As a very basic update to things around here..... BAHHHHHH.
Halloween was fun. Kayla was a tutu kitty cat, and she went trick-or-treating with Kylie's family. It was really great to see Kylie in her own home. I think that if it's possible, any caretaker should take any opportunity to see their children in their own homes for a little while. Whether there's any merit to it or not, I really felt that seeing her play with her brothers in her own home, eat dinner at the family table, and just observing her where she lives really made me feel closer to her. When I see her now it feels like she's extended family instead of a stranger's child.
Thanksgiving was also very nice. We spent the weekend following it at Brian's parent's house. Kayla got to see Emma, Gabriella and Tom.
And December has been hectic. We didn't even decorate outside this year. It kept getting put off for one reason or another, and now it's just too late to bother. All that work for only a week or two of enjoying it... no thanks. The tree is up and that seems to amuse the girls enough. Christmas cards are addressed and ready to be sent, but I just have to get more stamps.
Not much as changed around the house as far as the babysitting has gone. A gate has gone up across part of the kitchen blocking some shelves with appliances and the cat litter box. Kylie has free run of both rooms, which is more that we did for Kayla. She likes sliding around on her bum. We also installed a fridge lock, which is the greatest thing ever. Although, it broke recently. So I guess it's not really the greatest thing ever, but it's still a neat little thing that saved a lot of headaches.
Kayla and I have done a few cute projects over the past few months that I'll have to upload in another post.
Wow, all over the place. Plans for Christmas are very unsettled. All we know is that Christmas day, we will be with my family for dinner at 2. Other than that, I have no idea what's happening. I guess we shall see.
Ok, that was a very, very short updated on the past couple of months. Off to read, and then to bed!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Another Random Day
Today is October 13th, and it's just an ordinary Wednesday. I don't have anything significant to write about, but I just figured that I haven't in a while so I should.
Kylie is a little more than 6 months old now and she's already sitting up, pulling herself up, and trying to move in ways a normal 6 month old doesn't. I am pretty sure that Kayla was only rolling at this point, and perfecting sitting up. Kylie is ridiculously strong. I guess having two older brothers and Kayla to watch all day makes you really want to get going. The only problem is that she's so anxious to really move that she gets frustrated because she can't. You can tell she's trying to do things she's just not ready to do and it's understandably upsetting her. Once she does take off, though, I think I'll be in trouble!
Kayla's finally coming out of her terrible-twos. At least I think so, and at the risk of jinxing it. She's still got moments of total terror, but she's also more even-tempered and cooperative. She understands what we tell her almost completely now so she's follows directions really well. We can tell her to throw something in the garbage and she'll walk over and do it. We can tell her to wait by the stairs for us and she'll go and stand there until we come to get her. Little things like that that seem simple and unimportant, but it's a world of difference when it comes to the battles we normally have.
She is even starting to climb less, but it's not done completely.
Kylie went through a phase for a while where she was pretty much inconsolable all the time, and it was a rough few weeks. Nothing you did helped her... and when I say I tried everything, I mean EVERYTHING. Kayla was colicky so I know all the tricks. I think part of the problem was that she wasn't drinking well from the bottles we were using. It was either lucky timing or the bottles were the problem, because as soon as I switched to the standard sized Playtex Ventaire bottles, she drank like she had never eaten before in her life, and everything else started to even out as well. She still fights her naps and she's a baby who definitely needs a nap, so sometimes the days are pretty long come the afternoon. But we're getting there and I'll take this over what we were doing before.
That's pretty much what's been happening around here. We got rid of the outside stuff for the winter, so we've already started our hibernation. I sure hope that it doesn't snow a lot this year!!
Kylie is a little more than 6 months old now and she's already sitting up, pulling herself up, and trying to move in ways a normal 6 month old doesn't. I am pretty sure that Kayla was only rolling at this point, and perfecting sitting up. Kylie is ridiculously strong. I guess having two older brothers and Kayla to watch all day makes you really want to get going. The only problem is that she's so anxious to really move that she gets frustrated because she can't. You can tell she's trying to do things she's just not ready to do and it's understandably upsetting her. Once she does take off, though, I think I'll be in trouble!
