Handmade Crochet Baby Bear Costume

 Set comes with bear hat, bear booties, and bear paws (mittens)

For newborn or infant (0-12 months).

Price: $60

Prices are Changing!

Due to the fact that I currently have about 10 orders lined up and waiting, I have decided that it's time that I change my prices. For the amount of time and work that I am putting in, I don't think that I am getting enough for it. I am feeling stressed and rushed and I hate to feel that way. I enjoy knitting and doing crochet because it's a form of meditation and is relaxing. I don't want my hobby to feel like a chore.

As of Tuesday, September 25, 2012 most prices will be increasing by $5.

Prices may not be reflected on the website yet, as it will take me awhile to get to all of the pages to edit them.

Any orders placed BEFORE this date will only be required to pay the original price.

Thanks for the love and support everyone! Grandma Swills has really been getting busy! 

Knitting to Help With Eating Disorders

I recently went to visit a friend of mine who is struggling with an eating disorder and has sought help from Homewood Health Centre in Guelph. She has checked herself into a 13 week program that will help her towards overcoming her E.D.

While visiting this friend, she was telling me how most of the patients take up knitting during their time in the program. Apparently this is due to the several times during the day when they are sitting around, especially after-meal-supervision when they have to remain in the dining room for an hour after eating. Knitting helps to keep them entertained. They help each other to learn and then work on completing a project during the length of their stay. Needles and wool are readily available to them.

This got me thinking about how knitting is kind of like a therapy for these patients. I decided to Google it when I got home and sure enough, I found LOTS of articles. I am sharing a few of them with you that I really enjoyed and found interesting.

The first article is not E.D. specific, called Therapeutic Knitting, but it talks about how knitting is a meditative-state that promotes relaxation and may even help release more serotonin into our bodies, making us feel better! When our minds are busy with knitting, they are not thinking about the stresses and anxieties in our lives. For people with an eating disorder, I imagine knitting can help to refocus thoughts away from self-image, what they're eating/not eating, etc.

My favourite is when this article refers to knitting as a healthy addiction (don't I know it!) that can help take the place of other not-so-healthy addictions.

Knitting is using your hands to make something creative that has a final product at the end. It's a chance to be proud of yourself for what you've accomplished. It's overcoming the bumps along the road (dropped stitches suck!) and being proud of something when you're done. It's learning something new and building self-esteem as you achieve these new things. If you're knitting with others, it's a universal language and feeling like you're a part of a community.

I can see why knitting has been used in programs that help to combat E.D.s 
I'm happy to know that a hobby I love so much is helping others to help themselves. What a happy thought.

More articles specific to Knitting and Eating Disorders:

• An interesting medical study done with eating disorders and knitting: CLICK HERE!
• Knitting as a self-empowering activity: CLICK HERE!
• A blog from someone who learned to crochet during her treatment: CLICK HERE!
• A blog about Healthy Addictions: CLICK HERE!

Will knitting cure an eating disorder? No. That's a much bigger, longer, and more difficult journey.
Will knitting help with some of the anxieties that accompany eating disorders? Maybe! It's exciting to think it could!

To my friend who is struggling but is fighting (and any others out there): I love you. I believe in you. I know you're gonna kick this thing in the butt. Keep strong. Keep knitting. :)

Kool-aid Cubes!

 So I had seen this done on pinterest and decided to try it for my 30th birthday open house.

What you do is make Kool-aid (follow regular instructions) and then freeze it in ice cube trays to make Kool-aid cubes!

Once frozen, poor sprite (or club soda) over the cubes and your drink changes flavors as the cubes melt!

After the party I had tons left over and I found the orange ones gave a nice little flavour zing to my water as well! Would be GREAT for a kid's party or floating in a punch bowl!