Well, yesterday I had blogger app issues so last nights musing is being posted today. It's a good thing because I don't have time for a tutorial today.
So, my own husband was the one who would throw the pity party every time he had to travel. "I feel bad leaving you home alone". And my response would be "well, I figure all these projects are just job security". Then we had the flu this season, not one strain, but both (months apart). We also had ear infections, sinus infections, repeated croup, bronchitis, and strep throat (complete with vomiting). Did I mention I was battling chronic headaches through all this? I didn't become pessimistic, but that optimism deflated a good bit.
Tonight though, Baby L can't seem to fall asleep. Usually I leave then and come back to find her settled down or asleep, but sometimes she's just restless and when I leave she cries. Like tonight. When hubby's home he takes a turn then and she usually falls asleep. Tonight I'm doing it alone. I got a text a while ago that he's now in Atlanta, that perked me up, as usual. Somewhere in my brain, the idea that he's now only a few hours drive makes everything better. If all the airports closed or some other disaster happened, he's close enough to drive. And then I sat and sat and sat some more, waiting for this toddler to settle down and I started to get restless again. I'm trying to distract myself with Facebook and came across this story. What a wonderful example of the power of positive thinking. And it's so personally fitting, reminding me of my own optimism.
http://www.chickensoup.com/newsletter.asp?newsid=article-daily-130225&utm_source=CSS_Email&utm_medium=Bulletin&utm_term=20120619&utm_content=css-main&utm_campaign=daily
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Tutorial Tuesday-Crochet Carrier Cover
If you live in the South, I suspect you have a baby carrier that has a panel of solarveil, kool nit, mesh or some other material to keep it cool. When Winter comes, that panel is not so useful. You could buy another carrier, I'm sure that would be more fun, or you could crochet a cover. The reason I crocheted one (in addition to my fleece one) is that it gives it that "sweater" look too, which I think looks nicer at mass.
This is sized for a toddler kinderpack so will be a bit big on a sandard kinderpack but will still work, it should work on other structured carriers and mei tai as well, the angles just may not meet up exactly. This pattern can be adjusted for different sizes by adjusting the starting chain. I personally would make the toddler size in case you ever have to get a bigger carrier, it would still be usable.
approximately 10 oz worsted weight yarn, I used Simply Soft because that's what I had on hand
H hook, I crochet loose so be sure to check gauge
gauge 2"=8sc by 7 rows
ch 74
1) sc in 3rd chain from hook and in each chain across ch 1 turn (72 sc)
2) sc in bl only across ch 1 turn (72 sc)
3) sc in each chain across ch 1 turn (72 sc)
4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14) repeat row 2
5, 7, 9, 11, 13) repeat row 3
14-68) sc in each sc across ch 1 turn
69-80) sc dec over first 2 sc, sc 68, sc dc over last 2 sc, ch 1 turn (row 80 is 48 sc)
81) sc in bl only across (48 sc)
82-112) sc in each sc across ch 1 (48 sc)
113-123, odd rows) 2 sc in first stitch, sc 46, 2 sc in last stitch, ch 1 turn (row 123 60 sc)
94-122, even rows) sc in each sc across sc 1 turn
124) sc 4, dc 23, sc 6, dc 23, sc 4, ch 1 turn
125) repeat 124
126) sc 5, dc 21, sc 8, dc 21, sc 5, ch 1 turn
127) sc 6, dc 19, sc 10, dc 19, sc 6. finish off.
fold upper portion in half and stitch closed from the beginning of row 124 up and across the top and down the middle until stitched closed to form hood.
On wrong side attach yarn at bottom corner to the bottom of first stitch of foundation chain, ch 20, sl st in first fl of row 14, sl in next bl of row 14, sc down the ch 20, sl st into bottom of next stitch in foundation row. sl st in next stitch in foundation row. sc in each sc in the ch 20. sl st into next fl of row 14, finish off. Repeat for opposite corner.