Kayla's finally coming out of her terrible-twos. At least I think so, and at the risk of jinxing it. She's still got moments of total terror, but she's also more even-tempered and cooperative. She understands what we tell her almost completely now so she's follows directions really well. We can tell her to throw something in the garbage and she'll walk over and do it. We can tell her to wait by the stairs for us and she'll go and stand there until we come to get her. Little things like that that seem simple and unimportant, but it's a world of difference when it comes to the battles we normally have.
She is even starting to climb less, but it's not done completely.
Kylie went through a phase for a while where she was pretty much inconsolable all the time, and it was a rough few weeks. Nothing you did helped her... and when I say I tried everything, I mean EVERYTHING. Kayla was colicky so I know all the tricks. I think part of the problem was that she wasn't drinking well from the bottles we were using. It was either lucky timing or the bottles were the problem, because as soon as I switched to the standard sized Playtex Ventaire bottles, she drank like she had never eaten before in her life, and everything else started to even out as well. She still fights her naps and she's a baby who definitely needs a nap, so sometimes the days are pretty long come the afternoon. But we're getting there and I'll take this over what we were doing before.
That's pretty much what's been happening around here. We got rid of the outside stuff for the winter, so we've already started our hibernation. I sure hope that it doesn't snow a lot this year!!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Housewifery Randomness
I just had to post that I finally found a bath towel that is both affordable, and, so far, quality merchandise. I've spent all of my adult life (that's right, from the time I was 18!!) unsuccessfully buying towels. Every single one I have purchased wound up fraying, or losing its color, or just falling apart within a few washes. But finally, I think I've found a nice towel that we can actually afford an entire set.
These are the towels:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-True-Colors-6-Piece-Bright-Towel-Set-Violet/5715908
Mainstays True Colors towels, sold at Walmart. I only bought two large bath towels for 5 dollars a piece to try, but I plan on going back and getting more. They passed all the tests- the first wash was successful without fading, pulls, or falling apart,; the first use I found them absorbent, warm, and fuzzy; and they dry quickly. They also come in a variety of colors.... I didn't get this fantastic purple color, but I got a teal color that matches our bathroom and it's equally as pretty.
Awesome towels. I can't vouch for their long-term wear, but so far, they have made me a happy camper. If you're in the market for new bath towels, check these out.
These are the towels:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-True-Colors-6-Piece-Bright-Towel-Set-Violet/5715908
Mainstays True Colors towels, sold at Walmart. I only bought two large bath towels for 5 dollars a piece to try, but I plan on going back and getting more. They passed all the tests- the first wash was successful without fading, pulls, or falling apart,; the first use I found them absorbent, warm, and fuzzy; and they dry quickly. They also come in a variety of colors.... I didn't get this fantastic purple color, but I got a teal color that matches our bathroom and it's equally as pretty.
Awesome towels. I can't vouch for their long-term wear, but so far, they have made me a happy camper. If you're in the market for new bath towels, check these out.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Hairbows
I have a slight obsession with hairbows. I was so excited to find out we were having a girl, and solely because I was looking forward to dressing her up and accessorizing her.
Now, I've gotten pretty good at making some of them. I was intending on learning to make hairbows and sell them online or at craft fairs, so I stocked up on ribbon and dove headfirst into it. Well, Brian sprung an engagement on me and wedding planning sort of overtook my life for six months. By the time the wedding was over, I had started this childcare thing, and bow-making fell to the bottom of the list of priorities. I have made many in the meantime, but they're all for Kayla or her cousin, Emma, and I just don't have the energy left over from everything else to sell them. So I just consider it a nice little hobby to help accessorize Kayla and her cousin (very soon-to be TWO cousins).
Some I've made:
(Both Emma and Kayla are wearing some of them)
... and those are just a few. Her fall outfits already have coordinating bows. But, I still always recommend the website http://fiveblessedbows.com/ especially for newborn bows. Even when Kayla only have about 5 strands of hair on her head, the bows from this site stayed in. They use some grippy material that is awesome, and their bows are incredible. I still wind up buying from them on occasion because their products are professional quality and I'm just not there yet.
