Tonight I worked on something a little bit different than my usual sewing work. I'd already finished and packaged and sent off today's work, and so I got to work on a project I've been envisioning for a while. It was a little tunnel/ blanket/ cuddle spot for Maggie. She's constantly making little forts and wrapping herself up in blankets and from watching her play I began to come up with ideas for a sort-of-blanket that she would like.
I wasn't sure how big I would make it, but as I went through my pile of half made quilts a picture began to come together in my head. 8 quilt fronts later it was finished. Here's what I came up with. First, here are the fabrics:
I began by making two tubes and sewing them together. The finished result was this:
Maggie's bear (which is bigger than Maggie) came downstairs with me to help me take a few pictures and show how big it is:
And it has lots of different fabrics (flannel, plain old cotton and two different types of cuddle fabric) for lots of different textures:
Mama Bear approves. Hopefully Mae does too!
Now to get a little sleep before morning gets here!
I don't know the science behind it, but my sister was asked to make a weighted blanket for her friend's autistic child. Have you heard of this?
ReplyDeleteHave you heard of Temple Grandin? She's a woman with autism who's a kind of pioneer in the field of humane treatment of animals (she's designed slaughter houses), as well as educating the public about autism. What you just made for Mae kind of reminds me of something she designed called ... a hugging machine? or something... and it's been really effective for kinds with autism-related sensory-sensitivity. She has some really good books out, I'm sure you can find them at the library. Can't wait to see Mae enjoying her new blanket/fort!
ReplyDeleteI remember as a little child (under 6) really loving to "go under" things: blankets, putting up sheets and making little "houses", lying under a bed, sitting in the back of a closet, hiding under the dining room table. This seemed to be something I remember doing that gradually stopped at about age 7, even though after that I still loved making "forts" and "houses" out of sheets and blankets in the back yard (over the clothes line.) I am in the older generation, but have never been diagnosed or in any way considered to have any kind of learning disability or neurological problem, so I think some kids, especially introverts (like me) like comfort places away from others. Anyway, I like your idea, but she might want to have something where she can actually go completely inside of like a little fort or "house" and use your "sleeping bag" inside of! When I was her age, I used to love going under a blanket or sheet over something and just lie there listening to the rest of my family in their daily activities. Don't know why, but I did. I also did like some kind of "heavy" thing on me, and (o.k., this I know is weird) still like the feel of the heavy lead bib the dentist puts on me when he takes x-rays of my teeth. I've heard some sensory disordered folks like that too, so maybe I have something, but in my day it was just maybe "different", not diagnosed as anything. (Bonnie)
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