten a body piercing done yourself. Agreed that piercing can be painful; but what is more painful is the consequence, if proper aftercare methods are not followed. Using saline solution for piercings is often recommended to prevent infection. The saline solution is easily available in the market, or even at the tattoo artist's studio. However, if you are wondering whether it is possible to make saline solution at home, then, the answer is yes. This solution can be easily made at home. Let us take a look at its recipe, along with some tips that are to be followed.

How to Make Saline Solution for Piercings

Saline solution is nothing but simple salt water solution which is used to treat and even prevent infections caused due to body piercing. Saline solution is similar to the saline content of the body and hence, it is helpful in warding off infections. Although all people who have undergone piercing are advised to use this solution to clean the area around piercing, they fail to follow the instructions which results in infections, irritation and discomfort. If you wish to avoid either of these, you can make your own saline solution at home and use it accordingly.

Before taking a look at the method of making the saline solution at home, it should be noted that you need to use only specific ingredients. For e.g, it is wise to use clear distilled, packaged water. Secondly, the salt used should not contain iodine, or it can irritate the wound caused due to piercing. You need to check the labels of both the ingredients before using them for making normal saline solution. At the same time, the containers used for the same should also be sterilized (washed in boiling water). The following saline solution for piercings recipe that you should follow.

Ingredients

    * ⅓ teaspoon of sea salt
    * 8 oz of water

Method of Preparation
The water should be heated so that it boils for 5 to 10 minutes. Once the water boils, remove from heat and set to cool. When the water is lukewarm, add salt into it. Stir continually, so that the salt is completely dissolved in the water. Pour the solution in sterilized sprays, bottles or cups. Your homemade sterile saline solution for piercing is ready.

Using Saline Solution for Piercings

Once you have prepared the saline solution used for body piercing aftercare, you should go through the following tips to know how to use the solution. The saline solution can also be used to clear the crusty matter. The following are the tips that you should follow as piercing aftercare.

    * Before actually using the solution, you should wash your hands with clean water and soap and only then touch the piercing.
    * The piercing should be directly dipped in the saline solution for cleaning it. If not possible, you can simply pour the lukewarm solution slowly and directly on the piercing. It can also be sprayed directly on it if you are using a spray.
    * Another method of using the saline solution is by using cotton swabs to clean the area around it. Cotton swabs should be dipped in the saline solution and used to clean dirt as well as crusty matter around the piercing.
    * Once you are done, you should wipe off the fluid with a soft towel or a clean tissue. Make sure that you simply dab or pat gently, and not wipe or rub harshly. The solution can be used 2-3 times a day.

I hope this recipe on how to make saline solution for piercings was helpful. You must have also noted that it is simple and can be made in a short time, so, if you have done any body piercing, make your own saline solution and use it right away to prevent infection. Take care!

Fake Eyebrow Piercing

It is not easy to get away with a piercing of any kind, especially if you have really strict or conservative parents. This leaves many youngsters wanting eyebrow piercings with a problematic dilemma. If you are one such teenager stuck in the same catch 22 situation, you might as well think of safer options. If you are really fascinated by eyebrow jewelry, and cannot get a permanent one done just yet, I suggest that you go in for fake eyebrow piercings.

Let your parents know that it’s fake and demonstrate so by simply removing the jewelry in front of them. Or the safest option would be to not wear the jewelry around them at all and wear it only when you are comfortable and among friends. This article discusses about the clip on types of fake eyebrow piercings and a few ways of making it seem like you have eyebrow barbell.

Types of Fake Eyebrow Piercings

Fake Ring Clips
You must always go in for a small ring which has a flexible and clamping clip. The big ones look very odd and stick out in odd directions sometimes. You can get these fake clips from any jewelry shop or piercing shop which sells artificial items as well. Or you could try using fake ear piercing rings on your eyebrow, as these look great as well. The problem lies in the fact that fake eyebrow piercings can look real, but it all depends on how well it suits and fits your eyebrow. Do not go in for rings which have designs or colors, as it will cause people to pay more attention on the piece of jewelry.

The Barbell Effect
The entire idea is to make a fake eyebrow piercing look realistic. One of the simplest ways on how to make a fake eyebrow piercing is by using gem stickers, or plain black or silver stickers which are used for making fake body art. You can fix a sticker each on the upper and lower part of the eyebrow so that it looks aligned. The best thing about these stickers is that you can keep changing the colors and suing cooler designs which have peace signs, yin and yang etc.

