All Posts By

Kelly

First grade handwork ~ Satchkin Patchkin

Waldorf handwork

This week my son brought home his Satchkin Patchkin.

It was a super proud moment for Max and for me. Because for the better part of this year, Max carefully and slowly knitted his Satchkin Patchkin doll.

First grade handwork

Before the children started knitting, they were presented with their own beautiful wooden knitting needles. They then carefully used beeswax to buff them ready for knitting.

And during their two handwork classes each week, as they sat and knitted, their handwork teacher told them the story of Satchkin Patchkin.

Satchkin

In the telling of his story, and in his creation, Satchkin Patchkin took on a life of his own… almost like a Waldorf Pinocchio *grin*

For months I had heard tales of Max’ doll.

Satchkin on the chair

About his little hat, his little pocket (to hold treasures, of course!) and his adventures. How Max had sewn along the edges of his body to create his arms. How he had chosen purple for his pants.

So when he finally came home we all loved him already. Teddy even stole him away as soon as he had the chance!

Waldorf Satchkin Patchkin

I found a copy of Satchkin Patchkin too, just so I could read all about him *grin*

And how wonderful for the grade one children to have the joy and knowledge of creation! And as Judy Forster explained in her article about handwork on The Parenting Passageway, Steiner thought of thinking as a kind of ‘cosmic knitting’

When you take ideas and put them together to form more complicated thoughts, it is similar to the process of knitting where one thread is pulled up again and again to create a fabric.

Satchkin Patchkin

Pretty special huh!

Blessings, Kelly

 

Our family Christmas traditions

{This post contains affiliate links}

Waldorf window stars

Christmas truly is a magical time of year.

And the anticipation as we journey towards Christmas day is as important and special as the day itself.

Christmas tree

As a family we have slowly created our Christmas traditions. Working out what is special and meaningful for us.

And along the way, I have read inspiring books that have helped me find that meaning and bring it into our family.

decorating for Christmas

And as each festive season slowly unfolds, I watch my children eagerly anticipate the elements they have come to recognise as making our family Christmas

Christmas book nook

The Christmas books return to the book nook and they spend hours revisiting their favourites.

Christmas books

We venture out on a hot Summer’s day to find the Christmas tree that sings to us, telling us it is the one.

getting the Christmas tree

They carefully and excitedly open the box that holds our Christmas decorations. They rediscover their creations of years past.

decorating the Christmas tree

We spend afternoons and evenings crafting. Warming wax in our hands to decorate amazingly scented beeswax candles.

candles

And the sun is captured and celebrated through our beautiful Waldorf window stars. The little ones join in by filling shapes of trees and stars with rainbows of kite paper.

sun catchers

Our beautiful nativity reemerges to grace our nature table. And our mornings start with the opening of parcels from our advent stick.

And closer to Christmas day itself the wonderful scent of cinnamon and ginger will fill our home as the children bake a gingerbread house with their dad.

And on Christmas Eve, we will lull them to sleep by looking at the Christmas lights over our neighbourhood.

This is what Christmas is for us *smile*

This post was sponsored by the beautiful shop, Dragonfly Toys. An Australian based Waldorf inspired shop which aims to keep the magic of childhood alive.

Blessings, Kelly