Two for One!

I like to check the clearance racks at K-Mart every few months because they carry lines that tend to be more modest. Unfortunately what I found was a whole lot of skirts for $1 each, but they were sizes 3X and 4X, and they were too short to be modest on me even if I took them in. Still, I thought they were worth it for the material alone, and then suddenly I got one of those light bulb moments (you know, where you say 'Hey!' out loud, and the lady next to you backs away with her eyes as big as saucers).



So I got two of those skirts and brought them home. I turned them inside out and put the oldest two girls in them. Then I pinned them to fit all the way down and sewed them. It took all of 2 minutes. Then I cut off the extra, and fitted them to the younger two girls and pinned and sewed them. Viola! Four skirts. Even if you add a generous 25 cents each for thread and electricity, I still got them for 75 cents each. The girls love them- they wanted to wear them all down as 'under dresses' (I think they meant petticoats). And of course, as is built into the female DNA, as soon as they put them on, they had to twirl!

Making a Head Covering

Well, the easiest covering is to take a handkerchief and fold in in half to make a triangle, but the big knot on my neck bothers me and I have to be careful about headaches.

I bought my first coverings because I had no idea what they were like or how to make one. They were wonderful and made with great care, but they were a bit pricey. I save them for church or going somewhere, but as dirty as I have a tendency to get under the sinks or in the bathroom when I am cleaning, or out in the garden or barns, I needed something a little more practical (and cheap- did I mention I have 5 daughters?). So I looked at some others online and just started fooling with my own design and have come up with one that is easy as a wink to make, very cheap (though I make many of mine from scraps so they are actually free), and still very feminine. The pattern still works great for 'fancier' coverings out of velvet, lace or whatever you like. The everday ones I make from calico, both because they wash and wear well, and because they are just pretty! ;) Ribbons are also pretty, but are not as sturdy, so I use double-fold bias tape.

So, you will need:
1 piece of cloth, approximately 22"X15"
thread to match
12 inches of ribbon or some type of tying device, cut in half

Time to complete with a sewing machine- 20 minutes
Hand sewing- no idea, but anything can be sewn by hand if you don't have a machine

1. Finish the edges of your cloth. For this, I happened to have the edge of a yard, so I only had to finish three sides.



2. Take one of the shorter sides and fold it accordian-like but spaced out enough to fit under your needle. Sew the pleats you have made, stopping somewhere about the middle to insert the ribbon.





3. Turn the pleated edge under and sew again in a semi-circle pattern so that your rough edge is hidden underneath.



4. Repeat on other side.






For a kids' covering or for people with smaller heads, you will want to shorten your material and ribbon (you can see that this is a bit too big for my model).

To make it easier to keep in place, you can hand-sew a rectagular comb into the crown of the covering, or two (one on each side above the temple). They sell these in the drug store in a package of 10 (usually brown or black) and then we generally use bobby pins on the sides under the ear for extra protection because it gets pretty windy here.

Aprons Again

I am moving the link to the aprons over to the right so everyone can find it as the pages roll down with new posts. We are having a BLAST with this, though I am still wrestling the camera! Hope to get those pictures up soon, and don't be afraid to send in your name and address! It is such a blessing doing this, and we have plenty of material left!! I'll try to get some pictures of us in the apron process when I get the camera squared away.

Don't be shy! Tens of others have done it! ;)

Calling All Aprons!!!!

When I planned to do this post, I had not idea the amount of interesting stuff that was going on in the blog world about aprons. There are several apron contests in progress, so I thought it better to wait a week.

OK, here's my idea. First, I would like to have as many links/posts of ladies and/or their daughters in aprons as we can gather. I think seeing other aprons is inspiring. Just as our appearance in public can be an instant witness, when we don that apron, the husband and children know immediately we are in the serving mode. Many jobs come with uniforms to distinguish their role. Think about a policeman, a firefighter, a nurse, a judge,etc. You understand what these people do just by looking at them. I think a wife/mom should be the same way. Now, of course, I am not saying you must wear your apron 24/7. Just as those in other occupations change their attire to show that they are 'off-duty', a mom has times when she is not going to need her apron (though we really never have down-time with children). What I am saying, rather, is that when that apron is on, it is apparent what role you are fulfilling.

