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Link.

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Sunflower playhouse
Sally’s living willow house a year on
A very pretty willow house about to start sprouting
We made a sweet pea teepee last year – try it will any climbing vegetable – here is how [image from here]

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1. Reading and drawing takes up a lot of my kids time and I like to enable this by providing interesting drawing materials – nice pencils, fancy crayons, and lovely books.

2. I love sewing and usually my kids like to have a go if they think it looks fun – my daughter especially is into making her own clothes and with my recent sewing machine acquisition I was able to pass on my old machine to her. Why not let your kids experiment with making some costumes or dressing up the family cat.

3. Felting is another fun family craft – we went through a bit of a felting craze for a while – and the kids loved it – why not let them try needle felting or making some simple felt balls even felted soap – such a lot of messy clean fun.

4. Playing shop is a major favourite activity in our house – give them some materials to really make it authentic. Collect empty food packaging, cardboard boxes – they can even make their own currency.

5. puppets, masks and other dressup / theatrical opportunities can last all day. My kids are now directing their own movies using the digital camera. Hilarious.

6. Playdough has always been popular in our house – we make it ourselves and playing with warm fresh playdough is so tactile and nice. We have graduated slightly from this and now the kids beg me to let them play with real dough so they can bake funny shaped cookies and then eat them.

7. Paper crafts are also popular – give kids some recycled paper, scissors and glue and just sit back and watch. If you want to direct them or give them some creative ideas – try making flowers, boats, paper dolls and a doll house to go with.

8. The shower curtain playmat is a great idea – we do a papier mache version – making cubby houses and pretend houses – whatever your skill level as a parent – getting your kids to use their imagination and crafty skills will keep them happily busy for hours -

9. A yarn craze has entered our house – with competitions running for the longest finger knitting. We are doing 1 finger knitting, whole hand finger knitting, French knitting and are about to move onto bigger loom knitting projects.

10. Getting outdoors – this is a must no matter what the whether. Collecting leaves, stones and bits of bark to make things with later – try rock painting, bark boats and nature collage. So many possibilities.Similar Posts:

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Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn by Carol Sulcoski. Interweave Press (January 1, 2009)

I grew up with hand knitted socks and my husband was spoiled by my mother with hand knitted socks. There really is nothing like homemade, hand knitted, (my preference) woollen socks for comfort and warmth. My mother knitted our socks leg down to toe, so it never even occurred to me that there was another way. I have knitted a few socks over over the years, not many I admit, but this book has inspired me to give sock knitting another go.

Another thing I love to do is to play with dyeing yarn and experimenting with colour. So another reason to love this book – is that it delves into different methods that can be used to get different affects with colour.

Between, the different methods of colouring yarn, different stitches, plus the choice of knitting from leg down or toe up, I found that one is never too old to discover and learn something new and challenging about knitting. I am quite looking forward to using this book as soon as I have finished my present project (spinning an alpaca fleece then knitting up a sweater for my husband).

Back to the book – each pattern is well illustrated, instructions clear and a good glossary at the back of the book to demonstrate techniques, such as the Continental Cast on and the Eastern Cast on.

I would recommend this book to both inexperienced and expert knitters, I think they would get a lot of satisfaction out of trying the different patterns and possibly playing with the dying of the yarn.Similar Posts:

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1. patriotic pinwheels
2. fourth July picnic caddy
3. front door banner
4. confetti rockets
5. patriotic fans
6. tin can luminaries
7. little girl patriotic tutu
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Its been a busy week in some ways – last week of the school term – lots of social stuff going on for the kids – preparing for the school holidays. But its been quiet for me at work – I took a couple of days off to work on some projects at home. Didn’t get much done – but its been nice anyway – some baking – I have been surfing the food blogs and my new favourite food blogs are joy the baker and smitten kitchen - I made the sugar cookies and the lemon cake – both turned out perfectly and we had chicken dumpling stew too – very very good.

Whipup has been busy too … We have a story on recycled and upcycled alternative yarns from etsy sellers : Thinking of making yourself some lovely swimwear this summer - here’s how (why not make your own knickers too while you are about it) : a new magazine on the scene for textile lovers : gearing up for the holidays – here are some activities to keep your kids occupied :

A bit of embroidery and paper: embroidery on paper : paper cutwork : tissue flowers : this paper flower for card making is super cute :

Doing some knitting and crochet : try this adorable froggy pattern : I love the ring tailed lemur : knitted crustacean is too cute : crochet stash basket is lovely.

For the littlies : little princess : we are gearing up for vintage baby knits blog tour – see the schedule and win a book : travel pillow for your darlings.

Have a lovely weekend wherever you are and whatever you are doing.

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Ps. feel free to send in letters, ideas and links to whipup[at]gmail.comSimilar Posts:

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