passing the time durning those long winter months

making these...

Ice-coated trees outside mean only one thing inside an old farmhouse: layer up! Even with the super awesome new windows our incredible land-lord put in last spring, we get a bit chilly. So, Maya and I made several of these to keep us warm this winter. So supper quick and easy. You'll need to know this: front post triple and back post triple crochet stitch. And I can get the Simply Soft yarn at Wal-mart which means I don't have to drive into Dublin to get my supplies! Go here for free instructions.

...reading this...

Cool thing about this book, it's a fictional account of an "unsinkable" ship called the Titan that hit an ice burg and sunk... written 14 years before the sinking of the Titanic. No kidding. Free for Kindle here.

...and this...

True account of the sinking of the Titanic written just months after the disaster by people who knew the survivors.

tatted trim and rolled flower

Today Makenna and I rolled some fabric flowers to slip onto hair clips and head bands. I added one to the tatted trim on my slouchy denim purse.

In Which Something Old Becomes Something New

We're still learning how to give new purposes to things that are old, worn and may have outlived their first life. Yesterday the girls and I made rag bunnies from, well, old raggy t-shirts. I want the kids to think creatively about their needs and find solutions that don't require buying something new and shiny. I want them to be able to take something useless and re-purpose it. And I want them to learn that taking the time to make something of your own is more satisfying than buying something ready made.

We got the pattern from the Alabama Stitch Book.

In Which Old Things Become New Again

The girls and I used the legs of Charlie's old sweatpants to make some baby doll clothes. On this one I added some tatted edging and a flower to see how it I liked the process of stitching it on an actual item of clothing and to see how it holds up in the wash.

Still Tatting

This is a tiny snowflake I did for practice, about the size of a silver dollar. I have no idea how it happens (oh, wait, I might have 4 ideas), but I will be working along and out of the blue miss a join. Can you see the one I missed between the two top center rings?

I began adding beads which I just love to do. I love beadwork anyway and to add them to tatting makes me so happy. But I don't like counting and threading the little things before hand. For this snowflake I threaded over 100 beads before even starting to tat, which seems like it takes as long as the actual tatting. I like this pattern because there are no picots, just beads. Which is good for a beginner still working to get all those little loops even in size.

This snowflake took me several days to complete because of its complex repeat. When I finally decided that I had it figured out and worked the 5th repeat without consulting the pattern I missed a join (I double dog dare you to find it), so back to the pattern I went. I was happy to find this detailed pattern for one shuttle; I'm limited in pattern choice because I have not learned how to do split rings or work with two shuttles.

This is what a pattern looks like. I mark the row I'm working on with a post-it to keep me focused on the correct row since one row can look so much like another and I have to glance back and forth regularly.

R: (3ds p) 5 times 3ds, close
R: 3ds j to last p of previous R, 5ds p 1ds p 1ds p 5ds p 3ds, close
R: 3ds j to last p of previous R, (3ds p) 4 times 3ds close, turn
Ch: 5ds p (3ds p) 4 times, 5ds, turn

Or you might get something like this:

R: 3-3-3-3-3-cl
R: 3+5-1-1-5-3-cl
R: 3+3-3-3-3-3-cl rw
Ch: 5-3-3-3-3-5-rw

Many patterns include diagrams that you can work from. I have yet to graduate to working with the diagram only method. I need the text, a good picture, and the diagram. This is one point to a snowflake. My biggest obstacle is figuring where the heck to start the thing so I shy away from the patterns that are only in diagram form.

This is my first snowflake. You can find the pattern here: Snowflake 2000

Home Made Toys

Mom got this adorable old-fashioned paper doll fabric from Red Rooster and the girls spent the better part of an afternoon and evening cutting dolls, gluing them to the stiff backing, and cutting out the clothes.
Today Charlie and Makenna made some clothes pin dolls with fabric scrap clothes and used markers for hair and faces.

I tatted this little heart out of sewing thread. I'm sure this isn't a preferred material for experienced tatters, but that's what I had on hand and it's been good to learn with. I learned how to hide the thread at the beginning and how to join the last ring to the first (even though I'm getting a twisted picot, but at least it's joined). My picots are still a bit erratic in size but the silky thread and super thin weight made it difficult to get the sizing right. I think I like the look better when the joining picots are small enough not to be seen in between the rings, but I'm still experimenting with it.