Those are a couple of newborn sized grippers from the site. That's not even an early enough picture to show how well they stay in, but our computer only has pictures from May of 2009 and on, no earlier. But these bows were used when she was less than a month old and could have been used from day one had we known about them beforehand!
Kylie (the baby I watch) has been given some of Kayla's hand-me-down gripper bows and uses them, and I fully intend to make sure that Kayla's newest cousin who is on the way, Gabriella, has a nice stock of bows, as well. For her baby shower, Kayla is giving her cousin a NY Yankees bow, to start her collection. =)
Now, I've gotten pretty good at making some of them. I was intending on learning to make hairbows and sell them online or at craft fairs, so I stocked up on ribbon and dove headfirst into it. Well, Brian sprung an engagement on me and wedding planning sort of overtook my life for six months. By the time the wedding was over, I had started this childcare thing, and bow-making fell to the bottom of the list of priorities. I have made many in the meantime, but they're all for Kayla or her cousin, Emma, and I just don't have the energy left over from everything else to sell them. So I just consider it a nice little hobby to help accessorize Kayla and her cousin (very soon-to be TWO cousins).
Some I've made:
(Both Emma and Kayla are wearing some of them)
... and those are just a few. Her fall outfits already have coordinating bows. But, I still always recommend the website http://fiveblessedbows.com/ especially for newborn bows. Even when Kayla only have about 5 strands of hair on her head, the bows from this site stayed in. They use some grippy material that is awesome, and their bows are incredible. I still wind up buying from them on occasion because their products are professional quality and I'm just not there yet.
Those are a couple of newborn sized grippers from the site. That's not even an early enough picture to show how well they stay in, but our computer only has pictures from May of 2009 and on, no earlier. But these bows were used when she was less than a month old and could have been used from day one had we known about them beforehand!
Kylie (the baby I watch) has been given some of Kayla's hand-me-down gripper bows and uses them, and I fully intend to make sure that Kayla's newest cousin who is on the way, Gabriella, has a nice stock of bows, as well. For her baby shower, Kayla is giving her cousin a NY Yankees bow, to start her collection. =)
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Daycare- Why It's Not For Us
I'm not even sure why I'm writing this. I would love to say it's not because I'm trying to defend myself, but sometimes it does feel like I am. At different points in Kayla's life I've encountered people from all walks of life who feel differently that I do about the idea of daycare. Some of them were very well-mannered and nice about voicing their opinions,others have been pretty blunt, and some even down-right rude.
So first of all, I'd like to start by saying that I'm not anti-daycare in general. I know that some people feel that it's good for their families to utilize daycare and have both parents work. I also know that some people, if not most, have to use a daycare because of financial reasons, or being they are a single parents, or whatever the case. I also think that some centers can be pretty bad, while others extremely nice. The employees there, the same. Some are probably grouchy and miserable, and others are probably some of the nicest people you will meet. The way I feel about it isn't based on anything but what I want for my daughter and for our family.
My first gripe about daycare came when I was originally searching them out and came to discover places that had their days broken down into 15-30 minute schedules. Now, I'm no dummy. I understand that when you have 5-10 toddlers per every adult, that there absolutely HAS to be schedules. I know that without routine that a situation like that would most definitely turn into pandemonium. And I'm aware that the schedules are for both the teachers and the children. I've been told that toddlers like schedules, that it makes the feel safe and they like to know what to expect. I have one alteration to that statement to make- DAYCARE toddlers like schedules because they know what to expect. Because not only does it become a part of their lives just as much as being home, but because they are in an environment where they are constantly on the verge of chaos. With so many children to every adult it would be very easy to throw things off-kilter.
But a toddler by nature isn't supposed to be set into a strict schedule. It's in toddler nature to explore. To push the limits and to see what they can do. To discover. And ideally, nurturing a toddlers natural curiosity should be balanced with a sense of stability and comfort, so they can go out and explore while maintaining that sense of safeness.
