Summary of Learning:

I began this semester and class with very little understanding or knowledge about Social Media and Open Education. I am leaving this class with an abundance of knowledge, resources both tangible and abstract as well as classmates that I know I could reach out to at any time. This is the first step to my creating my PLN. I am so grateful that I saw this class and was drawn to it as I feel that I am a changed individual and have a broader understanding.

Hope that you enjoy my Summary of Learning. It has been a learning curve and I know that I am still learning and look forward to continuing on this learning journey.

My Summary of Learning! 

 

Learning, Teaching, Relearning

Well, during this Spring ECI 831 Social Media & Open Education class I decided to take on learning and teaching myself how to embroider. I am a visual learner so using Social Media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, Twitter, etc. worked well for me. Especially if they had videos or step-by-step pictures.

sign, transport panel, board

Photo by geralt on Pixabay

I am a creative, artsy, hands on type of individual. I have done some basic sewing with a machine in the past, I crochet, and am able to mend a hole, and do a basic stitch to sew things together. I figured embroidery would be an easy hobby/art form to learn. I had my learning cut out for me and am still learning.

tiktok, tiktok logo, tiktok button

Photo by Sayyid96 on Pixabay

youtube, youtube logo, symbol

Photo by Sibent on Pixabay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I enjoyed using TikTok and YouTube as I was able to watch a video, pause it, re-watch, and then try out the stitch that I was trying to learn. I came to learn as I watched more videos that I appreciated the ones in which the creator explained the steps of the stitch as they did it. The ones in which they were doing it and there was music were okay to watch but I found myself having to pause and re-watch them over and over again. When I was able to visually see what to do along with having the auditory cues it made it easier to figure things out.

If I were to teach myself how to do something again I would use these platforms again as I found them user friendly and it was great that I could save the ones in which I liked using so that I could go back to them at a later time.

I think that moving forward I might start up a club at school in which we can do some basic embroidery on items that the students bring form home like shoes, clothing, bags, or cloth that we can purchase. Now that I have a toolbox full of videos to teach the basic stitches I could use them to help me in teaching the students. I could also do some step by step pictures along with directions for students that learn better from pictures and explanations.

meditate, woman, yoga

Photo by Pexels on Pixabay

At the end of this project I am feeling very much relaxed and excited for all the learning that has taken place and will continue to take place in the future. Each person learns in a different way. I would definitely recommend using Social Media to teach yourself how to do different things as you can find a variety of sources and will be able to find one that best suites your learning style. The one big downfall is that you can quickly go down a rabbit hole of ideas. I would recommend allowing yourself a designated amount of time to look for resources and then try those out before looking for more.

Until next time!

 

 

 

How ‘Open’ Are You to Open Education?

Are you ‘Open’ to Open Education? What is Open Education? Education should be something that is accessible to everyone. This shouldn’t be dependent on wealth, race, health, location, etc. It should be available for everyone. This week in class we learned more about Open Education. I have to admit that I knew very little of what it was and that what I had thought was only partially correct.

For those that do not know or have questions about  Open Education I have linked an article from BCcampus OpenEd.

I watched a video that was shared with my ECI831 class called Why Open Education Matters. I was once again struck by the fact that here in Canada we take for granted that we are able to get an education and until Post Secondary this is of very little cost. If we were to live in another country this could cost us a lot more and the resources that we are using and being taught from could be out of date as it cost money to be able to purchase new ones. (I feel a bit of this teaching in a rural community when events are taking place in large centers and we are invited to join if we can afford the transportation to get there)

If we believe that everyone deserves to be educated than we should ensure that the resources are readily available for this to happen. Using resources that are digital helps in ensuring that the content is current as it can be updated on a more regular basis and you do not need to wait for new copies to be printed and distributed.

professor, open book, e-mail

Photo by mary1826 on Pixabay

Professionally using Open Education resources is beneficial as it helps me to not recreate work that has already been created. As an educator I spend time and money creating and purchasing resources that I might only need a small part of. If we were able and willing to share our resources and allow others to make the changes to it that they need to make it work in their teaching environment this would help in cutting down the time teachers put into this work after hours as well as the cost. Pros & Cons of Open Education. Although there are benefits to using Open Education resources there are also downfalls such as the quality of the product and not knowing if it will be compatible with the technology that is used at your school. Where to find OER materials?