I'm used to crocheting and being able to remove stitches when you make a mistake so this has been challenging to pay close attention (once you close a ring it's impossible to take out the stitches and rework it). This completed heart is my third attempt and if you look closely you'll see where my big mistake is (beside the crazy picots). Fortunately I have discovered that blocking, pressing, and starching can help mask many mistakes.

Lace

I switched to a fine tatting thread which is a lot like a heavy quilting thread, if you can imagine. My first attempt at a snowflake was a miserable failure so I moved on to this simple lace. This piece is only 5.5" long. I'm getting better: I can "reverse work" and work the chains with the ball thread and the rings with the shuttle thread, but I'm still a little flustered working the joins and keeping the picots even. I haven't figured how one would attach this to linens to make a lace edging, how to work with two shuttles to make split rings or other marvelous things yet unknown, or how to add beads. But all good things in time. The girls are begging me to try but I can't find my second shuttle (uh, Charlie?) and I'm not ready to give this one up yet.

Rag Dolls

We started these dolls with the machine but are finishing the dresses and clothes by hand sewing. I'm trying to teach the basic skills of sewing (sewing seams wrong sides together, how to thread a needle and knot the end, how to sew a hem, etc), and then encourage the girls to do as much as they are able, if not all of the work. We aren't using any patterns; I like them to use their imagination and creativity to mentally make a plan and then work through the steps to make the things they want. For example, if they want a dress they literally draw the shape with a sharpie on the fabric, cut two sides, and sew the seams together. There are failures (strange as they may be) and successes, but each new piece is always better than the last.

Her name is Carrie.

Tatted Flower

Tatting: Early 19th Century Lace Making

I'm teaching myself to tat. No, not with ink and skin but with thread and shuttle. I've finally figured out to flip my stitches and how it is supposed to "work." But I'm still very clumsy with holding the tread and making picots (the little loops). This is my first attempt at making a daisy chain. I'm practicing to keep all those little loops consistent in size. My master plan (you knew there was one) is to make lace edges for various linens and maybe some snowflakes for the Christmas tree and of course to teach the girls.

Beaded Book Marks

I'm on a constant search for book marks. Being of the opinion that every book should be hardbound and come with an attached ribbon to mark your place, my quest has been long. Paper marks fall out too easy. The clip varieties are far too attractive for a little boy to pull out and become tiny little objects that run off to where ever the socks and mittens and the neighbor girl's right shoe is hiding. I end up using post its most of the time, but with older books or those printed on porous papers the tacky adhesive lifts a portion of the text off the page which bugs me. I'm really picky.

I found these cute book marks at Hobby Lobby in the beading aisle. I added a beaded pendant to make the cutest book mark. It lies flat between the pages and the hook wraps over the edge of the binding and the beads dangle on the outside. It's more substantial than a piece of paper and hugs the binding so it stays in place. It's doesn't damage the print. And I get the same joy in opening a book as I do with the attached ribbons. But it won't solve the "shiny object" problem with three-year-olds.

Now between Makenna and I and our habit for having several books going at once, we only need about 15 of these.

Daisy Chain Bracelets

The girls and I made these bracelets for their friends for Christmas. It was a little more difficult than what Maya could do on her own, but Maddie and Makenna did great with the tiny seed beads and the long thread!

Handicrafts past and present.

Nothing makes me happier than making something by hand. Since I had the kids I've set aside most of my hobbies. I lovingly move my unfinished postage stamp quilt from one location to another and look at it longingly. But as the girls get older I'm taking great pleasure in doing some of my old favorite things with them. I will admit I get a little impatience when we all sit down together because I come to the table with my own agenda and am excited over making something myself and then quickly realize all that needs to be set aside while they are learning their basic skills. No sooner do I pick up my needle and thread than someone says, "Mommy, can you help me with . . . ?" I just keep reminding myself that eventually they won't need my help anymore and I daydream about the things we'll make together.On Friday Steve went off with the men to cut wood and we spread out our yarn and needles, felt squares, and a jar of vintage buttons on the living room floor. Maya is mastering the basic chain with a large crochet needle. Maddie is moving on to learning a single crochet. Makenna, who has been crocheting for over a year, will choose a color and just start crocheting. She'll figure out what it is she's making as she goes. Friday she made the cutest bracelets with a crocheted daisy and a button center. I also taught the girls the proper way to sew on a button and how to do a blanket stitch. And then Makenna and I made these pockets for our needles and scissors. They can be rolled up and tied with the ribbon. I didn't have a pattern so I would change a few things next time, but not bad for a few 25 cent felt squares, a spool of ribbon and some old buttons. I get the most satisfaction from my frugal creations with found materials that are practically useful and terribly cute at the same time (see my criteria for choosing a handicraft here).