That's why I just think that the daycare toddler and the non-daycare toddler are two different types of children. Not in a bad way, but it can't be any other way. Daycare children are wired to routines. They need it, and they become a child that needs a schedule that is pretty intense. Several of my facebook friends messaged me to tell me that their children, all full-time daycare children, would throw fits when they weren't kept to their regular routines. They we weary and uneasy and easily stressed because of change. Even at home, simple routine changes were met with some form of apprehension. The toddler that isn't in a daycare, however, is usually not kept on a tight schedule and therefore never becomes accustomed to it. In other words, the non-daycare child is much more open to sudden changes and tend to be more ready for anything. And call me crazy, but if I have the opportunity to choose one of these to opposites for my daughter, I want the latter. I would love for Kayla to have the best chance at being flexible and adaptable.
Would she do well in a daycare setting? Sure, I'm sure she, like most kids, would come to settle nicely in her school. As of this point, she IS pretty easy-going and doesn't seem upset by changes in her days, so I think that enrolling her wouldn't cause any drastic, over-night changes in her. I'm not as confident, though, that keeping her in school full-time wouldn't change that, and create a child that depends on a schedule to feel secure.
All that being said, I do want her in some part-time program soon. If I had my way about it, we would do this gradually, starting with a couple days a week, half days. At two, I just don't think that full-time is necessary. I firmly believe that at two, the most important thing is socialization. Learning to play with other children. Learning to share and be polite. Forming friendships. And not structure so formal that it's broken down into 15 minute intervals, just the beginning stages of a structured day. I think that even now, playing in the park with other children would be appropriate and enough socialization for her. I, however, just can't get to the park regularly enough, so I'm not doing enough for her.
My ideal path for her would be, now, at two, two days a week, half days. Then, closer to three, I'd like her to be up to 5 days a week, half days. By 4, she would be enrolled in pre-school full time, so that by 5, in Kindergarten, she will have had an entire year of full-time school under her belt. I'd rather her have a gradual process of becoming accustomed to the classroom environment than just chucking her in all at once without a very good reason.
I am not anti-preschool. I know that it's important for kids to be ready for Kindergarten, especially since they are expected to go into these classes knowing a lot more now. I just don't worry that Kayla won't be able to keep up. She's so smart already, and I do everything I can to nurture that. She knows almost all the letters, can count to 15, and is beginning to recognize colors. Her vocabulary is immense, she uses sentences some of the time now, and she's got great problem-solving skills. In the very least, she is her daycare two year old's equal as far as academics are concerned. I also feel that three years of practice in pre-school, even if it is part-time to start out with, will be more than enough, especially considering she will be full-time before kindergarten.
And most importantly, I feel that right now, there is no better teacher for her than me. I know everything about her- her moods, her strengths and weaknesses, her potential. I understand her more than others, I get through to her more than others. I see the opportunities to teach her things all day long and not based on a schedule or routine. And I also think this is true of every single toddler. The most important person in their lives are their parents (or guardians). And to bring it all back around again, the one thing I can't provide her with is socialization. That's what brought me to the idea of a playschool to begin with, and why I still feel it's time to get her involved for a few hours each week.
I'm not sure why I felt the need to write this. I've always had a sense of pressure on me when it comes to this. And I've always stuck to my guns and done what I felt was best. I so think that I've done right by her by keeping her out of daycare. Astronomical cost aside, I feel as it's been the right choice to stay at home with her. And unless it was some fluke, I look at her right now, smiling at me while playing with blocks and calling out her letters and numbers, and I can't help but think I was totally right.
So first of all, I'd like to start by saying that I'm not anti-daycare in general. I know that some people feel that it's good for their families to utilize daycare and have both parents work. I also know that some people, if not most, have to use a daycare because of financial reasons, or being they are a single parents, or whatever the case. I also think that some centers can be pretty bad, while others extremely nice. The employees there, the same. Some are probably grouchy and miserable, and others are probably some of the nicest people you will meet. The way I feel about it isn't based on anything but what I want for my daughter and for our family.