As a benefit, aprons tend to make the wearer FEEL more the part. I have come to prefer keeping on my church clothes and putting an apron over them to changing into grungy clothes (and even modest clothing can be unappealing aesthetically) because of the way it keeps my mind in focus. I have given God my 'best side' already, and now I will also give my family my best. I think aprons are so feminine and beautiful that every Christian woman should have one. So for the second part of this plan, if you do not have an apron, I am going to give you one. Yep, you read that right. I started making aprons as gifts last year, and have seen so many women experience that difference it can make, so I want to see every Christian woman with an apron. Before you worry that I will be buried in my own good intentions, let me point out a few things. First, I do not have that large of a readership. I'm not looking to turn anyone away, either. Secondly, this is something I will be doing with my daughters as a type of service project. Ladies often donate their time to making quilts for missions or disaster relief. I think it is similar to give to one another. It is a good lesson for them to donate time and effort. I also have a lot of material that I inherited from my mother-in-law, but if someone wanted a specific pattern or color to match their kitchen, that would be no problem.

If you are one of those ladies who has not been blessed with an apron before, or if yours is in disarray, just send a comment that you are apronless. The send a SEPARATE comment with your name and address. I will not post those. I would like to eventually replace the clip-art with pictures of each of us in her own apron. You can cut off your head if you like, I don't mind. I would just like to see a gallery of aprons that we can look at and find inspiration in.

*I am moving the link to the aprons over to the right so everyone can find it as the pages roll down with new posts. We are having a BLAST with this, though I am still wrestling the camera! Hope to get those pictures up soon, and don't be afraid to send in your name and address! It is such a blessing doing this, and we have plenty of material left!! I'll try to get some pictures of us in the apron process when I get the camera squared away.

Don't be shy! Tens of others have done it! ;) Also, some of you have apron twins, as I have figured out a way to get two aprons from a yard of material. See if you can find your match!

Vanessa's Apron
Tanya's Apron
Bethany's Apron

Modesty in Dress: My Story

This is borrowed from a dear friend and sister Heather and I wanted to share it. Please keep in mind that neither of us are trying to condemn anyone, but rather to share from different perspectives the decisions in dress we make every day.

"My story begins at the home of a sweet sister in Christ. I arrived at her home in my “normal” summer attire, jean shorts and a matching T-shirt. At the very first glance at me, she pulled me aside and said, “I am glad my husband was not able to be here today to see your family because I would not feel comfortable for him to see you in what you are wearing.” The comment took me back for a moment, but I instantly knew what she was saying. I was inappropriately dressed. However, I was not offended…I was rather embarrassed at the choice that I had made that day.

I had never been accused of being immodest, but I knew instantly what she was saying. We discussed her views of clothing a bit further in the house, and from that moment on, I was changed.

I would never want to knowingly offend a sweet sister in Christ, nor would I want to lure her husband’s eyes away from her beauty. She kindly accepted my apologies, and with it gave me a tape on the Purity of Clothing. As I listened to the tape, I became more and more convicted of how I should be dressing.

Clothing began to have new meaning to me, it became a covering. No longer did I desire to wear “what was in style” but what covered my body appropriately. For we are commanded to wear modest* apparel in 1 Timothy 2: 9 -10 which says: “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.”

*Modest: 1. having or showing a moderate or humble opinion of one’s own value, abilities, etc.; not vain. 2. not forward; shy or reserved. 3. decorous; chaste; decent; now, esp., not displaying one’s body. 4. not extreme or excessive: as a modest request. 5. quiet and humble in appearance, style, etc.

My husband was in agreement with me when I chose to wear dresses only. In fact, covering my figure daily from him has actually made me more attractive to him. I love to dress in beautiful feminine clothing every day and I would encourage all women and young ladies to do so as well.

