Easy Hand Stitching for Children

Using a pencil and a piece of fabric I drew out some simple freehand patterns for my two youngest to hand-stitch. I was pleasantly surprised that 4 year old Peachy-girl did such a great job. I had to go back and help her once, but after that I left her alone and came back to a finished project! I couldn’t believe it!

Not everyone is a natural at things like this. Her older sister has to work at it a more than she does. I can’t wait to see what she creates in he future.

I love that it keeps her hands busy.

Needle and Thread is the best site I have found with EXCELLENT video tutorials!!! Don’t miss her dozens and dozens of patterns!

Pre-printed designs or even free handed designs like his is a great way to get young ones started on needlework.

This is a great way to teach little ones using shelf liner rolls from Dollar Tree.

I love this idea!

The Importance of Handiwork

Why You Should Learn to Quilt

Fiber Arts Monday - Hand Embroidery Pillow

I saw this on Pinterest and fell in love with it!

This is a perfect gift for someone who has everything, maybe even for someone with limited space or someone in a nursing home. The design is simple enough you can draw it out for yourself. Go ahead and be thinking of anniversary and Christmas gifts, Mother’s Day is just a few weeks away!

Check out the hand embroidery video tutorials here.

Fiber art is anything that includes stitching, weaving, quilting, sewing, rug making, crocheting, knitting, spinning, etc…

Each Monday we can share ideas, patterns, finished projects and ask questions about fiber arts in the comment section.

You can also link up to your blog post or photo account that is related to fiber arts, I just ask that you link back to the most current Fiber Arts Monday post. Just leave your post link in the comment section and tell us what it is.

Amazing Handiwork Inspiration

This was a comment left by Rebekah yesterday. I thought it was beautiful! We never know how God will use our handiwork, even if we only have one hand.

Handiwork really impressed me in its importance when I was working as a nurse in a retirement home during my college years. There are many elderly people who think they are no longer of any use to anyone. When they were younger they could accomplish so much, and they measured their value as a person by the amount they produced in a day. Then they had a stroke, or fell and broke their hip, or a heart attack, or just became more feeble as they aged. Suddenly they couldn’t do so much,others had to help them do even the smallest tasks such as combing their hair or buttoning their shirt. Many of these precious people who had so much to offer in the way of wisdom or wise counsel felt they were a waste of others’ time and not worth it. They had never learned that God loves us not for what we do, but because of what and who we are - His creation. I saw my place as one of encouraging them, but this wasn’t easy day after day. Then one day a man arrived who was a Vietnam vet. He was very young compared to all the other residents. He had one good hand and a stub on the other side, and was confined to a wheelchair because his legs ended at mid thigh on both sides. The first day he was there he asked me to unpack a suitcase for him, and set up his hook set. Then, in the common area he sat there for hours doing this latch and hook thing. He made about two projects per week, and was always talking about who he would give this one to, or send this to, or what it would be useful for. He was the brightest, happiest person who lived in the place. At first his enthusiasm irritated the others, but three months later, nearly every other resident in his hallway began to learn the same skill. They soon founded a club. Then, friends and relatives started to take their projects and sell them and give the proceeds to charity. Those who were paralyzed on one side from stroke found they could still do many things with their good side to help. I made it my goal to find a point of interest for every one of those residents. As more and more became industrious in working with their hands the morale increased and the whole air of the place changed dramatically. One man who didn’t have use of his upper body began to paint with his feet. Those who were not able to use any limbs found joy in the accomplishments of others, would offer suggestions, or would just bask in the comradarie of it all. Anyway, when I left that facility to return to my home town it was an upbeat place. Recently I visited that place while on vacation. It was a new group of people. All of them just sat around feeling sorry that they were alive. It was a pitifully dreary place. I wished I could stay and help them find something to do with their hands. I whole heartedly recommend handiwork in some genre and thank God for giving us His example, saying that His handiwork was ‘very good.’ Thanks for the reminder!

The Importance of Handiwork

We were made in God’s image. He created us to glorify Him and one why we do that is by creating with our hands. Creating things with our hands can range from skyscrapers to a pair of crocheted booties. The extravagance of the creation is not what is most important, but the fact that we are being productive. This keeps us from being idle which Scripture warns so strongly against.

When your hands are busy, so is your mind. We’ve all heard the saying, “Idle hands are the Devil’s workshop.” There is a lot of truth there! But it’s not just about busyness, it’s about needing to be busy with a purpose.

We need to be busy equipping our children (and ourselves) with tools to help develop their character and abilities. Learning any type of handiwork or skill takes determination, self discipline, patience, attentiveness, and perseverance just to name a few. It’s not so much about making a quilt or baking a cake, but do you have the character to see it through and do your best? Do you have the skills to do it correctly? That is how handiwork can build virtue in us and our children.

Let’s look at a few verses in Proverbs 31 about handiwork. After all, she is the ideal wife:

11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

Does your husband trust you to be a good steward with the finances and possessions? Are you wasting time and money? Are there gifts you could be working on throughout the year to save money at Christmas and birthdays? Are there more frugal options in your meal planning and preparations? Are there things you could learn to help your home run more efficiently? Are there activities that you could eliminate to free up time to do more important things? This list could go on and on. :o)

Although I do not work a job outside our home, there are dozens of ways I help save money and make money from home. My husband trusts me. He knows that I take my job as his wife seriously.

13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

In today’s culture we may not need to go out and sheer the sheep or weave our own fabrics, but we are to be busy with our hands. The key word in this verse is “willingly”. The Virtuous Woman has a willing attitude, not one of drudgery or resentment. I love this verse. It clearly states that we are to be creative; we take something in its simplest form (using wool and flax for example) and we willingly, eagerly, work with it to produce something useful and hopefully beautiful!

18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

As I said earlier, it’s not just about being busy, but about creating something “good“. In order to create something good it takes determination, self discipline, patience, attentiveness, and perseverance.

24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

Again, she is creating with her hands and selling her goods. There are countless items you can make to sell. Note that she is not the merchant, but she is selling to the merchant.

27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

Striving to be Proverbs 31 Women and keepers of our homes (Titus 2) we have to put a lot of time, energy and love into caring for our families and keeping our homes. It takes a lot of planning, intelligence and hard work. To do our job in a fashion that pleases the Lord there is no time for idleness. Let us be careful to instill this in our children while they are young, but even more so while they are teenagers. Limit their time of entertainment and folly. Give them resources to inspire and equip them, but most of all parents need to lead by example.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Build a good reputation in the gates (publicly) of being a woman of virtue. Do not be guilty of being a busybody or a woman of vanity. Be a woman that does not waste her life chasing the wind or being idle. Look after your family, keep your home, and reach out to the needy; this brings glory to God, because you are obeying His ways.

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