Sl stitch into the first fl of row 81, ch 15, sl st around the first stitch from row 69, sl st around next stitch, sc in each ch 15, sl st into the next fl of row 81, sl st into the next fl of row 81, sc in each sc from the ch 15, sl st around next st of row 69, finish off. Repeat for opposite side.
The waist strap loops are loose allowing the bottom to adjust to seat darts if using on a carrier like the Kinderpack or the stretch of a carrier like the stay cool. It is also wider at the waist strap to make up for the seat darts or stretch so it still covers everything in the middle of the carrier. The shoulder strap loops are pretty snug but will stretch to accomodate. It needs to be snug to support the hood.
You could also add similiar loops for the webbing to hold it in place even better. You could also add loops to the hood for the straps of your hood to slip through so you could still use the hood for support.
This is sized for a toddler kinderpack so will be a bit big on a sandard kinderpack but will still work, it should work on other structured carriers and mei tai as well, the angles just may not meet up exactly. This pattern can be adjusted for different sizes by adjusting the starting chain. I personally would make the toddler size in case you ever have to get a bigger carrier, it would still be usable.
approximately 10 oz worsted weight yarn, I used Simply Soft because that's what I had on hand
H hook, I crochet loose so be sure to check gauge
gauge 2"=8sc by 7 rows
ch 74
1) sc in 3rd chain from hook and in each chain across ch 1 turn (72 sc)
2) sc in bl only across ch 1 turn (72 sc)
3) sc in each chain across ch 1 turn (72 sc)
4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14) repeat row 2
5, 7, 9, 11, 13) repeat row 3
14-68) sc in each sc across ch 1 turn
69-80) sc dec over first 2 sc, sc 68, sc dc over last 2 sc, ch 1 turn (row 80 is 48 sc)
81) sc in bl only across (48 sc)
82-112) sc in each sc across ch 1 (48 sc)
113-123, odd rows) 2 sc in first stitch, sc 46, 2 sc in last stitch, ch 1 turn (row 123 60 sc)
94-122, even rows) sc in each sc across sc 1 turn
124) sc 4, dc 23, sc 6, dc 23, sc 4, ch 1 turn
125) repeat 124
126) sc 5, dc 21, sc 8, dc 21, sc 5, ch 1 turn
127) sc 6, dc 19, sc 10, dc 19, sc 6. finish off.
fold upper portion in half and stitch closed from the beginning of row 124 up and across the top and down the middle until stitched closed to form hood.
On wrong side attach yarn at bottom corner to the bottom of first stitch of foundation chain, ch 20, sl st in first fl of row 14, sl in next bl of row 14, sc down the ch 20, sl st into bottom of next stitch in foundation row. sl st in next stitch in foundation row. sc in each sc in the ch 20. sl st into next fl of row 14, finish off. Repeat for opposite corner.
Sl stitch into the first fl of row 81, ch 15, sl st around the first stitch from row 69, sl st around next stitch, sc in each ch 15, sl st into the next fl of row 81, sl st into the next fl of row 81, sc in each sc from the ch 15, sl st around next st of row 69, finish off. Repeat for opposite side.
The waist strap loops are loose allowing the bottom to adjust to seat darts if using on a carrier like the Kinderpack or the stretch of a carrier like the stay cool. It is also wider at the waist strap to make up for the seat darts or stretch so it still covers everything in the middle of the carrier. The shoulder strap loops are pretty snug but will stretch to accomodate. It needs to be snug to support the hood.