Metal Art
I know it may seem like too much trouble but in case you wish to have a fake eyebrow piercing for a play or a costume party, you can try a very simple method. What you need to do is get hold of a real metal eyebrow piercing. Make sure that barbell ball has a thick base. Now cut the two balls using a cutting plier. Use some eyelash glue and stick the base of the metal ball onto your skin. It will remain there for a few hours if you do not fiddle with it. This is by far the most realistic way of pretending you have a fake eyebrow piercing. The second alternative is to use fake or real labret studs or gems, which can be cut and stuck on your skin using glue.

The clips on rings are by far the safest option you have without embarrassing yourself. All other options have very high risk of falling off if the glue doesn’t hold. The clip is subtle and can easily fool others into believing it’s real. If after trying all these methods the fake eyebrow piercing doesn’t work out for you, my advice would be that you simply wait, until you’re old enough to get one without seeking permission.

When you think about all the efforts put into wearing a fake piece of jewelry, it hardly seems worth it. Secondly piercings are means of self expression, but if you are not allowed to get a real one there seems no point in faking your, self expression, now is it?

Condiments in Asian Cooking….

Commonly used spices in Asian cooking, specially South East Asian, and we are talking about the tropical areas of the continent, are pretty well known In fact, in western countries, the idea seems to be that a pot pourrie of all MASALAS is dunked into every meat and vegetable dish, and that’s what makes them spicy, hot and colorful..essentially Asian food.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Asian cooking has a vast repertoire, foods and their cooking methods are segregated according to many things…seasons, agricultural areas, geographical locations, and in most cases, nature of the food itself. All spices are not used in every dish, contrary to popular belief and again, if I may add….a very small percentage of Asian food is hot. The rest can be easily varied to taste, with degrees of sour, chili and saltiness. Each region has its unique chilies, and souring agents, pungency varying with the geographical location and climatic setup of the place.

For instance, green chilies are used in North India while more dried red chilies are used in the South, and in Thailand, it is again red chilies of a different variety while Chinese food is different again. In some areas tamarind is used as a souring agent, while some others have lemon, mango powder and Thai food has kafir lime leaves which add sourness as well as pungency. Across S E Asia, tastes vary and different condiments and additives are used and the pungency and the levels of sourness vary wildly. Where Indians use ginger the Thai and even Myanmar-ese use galangal - for the same purpose- pungency and as a digestive aid, since the juice of the ginger family helps clean up toxins from the system.

Besides spices and condiments, even dishes have common ancestry but different ways of cooking. The avial (essentially a mixed vegetable curry in curd and coconut milk gravy) of the southernmost tip of India has cousins in Thai cuisine as well as Chinese and even Vietnamese foods…. The range is amazing and it is unfair to club all foods into "hot and spicy".

In Asian countries, food is not just for sustenance. It is a gift of the Gods, to be offered to them first a thanksgiving, before every meal, and most Asian countries still follow this tradition. The methods of preparation, the spices added all are dictated by unwritten cultural rules, every person knows. There are foods for marriage ceremonies and when the same curry is made at home, the spices are different. The oils and seasonings are different. The foods cooked for the Gods are a class apart, and across religions, it is the purest form of food and can be polluted by even an ill omen. The list of restrictions is seemingly endless, and would even appear very complicated, but is actually not.

Most of the preparing styles in Asian foods have a scientific background. The pickles and their making are governed by temperature and seasonal quirks like humidity, the presence of spores in the atmosphere, and in some cases, an eclipse, or even a menstruating woman. These are not taboos…they can be traced back to logic. No scientists will deny that climatic factors do effect the preserving power of foodstuffs, the only difference here is that when these laws were made, every person was not a scientist so the rules had to be masked in banality…like, the Gods will be angry if pickles are left out in a solar eclipse. In reality, the ultra violet rays would probably spoil it.