Makenna made this cute purse with her weaving loom and a crocheted handle over a year ago. It has made the rounds from girl to girl and is on it's third handle (thanks to a mastiff that shall remain nameless).

These tiled trays were Grandma's idea. The girls painted the tray, planned their design, trimmed and set the tiles and grouted them in. For a while we used them as pencil trays or the girls played with them, but recently I hung them on the wall and now they are our artwork. I'll let you guess which girl made which tray.

Handicrafts

The points to be borne in mind in children's handicrafts are:(a) that they should not be employed in making futilities such a pea and stick work, paper mats, and the like; (b) that they should be taught slowly and carefully what they are to do; (c) that slipshod work should not be allowed; (d) and that, therefore, the children's work should be kept well within their compass. (Home Education by Charlotte Mason, pages 315, 316)

Again we know that the human hand is a wonderful and exquisite instrument to be used in a hundred movements exacting delicacy, direction and force; every such movement is a cause of joy as it leads to the pleasure of execution and the triumph of success. We begin to understand this and make some efforts to train the young in the deft handling of tools and the practice of handicrafts. Some day perhaps, we shall see apprenticeship to trades revived and good and beautiful work enforced. In so far, we are laying ourselves out to secure that each shall "live his life"; and that, not at his neighbor's expense; because, so wonderful is the economy of the world that when a man really lives his life he benefits his neighbor as well as himself; we all thrive in the well being of each. (Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason, p. 328)

Part of our curriculum includes learning various handicrafts. When choosing our activities I keep a few guidelines in mind based on the Charlotte Mason method we follow.

Will the item be useful? We love to make that which can be used. Aside from the obvious blankets, dish cloths and what not, I’ve recently come across the idea of the children making their own toys (which is clearly not a new idea, just new to me). And since our water damage at the hot water tank forced us to purge about 95% of the plastic, made-in-china toys we’ve accumulated over the years, we have room in our lives to give this a try.

Are my children capable of producing quality work? As “slipshod work should not be allowed” I’m careful to choose a project that lies within the scope of each child’s skill.

How long will it take to complete the project? “There is great value in a child learning that a handicraft can be worked on for a period of time with an end result of producing something of beauty that is really worthwhile and useful. Other points made were that handicrafts teach hand-eye coordination, keep young hands busy with industry, help children to see progression in skill and perhaps most important the spiritual implications of creating-as created beings we are called to be creative. Handicrafts give an outlet to this calling. (AO)” Working an item over time encourages patience, delayed gratification and persistence.

Does the project benefit others in any way? We often create with the intention of giving.

How much will it cost? These last two qualifiers are not based on the CM method, it's just a fact of life. After all, we don't have Norm's workshop or Martha's budget here. I'm careful to choose projects that use modest materials, scraps or leftovers from other projects, or found items. So this is my shameless plug for donations. We are looking for scraps of all kinds from leftover or finished projects or abandoned projects that are looking for a new home. Ribbon, yarn, fabric, embroidery floss, wrapping paper, wood, mason jars, plastic canvas, needlepoint canvas, wall paper, buttons, scrap booking paper, etc.

Does the project show some consideration for style? Yes, subjective to personal opinion. But I promised myself we would not be making tissue box covers or those toilet paper roll cover dolls from plastic canvas. Just because we can, doesn't mean we should.

Handicrafts I'm considering for 2008/2009:
Clothes pin dolls
Paper Cutting
“Paper” dolls using plastic canvas (this is the exception to my plastic canvas rule)
Handmade paper
Hand book binding (bind our own nature journal)
Needlepoint/Embroidery
Crochet dish towels
Candle making
Homemade soap
Canning (will we have enough cucumbers to can pickles this year?)
Sewing and Quilting (blanket for Project Linus)
Yo Yo's
Wood working (rubber band guns, horse stable and barn)

Some links I love with loads of ideas:
Museum of Childhood
Angry Chicken
Higher Up and Further In
Ambleside Online

Sewing with Mama

Weaving

Last week we talked about dyeing wool and cotton, spinning thread, and weaving it to make cloth. The girls then got to work weaving their own creations. I am thankful (for many reasons) that we don't need to sew our own clothes from the "cloth" they made!