Mars is running out of clothes to wear. It isn’t easy shopping for this first-born child of mine for the following reasons:

(1) She is not your average girly girl. Now, I’m not unhappy about this, but in a country like Pakistan where stores cater only to girly girls, it is a problem. I was a tomboy myself – hated eveything fussy and frilly and would not be caught dead in anything pink. Mars is a lot like that, but a little better. She will wear skirts (which I’d never deigned to wear back in the day, LOL!) and things slightly (keyword being SLIGHTLY) feminine, provided they have an edge. They have to look grungy, shabby chic or retro … they just cannot be prissy and they cannot be, you’ve got it, PINK.

(2) She believes in covering up. This, of course, I’m pleased about. She started wearing the headscarf back when she was 2 going on 3 (not full time). I remember when her aunt told her it was way too hot once when they were going out – it was a sweltering Isloo summer – and told her not to wear the scarf. She cried her eyes out. I had to step in when I heard the commotion and tell the aunt that it wouldn’t harm her and that we shouldn’t stop children if they want to do what’s good. ANYWAY! By the time she was 5, she wore the scarf full time and stopped wearing short-sleeves out of the home (she’d wear them with a long-sleeved T under). These days, she prefers wearing her abayas out. I do want to get some more abayas and long-sleeved blouses tailored for her, but we’ll still need some jeans and Ts though for her outdoor play and “explorations”.

(3) She has odd taste. I should say that she basks in her individuality :P This is a girl who asked me to embroider a skull and crossbones on her bookbag! She looks at skater Ts and grungy hoodies with longing. I had, last year, bought a couple for her that were not masculine and that suited her colour, but we’ve really run out of luck in this department this winter. In Pakistan, you don’t always get a good range – some of the skater Ts and hoodies are garish and downright awful. She has scoffed at the girls’ sections – they have glitter and lace (oh yes, those are out too, didn’t I tell you?), silly captions (“Adore Me!” … “I LOVE to Daaance!”) and just plain horrid pictures.

So what’s a desperate mum to do? Well, I’ve been thinking… The stores these days are selling lots of plain cotton Ts that serve as undershirts – they are long-sleeved and turtle-necked and look quite decent on their own. The fabric is also quite thick and durable. I thought I would buy loads of these for Mars and… EMBROIDER THEM!

Genius, no?

Heh, I actually got the idea from this site which I’d bookmarked ages ago: Made By Joel. (There are LOTS of wonderfully creative ideas for toys and games that you can make yourself so check the site out.)

I’ll look up some urban and funky designs in shaa Allah and give it a shot. I might even applique! I must remember to steer Mars away from her skull and crossbones notions… I might also make some for Bear although she has been fortunate – there are loads of very lovely clothes for kids her age. Well, the dad man did buy a pink T with a crown that said “Princess”. Bear has vowed to cover it up with a very anti-Princess caption. This is all Mars’ influence I tell you… :P

Again we know that the human hand hand is a wonderful and exquisite instrument to be used in a hundred movements exacting delicacy, direction and force; every such movement is a cause of joy as it leads to the pleasure of execution and the triumph of success. We begin to understand this and make some efforts to train the young in the deft handling of tools and the practice of handicrafts. Some day perhaps, we shall see apprenticeship to trades revived and good and beautiful work enforced. In so far, we are laying ourselves out to secure that each shall “live his life”; and that, not at his neighbor’s expense; because, so wonderful is the economy of the world that when a man really lives his life he benefits his neighbor as wll as himself; we all thrive in the well being of each.
~ Charlotte Mason, Volume 6, Philosophy of Education p. 328

I’ve just treated myself to some lovely redwork patterns … an `Eid prezzie so to speak :)

As I look at my needles and threads, I am reminded of the art lessons I had when I was in my second year of primary school, at age 8. Looking back on that time, I realise that my schooling that year had many Charlotte Mason elements! We spent a great deal of time on penmanship, reading and useful handicrafts. The crafts we learnt were not dime-a-dozen projects… rather, we made things that were very worthwhile. We did weaving, raffia stitching and even needlework.

I remember when we spent a few months working on our cross stitch samplers. The entire class had to work on this, even the boys! We were each given a piece of Aida fabric and assorted embroidery flosses. We would form a queue in front of the teacher’s desk and hand her our cloth, whereupon she would help us individually. She demonstrated how to stitch a pattern and sent us back to our seats to repeat the pattern. Once we successfully completed a row, we rejoined the queue to get a new row of patterns to work on. When we had filled the entire fabric, we got them stitched into a rectangular pencil case. (Our mums helped to sew up the zippers and hems.)

It was very painstaking work obviously, but one that gave me a lot of satisfaction. My teacher, who was NOT known for her patience, admirably curbed her temper during art and craft hour and persevered in guiding us through our projects. That was the only time I believe, that I received any useful training in art.

By the time I was in secondary school in my teens, education had changed a great deal. It was all about textbooks, exams and grades. Art lessons were reduced to only drawing and painting. We did campaign posters, still life, tiles and such and used different paints and pencils, but it was really essentially just drawing and painting. No real coaching was actually given – you either had the talent or you endured the lessons and horrid grades you received.

I would have loved it if we had art appreciation and art history woven into our lessons and learnt the techniques that the artists employed. I wish we had also been taught other forms of art and craft like knitting, crochet, collage making, stitchery among others as well. (I was terrible at drawing and sketching so I would have liked to have been given the opportunity to try other art forms and media.) I guess that would have taken too much time and been too difficult to grade for exams.

It wasn’t until I had children that I had the desire to get involved in handicrafts. Prior to that, I’d never thought that I could. After all, my grades in art were dismal, weren’t they? I loved the idea of passing on something made with love, by hand, to my children.

So, I tried overcoming my fear of failure and my tendency to overthink things and plunged into craftdom by embarking on a few simple embroidery projects. I’m not what you would call competent and I don’t have the time to be more committed, but I find joy in trying and I think that is what matters.

I want my children to have skills which would serve them well in their adult lives, skills that would bless not only their lives, but also that of others. There is a quote by Charlotte Mason that struck me:

The points to be borne in children’s handicrafts are: (a) that they should not be employed in making futilities such a pea and stick work, paper mats, and the like; (b) that they should be taught slowly and carefully what they are to do; (c) that slipshod work should not be allowed; (d) and that, therefore, the children’s work should be kept well within their compass.
~ Charlotte Mason, Volume 1, Home Education pp 315, 316.

I’ve been thinking of appropriate handicraft ideas for my children… projects that they can easily manage and which they can further develop. I’ve been so inspired by sisters like Fruitful Fusion, Kate and Umme Yusuf. In shaa Allah no more waste and creating of futilities! Here are some I’ve come up with:

• Baking and cooking – We’ve been cooking together almost everyday and as a special `Eid celebration, I’ve taught them a simple baked pasta recipe today!
• Cross stitch – Mars has done a few and can read the patterns well. Bear is working on a sampler.
• Long stitch – Bear is slowly working on a small project
• Sashiko – this would be particularly good for beginning embroiderers I think as the stitches are easily executed.
• Embroidery – there are primitive/country designs that are easy for young ones to tackle. I made a simple pattern for Bear to tack.
• Braiding and macrame – Mars has made a few friendship bracelets… things get a little messy and tangled though!
• Knitting – Mars has learnt this from her grandmothers! I’m still talking about learning how to knit :P For shame!
• Crochet
• Woodwork – I would love to bring in a carpenter to teach my kids!
• Beading
• Felt projects
• Mending, repurposing and refurbishing clothes and other things – I think as Muslims, we would do well not to waste

What handicrafts have you taught your kids?