Some of the main reasons I dress in dresses only, especially in public, is so that I am not a stumbling block to other men. For Scripture says, “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.” Romans 14:13. I am NOT responsible for other husband’s actions, but I am responsible for my own. And if I am knowingly wearing indecent form-fitting clothing that displays my shape, I could cause other women’s husbands to stumble.

It is especially important to wear modest clothing when we are in a place of worship. We don’t go to church to show the congregation the latest trend in clothing, we are not at a fashion show, we are not in the comfort of our own homes, we are there solely to worship our Heavenly Father. I was always taught to wear my “Sunday Best” to church… no, it’s not “scriptural,” but it makes sense. Wearing modest dresses and modest skirts to church naturally “covers” the shape of the body, and in a sense, sets the mood for the worship service. If you are praying, your focus can be on the prayer, not on the person’s backside in front of you. Is this too bold for you?

Consider these questions:

1. Are you a jealous wife? Are you jealous enough to want your husband to be attracted to you and only you?

2. If you answered “Yes” to question one, Are you dressing modestly so as to not attract other women’s husband to your figure?

3. Do you want your sons and daughters to dress immodestly? If you are dressing immodestly, they will follow in your footsteps in most cases.

4. Do you want your teenage daughter’s immodestly attired shape to attract the eyes of grown men?

5. What is the first thing you look at when you see a woman in pants or tight fitting jeans?

6. What is the first thing you look at when you see a woman wearing a tight fitting, low cut top?

7. What would you wear if you had Jesus over for dinner?

These are just a few questions to consider, but they are intended to make you think. Think about how you want to be viewed. I am not judging you if you wear jeans, you must be convicted to wear dresses all the time. But, please, please be mindful of others when you dress for church. Please, please be mindful of others when you go out in public.

I am a jealous wife! I want my husband to think that I am the most beautiful woman on this earth (in his eyes). I don’t want your husband looking at me lustfully, I would hope that you (as a sister in Christ) would do the same for me. If you only do it in public, fine! What you wear in private is YOUR business.

However, your clothing is a testimony of your faith in Christ Jesus. How do you want to be viewed? Are you of this world? Are you going to do everything the world is doing to be accepted? Is that what Christ wants us to do? Prayerfully consider these things. Nobody can change who you are, only God.

Your Friend in Christ,

Heather"

Hypocritical about Pants?

I may have caused confusion by stating in one article that the Bible does not have a specific condemnation of pants, and then writing a letter pleading with a friend to not wear pants in church. I was not speaking out of both sides of my mouth. I would like to clarify my position on the matter.

First, I do not, as I stated, find anywhere in scripture that says what a woman can or cannot wear besides the requirement of it being modest (and no cross-dressing). We have to remember that different cultures wore different types of dress during the writing of the Bible, just as they do today. Obviously not all of them would have been acceptable to God, just as today. So we are left to consider the matter for ourselves. I do not think a church has the place of telling a woman what to wear. I would love to be part of a church where the women only wear dresses, but because of personal conviction and not legalism.

I do wish that all women would become convicted about clothing. I have not seen a modest pair of pants on a woman. They do not exist in stores today. They inevitably show off her rear. That's why so many songs talk about women in jeans. They show everything. And apparently we have 'evolved' so quickly that the waist of a woman dropped 6 inches in 10 years! Even dress pants are tailored so that the pleats down the back of the legs draw the eye right to the seam between them. And don't get me started on shorts! Shorts and pants cannot be considered modest in my opinion because they attract attention to the body. I loved the interview with the Duggar family, because their philosophy is to dress so as to draw attention to the countenance. Amen!

When I was in High School I wore REALLY crazy clothes. Not the half-naked kind, but I liked my dad's dress shirts with a dress jacket and skirt, and lots of plaid. I was plaid crazy. We had a free clothing center at our church and we would find items as we were sorting that were just my style- in other words, they wouldn't put them out because no one else would ever take them. SO... I got to keep the crazy clothes. I had dresses from the 50's and black and white saddle shoes. I guess I was retro. I also had elephant pants, which were very loose everywhere. Those would be modest in my opinion, but where do you find them? I am not saying modest pants have never existed, I am saying they disappear with the fashion trend to go skin tight. And it is possible to have fun with clothes without exposing anything.