My first gripe about daycare came when I was originally searching them out and came to discover places that had their days broken down into 15-30 minute schedules. Now, I'm no dummy. I understand that when you have 5-10 toddlers per every adult, that there absolutely HAS to be schedules. I know that without routine that a situation like that would most definitely turn into pandemonium. And I'm aware that the schedules are for both the teachers and the children. I've been told that toddlers like schedules, that it makes the feel safe and they like to know what to expect. I have one alteration to that statement to make- DAYCARE toddlers like schedules because they know what to expect. Because not only does it become a part of their lives just as much as being home, but because they are in an environment where they are constantly on the verge of chaos. With so many children to every adult it would be very easy to throw things off-kilter.
But a toddler by nature isn't supposed to be set into a strict schedule. It's in toddler nature to explore. To push the limits and to see what they can do. To discover. And ideally, nurturing a toddlers natural curiosity should be balanced with a sense of stability and comfort, so they can go out and explore while maintaining that sense of safeness.
That's why I just think that the daycare toddler and the non-daycare toddler are two different types of children. Not in a bad way, but it can't be any other way. Daycare children are wired to routines. They need it, and they become a child that needs a schedule that is pretty intense. Several of my facebook friends messaged me to tell me that their children, all full-time daycare children, would throw fits when they weren't kept to their regular routines. They we weary and uneasy and easily stressed because of change. Even at home, simple routine changes were met with some form of apprehension. The toddler that isn't in a daycare, however, is usually not kept on a tight schedule and therefore never becomes accustomed to it. In other words, the non-daycare child is much more open to sudden changes and tend to be more ready for anything. And call me crazy, but if I have the opportunity to choose one of these to opposites for my daughter, I want the latter. I would love for Kayla to have the best chance at being flexible and adaptable.
Would she do well in a daycare setting? Sure, I'm sure she, like most kids, would come to settle nicely in her school. As of this point, she IS pretty easy-going and doesn't seem upset by changes in her days, so I think that enrolling her wouldn't cause any drastic, over-night changes in her. I'm not as confident, though, that keeping her in school full-time wouldn't change that, and create a child that depends on a schedule to feel secure.
All that being said, I do want her in some part-time program soon. If I had my way about it, we would do this gradually, starting with a couple days a week, half days. At two, I just don't think that full-time is necessary. I firmly believe that at two, the most important thing is socialization. Learning to play with other children. Learning to share and be polite. Forming friendships. And not structure so formal that it's broken down into 15 minute intervals, just the beginning stages of a structured day. I think that even now, playing in the park with other children would be appropriate and enough socialization for her. I, however, just can't get to the park regularly enough, so I'm not doing enough for her.
My ideal path for her would be, now, at two, two days a week, half days. Then, closer to three, I'd like her to be up to 5 days a week, half days. By 4, she would be enrolled in pre-school full time, so that by 5, in Kindergarten, she will have had an entire year of full-time school under her belt. I'd rather her have a gradual process of becoming accustomed to the classroom environment than just chucking her in all at once without a very good reason.
I am not anti-preschool. I know that it's important for kids to be ready for Kindergarten, especially since they are expected to go into these classes knowing a lot more now. I just don't worry that Kayla won't be able to keep up. She's so smart already, and I do everything I can to nurture that. She knows almost all the letters, can count to 15, and is beginning to recognize colors. Her vocabulary is immense, she uses sentences some of the time now, and she's got great problem-solving skills. In the very least, she is her daycare two year old's equal as far as academics are concerned. I also feel that three years of practice in pre-school, even if it is part-time to start out with, will be more than enough, especially considering she will be full-time before kindergarten.
And most importantly, I feel that right now, there is no better teacher for her than me. I know everything about her- her moods, her strengths and weaknesses, her potential. I understand her more than others, I get through to her more than others. I see the opportunities to teach her things all day long and not based on a schedule or routine. And I also think this is true of every single toddler. The most important person in their lives are their parents (or guardians). And to bring it all back around again, the one thing I can't provide her with is socialization. That's what brought me to the idea of a playschool to begin with, and why I still feel it's time to get her involved for a few hours each week.