Other Places to find OER materials:

https://resourcebank.ca/

Agriculture in the Classroom 

Saskatchewan First Nations Dashboard

Teach To Love Learning

As an educator I appreciate when other educators share the materials that they have created and do not charging for them. I know that on my staff we share our resources but with us being a small school they do not always work for others and this becomes difficult if the teacher that students get next uses your resources as students often complain about already doing that activity.

My division also uses Grade alike groupings and has teachers put their resources there to be shared at that grade level. When we started during COVID this was a great space to get resources but since then it is not accessed or added to often. I think many teachers either forget it is there or do not know about it as they are new to the division.

Personally as a Master’s students I appreciate when a Professor uses OER items as this helps in saving me money and making my educational experience more affordable. I know that content is always changing and new editions are being created of textbooks. By using an OER model the changes can be made and students are able to access them without an added price due to the new edition.

I know that I need to do my part both professionally and personally to help in making Open Education a reality for all. This means sharing what I have learned with others as well as sharing resources that I have created so others are able to access them.

Before this class I was neither open or closed to Open Education I was unaware of what it was totally. Now that I am aware I see its importance and want to figure out how I can help to make it more well known and used. I see the benefits of accessing OER materials and in sharing. I think that everyone should have the opportunity to receive an education and that we as educators need to help in ensuring that this happens.

Now that you know more are you ‘Open’ to Open Education? What might you do to use OER in your classroom?

Embroidery a Lost Art that is Making a Come Back!

When I started this project I thought about how embroidery is one of the many art forms that has been lost over the years. (if not lost at least not seen as much) The more videos I searched for about embroidery the more I saw that it was making a comeback and in a big way. The number of videos that I found of young people doing embroidery on clothing, shoes, hats, bags, and making wall hangings was amazing. It might not be the same as it was when our Grandma did embroidery on pillowcases or tablecloths but it has a purpose.

I think that there are many different art forms and life skills that have been lost over the years and I am grateful that I have a Mom and had a Grandma that taught me some of these like sewing, crocheting, cooking and baking. When I was in Grade 4 my younger sister and I went and spent a few weeks in BC with my grandparents. I had had very little sewing opportunity prior to this. (I had sewn a few cloth diapers for my baby brother. Didn’t do a good job though.) My Grandma took the time to teach me how to sew a blanket. I had to learn how to cut, iron and sew. She helped with lots of this but also allowed me the chance to try and make mistakes.

I have sewn denim blankets the last few years but it is all just straight sewing and there isn’t much more to what I have done. This project gave me the chance to bring a bit of my creative and artsy side into the sewing. I really enjoyed learning how to embroider and like stated in my last post am excited to see what else I might be able to embroider. I ordered a few patterns that you put onto the fabric you do your embroidery and then place in water and the pattern dissolves.

During class on Monday I worked on my family heart! It felt good knowing that I was getting one step closer to having this part of my project almost complete. I took some snap shots of each of the families handprints and their hearts. It is amazing to see how unique each family is and how together we complete this blanket.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I made a little video that allows the viewer to take a closer look at the final middle section of the blanket that I will make for my Mom. I am now looking forward to starting work on the frame around the middle section of the blanket. I need to pick a few bugs, flowers and leaves that I can add to the denim that will frame this middle section. Although the middle section took me time to complete the frame work with take time as I will have to decide the number of embellishments and then put these into a pattern that doesn’t have them all in one area.

The final touch on the blanket will be three fabric feathers that I will make. My Mom taught be how to make these a few years ago and now every time I make them I think of her. One summer I made a ton of them and then attached them to yarn and they hang from my ceiling in my class attached to some branches from trees. My students love them and watching them flutter in the breeze.

Friday my water dissolvable embroidery patterns showed up in the mail. Naturally I had to try them out so I put a pink flower on my white shoes and then I took some denim shorts I had made and put daisies in the back pocket and a few on the front with some leaves. Using this backing made it easy to follow the pattern and have my work turn out looking good. It was easy to use as you just peal and stick. I made a video showing me rinsing the backing off after I was done. Here is what they look like when they are all done and the backing has been washed off. Below is a little photo gallery of the shoes and shorts that I made up with some embroidery. I had a fellow teacher see what I was doing and she said that this would be a great activity to do with students. I know that it is something that I have found very relaxing and enjoyable. I am already thinking of my next project. I might find a cloth bag that I am able to add some personality to.