While these may sound as meanderings through an extremely complicated and to some, uncivilized cultural system, the fact remains that the Asian food systems are extremely conducive to longevity and vital bodily health. These areas usually fall for infectious diseases that are very difficult to eliminate in tropical climates. The spices that are essential in Eastern cooking are not merely for the fragrance or the taste, in most cases, they carry medicinal qualities. For instance, turmeric, used in India and some neighboring countries, has strong antiseptic properties, it is absolutely essential for helping the digestive tract to maintain its bacterial flora, especially in the largely tropical Indian climate. Other spices like cumin are anti-inflammatory and anti flatulent in nature, and serve more as inbuilt digestives, than flavoring spices.

Nature has bestowed a bounty of healthy fruits, crops, vegetables and marine foodstuffs to these areas and their wise men learnt centuries ago to harness the goodness of these gifts of nature. No wonder then that Asia has the lowest risk of diseases like heart trouble, obesity and diabetes, even cancer in some cases. Diseases related to poverty, and of course, infections that come from lack of awareness about hygiene, are always the highest incidences in these areas.

The Best Cooking Methods

Cooking takes away from the food, period. There is no second opinion on this except perhaps in Ayurveda, which recommends certain foods to be more nutritive cooked. Tomatoes fall in that category. But by and large, any form of cooking that uses high heat to cook the food takes away some nutrition from it, and reheating effectively makes it totally devoid of any nutrition. That is why most experts recommend freshly cooked food for health values.

Seasonally speaking, the best of nature’s produce is usually in the temperate climate, so in regions with severe winters, it is usually spring and some points in a mild summer that the best foods are available while in tropical countries, it is usually winters and the spring months. Tender greens and vegetables are always more plentiful n the spring season but again, in tropical areas, spring season brings with it some very typical infections. Nature has her own ways of blessing humans with good health, if only we take time to listen and follow. The interesting thing is that Mother Nature instantly throws up vegetables and vegetation that have the power to counter these infections- tender, bitter leaves and vegetables like the bitter gourd, the new neem leaves that can be incorporated in one’s diet to avoid seasonal diseases and infections.
Generally speaking, the best known methods of cooking are:

Steaming
Stovetop Searing
Stir-Frying
Sauteing
Quick Broil

In the warm summer months, light vegetables occur and they should also be cooked lightly, maybe just steamed or sautéed with minimal amount of grease and spices.

In the winters, warm and eating foods are a good idea. Boiling, stewing and searing will provide the taste as well as the required nutrition suitable for the time. The spring season has fresh, green veggies galore and again, light cooking is the best option to retain the fresh crunchiness as well as the nutrients.

Meats should always be well cooked, a rare done steak maybe a feast for the senses but there are innumerable problems that can crop up because of it, infections and viruses being just a few of them. Meats need to be cooked longer than fish, so baking, broiling or poaching is the best option. Frying meat again adds on unhealthy calories and grease. Microwave cooking is an excellent idea, while roasting ads the flavor to an otherwise dull leg of meat. Chicken can be cooked while stir frying while lamb or any other tougher meat needs to be boiled before stir frying, to make sure it is cooked.

We almost always tend to overcook seafood; most chefs prescribe a quick steam or sauté, because the high protein content takes very little to become digestible. Prawns, lobsters and most fish will become rubbery if overcooked and long cooking like boiling or stewing is best avoided.

For fish, once the meat becomes opaque and starts flaking, the fish is done; this should be the thumb rule. If baking, it should never be more than 10 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit, sometimes with a brush of oil. Wrapped in aluminum foil, fish cooks more evenly. Broiling is another good option but once again, it should not be for too long or over too intense heat.

Frying, though followed religiously in most tropical countries, is not a good idea at all, especially when dealing with soft, tender seafood. Most fish become seared and overcooked when fried, of course, some people like the overdrawn flavors, but it s not flattering to the dish. The best way to fry a fillet of fish is to crumb it with bread crumbs or semolina, this way the outer layer is crispy fried while the fish inside doesn’t lose its tenderness nor does it soak up oiliness from the frying medium. If frying is absolutely required, insists on shallow frying or even sautéing with a dusting of flour. The oil film on the pan should be sufficiently HOT and the fillet should never be cooked for more than 3 to 5 minutes.

One of the best ways to cook seafood is stir frying; a quick method used by the Oriental Chefs to much appreciation, the only catch being everybody cannot do it. It requires the just right amount of oil, just THAT much time and of course, just THAT much tossing. Then again, tender fish will break if stir fried, so it has to be firm textured seafood that can be tossed around thus in a wok. Prawns and other crustaceans cook well this way and it is not uncommon to add some say sauce or barbeque sauce while stirring, to make a sauce in the same flavors.

