Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Hats for Haiti (just slightly tardy)

I am the queen of planning, but not always the queen of carrying out those plans.  This is why an executive decision was made to cancel school today for a service project. (one that we have been planning on doing for quite a while!)  We took all of our old shirts and turned them into cute little baby hats for premature babies in Haiti.  39 hats later, we are out of shirts. If any of you have some t-shirts laying around, we would love to transform them.  They can have holes or stains, as we cut the pattern out around those.    This was a great project for kids of all ages that can be kept busy with cutting, trimming thread, knotting the hats, etc. (Except 2 year olds, who tend to take cutting t-shirts as an invite to cut up their own, non-stained t-shirts.  Just warning you.  We caught Elise before she cut up her cute panda shirt, but you might not be so lucky!)

Lessons learned instead of the typical school: 1. To serve others (most important) 2. Where Haiti is and a little bit more about it 3. How to cut out a pattern 4. How to operate Mom's serger 5. How to recycle something that looks like it is destine for the trash into something very sweet and adorable 6. Service projects are fun! 7. Sometimes, school isn't all that important

After explaining to the girls that although Haiti is pretty hot, they still need these knit hats for the premature babies to keep their body temperature up.  I continued to tell them that this increases their chance for survival.  This is when Autumn started counting.  Every hat that she cut out came with the announcement that she had now saved ___ babies.  Next are baby quilts made out of (cute) old sheets.  Sounds trashy, but I swear that they are stinking cute.  We only do cute.  Pinky promise.



6 comments:

Annalia said...

Is that where my kids got "pinky promising" from...Aunt Sarah?
Jon has taken it one step further. He "ankle swears", which is a little awkward and frankly dangerous for uncoordinated pregnant women. I have to risk my life every time he wants to make a commitment.
Oh...and we want to learn how to make baby hats.

Sarah said...

No, I can pinky promise that I had nothing to do with your kids doing that! :) (Actually, quite seriously, I can promise)
I will teach you the VERY difficult art of baby hat making. (Shh....don't tell anyone. Besides the serger to sew the knit, it is extremely easy. Our secret, ok? Sister to sister.)

Islandalli said...

I need the pattern too. I think my Faith in God Girls need this activity. I love it!

Paige said...

Hi Sarah! I just came across the link to your blog from Nikko's! (May be linked from Lia's too, but I haven't noticed....). Anyhow, the hats look darling. My brother served his mission in Haiti, so that's exciting that you're sending them there!

and I can't believe that you have 6 girls! You are so lucky--girls are fun!

bloodfamily said...

Sarah you are so good. Sometimes regular school doesn't teach these valuable lessons that you are instilling in your girls. Koodos to you. (Where do you get your patience?)

Sarah said...

The pattern is at here: http://www.soulemama.com/mamatomamanewborncap.pdf

Definitely not my ingenious idea, but I am all over copying a good idea when I see it. And Karen: Ask my kids about my patience. It is definitely a work in progress.