Knitting Looms

 Sister time.

Board games with dad.

The boys accidentally dressed in the same color shirt and pants one day and wanted me to take a picture of them.

My children are growing up.  I have been happy and enjoyed each stage they have all went thru as they have grown.  I love being a mom.  The quiet hours of cuddle time, around the clock as infants, was such a wonderful time of bonding even when they were fussy.  The toddler years, often refereed to as the "terrible twos", was also a time of me learning who they were as they exerted their little personalities.  From age two to five they are like little sponges, learning quickly things we do and don't want them to learn.   By the time they hit those years that they are six to pre-teen there is a lot of character building and learning going on.  Lots of long talks, school work and some discipline thrown in there.  Often just in the form of responsibilities and chores.  I even enjoyed the ones I have had that went thru or are still in their teen years.  They become my children and friends at that point, as we have long regular talks with lots of questions, receiving a lot of guidance, as they are trying to figure out their beliefs and direction for life.  God is so good.  Always.  I love being a mom.

Lately, as I observe my girls, I no longer see them as little children.  Elizabeth came to me a few weeks ago and said she felt she was to old to be playing with dolls and her play cooking toys anymore.  She wanted to wash them all up and put them in the attic.  Sigh.  The girls no longer play dress up, dolls, house or make believe.  When I seek them out in there quiet time, I find them quietly tucked away reading a book or talking in the living room and working on a craft.  They each have a hope chest in their room they make things for and put things in.  All of their sweet hopes and things they would like for their future when they grow up and/or get married.  They really are young ladies in a lot of ways now.

Granted they are not like this always.  There is still bickering and silliness, horse back riding, jumping in the leaves and playing in the dirt but I see them becoming more and more mature every day.

Around the holidays Tim and I got each of the girls a loom for making rubber band bracelets.

The girls loved them and have made so many bracelets for them selves and every one they know.

As I watched them enjoying themselves for hours with these looms I wished there was something like those looms that made things more permanent and functional than rubber band bracelets.  As I was wondering around Wal-mart one day I saw exactly what I was wanting for them.  They are knitting looms.

As a girl, my mom taught me and my sister how to cook, bake, keep house, sew, do needle work, crochet and all those things young ladies in our area were taught to do to be good wives once grown.   My mom was so talented in all those areas.  She made wedding dresses for people she was such a good seamstress and also made professional wedding cakes.  She was taught by her mom who was very talented as well in all those skills.   I will tell you in all honesty, and you might have guessed,  crochet and needle work is not my kind of hobby to spend my time doing because... if my dad was home, I was my dads tool girl and my preference was and is building things, gardening, farm work and home improvement projects.  My sister was the one who loved crocheting and being inside.   She is amazing talented and carries on that lineage.  I don't sit still well.

Anyways, I have had to brush the dust off my skills in those crafty type areas as both of my girls seem to be ones who like those things.  I did not think they were at the level where they could learn actual crocheting or knitting because of their special needs in spacial relations, following detailed instructions and fine motor skills.  Especially, with Elizabeth's cerebral palsy in her hands.  So, I thought these looms perfect.  I sat down with them for just a short time and Carolyn had it.  A little more time with Elizabeth and she did as well.  Carolyn has become a knitting machine.  In two days she made a hat for herself.

Antonio loved it so  much he wanted her to make him one.  She is working on that one now.

She then has an order from Zeke for one as well.  Then she wants to try a scarf to match her hat she made for herself.  Elizabeth is still steadily working away at her hat.  It is much more difficult for her but she is working at it.

I can not tell you how much it warms my heart to walk into the living room and see them knitting away and talking about things.  So grown up and mature.  It brings back memories of my childhood.  Before VCR's, DVD's, video games and home computers.  Days when children played outside daily as the weather permitted and did handiwork thru the winter or on rainy days.  They learned skills in their spare time that would serve them some how in their future.  A time when people had time for hobbies and crafts because there was so much less in life to distract us and idly use up our time.  Not that everyone's life is this way or that way... but I love it that the girls have made the choice to enjoy functional type things that I myself learned as a child.  Now to just get them interested in using power tools!  :)

Proverbs 31: 10-31
¹⁰ Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
¹¹ The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
¹² She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
¹³ She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
¹⁵ She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
¹⁶ She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
¹⁷ She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
¹⁸ She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
¹⁹ She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
²⁰ She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
²¹ She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
²² She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
²³ Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
²⁵ Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
²⁶ She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
²⁷ She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
²⁹ Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
³⁰ Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Blessings, 
susan