Tag Archives: Facts

Sewing Machine

By | |
6 Comments
Sewing Machine

Make clothes ten times faster using sewing machines.

  • Sewing machines are appliances that use fabric and thread, along with human guidance, to sew textiles together.
  • The first patent for a sewing machine is evidenced by a diagram, by the inventor Thomas Saint, and Englishman, in 1790, although there is a possibility that Charles Weisenthal, a German had already invented a machine 35 years earlier to go with a machine needle he had patented.
  • The inventors Isaac Singer and Elias Howe from the United States, significantly improved the early designs of sewing machines in the 1840s and 1850s, and are often credited as the inventors of the appliance.
  • Sewing machine production began in earnest in the 1850s, with the first saleable machines being those made by Isaac Singer, and they were used commercially.
  • Sewing machines were first purchased by the general public in the 1860s, often by women, which cut down their sewing time from approximately 14.5 hours by hand, to 1 hour using the machine and by 1863, the Singer Manufacturing Company were selling 20,000 machines a year for home use.

Sew, Sewing Machine, White, Blue, Dial, New, Ten Random Facts, Appliance, Textiles

  • The first feasible electric sewing machine was invented in 1889, originally being powered by a bulky, outer motor, and by the early 1900s, they were a popular item in homes.
  • Sewing machines usually have the ability to sew various stitches, and will generally include the two main basic stitches, straight stitch and zigzag stitch, and the stitch one chooses will depend on the type of fabric, the purpose of the stitch and the look of the stitch.
  • Sewing machines are primarily used to create clothes, but can be used to make other textile items like furnishings, toys and books.
  • Sewing machines normally include a foot pedal; needle; presser foot; bobbin winder; hand wheel; feed dogs and a number of other parts that are visible, as well as numerous parts inside the machine, including the motor.
  • Sewing machines replaced the significant, time consuming, hand sewing that was required to make clothes and other furnishings before the machine was invented, and this has significantly changed the clothing industry due to the speed in which clothes can be made, as well as the cost in making the garments, and it has also impacted greatly on the home, as women no longer need to make clothes as they can be bought so cheaply from shops, which has helped to give women the freedom to work outside the home.
Bibliography:
Sewing Machine, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sewing_machine
Tague A, Sewing Machine Fact Sheet, 2013, Overstock, http://www.overstock.com/guides/sewing-machines-fact-sheet

Amazon:     

Lily (Lilium)

By | |
Leave a comment
Lily (Lilium)

Is this… Is that… No, this is a true lily!

  • Liliums, or ‘lilies’ as they are commonly known, are true lilies from the Liliaceae family, and are plants that are grown from scaly bulbs.
  • Lillies are often confused with other ‘lillies’ that are not from the lily family, especially day lillies, that have foliage coming from the ground, rather than leaves growing up a stem.
  • Lilies are native to mostly temperate areas in North America, Europe and Asia, and are typically found in woody or grassy environments.
  • Lilies grow up to 60 to 180 centimetres (2 to 6 feet) in height, with the stem being very long and strong.
  • A lily plant forms large flowers at the top of the long stem of the plant, that are often marked with patterns and are generally red, white, pink, yellow, purple and orange in colour and are sometimes fragrant.

Lilium, Pink, White, Plant, Flower, Lily, True, Bud, Open, Ten Random Facts

  • Some lilies are poisonous to cats, fatally damaging the kidney and its functions, and the pollen can also be hazardous to them.
  • Lilies are commonly grown as a decorative flower in the garden or in pots, and are important in the cut flower industry, often featuring in bouquets.
  • The bulb of a lily can be eaten like a vegetable, eaten in luxury in China, although can be sometimes quite bitter and unpleasant.
  • Since the 1100s, lilies have symbolised ‘purity’, with specific varieties symbolising many things, and more recently, they have been a traditional addition to a bouquet on a couple’s 30th wedding anniversary.
  • Lily flowers are usually shaped like a trumpet or bell when partly opened, often opening out to a star shape, and they generally bloom from spring through to autumn, depending on the species.
Bibliography:
Lilium, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilium
Lily – Lilium candidu, 2013, Flying Flowers, http://www.flyingflowers.co.uk/about-flowers/Flowers/FF_About_Lily,default,pg.html

Amazon:     

Emperor Penguin

By | |
Leave a comment
Emperor Penguin

Waddle like an emperor penguin.

  • Native to Antarctica, the emperor penguin is an aquatic species of  feathered bird, and is black-headed and black-backed, with a white torso and yellow neck.
  • The scientific name of emperor penguins is Aptenodytes forsteri, and they are from the family of penguins, Spheniscidae.
  • Of all species of penguin alive today, emperor penguins have the greatest height and weight, with up to 122 centimetres (48 inches) and between 22 to 45 kilograms (49 to 99 pounds) respectively.
  • Fish, squid and crustaceans are the main items in an emperor penguin’s diet, while they are preyed on by larger birds, whales and seals, and when breeding, if one emperor penguin out of a twosome becomes the meal of a predator, the egg or chick is deserted and the surviving penguin goes off to find food.
  • Emperor penguins can survive very deep depths of water, up to 535 metres (1,735 feet) or more from the surface, having the capacity to stay under water for at least 20 minutes, and can swim at speeds of up to 9 kph (6 mph).
Emperor Penguin, White, Black, Two, Pair, Antarctica, Cold, Ten Random Facts, National Geographic
Emperor
Image courtesy of National Geographic
  • Emperor penguins have a high density layer of  insulating feathers and fat, strong bones, and can survive on low oxygen levels.
  • Of all the species of penguin, emperor penguins are the only ones with winter as its breeding season, laying one egg every season, in breeding colonies of thousands.
  • Emperor penguins generally live to be 15-20 years old, although only 20% to 30% (approximately) of chicks born, live longer than a year.
  • The first person to discover the emperor penguins was possibly Johann Forster, a naturalist from Germany, in 1773 or 1774, although this is uncertain, however the the scientific name of the penguins is named after him.
  • Emperor penguins generally moult from January to February, typically moulting for a month, shedding their feathers quicker than most birds.
Bibliography:
Emperor Penguin, 2013, Animal Fact Guide, http://www.animalfactguide.com/animal-facts/emperor-penguin/
Emperor Penguin, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Penguin