You could also add similiar loops for the webbing to hold it in place even better. You could also add loops to the hood for the straps of your hood to slip through so you could still use the hood for support.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Thoughtful Thursday: Powerball
So, there were actually winners last night, but only 2. That earns them, payout option of around $190 million EACH. Even after tax that's close to $100 million. Now I wonder who really needs that much money. On paper can you even spend that much money? Could you decide what you could spend every cent of that on? I'm a numbers person. I love
But $100 million dollars isn't exactly donate 10%, pay off your cars, house and student loans change. If I did that and paid for all 6 kids college I'd still have over $89 million left. Even if I toss in houses, cars and college for all the immediate relatives I'm still above $88 million. 14 day Disney Cruise for 25 doesn't even dent it. I like my pretty new van but a big extended cab pickup for hubby. Maybe a bigger house. Yeah, not even close to spending 3/4 of it.
As you drive around town or listen to the radio it hits you what can really be done with that much money. That half built church on the corner, I wonder what it would cost to finish it? A gym for my own church? Sponsor the next 10 years of VBS at the local church we enjoyed doing this past summer. I wonder how much it would be to pay off all the layaways at my local Walmart? I wonder how much it would be to start a charity that sponsors people who need money for ABA for their Autistic child. Or even just the $1000+ it can cost to have a child privately evaluated for Autism. Scholarships for moms who don't qualify for financial aid, to go back to college. I wonder how many "drive thru differences" I could make? Wouldn't it be fun to just start a TV show where you go around making a person's wish come true?
Even just living expenses. If I invested just half of it in a safe, low yield investment like a CD I could live off the interest alone and I'd be living way above my current standard of living.
Or I could just blow it all on a $2 million house in each state.
But $100 million dollars isn't exactly donate 10%, pay off your cars, house and student loans change. If I did that and paid for all 6 kids college I'd still have over $89 million left. Even if I toss in houses, cars and college for all the immediate relatives I'm still above $88 million. 14 day Disney Cruise for 25 doesn't even dent it. I like my pretty new van but a big extended cab pickup for hubby. Maybe a bigger house. Yeah, not even close to spending 3/4 of it.
As you drive around town or listen to the radio it hits you what can really be done with that much money. That half built church on the corner, I wonder what it would cost to finish it? A gym for my own church? Sponsor the next 10 years of VBS at the local church we enjoyed doing this past summer. I wonder how much it would be to pay off all the layaways at my local Walmart? I wonder how much it would be to start a charity that sponsors people who need money for ABA for their Autistic child. Or even just the $1000+ it can cost to have a child privately evaluated for Autism. Scholarships for moms who don't qualify for financial aid, to go back to college. I wonder how many "drive thru differences" I could make? Wouldn't it be fun to just start a TV show where you go around making a person's wish come true?
Even just living expenses. If I invested just half of it in a safe, low yield investment like a CD I could live off the interest alone and I'd be living way above my current standard of living.
Or I could just blow it all on a $2 million house in each state.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Tutorial Tuesday: fleece carrier cover
You can also make this as a no sew using fleece (fleece does not fray, woven fabric does so you cannot do a no sew with a woven). To make as a no sew you will need to add 4" to both sides of the hood and sides. Once you add those 4" you will not do any of the sewing, you will instead cut 1"-2" strips on both sides of the body pieces and hood pieces. Lay the carrier between the 2 body pieces and then tie 1 strip from the front piece to 1 strip from the back piece everywhere except where the carrier straps need to come out. Where the carrier straps need to come out you will just cut off the strips. That leaves only the tie downs at the bottom of the carrier to worry about. You can either do the variation that covers the waist strap and add 4" to that and tie around that, though you would have to untie to remove it. Or do the cover the waist strap version, adding 2" to the back and 1" to the front. Buy stick on velcro and stick it onto the extra and wrap around and velcro closed. Or you can cut a hole at least 1" from the edge of the bottom and tie your ribbon onto that.
To start you need the carrier you are making it for, you can use measurements as well but having the carrier handy is a good visual. Lay the carrier out and measure the carrier across at the widest point. For a carrier with seat darts this will not be at the waist. Add about 1.5" for 1/2" seam allowances and 1/4" topstitching.