While on crustaceans, poaching is a good idea. This applies to any fresh fish, but tender fish should be placed inside a boiling pan of stew for no more than ten minutes. Poaching is actually the healthiest way of cooking since it requires no oil, retains all the flavors and also the nutrition of the fish. Steaming too is a great idea, the only thing to be careful about is that the cooking pot needs to be tightly shut, and no steam should be allowed to escape. Besides, the fish needs to be held above the boiling liquid providing steam. Chinese, Japanese and other East Asian cuisines traditionally have a bamboo steamer to accomplish this.
So much for seafood.

Almost all the food we eat can be cooked with minimum oil and fat, and can provide all the nutrition we need, with the flavors we like. Still, most of us insist on over-cooking, undercooking or using wrong methods for the wrong food. It would serve us well; if we took the trouble to find out what cooking method best serves the purpose of a certain food, taste wise and also healthiest.

Taste the Exotic Orient in Chinese Cooking

The vastness of China's geography and history are reflected in the diverse styles of Chinese cuisine available today. The art and pageantry of traditional Chinese cooking evolved over centuries through a succession of dynasties, and palace banquets were very important to the royalty. Meals could last up to three days or longer, and during the feast much discussion would take place about critical government issues. Fish, deer, and pork were the mainstays of these dinners, along with a variety of exotic desserts rich in flavor.

Today, Chinese cuisine is a favorite in many western countries. To understand the different varieties of Chinese food, it is best to divide Chinese cuisine into the four major regions of China. The northern region spreads into Mongolia, home to the Gobi Desert and Arctic winter winds. Because many people in this region are Muslim, pork is forbidden, so the diet is heavy with mutton and lamb. The vegetables and fruits used in Mongolian cooking—cabbage, squash, grapes, pears, and apples—are very like those grown in North America. Because of its hostile climate, the north is not amenable to rice cultivation, so wheat, barley, millet, and soybeans are used in making breads and noodles.

To the west are the mountainous Szechwan and Hunan provinces, where rice grows abundantly, as do citrus fruits, bamboo, and mushrooms. These varieties of Chinese cooking are well known for their spiciness, due to the locally grown chilies and the local residents’ fondness for highly seasoned meals. Distinctively different from all other Chinese cuisines, Szechwan and Hunan varieties developed through the centuries in this fertile region and absorbed many influences from non-Chinese lands to the southwest. Ginger, onions, garlic, and brown peppercorns are regular additions, and a good Szechwan cook creates subtly seasoned masterpieces with them. Although Szechwan food is notorious today for its heat, there are some who say the spiciness of the food was originally developed by cooks who needed to use hot and spicy seasonings to mask the taste of foods that rotted quickly in the heat.

To the east of Hunan lies "the land of fish and rice." Like the west in latitude, it has the added bonus of lowlands for rice cultivation and a coastal region for fish. The three East China Sea provinces, together with their two adjacent inland provinces, make up what is called the Eastern School of Chinese cuisine. Because hundreds of different regional and village recipes from these provinces were brought into the dominant port city of Shanghai, "Shanghainese" cuisine is now the most diverse style of cooking in China. Stewing, braising and frying are common, as well as the slow "red cooking" techniques that necessitate quick eating before the hot oiliness turns into something less appetizing. Breads, noodles and dumplings are eaten more frequently than rice, and seafood is often served in salted form.

Canton is perhaps the most famous of the four Chinese provinces known for its food, which is generally recognized to be the finest and has been considered so for centuries. The seasons are mild, wet, and warm for most of the year, which creates a perfect environment for cultivating just about anything. Rolling groves and gardens are fertile and full of fruits and vegetables, and ample fresh seafood is available on the coast. Canton cooking methods and recipes are sophisticated and varied. Characterized by lots of steaming and boiling, this style is perhaps the healthiest and the most widely known outside China. Since the local produce is so lush, the judicious use of natural oils and garnishes highlights its freshness, relying less on intense sauces and deep-frying and concentrating more on the basic flavors of the food rather than smothering the fresh ingredients. Desserts, generally of little interest to the Cantonese, are typically heavy and sweet. Throughout history, the Cantonese made an art out of a necessity, and in times of hardship they used every part of an animal, fish, or vegetable. As a result, nothing is allowed to go to waste in a Cantonese kitchen, and no animal is taboo. A famous saying among Cantonese cooks is that the only thing with four legs a man should not eat is a table!