Amazon:      

Nelson Mandela

By | |
Leave a comment
Nelson Mandela

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela

  • Nelson Mandela was the first black president of South Africa and spent much of his life peacefully fighting against the racism of his people, that was rife in his country.
  • Nelson Mandela’s full name was ‘Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela’; his English name (Nelson) was given to him by his school teacher on his first day of school, as customary at the time.
  • Nelson Mandela was born on 18 July, 1918, in Mvezo, Cape Province, South Africa, and died on 5 December, 2013, in his home in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the age of 95, due to a long-term lung infection.
  • Nelson Mandela spent 27 years of his life imprisoned, in three prisons, being arrested in 1964, for ‘sabotaging’ government buildings, and was released in 1990.
  • Nelson Mandela was often called the ‘Father of a Nation’ and was also known by his clan name, ‘Madiba’.

Nelson Mandela, Death, Award, Johannesburg, South Africa, Former Black President, Ten Random Facts, Flickr

Mandela
Image courtesy of South Africa The Good News
  • Nelson Mandela was born into a state of royalty, but later ran away to Johannesburg, South Africa, where he spent much of his residential life, to avoid an arranged marriage.
  • While in prison, Nelson Mandela’s eyesight was damaged permanently due to the glare on the limestone in the quarry where he worked.
  • Nelson Mandela became president on 10 May, 1994, and retired in 1999, although he continued to express his opinions until he ‘retired from retirement’ in 2004.
  • Nelson Mandela had six children and married three times, and his most recent wife was Graça Machel, whom he married in 1998.
  • Nelson Mandela jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, and received over 250 awards and honours, including a number of statues erected.
Bibliography:
Nelson Mandela, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela
Nelson Mandela’s life and times, 2013, BBC News, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12305154

Amazon:     

Pangong Tso

By | |
Leave a comment
Pangong Tso

Is Pangong Tso on your list of ‘things you want to do before you die’?

  • Pangong Tso is a salt-water lake, and is a type of endorheic basin, meaning that it does not have water flowing out of it and usually has a salt pan at the bottom.
  • ‘Pangong Tso’ means “long, narrow, enchanted lake” and it is also known as ‘Pangong Lake’, Banggong Lake’, ‘Banggong Co’ and other various names.
  • Pangong Tso has a length of approximately 134 kilometres (83 miles) and a width (at the widest point) of 5 kilometres (3.1 miles), and on the eastern side the water in the lake is fresh, and it gets more salty as you head west.
  • Pangong Tso is situated in the Himalayas in Asia, and can be found approximately 4,250 metres (13,940 feet) above sea level, mostly in Tibet, China, but partially in India.
  • Pangong Tso is a restricted area, and can only be visited via a permit, which is checked many times at multiple checkpoints.

Pangong Tso Lake, China, India, Basin, Salt water. Mountain, Blue, Sunset, Panorama, ten random facts, flickr

Pangong Tso
Image courtesy of Gopal Vijayaraghavan/Flickr
  • Pangong Tso can only be reached via a rugged and sometimes hazardous mountain road that takes, on average, five hours from Leh.
  • Pangong Tso is best visited between June and September and the required permits are issued only to groups of two or more.
  • Pangong Tso is coloured in multiple shades of blue and green, and beautifully reflects colours that surround it.
  • Pangong Tso is fed by a couple of streams and has some swamp and wetland areas, as well as a ‘bird island’, the highest in the world, where thousands of birds flock to in late spring and summer for breeding purposes.
  • Pangong Tso contains fish in the fresh water side of the lake, and only small aquatic crustaceans in the salty, and as well as the birds, some other wildlife can be seen in the area.
Bibliography:
Pangong Tso, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangong_Tso
Shaikh N, Pangong Tso, 2013, Travel India, http://travel.india.com/destinations/pangong-tso

Amazon:   

Compass (Mathematical)

By | |
Leave a comment
Compass (Mathematical)

Draw the best circles with compasses!

  • Compasses are stationery items that are primarily used to draw accurate circles and curves.
  • Compasses have previously been used to draw accurate diagrams, although in modern times, computer technology is more often used.
  • Today, compasses are often used in teaching, particularly in geometry subjects in mathematics.
  • Compasses are typically produced from materials of metal and plastic.
  • Compasses generally have two small rods, one with a point and one with a pencil holder, which are connected with a hinge, that gives the ability to change the angle of the rods.

Drawing compass, Metal, Silver, One, Single, Self, Mathematics, Geometry, Stationary, Ten Random Facts

  • Compasses are used to draw circles by placing the point and the pencil on the paper, pivoting it on the point, and putting pressure on the pencil.
  • Sizes of circles and curves can be altered by adjusting the angle of the compass.
  • Sometimes a compass has two pointed ends, and can be used as a ruler replacement, as a measurement tool particularly for maps.
  • Compasses are sometimes used as a symbol of accuracy and judgement.
  • It is believed the Greek mathematician, Euclid, from 300 BC, made use of a type of compass, and the Italian mathematician, Galileo, in the late 1500s or early 1600s, designed a compass, and sold them with an accompanying book.
Bibliography:
Compass (Drafting), 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass_(drafting)

Amazon:    
                     Compass Drawings (Book)

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...