Many women will wear culottes for a day out, and I think that is fine as well. I am not saying it is a sin to wear something between your legs. Where I see the sin is when it shows off enough to entice a man to look. You are then stealing from another woman. You are taking the attention, admiration, and sexual focus that are rightly hers as a wife and plumping up your own ego.

And I have heard so many women say that men just need to learn to control themselves, and I feel that is a bold-faced cop-out! It's an excuse to continue causing others to fall. It's the same attitude that allows people to say aborted babies are in a better place, or that voting is futile because Satan controls the world. Many unsaved people will tell you they are good people, because they compare themselves to the murderers and rapists in prison. But there are 10 commandments, and wanting men to look at you with lust is making your own desires an idol, which is breaking the first two in one stroke!

Now, I do own pants for the winter when I have to go chasing the horses. I generally wear them under a skirt, which also provides extra warmth. Right now my oldest daughter is on the hay wagon stacking bales in a pair of cotton pants. For safety reasons, she needs to have her legs covered, and two layers in this heat would make her ill. She is young, not developed yet, and not out in 'public', except to those driving by who have super vision or something. The clothes are also loose-fitting, patterned so as not to draw attention to the wrong places, and of a material that does not cling.

There are also dresses and skirts that certainly are not modest. So saying wear dresses only still won't cover it. They can be too tight, too short, too low cut, too sheer,etc. And because of the trend for so long of girls wearing pants, many of them do not know how to sit in a skirt or dress. They are accustomed to being able to sit with legs apart, which is where the argument that pants are more modest comes from because at least then you can't see their underwear. The more girls wear pants, the less feminine they become. And what man wants a semi-male woman for a wife? They want feminine women (unless they have had their desires warped by the world).

So, there's my rant on pants and such. IT is not a law. It is not a commandment. It is a plea from a woman who does not wish to share her husband with anyone for any reason. I'm the one who has covenanted my life, my service, my affection, and my desires to him. I mother his children, I work along side him, I keep his home. I keep his faults to myself, I earnestly seek to bring him pleasure in all things, I swell with love when I see him, even if he is sweaty and dirty from work. Why should I have to share his attention or thoughts with anyone else? He is mine. Just as God is a jealous God, I also am a jealous wife, not willing to share what is rightfully mine with a whore

Q: Whoa, tight jeans = whore?? That's a mighty strong word.

A: "WHORE, v.i. supra. To have unlawful sexual commerce; to practice lewdness."

"...Then, Hosea applies the story of his life to the People of God, to the Kingdoms of the North and the South, to Israel and Judah, and to you and me: Every time you and I go after money, or power, or pleasures, we prostitute against God… we throw ourselves into the arms and care of other gods, and that's prostitution against God!… with every sin, we become slaves of the Devil, but God byes us back, not for 15 shekels, but with His own Blood, and brings us back to his home, not as slaves, but as children of God, as His inheritance!… to make a feast for us every time we repent! (Lk.15:22-23)...

"But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children" 2 Peter 2:12-14

Pride in Modesty

When we dress modestly, part of the motivation behind the decision is to keep from becoming prideful about our appearances. But it is possible to become prideful about dressing conservatively. We have encountered this trouble with our oldest daughter. There are times that putting on even modest dress creates a prideful attitude in her. It is at these times we observe a haughtiness of the heart and disobedience, even if it is slight and hard to detect. Something about being set apart makes her "puffed up" and that is the opposite of the goal we had in mind. The occurrence usually happens when new clothes are provided, and the problem of pride about that can happen regardless of what is worn. Other times, though, it is about wanting to be grown up, wearing longer skirts when her younger sisters do not. At these times we will find a silent rebellion, find out that she is ordering the other children around out of my hearing or that she tries to change the instructions we have given them. She walks differently, speaks differently, and constantly 'primps', smoothing wrinkles over and over while at the table or crossing her legs and pointing her nose in the air.