What began as an assignment to teach myself how to do something with the use of social media platforms has become something that I will continue to use and learn to do more with. I began this journey thinking I will get what I need to get done for this blanket for my mom, then I will do my sewing and move on. I have fallen in love with embroidery and all of the possibilities that it has as a craft and a hobby. I am already looking ahead to next school year and how I could purchase a little cloth bag for each of my students and embroider their name on it for them to use when they take out their library books.

Although I haven’t had the opportunity to get the sewing of the denim frame done as of yet I know that once school is out I will have a bit of extra time on my hands and will be able to sit down and get that done. I will add some embroidery details to the denim and will sew the backing on. I have shared with my Mom that I am making this for her and she was almost in tears with what a meaningful gift this is and the thought, time, love and work that she knows is going into it.

Teachers give their students assignments in hopes that they will take something away from them and that they will learn and grow. I know that this is an assignment that has done this for me. I have learned that I can do more than I give myself credit for and that it is through hard work and determination that we can accomplish new things. I had used YouTube to teach myself how to crochet and do some other crafts in the past but this time using TikTok and Twitter also helped and I have some individuals that I am now following that I am learning a great deal from.

Comfortably Uncomfortable with Social Media Activism

I came into this class and was very unaware of how prominent social media activism is. I needed to look more into this to help me to better understand what it is and how it works. I found an article that gives tips on how to go beyond the hashtag.  This article breaks it down into 10 easy-to-follow steps and then breaks these steps down, even more, to help the reader understand what is meant by the step.

Now that I had a better understanding of what social activism was and how to go beyond the hashtag I needed to look into a variety of different social issues that have been promoted through a social media platform. Here is an article that is a guide to activism in the digital world. It starts by sharing a number of different social justice issues and how they were promoted through social media. It then outlines how social media can promote social justice issues and finally talks about social media strategies for nonprofit.

Originally I had thought and felt that there is a time and a place to be an activist and that maybe on social media is not the best place as your digital footprint follows you and what if you were misinformed, accidentally said something wrong, etc. now this is there for ever. I went to school at a time when we were told that you keep your private life private and that you need to be careful of what you share.

I convocated in 2006. To say that things in the tech world have change is an understatement. I have a better understanding of technology than my husband but my two boys are leaps and bounds ahead of me. I try to learn from them and am always open to learning new things as long as I can use them. Last weekend when my oldest and I were away for ball my cousin came to watch. (She is older and wiser than I am). She wanted to send a location pin to her husband so he would know exactly where we were. I had no idea how to do this and neither did she. We looked at her 12 year old son and he shook his head and said, “I already sent him one.” We then asked him to show us how to do this. (I love when the next generation gets to share their knowledge with me)

This week at school I had the privilege of having our Knowledge Keeper Lyndon Linklater come and set up a tipi with all the students in my school. The division that I work for purchased a tipi to be used between all of the schools in our division. (Holy Trinity Catholic School Division) This was not something that was done on Social Media (although we did share pictures after) but he taught our students about his culture and how although we have many similarities we are different and we need to celebrate our differences. This was an example of how the activism needed to be in person rather than over social media as it would not have been as impactful if we had our students watch a video. Six of our students were chosen to help set-up and take down the tipi. Part of a pole was given to each school in the division and all students that help with setting up the tipi will get to write their name on it. This is something that each of these students will remember for a long time. We had many members of the community asking questions about what was going on and in the future we plan on opening this up to the high school, care home and the daycare.

I know that I have fallen ‘victim’ in the past to thinking that I was doing something important that was helping a cause that I believed in on Social Media by doing this, that or the other but I didn’t do my research and in the aftermath have realized that sometimes what I had done was actually counterproductive. Since starting this course I am more aware of my presence on Social Media and what it can say about me.

Teaching the younger grades I find incorporating technology to be a bit of a challenge. I have found on my own and through my #eci831 classmates some good resources to use but know that I need to find a common ground and good balance for using these in my class. I am looking at ways to teach my students how to be good citizens and on technology use. This can be tricky as some parents don’t let their young ones on technology without them present.

I struggle with how to teach ‘Social Media Literacy’ within the classroom when I am teaching K-1. I think that I will start with these six ways and see if incorporating them in my class makes a difference. I believe that sometimes it is how we as the educators view Social Media and how comfortable we are with it.

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Being creative is it a curse, a blessing, or something in-between?

My last post shared that I had spent last weekend watching my son play baseball. I do not regret giving myself the time off from this project as I know that one on one time I get with him is special and something that I need to cherish as they grow up way too fast. This is my BeReal snapshot from last Sunday, June 4.

