French Knitting

Don't ask me why it's called French Knitting; firstly that term is new to me, and secondly Google has left me wanting (an unusual occurrence) with my research.   I did find out that Mary McCormack wrote a book on it in 1909 so it's been around a long time.

In my last post Mister P (our resident Sight Words Post Box) received some long awaited limbs, knitted on a spool or French knitter that I've had since I was Pinker's age. I managed to find  a bigger one at Spotlight for a whopping $5 and it came in PINK!

Unfortunately the packaging sported a plethora of images-things to make. I find that you just don't want to give our girl any more ideas than she has popping into her head at an already staggering rate.

So on a crazy week while I was single parenting (Mr Frenchie off in another state being busy and important with clients) in between homework we managed to make some stuff.

With my help, Pinkster made a worm and a couple of caterpillars to start with;

I wasn't prepared for a make-stuff-marathon so we had to improvise on materials. This Caterpillar is stuffed with cotton balls and luckily we had some googly eye buttons left over from Pink's last craft blitz (she likes to string them together and make googly eye necklaces). We used scraps of wool and Pinkster kindly gave away the 'other coloured' caterpillars to a friend. There are two colour spectrums as far as She-Who-Worships-Pink is concerned: Pink is one and then there are "other colours" not pink.

She saw a cat on the packaging and that had to be made too, despite the fact it required pipe-cleaners and tiny pompoms both of which got used up in her last craft blitz.

After that it was a halter dress for her doll (formerly my doll) Blythe - in Pink of course. Fortunately we have more scraps of Pink fabric and yarn than we could ever use in one lifetime.

It's not obvious from this photo, but the little cat is made of very fluffy angora type yarn which is kind of  perfect for a cat. The ears gave me grief because my little art-director demanded they be pointy and it's sort of a challenge to make tiny triangles out or two tiny sausages.

Spool knitters are easy to use and a great way to introduce children to knitting. I'm glad I found it in the attic when I did as I think 6-years-old  is just about the right age to use these things. It also helps to have a few different size spools and  a bit of imagination, of course.

Dolch & Kabana revisited

This is a revisit of my previous ‘so not a fashion post’. As with the previous post it is still doesn’t have much to do with Dolce or Gabbana but is a little more on the designer side none the less..

If your child started Kindergarten this year you probably know that Dolch is a word list, compiled by Edward William Dolch, PhD.  Kabana is all I have in the fridge to sustain me while I add limbs to our original Sight Words posting box.

Yes limbs; Mister P as we now call him has slowly become a funny little person.
Sight Words are high frequently words and the foundation of Dolch's "whole-word" method of beginning reading instruction. There are 100 of them (!) just to begin with, so you’d better be prepared to get creative with what might be your first experience of ‘homework’.

During our first 'big school' year, I volunteered to assist with reading groups in the classroom (longest 30 minutes of my life each week) and let me tell you, you need to be creative or the natives get truly restless – many kids find learning these words particularly un-fun.

There are a lot of elaborate games online but She Who Worships Pink came up with the idea of posting her word-cards into a letter box. Her own class ended up with three of our custom-made post boxes and they were a huge hit in the classroom.

Making the boxes is the easy part and you can download a PDF file of the words in envelope format here. I've also included postal service stickers to print and glue on for the US, UK and Australia. 
So our own Post Box has become a little character; from the addition of googly eyes, the accessories just kept coming.

My Art Director, Miss Pink, decided he should have hair, then she talked about a nose, then teeth, glasses… When she began spending more time discussing what Mr P needed next than learning her words, I decided to make it a bit of a rewards system. Every two levels of sight words she completed she got more body parts and the makeover became more extreme.

From her successful completion of Purple and Aqua words she has earned her little red friend some ears (carved from two slices of champagne cork).  She finaly got through Lime and Lemon so I needed to come good on my promise of arms too.
I was about to sew some arms until I found my old Knitting Nancy in the attic with my old toys.

I’d forgotten how to use this so I went online and found this wonderful tutorial.

I’ve cheated a bit and pinched some of Mr Potato-Head’s hands I’m afraid. But you know how it is when you’re time poor and there’s a spare pair of hands on offer..

So here he is: Mr P with his extreme makeover and this week's project finished.

Or not...

I’m fresh out of ideas but I know how someone else's  little brain works.

If anyone has any ideas how best to make him some feet, I’m all ears.. 

Dolch & Kabana

This is so not a fashion post, not about  Dolce or Gabbana but a little on the designer side none the less..

Dolch is a word list, compiled by Edward William Dolch, PhD.  And kabana is what I'm contemplating for lunch while I add the finishing touches to our Sight Words posting box.

I discovered sight words when She-Who-Worships-Pink began Kindergarten. These are high frequently words (in some schools referred to as such) and the foundation of Dolch's "whole-word" method of beginning reading instruction. First year homework in Big School all revolves around sight words and there are 100 of them! (To begin with) So if your small person is starting school be prepared to knuckle down and get creative. Mrs Crawford's Class is an excellent place to start.

Our Prototype

We (new school mums) were 'encouraged' to get creative with games to make the learning fun and I came up with sight words Twister, Monster Sentences and many other games.

But the all time favorite (and least elaborate) was Sight Words Post Box. The Pinkster came up with the idea of  posting her word-cards into her money box and the idea just grew from there. Now her class has three of our custom-made post boxes and Miss Lovely Smile, tells me they're a huge hit with everyone in the classroom.

Post box assembly line

Making the boxes is the easy part. Just get a small solid box, cut a slot then paint it; easy-peasy. Making the sight words cards with envelope format on the back was tedious.

But not for you! You can download a PDF file of the words in envelope format here, there are also postal service stickers to print and glue on for the US, UK and Australia. 

So our own Post Box has become a little character; from the addition of googly eyes, the accessories just keep coming.

He began wearing glasses, which were attached with an elastic band at the back of his head. But his glasses started to slide down, so he needed a nose. Using cardboard applied with a glue gun was just asking for trouble not to mention burnt fingers, so I would recommend some spare Mr Potato Head body-parts, if you have them, as a quick, easy and painless option.

Mister P's extreme make-over

And, after all this, Pinkster (my art director) decided he should have hair!

So here he is in all his glory!  Mister Post Box's teeth were added after the art director arrived home from school. She took the time to brush his hair before deciding he needed something to 'chomp' the letters with.

It could have been worse; I fully expected a demand for clothing, which I'm sure will come.  But I so don't fancy sewing (or gluing) high fashion to fit on a box.


OK, I'm off to the kitchen; haven't any kabana so I'll settle for a hot-dog.




And speaking of eating...

I will never starve

MacGuilt Attack

Pass the paracetamol