Classical aesthetics dictate the form and order of many eating customs in China, no matter what variety of cooking you enjoy. The concepts of the yin and the yang govern the choice of food, combinations, timing, and order of each dish. It is not an exaggeration to say that most Chinese, rich and poor alike, are gourmets—at least in the sense that they really enjoy good food, and every meal is a banquet.

Dazzle Dinner Guests By Rolling Out Your Bread Making Skills

Bread making is one of the toughest cooking skills to conquer for even the most confident chef, and even experienced bread makers create the occasional doorstops. But there is one roll recipe that is absolutely foolproof, and it’s amazingly versatile and adaptable enough to personalize for accompanying a wide array of dinner menus.

To understand why bread making is so difficult for so many people, you must understand the chemical reactions that take place during the process of making the dough, letting it rise, kneading it, letting it rise again, and then baking the bread. There are dozens of variables to be understood and considered, and deviation from any one of those variables can doom the chef to failure. The yeast must be fresh (the fresher the better); the dough must be mixed to just the right consistency or else the bread may end up too dry, too soft, or too dense; the temperature must be just warm enough but not too warm (or it will kill the yeast); the dough must not rise too much; and the dough must be kneaded just enough but not too much. See how intricate this process can be? It’s enough to intimidate anyone who just wants to make a simple pan of rolls from scratch. But there’s one simple thing that can make the process foolproof for anyone and have dinner guests raving for weeks afterward—a terrific recipe.

Rave Review Rolls (Makes 27 rolls)
1 ½ cups warm water (110º F.)
2 ¼ tsp. dried active yeast
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup dried instant milk powder
1 ¼ tsp. salt
5-6 cups all-purpose flour

Mixing the Dough
1. Dissolve the yeast and 1 tsp. of the sugar in 1/2 cup of the warm water.
2. Pour into a mixing bowl and add the eggs, milk, butter, salt, and 3 cups of flour.
3. Beat for 3 minutes, scraping sides of bowl, until batter is smooth.
4. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a kneadable dough.
5. Knead for a couple of minutes, put into an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the dough.
6. Cover loosely and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk.

Forming and Cooking the Rolls
Punch the dough down and divide it into three chunks. Separate each chunk into 9 pieces, rolling each piece into a ball and placing into greased pans—18 pieces in one 13" x 9" pan, and 9 pieces in one 9" x 9" pan. Brush the tops of the balls of dough with melted butter. Cover each pan loosely with a towel or plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk. Bake in a preheated oven at 375º for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush tops with melted butter.

Fun and Tasty Variations

    * Use flavored salt or season salt instead of regular salt.
    * To the batter you can add any herbs or spices you want—try garlic, onion powder, parsley, basil, chives, rosemary, or even a mixture of your own design.
    * After the first rising, knead into the dough whatever grated cheese you fancy—cheddar, parmesan, pepperjack, romano, mozzarella, or even blue cheese.
    * After the first rising, knead into the dough some finely chopped salami or pepperoni, or crumbled bacon.
    * Try using the dough to make specially shaped rolls, such as knots, twisted crescents, or soft breadsticks.
    * After the rolls have risen but before baking, sprinkle the tops with parsley, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, garlic powder, grated parmesan cheese, fresh ground black pepper, or celery seeds. You can brush the tops lightly with melted butter before sprinkling, but take care to use a very light touch and don’t push or pull the dough, or the risen dough might fall.
    * To make onion rolls: Add 2 tsp. onion powder to the batter in step 3, then knead 1/2 cup or more of finely minced, sautéed onion into the dough after the first rising.
    * To make cinnamon rolls: After the first rising, punch the dough down and roll it out flat on a floured surface into a rectangle approximately 10" x 18". Brush the flattened dough with melted butter, and then sprinkle the buttered dough liberally with cinnamon and sugar. Beginning on one of the widest edges, roll the dough as tightly as possible until you have a long roll. If you have trouble rolling the dough, you can cut the rectangle in half lengthwise to make the rolling easier. After rolling the dough, seal the edge by pinching it into the dough. Using a very sharp knife, slice circles of dough about 1" thick. Place the circles on a greased jelly roll pan about 1½" apart, and let the rolls rise until the edges are touching. Bake as directed, and then coat the tops of the rolls with glaze. To make glaze: Mix ½ cup melted butter with 1 tsp. vanilla and 2 T. evaporated milk. Beat in enough confectioners’ sugar to make a soft glaze frosting, being sure not to make it too thick.