As I posted at the end of last week I have 17 of the 26 hands completed. Well, now that is 18.

Instead of focusing on getting this done, I have gone down a creative rabbit hole to see what else I could possibly embroider. I have looked at a few pairs of canvas shoes and am sketching ideas of what I could add to them. I then saw a video of someone embroidering some cute flowers and a vine on a pair of jean shorts. I also saw how if you had a hole in a piece of clothing you can add some embroidery details to hide the hole and in many ways save and prolong the life of the piece of clothing.

Embroidery idea for a pair of shoes. 

All things needed to embroider a pair of shoes.

How to finish off the inside of the shoes. 

Simple shoe design.

Elaborate shoe design.

Jean embroidery.

Flower embroidery on jeans.

Hole repair.

Rainbow embroidery.

Bees on jeans.

Patching holes.

Mending holes in a t-shirt. 

Mending holes in jeans. 

Needles to say this rabbit hole of videos has me sketching ideas and putting my hands on a brief hold. I think it is using the same stitch over and over again that has me in a bit of a slump. I need to buckle down and finish off the last of the hands as I am so close and I know that once this is done it is onto the fun stuff but sometimes that is what makes it so difficult.

Tonight I have a baseball game to go to and watch and I plan on taking my embroidery along with me so that I can sit and work on it while the game is going on. I now only have 5 hands left.

I am going to set a goal of having the hands done by the end of Saturday. I should be able to get this done as I will be sitting outside on Saturday at my Garage Sale. I think by setting a goal for myself it will make me more accountable at getting this portion of my project completed. I know that we always tell our students to look at a project and break it into pieces and set goals for themselves. I now need to take my own advice.

Well, I had my Garage Sale and I managed to get all of the hands competed. I had been at Track & Field the day before and it was hot and sunny and although I applied sunscreen many times I had a slight burn. The day started out cloudy for the Garage Sale so I applied my sunscreen and thought I would be ok. I did reapply a number of times but when you are outside from before 10 until after 4 you are bound to get a burn. Needless to say today I am taking a bit of a break from the great outdoors. 

While I was embroidering my niece Aspen’s handprint I was filled with emotion. She is the youngest of the grandkids and one of only two that never got to meet my Dad. Both of which are sisters and daughters of my youngest brother. I noticed how small her hand is and how it could fit almost perfectly in my palm. I then remembered a verse from the bible. This had me think that all though my Dad is gone he is still holding onto each of us and if we share memories of him with my nieces and my son who was not 2 when he passed his memory will live on. This was the intent of this blanket I was making all along but its full meaning didn’t hit me until I was almost done the hand portion of the project. To say that this realization didn’t fill me with emotion would be a lie. I knew when I started this project that it was one that was going to be filled with love, joy, tears and memories and it has brought all of these along the way.

I managed to capture the final stitch of the hand and it is fitting that it is on my niece Sterling’s hand as she is Aspen’s sister and one of the two that never met my Dad.

After I completed the final stitch in Aspen’s hand I took a video showing the entire blanket so you would be able to see a close up of the hands and see the work that has gone into this project. I am now going to start on adding some details to the hearts that surround each families Surname. I will pick a thread color and will use a variation of this for all 6 of the hearts. I plan on drawing lines on each heart so I am able to follow these and do a different stitch pattern for each.

To end the day off with my family we cooked steak, peppers & feta cheese over the open fire. We even had my in-laws over. It was a great way to finish off a productive day.

So, I started the week off going down and rabbit hole and I am still on that trail but am looking for the perfect items to add a little flare to. I was going to use a pair of my canvas shoes or a pair of my shorts and I might still do this but think first I need to get some of the backing material that I can first put my design onto.

Around the time that my Dad passed away I had taught myself how to crochet using YouTube. (8 years ago) This is a hobby that I do often but it takes up space. Where as embroidery takes up little space. I have made countless numbers of blankets, reusable water balloons, a few stuffies and other items by crocheting. I do this hobby when we are traveling, at the rink watching hockey or relaxing and watching TV. (You can’t be eating and crocheting at the same time so I choose to crochet). I figure now that I am enjoying embroidery and my oldest son is playing AAA U15 ball all summer it gives me a hobby to take along with me.

Has your Learning Project had an emotional impact on your life?

Is it something that you can see yourself using in the future?

Are you grateful to have been given the opportunity and that little extra push to have done it?

I know that I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity as it is a project that I will not soon forget. It is also one that I know when I am old and have grey hair I will look back on and will share with my children and their children. 