To many, this may seem like a trifle. But if we allow her heart to be prideful and rebellious in any little thing, it will become a habit in the big things, too. I believe many people who complain of teenage rebellion were the same ones who allowed their children to 'be kids' when younger. I fully believe there is a difference in adults and children in abilities, understanding, and endurance, but there is nothing about disobedience being the right of a child in the Holy Bible. Mistakes are just that, but blatant disregard that is ignored will breed an atmosphere of contention that will only grow until the child is of a physical and mental stature to determine to stand against the parents in every aspect.

So when these days begin, she is immediately instructed to change clothes (and she has some clothes that she has put on several times but never worn) and we discuss the sin of pride and what the Bible warns about it. Sometimes we will assign a paragraph on the dangers of pride, or ask for the definition of pride written out 10 times. Whatever is done is done with the goal of burning into her conscious now the fact that pride is never pleasing to God. To those who think this approach destroys her self-esteem, we would say that the only things worth being glad of having are of God- life, salvation, wisdom- and the Bible is full of examples of how a haughty spirit often causes Him to take these away.

Proverbs 16:18-19 "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud."

James 4:6 "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he said 'God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.'"

Galatians 6:14 "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."

2 Timothy 3:1-5 "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."

The same is true about the work that is given to a child to be done. Some jobs are assigned and left to the doer to determine the desired way to go about completing them. Other jobs must be done in a certain way, and when a child chooses to do that kind of job in a manner that is different than instructed, it is sin. The child is disobeying the parent AND being prideful by thinking his way is better than his parent's, or in essence that he is wiser than his parent.

Proverbs 16:2 "All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD."

We have to be cautious now, because the habits our children develop will stay with them for a lifetime. It is MUCH HARDER to change when you are an adult. We can either allow our children to disobey and rebel, or teach them to follow, because our ultimate role as parents is to teach them to revere and honor God. What parent would want the wrath of God to fall upon their children?

Making over pants for girls, 2

This time I want to show you how to make over a pair of pants that is longer or for older girls, where the trimmed legs would not provide enough material. It is very easy to find dollar bins of material at almost any fabric store, and this variety can be handy for may things. If I see a good sturdy black, white, or tan, I will buy several yards, without any specific project in mind, knowing that it will come in handy later. For the longer pants, either a matching material or a contrasting material will work. I will provide pictures of both. It is also easy to use the existing seam on the bottom of pants if you do not plan to shorten the length.

This idea may not be useful for those who have always worn dresses and skirts and whose extended family do not buy the children garments that do not fit with the family's choice. But it might be of great help to someone you meet who is new to modest dress or the church, and who cannot afford to replace a wardrobe for an entire family all at once. This is the situation we were in. The more we studied, the more convicted we became. Yet there were clothes in the closets that were not ready to be gotten rid of, and as I am sure many of you have realized, finding appropriate clothing in many stores is quite a challenge! I am also handy with the basics of sewing, but cannot follow a pattern to make something from scratch. So when we can re-make an item for little or no cost, it serves many purposes. I think it is just good stewardship.

Making over pants for an older girl

With older girls, we need to be mindful of the changing shape of her body and how the straight-legged pants will not necessarily be any more modest as a skirt. With the ones that are too tight, I would find another use, such as patches, making purses, or as a material for making over a younger girl's skirt. With those that can be stretched a bit more and are fuller in the hip and rear, follow the same instructions as for the original skirt, but make the 'patch' or pleat wider. If what is left of the pant leg seems too narrow, it is best to use a matching color so as not to draw attention to the hips.



1. Have child try on pants and decide on desired length. Cut legs off at one inch BELOW this line.

2. Cut the inside seam out of the pants, staying as close to the seam as possible. This will create an open-legged pair of shorts.

3. Have child try on shorts again, determining the necessary width of material to fill the gap and allow for modesty. Write you top, middle, and bottom measurements out and use these as a guide for cutting material. Cut chosen material in the general shape of the area to be covered, leaving a 2 inch seam allowance.