The rolls you can make with this foolproof recipe will astound you. Make them to delight dinner guests, take them to a potluck at work to be the envy of your co-workers, or just make them to impress your family with your bread making prowess. Go ahead, try putting your own creative twist on this recipe—you’ll be on a roll in no time!

Improperly Cooked Chicken Can Cause Severe Illness, Death

Consumer Reports recently tested a large sample of chickens purchased across the country to see whether the meat contained the two leading bacterial causes of food poisoning—campylobacter or salmonella. According to government statistics, those two bacteria are responsible for sickening about 3.5 million Americans a year, and more than 700 people die each year from one of those illnesses.

Chickens can become contaminated in several ways, by pecking at droppings that carry germs, eating insects that have picked up bacteria, or drinking contaminated water. Both salmonella and campylobacter flourish in the intestines of the birds and spread throughout flocks. Although there are many measures in place to limit concentrations of bacteria in chicken houses, bacteria in a chicken’s digestive tract can wind up on its carcass when it is slaughtered, buried inside feather follicles on the skin.

When contaminated chickens are delivered to supermarkets, the problems can get even worse. Any mishandling, improper storage, or incorrect cooking method, and the risks of food poisoning are multiplied. Both salmonella and campylobacter can cause diarrhea, bloating, nausea, and vomiting, and campylobacter can also lead to arthritis, meningitis, and Guillain-Barre syndrome, a neurological disease. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the rate of laboratory-confirmed food poisonings has decreased since 2001, but the numbers are not accurate because only a small percentage of foodborne illnesses are reported to public health authorities.

Consumer Reports tested a nationwide sample of chickens in 2003 and found that 49% tested positive for one or both bacteria. Since that time, leading chicken producers have stabilized the incidence of salmonella, but the presence of campylobacter has increased at a startling rate. The recent study found that 83% harbored campylobacter or salmonella. Although the U.S. Department of Agriculture regularly tests chickens for salmonella against a federal standard, there has not been a standard set for campylobacter.

It is becoming increasingly important for consumers to take steps to protect themselves against food poisoning by cooking chicken safely and thoroughly, and guarding against cross-contamination. Moreover, most of the bacteria Consumer Reports found in contaminated chicken showed resistance to one or more antibiotics, including some prescribed to humans to treat infections and some fed to chickens to speed their growth. So some people who become sick by eating contaminated chicken may have to try several antibiotics before finding one that works.

In the largest national analysis of contamination and antibiotic resistance in store-bought chicken ever published, Consumer Reports tested 525 fresh broilers in 23 states last spring. Four leading brands (Foster Farms, Perdue, Tyson, and Pilgrim’s Pride) were represented in the test, including 10 organic and 12 non-organic no-antibiotics brands, including three that are processed using an "air chilled" slaughterhouse process designed to reduce contamination. Findings from the report were startling:

    * Campylobacter was present in 81% of the chickens, salmonella in 15%; both bacteria in 13%. Only 17% had neither pathogen—the lowest percentage of clean birds in all four of tests Consumer Reports has performed since 1998.
    * No major brand was cleaner than others overall. Foster Farms, Pilgrim’s Pride, and Tyson chickens were lower in salmonella incidence than Perdue, but they were higher in campylobacter.
    * Most premium chickens had high rates of contamination, but as in previous Consumer Reports tests, Ranger—a no-antibiotics brand sold in the Northwest—was extremely clean. Of the 10 samples analyzed, none had salmonella, and only two had campylobacter.
    * Among all brands, 84% of the salmonella and 67% of the campylobacter organisms analyzed showed resistance to one or more antibiotics.