 

Hand in Hand

Hand by hand I will get this project completed. (sometimes I look at all the hands and the names/ages and I wonder) I have successfully completed embroidering 17 of the 26 hands that I need to embroider. Each hand takes some time as it is not only the outline of the hand that I am embroidering but also the individual’s name and age. At first, I thought that by this time I would be done with all of the hands and be starting on the embellishments. It is proving to be more work but it is work I am grateful for. After a long day at work, when we are at the home stretch to the end of the year and students and staff all seem to be at their wit’s end coming home and sitting down to do this embroidery is helping to ground and relax me.

meditate, woman, yoga

Photo by Pexels on Pixabay

I have started to follow a number of different TikTokers who do embroidery and am learning a lot from them. This is just a brief list and some of the ones that I appreciate the most or thought were worth a share.

@happyhobby_ca: She has a lot of information about how to start embroidery. The link I shared has her giving advice on what to purchase and what to avoid at Wal-Mart when you are just starting out. I appreciate that she talks through her videos and that they aren’t just a musical background. I am a visual learner but sometimes the verbal is useful as well.

@flynn_and_mabel: They have some really cool ideas of items that you can embroider. I am now looking at shoes that I have that I could add a little bit of character to. The videos that I watched were all done to music so it made it difficult to sometimes know what stitches were being used.

@fairytalehome_: She is very creative and not just when it comes to embroidery. She paints, sews, draws, and so much more. The link I shared is Part 3 of what she wishes she knew before embroidering. This one she explains how to tie a proper knot. I enjoy how she walks you through from start to finish exactly how to do the skill she is teaching.

@girlgotthread: This video has her explaining the difference between the Satin Stitch and the Thread Saver Stitch. I enjoy that she walks you through how to do both and explains where they should be used. She has some beautiful visuals as well.

@by_grls: Is fairly new to TikTok as they have very few videos. They have great visuals but it is all put to music and the music isn’t very engaging and almost made me want to go to sleep. The videos although they didn’t have any speaking were still easy to follow and to be able to try out the different stitches or to understand what was being done.

@vikasspace: She is amazing! I enjoyed her videos as her work is breathtaking. When I think of embroidery I think of the work that my Grandma used to do on pillow cases and that is not the case here. Her pieces are works of art. If I continue with embroidery after this would be a goal. I have been using the thread without separating the strands and now I believe that for some of the pieces I will be adding that I will need to make sure that I separate my thread.

As for my project, I am not where I would like to be on it but that being said I got to spend the entire weekend alone with my oldest son in Saskatoon watching him play baseball. This was a special bonding time and although I didn’t make the time to work on my embroidery I soaked up the sun and enjoyed every minute with my son. This week is also filled with ball every night other than the weekend.

My goal is to get all of the hands completed so that I can start the embellishments. I know that these will take as much time if not more than the hands have already taken but each stitch that I make is one that is made with love. Pictures to come shortly as I plan to finish off the hands this week.

Tweet, Tweet Everywhere a Tweet, Tweet!

Well, I signed up for Twitter (reluctantly I might say). I have had co-workers encourage me to get it before and I have kindly declined. I didn’t like the idea of trying to figure out who to follow and how to get followers. I felt very overwhelmed at first.

stress, burnout, man

Photo by geralt on Pixabay

After I took the time to watch Dr. Katia’s video explaining the basics of Twitter I was a little more at ease. I will not lie I was still nervous and unsure but figured I signed up for this class and that it is better to jump in with both feet rather than just dip your toes in the water. So, I am going to jump in feet first into the Twitter world and see where it might take me. I am not going to say that I will stay for a long time but I will give it this class and if at the end I am feeling comfortable you might be seeing more Tweets from me.

tiktok, twitter, social media

Photo by geralt on Pixabay

I have been reluctant to get onto Twitter as I saw it as one more thing to do. I wasn’t aware of how helpful it could be if you had an understanding of how it works and of how to find the useful, relevant information you were looking for.

This week I have been diving in and tweeting and retweeting. I feel that I am getting the hang of it and am feeling more confident doing it. I actually am excited at the end of the day to take a look and read all of my #eci831 classmates Tweets and to make some of my own. I am still trying to get the hang of making a catchy Tweet but I think that will come. I was happy to discover that you could use Twitter from your computer as I found it easier to navigate. I even figured out how to add Tweets with TikTok videos. I am a little proud of myself as I normally shy away from technology.