4. Using Heat and Bond or Stitch Witchery, fold and iron a seam for the bottom of each leg of the shorts. Do the same for the bottom of your patch piece.

5. On just ONE SIDE of the middle front seam, cut up one inch. Do this also on the middle seam in the back. Turn shorts inside-out.

6. Cut thin strips of bonding agent and fold over material to create a bonded seam up the front on both sides (the one-inch slit will allow you to fold the actual sewn seam to one side and iron it flat). Repeat on back of shorts. You should now have a pair of shorts with no inseam, but with bonded hems and seams around the entire bottom inch of material.

7. Cut a large piece of bonding agent to just 1/4' smaller than patch piece. Trim the middle triangle out of the bonding agent and proceed to iron 'patch' to inside of shorts.

Option 1: Place patch about 1/2' above bottom hem of shorts to create a dart or pleat look. Iron fully.

Option 2: Place the patch even with the bottom of the pant legs. Iron a strip of bonding agent to the bottom on both sides to hold it in pace. Cut a triangle out of the patch on both sides where it meets the pant leg, making a flush edge. Turn up the edge of the cut and iron with bonding agent to form a clean seam inside the skirt and to keep material from unravelling.

100 white socks

I remember a gym teacher who always made us wear white socks because she felt the dye in other colors would be a detriment to our health. But if we were to all wear white socks, how would we tell them apart? My mother had a great solution to this quandary when we were all older and wore the same sizes. She would take a permanent black marker for laundry (they say laundry marker on them) and put our first initial on the bottom of the toes of each sock. When it came time to sort the socks, it was easy to just look at the toes. Though I wonder if that gym teacher would have an objection to the permanent ink being on the white sock seeping into the skin the same way the dyed socks would?

Here are some ideas we have for keeping many people's things straight:

* There are many styles of girls socks available, so when we go shopping for socks each year, every girl gets a specific style. This way, we don't even need the marker- I can tell the sock's owner by the style. There are ribbed top, scalloped, colored heels, different manufactures (and they all print their names on the bottom anymore) and many other ways to keep it straight.

* Boys' socks are getting a bit easier, too. Keds now has colored stitching on the bottom of their socks, so the bigger boy is grey while the little boy is green. The downside to that is the fact that the colors go with certain styles- so one has tube socks while the other has crew.

* For dark colored socks or stockings, I use a white-out pen. I can either put the initial inside the top seam, or on the toe. I think a white fabric marker might work too, if it is not the puffy kind that wears off.

* Whenever possible, everyone has a size. We have three girls who are within 18 months of each other, and keeping track of the clothes got to be tough. Since most of what they wear can be tweaked a bit size wise (no jeans to worry about, nothing tight fitting, and skirts can be modest at the calf or the ankle) we would assign the tallest girl size 6, the middle size 5, and the smallest size 4. That REALLY helped with the laundry sorting. Whenever we couldn't get different sizes, we would write their initial on the tag with- you guessed it- permanent marker.

* Each child has a color. Water glass, toothbrush, hairbrush, raincoat- we can again tell right away by the color. For the families who have more kids than colors- again try a permanent marker. If you have 2 kids with purple toothbrushes, draw a very dark line around the handle of one. It is still easier to remember two purples, one with a line, than to have no system whatsoever!

* Partner off. When we go anywhere, everyone must hold a hand. Even if we happen to have an odd number, we will have three kids holding hands rather than one kid alone. This helps to keep track in case someone would fall away. If I see one child standing alone, I know there is a problem.

* Have as much community property as possible. I do understand having things of your own, and that is part of the individuality God gave to each of us. We like different things and participate in different activities, and that requires (or allows) us to each have things that are just ours. But there is TOO MUCH individual ownership by children now. It creates distentions when someone is forever saying "MINE"! Instead, have relatives give group gifts at the Holidays, or save up the Family Fun budget for something everyone can have or do together. For example, I do not see the point of allowing one child to own a board game. No board game can be played alone, and if it belongs to one person, it will invariably cause a fight or tension when it some time to use it- who makes the rules, who chooses first, etc. We have reduced the number of gifts our children are allowed to receive each year anyway, but we also try to do more 'everybody' gifts. They are just as excited to open and use them, and then we stop the pride before it starts.