The bottom line is that consumers are responsible for protecting themselves, and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure:

    * Make raw chicken one of the last items you pick up at the grocery store. Be sure it is well-wrapped and kept in a plastic bag, to keep juices from leaking out onto other food.
    * Raw chicken should be stored in a refrigerator set to 40 degrees or lower. If it is not used within a couple of days, it should be frozen until it is used.
    * Thaw frozen chicken in a refrigerator, in its original packaging or on a plate, or on a plate in a microwave oven. If chicken is thawed in a microwave, it should be cooked right away.
    * Refrigerate or freeze leftovers within two hours of cooking.
    * Don’t return cooked meat to the same plate that held it raw.
    * Keep raw chicken away from other foods. Immediately after preparing it, wash your hands with soap and water and clean anything that you or the raw chicken touched.
    * When frying, broiling, or grilling chicken, don’t use the same implement to turn it throughout the cooking process. After the outside is thoroughly cooked, switch to a clean utensil so the cooked chicken will not be touched by any juices from the raw chicken that are on the cooking utensil you were using when the chicken was raw.
    * Most importantly, to kill harmful bacteria, cook chicken to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.

Whaddya Think Y'all? Paula Deen, America's favorite Southern Cook

Paula Deen, the Southern darling of cable TV’s Food Network channel, was born in Albany, Georgia. She learned the art of cooking from her grandmother when she’d spend her afternoons watching her cook. Never did she realize those "lessons" would come into play in a big way later in her life.

When Paula graduated from high school, she married her high school sweetheart. She thought she was going to be the perfect wife, the perfect mother, and have the perfect life. Soon after she was married, however, her father died and four years later, her mother. She had two small boys and suddenly her husband was uprooting them to move to Savannah for his job. All of these changes took a huge toll on Paula to the point where she developed agoraphobia and would not go out in public.

When Paula was 40, she and her husband became divorced. It would take Paula two years before she "woke up" and started living her life. According to Paula, she says "I was born on January 19, 1947, but I was reborn on June 19, 1989. That day, I became totally responsible for myself and my happiness. That day, with the help of my sons, Jamie and Bobby, we started The Bag Lady. "

The Bag Lady was Paula’s first adventure into cooking and owning a catering company. Working out of her home, she and her boys would make bag lunches and other meals. Her sons would deliver the food. Soon her name was a household word and her business became a huge success. So much so that she wanted to open her own restaurant. The Best Western Hotel in Savannah hired Paula to do their cooking. Building on the successes of The Bag Lady and her job at Best Western, Paula opened her own restaurant called the Lady and Sons. The restaurant flourished in downtown Savannah. Due to its popularity, the restaurant moved into a larger building in the Historic District of Savannah, where it has been ever since.

Paula’s rise to national and international recognition came from taking small steps. In 1997, she self-published her first cookbook, The Lady & Sons: Savannah Country Cooking. Providentially, a thunderstorm brought a literary agent to her restaurant where he not only dined on her great food, but also noticed her cookbook and bought a few copies. This led to the book being picked up by Random House and eventually it was promoted on QVC becoming one of the best-selling cookbooks.

In 1989, a friend introduced Paula to Gordon Elliot from the Food Network. Paula appeared on the show "Doorknock Dinners" where several episodes were filmed in Savannah. In 2002, Paula Deen’s own show, "Paula’s Home Cooking" premiered on the Food Network channel. She has gone on to write more cookbooks and she has also filmed cooking stories from other countries and has starred in a film. Paula also remarried in 2004, and most recently has become a grandmother. She and her sons still work together and they have their own show together called "Road Tasted."

To learn more about this maven of Southern-style cooking, you can visit Paula Deen’s website. As you can see, she is the essence of perseverance and grabbing the kite by the tail, so to speak. Hers is truly an evolving story but with an authentic, "one of y’all" feeling to it.

Non-Perishable Staples to Make Your Pantry More Versatile

Most people who cook regularly have a standard set of favorite recipes and cooking styles. Many people don’t stray far from their comfort zone in the kitchen, although they will try a new recipe now and then or try their hand at a new technique they heard about or saw on television. But to be a truly adventurous weekend gourmet, all you need to do is keep on hand a few common, everyday non-perishable items that can be found at any grocery store.