Teaching Early Years I can see myself using the information that I find on Twitter in my class but it isn’t a platform that I would use in my class.

Moving forward I think that I will continue to use Twitter but might not be as active on. I like Social Media that I can use to get ideas from but not that I need to interact a lot with. I have yet to be brave enough to join a chat. I might need to look at my Thursday and see if I can join in. I know that it is like anything the first step is the hardest.

This class was way out of my comfort zone but I see the importance in it as the world is ever changing. As an educator it is hard to sometimes stay current. I am grateful that my eyes have been opened to Twitter and the fact that it isn’t all that scary or intimidating.

I feel confident that I could help someone get onto Twitter, like a Tweet, make a Tweet, follow some people and groups and feel comfortable navigating around a bit.

 

BeReal or Not to BeReal

I started using BeReal on May 22, 2023. I have kept my streak alive of posting each day and have only been late with my post a few times. I went from zero friends to now having three friends. I am still not sure if I will continue using BeReal or I will stop. I am still figuring it all out. I think that it has a variety of positive aspects as well as negative aspects.

BeReal is a French social media app that was launched in 2020 by Alexis Barreyat and Kévin Perreau. It has a daily notification in which users are encouraged to take a photo in their surroundings in which they are given a random 2 minute time frame. You are given the chance to post one picture per day and recently if you post within your 2 minute time frame you are able to post 2 additional pictures. Here is a Beginners Guide to using BeReal.

I have asked myself since starting if this is just a new Social Media craze or if it is changing of bad habits that we have formed using Social Media platforms and the use of filters and altering our bodies. I found an article on linkedin.com that helped me to make a few decisions on my own. This article highlights pros, cons and mixed feelings about BeReal. The article brought up many feelings I was already having about this platform. Some of these are as follows:

  1. the use of both the front and back camera. (Very hard to tell what the one camera is taking a picture of.)
  2. there is no privacy.
  3. the public shaming. (When posting late all your friends are given a notification letting you know they posted late.)
  4. they claim they want people to be real and spend less time with their phone but yet with the random time notification to take a picture it makes people want to be more attached to their phone.
  5. It is having people want to ensure that they are constantly doing things that others would maybe want to see as who wants to post a boring picture?
  6. How is the company making their money?

The Terms of Service were fairly easy to read even though they were lengthy. They helped me to understand a bit better where the developers were coming from with their Social Media platform. I did appreciate that at the end there was a space where they gave you a way in which to contact them. It says that your content is for your friends unless you agree to have it shared globally.

At the end of this trial with BeReal I am leaning more towards getting rid of the app as I feel the pressure to post so that I am not being shamed for being late or not posting. I find that as soon as I hear that ding I feel that I need to quickly take a picture so that I can keep up my ‘Streak’ so to speak.

Although I found it fun for a bit it is not an app that I will let become a part of my repertoire. So, in the end I will decide to not BeReal. It was a good way to try out an app and learn in a brief amount of time the pros and cons of it.

Stitch by Stitch, Thread by Thread

On Tuesday night I began embroidering the centerpiece of the handprint blanket for my mom. I began doing the last names of each of my siblings. This took me around 2 hours. I sat and watched my son’s baseball practice and embroidered and had people come over and comment on what a beautiful idea and gift this will be. This warmed my heart to hear. By the time I was done working on embroidering each of the 6 last names my fingers were a little sore. I was happy with the progress that I had made but was also hit by the realization of how much work this project is going to take. It isn’t as simple as I had originally thought but I am happy as I know that the extra work that I am putting into it now will help for this blanket to last a life time.

After I finished the last names I thought okay lets start picking all the different colors for every families handprints. This took time as I wanted for each hand to have a different shade of the family color.

Last night I did my oldest brothers families handprints. There were five hands to be embroidered as well as all of the names and ages. This took me around 3 hours. At the end my fingers were sore and I looked at my work and thought for a fleeting second is it really worth all of this extra work? Then I thought of my Mom and all of the sewing she has done for each of us over the years and I thought yes it is worth it and so much more. This isn’t just an assignment or a project it is a work of love. So with every stitch that I make on this blanket I am saying a little prayer and putting a little bit of love into this piece. I am making memories and documenting them along the way.

I still have five families worth of hands to do as well as figuring out what to do with the hearts to make them more appealing and attractive. I will then start my work on other details such as bugs and leaves. I need to do some more practice pieces before I do any of that though as I want to ensure that these extra details end up looking really good. What details do you think I should add to my blanket?