Then measure from the bottom of the waistband to the top of the carrier. If your carrier has a hood and you want your cover to have a hood you need to have that on/out and measure to the top of that instead. If your carrier does not have one and you want one, measure your child's hat or coat hood (or child) and add several inches for growth room and if the carrier does not come up as high on them as a coat would. This is the size you need for a carrier that does NOT cover the waistband. The extra length is going to accomodate for when the seat is filled in by child, any stretch, and any seat darts. If you want the carrier to also cover the waist band you will need to measure the height of the waistband and add that. Or you can measure the carrier 3D instead of flat, meaning measure from the bottom of the waistband, into the seat dart, and up to the top. Whichever method you use, if you are doing around the waistband you will then need to add 2" to accomodate the velcro or snaps.
Now cut 2 pieces of fleece to the height and width you just determined with your measurements and adding. Fold that in half so the sides are even. Lay a childs coat or jacket hood on top (or you can use a plate) and cut a round portion out at the TOP ( if your fabric has an up and down you need to pay attention to this) FOLDED edge.
Next open the fabric back out flat. Next you need to look at your shoulder straps. Most are attached at an angle. Lay your carrier, lined up and atop your fleece. Mark where your angle is, keeping in mind you will also have an extra 3/4" for seam allowance and topstitching, as well as possibly more if your carrier is not as wide at the straps. Therefore your carrier will not be flush against the side of the fleece. It needs to be centered instead. Cut at an angle along the mark then cut up into the hood angling so that you are going back out to meet the full width (or your hood will be too small at the top). For symetry I then fold it back over and cut exactly the same from the other side but you can also just repeat this for the other side, Your resulting 2 pieces will look similiar to this (sorry, all 3 times I forgot to take a picture and I'm a bad artist).
Fold it back in half so the sides match again, right sides together. Sew from the back of the hood (what looks like the top middle of the "heart" on top of the diagram above) forward to the front of the hood (the edge along the side). Repeat for other body pieces. Opened up (with the hood top folded down to lay flat) and laid out this is what it will look like now.
Place right sides together I pin the corners together, then the seam of the hood. Then to mark where I do NOT sew I also pin on each side of the hole for the webbing on the body. You know the angled portion isn't sewn because it is the shoulder strap hole. But to determine where the webbing will be be, measure your carrier, from the body of the waist to the bottom of where the webbing meets the body. Make the hole wide enough to fit the BUCKLE. If you made it to cover the waistband too, measure the waistband, add 2" and mark each side with a pin.
Once pinned sew from 1 bottom edge (or pin) up to the pin marking the webbing hole. Then sew from the top of the webbing hole to the angled area for the shoulder straps. Repeat for the other side. Then sew around from the top of one shoulder strap hole, around the hood to the top of the other. Turn right side out and smooth.
If you made it to cover your waistband, now attach velcro or snaps to close the bottom. If you made it to not cover your waistband you need to attach ties or straps to keep it from riding up too high. You can use ribbon, bias, finished fabric, etc. I made this one with snap straps, I attached the snaps to ribbon. The finished project picture I made with tied ties. Measure your waistband and add an inch, cut 6 ribbons that length. If you want them to tie on, add enough to be able to tie them, cut 6. Pin one on each body piece, for a clean edge fold the bottom up about 1/2" before you pin. Pin them next to the side seams and in the center.
Topstitch around the bottom edge making sure the entire edge is folded up about 1/2". At the ribbons backstitch and restitch so you have a total of 3 (or more) lines of stitching there to reinforce the attachment.
I then topstitch, this helps keep it in place and smooth. I sew 1/4"-1/2" in from the side seam. Sew from where you started at the bottom (or pin), to your hole for the webbing. Then from the top of the hole to the bottom of the shoulder strap hole. Repeat for other side. DO NOT topstitch closed your holes. Topstitch around from the top of the shoulder strap hole, around the edge of the hood to the other shoulder strap hole. Now place your carrier with the hood down, stuffed, or removed, atop the cover matching up the shoulder straps to the holes. Mark the top of your carrier. Top stitch along that marking. This will keep the carrier from sliding down too much.