I'm not sure why I felt the need to write this. I've always had a sense of pressure on me when it comes to this. And I've always stuck to my guns and done what I felt was best. I so think that I've done right by her by keeping her out of daycare. Astronomical cost aside, I feel as it's been the right choice to stay at home with her. And unless it was some fluke, I look at her right now, smiling at me while playing with blocks and calling out her letters and numbers, and I can't help but think I was totally right.
Day Off
Ok. I have nothing really life-changing to say at the moment. I'm just sitting here, pretty much refusing to clean or do anything productive, and Kayla's watching some Dora. It's one of 'those days' to the max, and I'm enjoying it. I generally get a sense of total guilt when I purposely decide to NOT clean, or keep some form of order around here, but not right now. And after two years of training myself to need to be on the constant prowl for dirt, grime, dust, stains, smells, spills, or any of the other countless reasons that I never seem to stop moving while awake, I think I'm entitled to a day where I just don't care.
Last week I only babysat for Kylie Monday through Wednesday. I also don't get her back until Tuesday. They decided to go on a vacation before school starts, ironically, to NJ. They asked me some advice about heading to the Jersey Shore and I came up blank. I'm so not as New Jersey as I think they think I am. Just because I don't like pumping my own gas, that doesn't mean that I like to necessarily be associated with the state in other ways. I went to the boardwalks of NJ as an adult probably a total of 10 times, and all of them were uneventful except the two times I went to Wildwood when there was threat of tornado. I'm sure that visiting there is different than having lived there your whole life, but I just can't really imagine planning an entire vacation around it.
I spent the time off looking into places that I can bring the two babies during the week. I can't really bring both of them to the park by myself. I've taken them when I had Brian or my friend, Emily, with me to help, and realized that it would be impossible to chase Kayla while holing the baby. And she needs to be chased because she finds the tallest things to climb on every single time.
So far, I've found a place called Jumping Jungle, that Kayla loves. We went last Thursday and I know I'd be able to bring Kylie with us. It's an indoor place with giant inflatable things and padded floors. There's no need for me to hover over her, because there's virtually no chance she can get hurt. Even though she's the smallest child there, she keeps up well and the other kids were very aware of her, taking care to not play too rough. My only complaint was that there was no air conditioning, so even I left feeling pretty disgusting and I wasn't even jumping around.
There are also a couple of places in Binghamton that I think I could work. One is a small zoo, The Ross Park zoo. It's a very small zoo, but plenty of entertainment for a two year old. There is also a place near the zoo called "The Discovery Center". I need to go there before I have the two of them by myself to make sure if it would work, but it seems to be one of those hands-on museums where children can just get into whatever they want. So I have two good options and one potential. Kayla's getting a little stir-crazy in the house so I really have to keep looking.
I feel bad that we don't spend a lot of time outside, but it's just seems to not work out. I had an entire paragraph written here explaining the problems, but realized that it just sounds like I'm making excuses. I don't THINK I am, but I guess I could be. I won't lie- I despise the summer and hate being outside. I also hate bugs, and setting up the yard for Kayla is a pain. It's very frustrating to go through setting everything up, only to find it down-pouring anyway by the time I get it ready, which does happen more often than you'd think. To make a long story a little longer, this is why I needed to find places to bring her. I don't mind taking them out to stores or the mall, or anywhere that I can leave them in the stroller, but I also want some places where Kayla can really get involved and active.
Ahh, the search will have to continue.
Last week I only babysat for Kylie Monday through Wednesday. I also don't get her back until Tuesday. They decided to go on a vacation before school starts, ironically, to NJ. They asked me some advice about heading to the Jersey Shore and I came up blank. I'm so not as New Jersey as I think they think I am. Just because I don't like pumping my own gas, that doesn't mean that I like to necessarily be associated with the state in other ways. I went to the boardwalks of NJ as an adult probably a total of 10 times, and all of them were uneventful except the two times I went to Wildwood when there was threat of tornado. I'm sure that visiting there is different than having lived there your whole life, but I just can't really imagine planning an entire vacation around it.
