Its finally done

Rhett was invited to a costume party and of course me being me would not go out and buy him one. Why should I? So I decided to torture myself and make him one.
I wanted to make him a Japanese outfit. It has Hakama pants, kosode and jacket.
Now, I really can't sew. I like to think I can, but I really do detest it. I am not that methodical. I do not like to do things in order and sewing makes me do things in order.

I don't think it came out all that bad. My sewing machine hates me and made sure the thread broke about every 30 seconds or so. It took me such a long time to get the jacket done whereas I had no problem with the pants.
I would have made Rhett dress up, but he fell asleep on me. I was even tempted to wake him up and make him try it on. Oh well. I shall get pictures of him tomorrow at the party.

Unschooling method (yes, its a rant)

This is in response to those who tell me: "I know some unschoolers and they just let their children play video games all day, every day. They do absolutely nothing with their kids..."

I love unschooling and I realize that it is not for everyone. It does take a leap of faith to believe that your children will learn while letting them follow their own interests.
It may look like, to others especially critical ones, that my children do nothing all day. It may look like they play games all day or are on the computer all day. However, they are not with us all day. My four year old does play quite a bit of games but he also tells the most amazing stories from imagination, is learning to read, can recite songs as well as make some up on his own, is learning about different types of bugs, learning to sew, knows how to needle felt as well as wet felt and is learning to crochet. He is learning to read in Japanese, loves to help me cook, plays with the dogs, gardens and collect pieces of wood that he calls swords. This is pretty much on his own without my coaxing, coaching or making him sit at a table for hours on end.

My older son has a wealth of interests although you wouldn't think that with the amount of time he spends on Facebook or texting his friends. He wants to write a book, he is interested in atvs, motorbikes, horses, taking things apart, and music. He does awesome in public speaking and goes out of his way to help people.

Most unschoolers are not doing nothing all day. It may seem like it but there is usually a lot more learning going on than they let on and unless you spend 24/7 with one, you will not know it.
So before a person says: "I know an unschooler and they do absolutely nothing..." Make sure you have your facts straight and hard evidence before you start ranting about how the parents are ruining their children by this method and they are neglectful. It just might stop some animosity from growing.
Oh~I'm sure there are some homeschooling parents out there that do neglect their children and they are the ones that get the most publicity because they are the ones who get in the news. However, they are really few and far between.

Projects

Keeping busy and putting my mind to other things has been an obsession. If I stop to think I cry so I try not to think. I miss my mom. Its hard not to wish the person who hit her is suffering as much as I am. But I know she has her own thoughts and feelings to live with. Forgiveness...I am really trying.

So here are some of the projects that I have been working on lately. I made another drop spindle so I can work on two projects instead of waiting to clear one spindle before starting on another. I want to make a top whorl spindle next.

I love how the green dye came out. In one bath I ended up with three shades of green due to the Ascorbic Acid I added to it. This is sheep wool from an unknown donor. I got a couple of bags of wool from a wonderful person off of Craig's list.

Yes, before you ask, that is a drop spindle made from tinkertoy parts. It works fabulously too. This is a mixture of white and blonde from an llama. Another wonderful find off of Craig's list. Eight bags of llama fleece of varying colour.

Here is a finished hank of the green. I used food colouring. I was thinking of raiding a neighbours walnut tree, but then I thought...I already have some beautiful natural brown wool and llama fleece. I was trying to dig up some yellow dock that grows in the area, but they are hard to get out. I hear they make a vibrant yellowish orange. I suppose I should just try a little harder.

I am going to dye this using tumeric. I want to see the difference between tumeric and the dock root once I get it.

I am not much of a knitter or crocheter. I am learning to knit but I am slow and clumsy and forget where I am at often. I did make my little one some socks to run around the house in. They were full of mistakes, but of course he didn't mind. He watched me make them so he thought they were very special and each day he would ask me if they were done yet.
He loves to help me spin as he spins the spindle while I draft the roving. He also loves to play with the fiber and is getting quite good at needle felting.