Sniffle Craft

There's always a reason to craft and of late I've been relishing the opportunity to craft things for our everyday doings. The cold goblin is still visiting our house and Big Pickle in particular has had quite a rough trot being now nearly a week into his cold and still heavily afflicted.

Tissues are not my favourite thing at the best of times but they are rendered quite useless in the face of true need I find and dissolve into useless pulpy mess when called upon to deal with a steady stream of snot (a disgusting and brilliant word that one).
I gave him one of Mr Pickle's hankies to use and he was converted. 'Mummy, I think I will always use hankies. They are much better than tissues'. Indeed he's right they are much easier and better for a young man to handle.

 I remembered seeing children's hankies at Spotlight so made a little dash (any excuse will do!!) The retro looking colourful children's hankies turned out to be made with a horrible coarse fabric and the 'boys' ones were the same size as men's.
I happened to spot a range of fantastic fabrics along the bottom shelf of my wonderful Spotlights quilting section. Light weight, quite soft, linen look cottons with children's story and rhyme themes.
They are the same weight and style as a range of country themed ones they did recently, showcased in some gorgeous pants made by a lovely and clever friend here.
Just a little strip of each was really no more expensive than the ready made hankies (by my way of calculating value of remaining fabric, nicer result etc).

A hunt through the stash turned up a wealth of quirky hankie fabrics and before long we had a couple of dozen lovely 'kerchiefs. I chose to make them the size of a woman's one after seeing both boys handle that size easily.
It was also the size recommended by SouleMama in her wonderful book The Rhythm of Family. I didn't use two layers as she suggested though....it just seemed it would be too thick and sort of seemed a waste of fabric to me.

Taking a further leaf out of SouleMamas book and with the memory of a long ago post that had stayed with me waiting to find its moment in my life. I made a 'Hanky Dispenser'.
I'm sure I won't keep to it but at this stage I think I will iron and fold them so I made up my own design/pattern based on the size of a hanky folded into a small square.
A zipper at the back for easy loading, hook at the top and all was complete.

That left just the right amount of time to whip up a household favourite comfort food - meatball soup.
This recipe was a gift from a clever friend and is quick to make and so bursting with flavour and goodness that it always leaves you with a contented smile at the end of the meal. Today we made it with a 50/50 pork and beef combo and it was superb.

Here's to a healthier week to come or at least looking stylish whilst we tend our dripping noses.