Instant milk powder. Of course the first reason to keep dried milk powder on hand is so that you’ll have it available if you ever run out of milk and need some for a recipe, but don’t want to go to the store. Milk made from instant milk powder may not taste the same as fresh milk from the refrigerator, but in a recipe it works just as well as the real thing. Some bread and roll recipes even call for instant milk powder. Instant milk powder can be mixed with a little water and used as coffee creamer, or added to soups and chowders to give a richer flavor than regular milk. To make an easy glaze for coffeecakes and sweet breads, melt some butter, mix in a little dried milk powder and vanilla, and stir in enough confectioners’ sugar to spreading consistency and spread on the hot cake.

Chicken bouillon powder. Obviously bouillon comes in handy when you’re sick and need to boost your fluid intake, but the uses of bouillon go far beyond simply soup. Instead of boiling vegetables in salted water, mix some bouillon crystals into the water to add salt and flavor at the same time. An added bonus is that the extra flavor can reduce or eliminate the need for adding butter once the vegetables are cooked. When making gravy, don’t just use plain water; mix a little bouillon with the water to add a meatier flavor along with the liquid. Chicken bouillon is especially good for most of these suggestions because its flavor is more delicate than beef and will not overpower the food you use it in.

Oatmeal. Not only is oatmeal a hearty and healthful breakfast food that can help lower cholesterol, it can be used for cookies, pies and pie crusts, and granola. Use a handful of oatmeal as a bonding agent for making meatloaf and meatballs to help them hold their shape while cooking. Oatmeal makes a great thickener for vegetable soups and stuffings. Toss oatmeal in melted butter and then sprinkle it on top of casseroles before baking. Add an assortment of savory herbs to the mix before topping the casserole to spice things up a bit.

Dried potato flakes. Dried potatoes are probably the most versatile of all non-perishables. The most obvious reason to keep them on hand is for making mashed potatoes when you find yourself out of the real thing. You can also use them to stretch your recipe a bit if you don’t have quite enough real potatoes to make as big a pot of mashed potatoes as you need. But the use of dried potato flakes goes way beyond just mashed potatoes. Use dried potatoes as a thickener for soups and chowders to give them more flavor than flour or cornstarch, while avoiding the pasty flavor they can sometimes impart. Potato flakes can also help thicken sauces and casseroles. Mix potato flakes with melted butter and a little milk to whip up a creamy potato sauce for steamed vegetables. And to make potato salad your friends and family will rave about, simply mix some potato flakes with hot water to make a thick paste, then blend it into the mayonnaise before stirring it into the potato salad. The result is a creamy, delectable potato salad with a creamier potato flavor.

Salad dressing mixes. Italian dressing mix can be mixed with a little olive oil and used as a marinade for any type of meat, chicken, or fish before grilling or broiling. Mix one package with a few cups of water in a crock pot, add thinly sliced beef, and cook for a few hours to make Italian beef sandwiches. Blend Italian dressing mix into olive oil to use as a dipping sauce for breads. Mix ranch dressing mix with a little mayonnaise and smear onto chicken before grilling or broiling. To make crispy, savory roasted potatoes, drizzle olive oil over cubed potatoes, sprinkle them with a packet of ranch dressing, toss them to coat well, and then bake until they’re crispy and brown. For fried chicken with an extra boost of flavor, mix dry salad dressing with the flour before coating the meat. Try different types of dressing to see which one you like best—Italian, French, ranch, dill parmesan, etc.—because every dressing adds its own special flavor boost.

Instant pudding and Jell-O. The uses of instant pudding and Jell-O are limited only by your imagination. Pudding has long been used in cake recipes to add a richness and denseness of flavor. Both pudding and Jell-O can be mixed with whipped topping and softened cream cheese to make flavored frostings and dessert toppings. Mix cherry or lime flavored Jell-O with whipped topping and stir in chopped fresh fruits for a light and refreshing summer salad or dessert. Mix orange, cranberry, or strawberry Jell-O with a little olive oil or melted butter and baste shish kebobs while grilling. Both pudding and Jell-O can be used in freezer molds to make low-calorie delicious frozen treats.

These are just a few ideas for ways to enhance the versatility of your pantry, but there are plenty of other ideas out there. Put your thinking cap on, take note of particularly useful non-perishables when you go to the grocery store, and most importantly, don’t be afraid to get creative and try something new.