I have been putting the finishing touches on lots of little sewing projects.  An afternoon of kids printing onto fabric has been turned into a dozen little zipped pouches.

I think I might have got it down to a fine production line*.  I am sucked by the bright colours and expressiveness of their little art works.  I think we may need to make some more for Christmas and end of year teacher presents. However, the next task is to match each pouch with its maker.

*I sometimes wonder if the wed needs yet another zippered pouch tutorial, but I am sorely tempted to write one, including measurements, printing techniques, ink setting process.  What do you think? Should I? Would you use it?

Today's adventure started with some decorating.  We stamped and typed little paper bags.  H typed beautiful lines of gibberish and E went for terms of endearment.

Little adventures are everywhere.  To celebrate the school holidays, we're having 5 days of adventures - each day a little bit of something to keep little hands busy.  Today, we're knitting.

The girls have been playing with these for the last few weeks.  After some experimenting, I would recommend french knitting for 7yrs plus or a very enthusiastic 5yr old.  While my 4 year old finds the french knitting appealing* the co-ordination is not quite there.

We have knitted our way through the pieces of wool that came with the doll.  The coaster was carefully stitched after the kids went to bed, keeping up a fine family tradition of coasters for Grandma**.

E is now knitting her way through a  multicolored ball of knotted ends.  The different lengths add to the effect.

You can make a knitting doll with a wooden cotton reel and carpet tacks.  There is a tutorial over at Knit for Victory.

*H picked up her doll, with the knitting already started and exclaimed "Look how much poos is coming out!"

**Mum stitched up our finger knitting and Gran used them as a coaster for her morning teapot and cuppa.

As part of the Small Hands Christmas Swap, we needed to find some simple cards that everyone in the family could make. We decided on these Pipe Cleaner Christmas Tree Cards. I know it's a bit of a mouthful to say, but so much fun to make.

To make your own you will need:
Card stock (we used red, obviously)
Ice block sticks
PVA Glue
Pipe cleaners
Beads
Pliers (for cutting the pipe cleaners)
Scissors (for cutting the paper)

Step 1 - Cut pipe cleaners and wrap then around the ice-block stick tree trunk. Using the pliers, pinch each set of branches to hold then in place and then, with the pliers again, trim the tree to shape.

Step 2 - Thread the beads onto the branches.

Step 3 - Cut card to size and fold. Glue the back of the trunk to the tree. If needed hold the trunk in place with pegs until the glue dries.

There you have it. Finished trees. The kids' involvement varies with age - Miss 4 was able to wrap the pipe cleaners around each trunk and both Miss 2 & 4 too great delight in threading the beads on. We even had enough left over to start making beaded stars and course, I got a little carried away thinking about other shapes you could make.

I have often wished for something magical that did your dishes while you were not looking. I think I may have found one. As you can see, Miss H had some time to spare while waiting to go trick of treating.

It has been a full on week in the Seven Stitches household and I feel like I am only just coming up for air. I'm looking forward to a day with the kids tomorrow, doing kiddy things and hoping for another visit from the cleaning fairies.

On another note, the Small Hands Christmas Swap partners have been emailed out, so everyone should be making or thinking of making at the moment. Wonderful, I'm off to put my feet up.

Sign ups are still open for the Small Hands Christmas Swap. There is a delightful list of Helping Hands gathering below the button* to the left too. These Helping Hands have signed up on behalf of some very eager Small Hands. Drop me a line of you would like to join them.

I've been hunting for some craft ideas for your small hands. The projects above were found by searching through both The Crafty Crow** and Sew Mama Sew. You can find details for each of these projects in the following locations:

1 - Bead Stars
2 - Mini Wreathes
3 -Thumbprint trees
4 - Kids Felt Decorations
5 - Cork Trees6 - Paper Balls
7 -Clothes Peg Fairies
8 - Bullfinch Decorations
9 - Pinecone elves

And there is a whole heap of Christmas Card ideas over here too.

*It's finally working, but you will need to head over to the flickr group to get your copy of the button.

** Pure brilliance in kids craft. If you haven't visited there already, you must. Go! Now! or even shortly after signing up for the swap.

In our house, we love to make things. We love to post them too. My children watch with awe as new parcels arrive in the mail box, so this year I am setting up the Small Hands Christmas Swap. It is a swap where the children have a chance to get creative and get posting.

Each set of little hands will be making a Christmas Card and a decoration to send to their partner. The task is inclusive rather than demanding. While you will not need to put glue to paper straight away, the swap has been set up early in order to get you thinking about it well before December.

Pairs of hands will be put together with some consideration of age. Upon consideration, a 9 year old has very little appreciation for 2 year old's experimental drawings and neither is the two year old impressed with intricate cutting skills of a big kid.

Here’s what you need to know:

When is it?
Sign ups are open October 6 – October 27
Pairs of hands will be emailed out November 2
Posting starts November 25 and finishes on December 9

How do I sign up?
Drop me an email seven.stitches.amy(at) gmail (dot) com with your name, the name of the little hands, your contact email and postal addresses, their age and two things about them and Christmas
i.e Miss January is 1, loves wrapping paper and twinkly things
or Master August is 7 and while he thinks spiderman is the bees knees, he thinks father Christmas looks pretty good in red too.
Be sure to join the flickr group too.


What if I haven’t a child?
If you have a significant set of little hands in your life, be it nieces, nephews or the kids you baby sit every second week talk to them about joining in. Perhaps it is something you could do together.


What if I have more than one child?
By all means sign up all who are interested and going to be able to take part in the swap.

Is it open to international participants?
Yes it is open to international participants. However to keep postage times short, if possible I will pair up the little hands within the same country.


If there is anything I haven’t covered here, drop me a line and I will get back to you quickly. Over the next few weeks I will be adding a list of participants to the side bar and posting links to some great tutorials for Christmas crafts suitable for little hands.

My kids love Christmas and they love opening mail, so I'm combining the two. You can join me.

The Small Hands Christmas Swap is coming soon. Watch this space.