Contrastly, if you use the hood a lot you can mark where the hood straps are and leave holes open for those in the hood, as you did for the shoulder straps and webbing, when you are sewing and again when top stitching so the hood is covered but usable for sleeping.
Now attach velcro or snaps to your straps if you didn't make them long enough to tie. Stick it on and cuddle a baby.
This is my first tutorial and I didn't take near enough pictures. So if anything is unclear let me know. If anyone makes the no sew version and takes pictures and posts them let me know and I'll be happy to link to it. I promise next weeks will be better.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Just another manic Monday
Every Sunday people around the globe dread Monday. I hate the idea of having to get up early again or taxiing kids around for the week. However, on the weekend I run from the kids. By that I don't (usually) mean run and hide. I mean I try to keep the house semi livable without tripping over kids.
During the week I have 1 home half the day and add 1 the other half, until the rest get home from school. That isn't enough to be underfoot so I stick to my cleaning "schedule". Yes, I have a schedule, but that's a whole other post. When there are 6 kids (or more) in the family room I don't even attempt to clean around them. I clean the living room instead. When they make their way to the living room to read, i clean the kitchen instead. When they make their way to the kitchen for a snack, I clean the dining room instead. And forget cleaning the main floor bathroom while there are that many people in the house, someone always has to use it. I feel like my day is spent being chased into different rooms.
Therefore I spend my weekends only getting by in the house. Instead I do laundry, clean up the yard, clean out the car, clean upstairs, etc. By Sunday my house is looking quite cluttered. Sunday I start to look forward to the catching up I can do on Monday. Yes, a part of me looks forward to a Monday.
When I wake up Monday and start to plan my day, I am soon reminded that my daughter has therapy smack in the middle of my day. This isn't a new thing, she's had it at the same day/time for a year. I guess in all the "excitement" to clean, it just slipped my mind. That only gives me the morning because right before therapy 1 gets off the bus and right afterwards I pick up 2 more.
My Monday afternoons are spent with toddlers who only napped in the car and kids that are tired from a long day back at school. This particular Monday was also spent juggling bedtimes alone since hubby flew out early that morning. Maybe I'll catch up on housework Tuesday.
During the week I have 1 home half the day and add 1 the other half, until the rest get home from school. That isn't enough to be underfoot so I stick to my cleaning "schedule". Yes, I have a schedule, but that's a whole other post. When there are 6 kids (or more) in the family room I don't even attempt to clean around them. I clean the living room instead. When they make their way to the living room to read, i clean the kitchen instead. When they make their way to the kitchen for a snack, I clean the dining room instead. And forget cleaning the main floor bathroom while there are that many people in the house, someone always has to use it. I feel like my day is spent being chased into different rooms.
Therefore I spend my weekends only getting by in the house. Instead I do laundry, clean up the yard, clean out the car, clean upstairs, etc. By Sunday my house is looking quite cluttered. Sunday I start to look forward to the catching up I can do on Monday. Yes, a part of me looks forward to a Monday.
When I wake up Monday and start to plan my day, I am soon reminded that my daughter has therapy smack in the middle of my day. This isn't a new thing, she's had it at the same day/time for a year. I guess in all the "excitement" to clean, it just slipped my mind. That only gives me the morning because right before therapy 1 gets off the bus and right afterwards I pick up 2 more.
My Monday afternoons are spent with toddlers who only napped in the car and kids that are tired from a long day back at school. This particular Monday was also spent juggling bedtimes alone since hubby flew out early that morning. Maybe I'll catch up on housework Tuesday.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Sunday Sharings
Today I didn't make it to a morning mass with the kids. Hubby was serving one of the masses and my son's birthday party is this afternoon. I'll be going sans the small ones this evening instead.