If I think of more, I will share them later. Do you have a tip to share?

Mittens and Kids

I realized early on that kids have a propensity for losing one of a set of gloves or mittens. Even a responsible child will invariably end up with one hand in the cold. I think the weight of winter wear along with the numbness from being outside create an unawareness of when one mitten falls out of the pocket (or even the hand!) and something must be done! They used to have mittens on a string that went through each arm hole, but after some terrible tragedies with kids and school buses, they were done away with. Now they have short snap-on straps that look like the kind you would use to hold on an ironing board cover or bed sheet, but they are not very attractive, and if you need a pair for each of 7 children, it will cost a bit. Instead, I sew the glove to the inside of the coat arm.

First, find some thread that closely matches the glove color, but is also durable. With the coat in your lap and looking down at the front (so the hood is against your chest and the bottom is on the floor) grab the inside of the arm on one side. Now we need to be careful about the location of the inside, because seams in coats can be misleading. When the coat is lying flat, the inside of the arm should be resting against the tunic part of the coat. If necessary, have the child try the coat on and mark with a safety pin the location of the thumb side of his wrist. Take the glove belonging to the arm you are currently working on and place it at the end of the sleeve where it would normally be.

* If the coat has an elastic banding at the sleeve, turn the mitten or glove backward so that the thumb side of the wrist and the thumb side of the sleeve are touching. Sew a 1/2" wide loop, starting inside the coat, about 8 times to get a strong attachment. When you tie off the thread and cut it, the glove should be easily moved into the correct position.

* If the coat has an inner elastic band covered by a longer quilted sleeve, pull the band out, turning the sleeve back, and attach as above. This is necessary in order for the coat arm not to bunch when the gloves are worn due to the discrepancy in length.

I also attach scarves in the same manner to the back inside of the coat neck, but this is not recommended if your child rides a bus as the dragging scarf can be a potential catch point as well.

Making over Pants for girls

Our family has chosen to live in such a way that conveys our beliefs as much as possible just by first glance. One of the ways, then, is for girls to dress modestly and femininely, in skirts or dresses. Sometimes, though, other family members will buy our girls pants, or I will find very cute sweater sets that come with pants on the clearance rack. I especially love corduroy as it is durable and warm, so the thought of either giving away or throwing away part of an outfit (especially by the company whose kids' clothes are OK ;-) feels like waste.

I have found a way to turn those pants into a skirt, still modest and durable, with very little effort. This is a great way to use those over-alls that are so cute without compromising femininity. Below are the directions. I will include pictures when I have them.

1. Have child try on pants and decide on desired length. Cut legs off at one inch BELOW this line. Save legs.

2. Cut the inside seam out of the pants, staying as close to the seam as possible. This will create an open-legged pair of shorts.

3. Cut the inside and outside seams from one of the pantlegs, staying as close to the seam as possible.

4. Using Heat and Bond or Stitch Witchery, fold and iron a seam for the bottom of each leg of the shorts.

5. On just ONE SIDE of the middle front seam, cut up one inch. Do this also on the middle seam in the back. Turn shorts inside-out.

6. Cut thin strips of bonding agent and fold over material to create a bonded seam up the front on both sides (the one-inch slit will allow you to fold the actual sewn seam to one side and iron it flat). Repeat on back of shorts. You should now have a pair of shorts with no inseam, but with bonded hems and seams around the entire bottom inch of material.

7. Cut a large piece of bonding agent to just 1/4' smaller than saved pantleg. Trim the middle triangle out of the bonding agent and proceed to iron 'patch' to inside of shorts, using the original hem as your bottom seam. Place patch about 1/2' above bottom hem of shorts to create a dart or pleat look. Iron fully.