Just makin some clothes for kids

you know, keeping busy.

Working to expand my knowledge, and practice some skills.

Use up some old fabrics, found items.

Make some stinking cute things for my babe and other peoples babes to wear.

So I dress my kid every day.

Which is great because we were gifted soooo much clothing!!

Sadly for the gifters I have passed on much of it. (sorry gang)

Still I sense we have way more than we need/ way more than what our teeny tiny Toronto home can handle but much of it is lovely and cute and there. I 've been duped into owning more than I need.

So why then would I elect to make children's clothes you ask.

I am an avid maker of things.

When I became pregnant I became super excited to make things for my own kid instead of buying.

Now was my chance to change the typical pattern of  Mama has baby, mama buys all kinds of crap, mama carves a deep baby shaped hole into the planet with her crap pile buying skills.

Low and behold, even without me being the central buyer we have a household full of stuff.

I pare and pare down, currently paring as we prepare to celebrate the first year milestone.

I am so excited for my child, she is so much fun she has challenged me to think outside of all of my expectations about everything.  In a way too she has challenged me to strive to understand this stuffing of stuff in our culture. I cannot necessarily stop others from doing it, I can almost hardly stop myself, but I have been and it feels very empowering.  

What I am doing now is taking the old and used things and making new things.  It actually feels good to see my kid wearing something made out of fabric that was wasting away in someones basement.  It feels so good that I am making more and looking to share what I make with others. 

It is a peaceful process.

It brings me joy.

What can you find and remake today?

Dear Blogland,

I haven't actually forgotten to write I am simply a new mother who is also a crafter, and an artist, and a kitty momma, and a wife, and a daughter, and a good friend and a...., and a....., and a........ 

This, that and the other thing too.

And I am not apologizing for my absence either. Humph.

Soo much to keep up on in this life my attention to internet is less right now.  

However I am still staying active, I perfected the art of baby wearing while knitting when my baby was sick and didn't want to be put down for naps.  I have completely quit caring about what I look like/ultra streamlining my beautification habits so I can have ten-fifteen minutes in the day where I read about different sewing/knitting techniques or essays on art.  (Currently reading the wonderful BEAUTY by Dave Beech)

I am still working to simplify everything in my life and honestly the internet makes me feel more complicated than I need to be.  Partially because it is a device of distraction and partially because of my own personal mania of over stimulated joy when I see any little thing that inspires me. I get so easily overwhelmed that I need blinders just like those carriage horses in the city.  I spook easy on the internet.  So I keep a distance.

This is why I am not pinterested in the least.  It will destroy me. I have even quit the big all knowing facebook temporarily while I learn to navigate my life as a mother and then maybe I'll leave it forever.

As I go simple I ask myself what are the things I wish to use my time for?

The list is as follows:  family time, healthy food, knitting, sewing, drawing, painting, walking, gardening, friend time, book time, running time, quiet nothing time.

Given this list I should prolly ditch the smart phone.

Anyhow here is a quick picture of a stylie winter set I just made for a fundraiser.  It is a pair of upcycled mittens, and head band accompanied by a super thick neck cowl.  I normally work with itty bitty yarns and meticulous patterns so I found knitting so big to be quite a joyous event.

All the proceeds from the raffle that this charming gift is a prize for will go to support Delisle Youth Services . A cool organization that works to help teens in the city cope with the variety of challenges that they face.  It is important that young people are supported in our culture of strange media, social pressure, and complicated lives, if you are interested to learn more click the link and find out more. 

Maybe you are super wealthy and you can make a donation to them, that would be rad.

Yup.

Caring is totally cool. 

WWRD

(What would Raffi do?)