So I have no experiences or ideas to draw on from today. I want to, instead, share some general information that will help on any day. Sundays, mass especially, is a day we ask more of small kids. That makes expectations even more important.
Coming up with an expectation is more than half the battle. It's like coming up with a goal. If you make a goal to triple your salary this year, most people will not meet that goal. If you make the goal to lose 30 lbs this month, most people will not meet that goal. The same applies to our expectations for our children. If you expect a 2 year old to sit, quiet and still, for an entire hour that expectation will not be met. Developmentally a 2 year old does not have the ability to sit still and quiet for an hour. Any other day of the week you are happy if they do that for 15 minutes in front of an interesting, toddler friendly TV show.
Just as you cannot lose 30 lbs in a month, they CANNOT sit still that long. CANNOT is the key word. It isn't that they won't, it's that they can't. One is deliberate and one is not. Would you punish your husband for something he cannot control? What if he started getting grey hair and you didn't like it? Even though it may not be something you want seen in public, it also isn't something he can control.
There are things a toddler can do though. They can look through a book. They can sit down. Once you have realistic expectations you can teach them to your child. You can remind them of the expectations before you go somewhere. You can remind them when they forget. Kids do forget, just as adults forget. If you expect anyone to never forget anything then your expectation is unrealistic. Kids are learning and may need more frequent reminders as they learn. Hurting them, embarrassing them, and punishing them will not make them remember faster.
The great thing about having realistic expectations is that you will not get upset as frequently because they are not being met. By getting upset less you are more easily able to keep your cool longer. Keeping your cool is a wonderful example to set for your children. That is a skill that will help them throughout life. Because, "You get more bees with honey".
To help set realistic expectations you have to understand the developmental level of your child. The book series "Your .... Year Old" has a book for each age. The books are short and easy reads. They cover a child's emotional, social, and physical development though. You would want to know what you were in for before you climbed a mountain. Raising kids is even more important than that. Why not be prepared?
So I have no experiences or ideas to draw on from today. I want to, instead, share some general information that will help on any day. Sundays, mass especially, is a day we ask more of small kids. That makes expectations even more important.
Coming up with an expectation is more than half the battle. It's like coming up with a goal. If you make a goal to triple your salary this year, most people will not meet that goal. If you make the goal to lose 30 lbs this month, most people will not meet that goal. The same applies to our expectations for our children. If you expect a 2 year old to sit, quiet and still, for an entire hour that expectation will not be met. Developmentally a 2 year old does not have the ability to sit still and quiet for an hour. Any other day of the week you are happy if they do that for 15 minutes in front of an interesting, toddler friendly TV show.
Just as you cannot lose 30 lbs in a month, they CANNOT sit still that long. CANNOT is the key word. It isn't that they won't, it's that they can't. One is deliberate and one is not. Would you punish your husband for something he cannot control? What if he started getting grey hair and you didn't like it? Even though it may not be something you want seen in public, it also isn't something he can control.
There are things a toddler can do though. They can look through a book. They can sit down. Once you have realistic expectations you can teach them to your child. You can remind them of the expectations before you go somewhere. You can remind them when they forget. Kids do forget, just as adults forget. If you expect anyone to never forget anything then your expectation is unrealistic. Kids are learning and may need more frequent reminders as they learn. Hurting them, embarrassing them, and punishing them will not make them remember faster.
The great thing about having realistic expectations is that you will not get upset as frequently because they are not being met. By getting upset less you are more easily able to keep your cool longer. Keeping your cool is a wonderful example to set for your children. That is a skill that will help them throughout life. Because, "You get more bees with honey".
To help set realistic expectations you have to understand the developmental level of your child. The book series "Your .... Year Old" has a book for each age. The books are short and easy reads. They cover a child's emotional, social, and physical development though. You would want to know what you were in for before you climbed a mountain. Raising kids is even more important than that. Why not be prepared?
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