I spent the time off looking into places that I can bring the two babies during the week. I can't really bring both of them to the park by myself. I've taken them when I had Brian or my friend, Emily, with me to help, and realized that it would be impossible to chase Kayla while holing the baby. And she needs to be chased because she finds the tallest things to climb on every single time.
So far, I've found a place called Jumping Jungle, that Kayla loves. We went last Thursday and I know I'd be able to bring Kylie with us. It's an indoor place with giant inflatable things and padded floors. There's no need for me to hover over her, because there's virtually no chance she can get hurt. Even though she's the smallest child there, she keeps up well and the other kids were very aware of her, taking care to not play too rough. My only complaint was that there was no air conditioning, so even I left feeling pretty disgusting and I wasn't even jumping around.
There are also a couple of places in Binghamton that I think I could work. One is a small zoo, The Ross Park zoo. It's a very small zoo, but plenty of entertainment for a two year old. There is also a place near the zoo called "The Discovery Center". I need to go there before I have the two of them by myself to make sure if it would work, but it seems to be one of those hands-on museums where children can just get into whatever they want. So I have two good options and one potential. Kayla's getting a little stir-crazy in the house so I really have to keep looking.
I feel bad that we don't spend a lot of time outside, but it's just seems to not work out. I had an entire paragraph written here explaining the problems, but realized that it just sounds like I'm making excuses. I don't THINK I am, but I guess I could be. I won't lie- I despise the summer and hate being outside. I also hate bugs, and setting up the yard for Kayla is a pain. It's very frustrating to go through setting everything up, only to find it down-pouring anyway by the time I get it ready, which does happen more often than you'd think. To make a long story a little longer, this is why I needed to find places to bring her. I don't mind taking them out to stores or the mall, or anywhere that I can leave them in the stroller, but I also want some places where Kayla can really get involved and active.
Ahh, the search will have to continue.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
How to Make a Tutu
So, I've been wanting to post about the crafting things I like to do for a while, but that was, yet again, forgotten and continually pushed aside. A friend of a friend mentioned making some bows and tutus for her daughter, so I offered to show her how I make Kayla's stuff. So I figured, why not just finally make it official and post it here?
So here it goes. This is how I make Kayla's tutus. Note: there is no sewing involved! You will need a whole bunch of tulle, some ribbon, and some patience!
First, I don't measure anything exactly. This is a simple enough project where I can just estimate and it matters very little if I'm off by a few of anything here or there. The great thing about this project is that even after you've finished, you can still trim the edges to make them shorter or more even if you want. It's very hard to mess this up!
You will need-
Tulle- You can buy this by the yard any any craft/fabric store. Often times you can find it for about $1-2/yard, and you will need anywhere from 6-10 yards, depending on how long and fluffy you want the tutu. For the tutu I made in these pictures, I used about 10 yards. It was a long tutu and very fluffy!
Ribbon- I prefer using ribbon, although you can also use elastic bands you can find in the sewing section of craft stores. I think that using a nice, shiny ribbon looks nicer when finished, though.
Scissors
That's it!
Getting started:
1.) First decide how long you want your tutu to be. Once you decide on a length, double it, and add about an inch extra (this is for room for tying the knots). Unfold your tulle-
Since the tulle comes doubled, I cut the tulle at the edge so that it becomes two separate sheets. -
You will be cutting strips of the tulle in this length that are approximately 5 inches wide. There is no need to be exact when cutting, but make them around that width and it will look fine. -
For example, lets say that you want a 15 inch long tutu. You will need to cut strips of tulle that are 31 inches long.
If you don't need an exact length, you can simply wing it. For this tutu in these pictures, I just cut the tulle in strips the length of the table. I knew that folding this length in half would be a nice, long tutu for our two year old niece.
