Sew 4 Snow

I have been very busy with a large sewing project. Not my curtains yet. That will be the biggest project ever really, when I get to it. There are lots of windows to finally cover properly around here. The sewing project this week that began a couple of weeks ago as I work on and off... I plan to log here when I am finished. I also don't want to spoil it since it is partly a gift to others as well as myself. But, the weather has caused an interruption. With the nose cold I have had this week, and the freezing, literally freezing temperatures, I do not mind at all being inside, making soup, eating soup, planning soup and knitting and reading to the children... but, some of those around here do mind staying indoors for too long.

So, with this in mind, I was reading on Etsy.com and got inspired by this quick, thrifty and useful craft (my favorite things!) mitten tutorial here. I bought some fairly thin diaper fleece several years ago anticipating making lots of pocket diapers. I was not satisfied with the fabric for the outer layer for the dipes so that idea got frogged (can I use that term with this?) Anyway, sidelined,put away, tossed to the corner, etc.

But, yesterday afternoon, I got these ideas together and I made Mittens and Scarf hats (that is what we call 'em anyway) for my little ones. It was fun too.

With the construction paper that the children were cutting and drawing upon, we traced their hands (the littlest one had help) and they cut them out and I labeled them with every one's first initial. We placed and pinned them on a double layer of fleece and then I cut them out.Blanket stitched the edge.Some of them look like lobster claws so next time we will make them a bit wider in the fingers part and deeper by the thumb part but, it worked.After that, it seemed that this fleece will never get used up and go away!....so, I came up with this sketch while nursing...an all-in-one hat and scarf. I have admired many patterns of these for knitting lately.So all I did was freehand cut the first one which ended up fitting the littlest one and for the bigger boys, I just made the curve of the back of the hat (seen at the bottom of this photo) and the scarf length a bit longer. The top edge of the hat and down to where I thought their head and neck would meet..that is where I stopped stitching...that is not measured at all! sorry...but that is the truth... I also took darts in on both sides of the hats so they would not gape out so much in the wind. I also personalized each hat/scarf with an embroidered and appliqued initial. Ah, sewing whim satisfaction!

We have not seen snow yet, but we do have ice. Brrrrrr.....

Snow Day and philosophy

I have been re-evaluating my school routine the past two weeks or so...I set my standards so high and maintain a pretty good level of steady teaching that sometimes, I just need to take a break so I don't burn out. I did not even know I was approaching that point. It just crept up on me suddenly. I have read about other moms, one in particular here, who takes a "Grace Week" to do just this or rather, catch up on other things than things she is deliberately teaching..like her sewing work. Can we make that several weeks? I have a hard time totally letting go of our routine and schedule because my littles and I need it so much to keep order and happiness in our day. So, I have been letting go of some things that are extra and keeping the basic bone structure...food, Bible, chores, some reading and math and then basic daily dishes, laundry and some house cleaning as I can manage but other than that, new things that have been pushed aside rule the day. I do find regeneration is slowing down and re-connecting, looking closely to see what we have accomplished and where we need to go. I have learned that I don't really give myself enough credit as several women in my life have told me lately. Must be something to it if three of them said so right?

Today, we went to the library to drop/pick up books and stopped in on a story time. It still is not as good as Miss Lou Lou at the Brenham library but it was a good change of pace and we made a new friend I think. Gun took his first musical recorder lesson on dvd today. I have been wanting to get to it for weeks. That was fun for both of us and harder than I expected. Nothing too serious but definitely he seems ready for it. The boys spent last Sunday night with my parents just for fun and they spied a toy mom had saved back until they were older..you know the type. It is snow powder! Sodium polyacrylate to be exact. Explaining that this is not the same snow that God makes was fun. My children have not experienced lots of snow yet in their lives. This counts as science for sure! And with our sandbox turtle empty, temps outside 90 degrees and high humidity, what better thing to do on a hot June day in Texas..make snow!

I hope to explore some other things that have gotten to the back burner in the coming weeks as well as re figuring our routine. It was true when I first became a mother and it remains true now as they all grow and mature a little each day. One thing is certain. Just when I get a routine going, they change.

Happy hot summer ya'll!!