How many you cut will depend on how fluffy you want the tutu, and how wide the waist of the wearer is. For a really fluffy tutu, you will be using three strips of tulle/knot. For a toddler, I would start by cutting about 90 strips. For an infant, I'd start with about 70. This should be the very minimum you will need, but be open to cutting some more if needed. For a less fluffy tutu, two strips/knot will be perfect. For a toddler, start by cutting 75. For an infant, start with about 50.
2.) Cut the ribbon. The easiest way to do this is just wrap a piece of your ribbon around the baby, making it long enough to tie when finished. So if your child's waist is 15 inches around, leaving about 7 inches on each side for tying, your ribbon should be at LEAST 29 inches long. Personally, I add a little bit more so that while I am making the tutu, I can tie the ribbon to chairs so it is taut and easier to work with.
3.) Tie the ribbon to chairs (or other stable objects) so that it is taut. This makes tying the tulle on easier. This isn't necessary, but it helps a lot!
The Tying Steps
Once you've gotten this far, you're mostly done! The only thing that's left is tying the tulle onto the ribbon until you've finished.
1.) Take your two or three strips of tulle (depending on how fluffy you want your tutu) and fold them in half. One hand should stay at the halfway point, making sure to keep it open for tying.
2.) Hold the tulle, now folded in half, in front of your ribbon. Make sure that you are starting about 7 or 8 inches from the edge of your ribbon, so that you can tie the tutu when you're all done.
3.) Take the bottom of the tulle, and pull back and up behind the ribbon.
4.) Pull the bottom of the tulle over the TOP of the RIBBON, but UNDER the top of the tulle (where it was folded in half). This should allow you to knot the tulle around the ribbon.
5.) Gently pull the bottom of the tulle downward, and continue to do so until the knot is very tight. You might need to practice tightening the knot, but just keep working it downward until the knot looks nice and small. That's it!
Now you've done the first of many knots.
(NOTE- in these pictures, you will notice shorter blue tulle around the top of the tutu. Ignore these for now! I'll explain that after the basic tutu steps!)
6.) Repeat, but as you tie your next knot, slide it as close to the first one as possible.
Repeat, repeat, repeat. Continue this until you have made knots long enough to fit around the waist of your baby, or in the length you measured your baby's waist to be. Make sure to leave some ribbon at the end to tie the tutu together onto the wearer.
You can do one solid color, alternate colors if you want, or do a rainbow of all different colors at once! Play around with the colors and see what kinds of tutus you can create!
You can also tie your ribbon in a knot right at the edge of the tulle if you like, but I never have needed to do this. If you make the knots tight enough, they won't be going anywhere!
Trim the edge of your ribbon, and you're all done!
Extra-
As you can see in the pictures above, I sometimes do shorter tulle borders around the top of the waistline. All you need to do this, instead of just a regular tutu, is:
1.) Cut pieces of tulle in the same way you cut the long pieces. However long you want the 'border' of tulle, double the length, and add an inch or so. If you want these short pieces to be 3 inches, then you will need tulle in 7 inch lengths.
2.) When tying your tutu, alternate between a long piece and a short piece. When tying your short pieces, one normal knot around the ribbon works best (it stays best since the tulle is so short). Angle the know upward. Be sure to slide the pieces together!
The finished product!
And keep in mind, you can ALWAYS shorten your tutu if needed. If you're unsure of length, then estimate up. Once you're all done, you can still trim however much off the ends as you want. You can also cut off scraggly edges that might occur from a quick cut here or there.
To make the pompoms-
There are several ways to make these. I found the easiest for me was just to cut pieces, about 3 inches wide, to the length that I wanted the diameter of the pom pom to be.
Using bendable metal beading wire, I cinched the middle as tight as I possibly could and made sure to wrap the wire around itself so it was secure.
Once securely cinched, keep separating and pulling the pieces of tulle apart. Eventually it becomes spherical, and looks like a pompom!
These, I just glued (and you can use any strong crafting glue, i.e. hot glue gun, E-6000, etc) to metal alligator clips for Abby Cadabby's pigtails. I also made one puff for her wand.
Here's the outfit, all together (sans wings, but they're coming!!) on Emma!
She loves her Abby costume!
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