Jingle Bell Jack and ways to make and use the fabric yo-yo

     I was given a book for Christmas, one year.  Remember when giving a book was not considered mean?  Well, this book was a story of a rainy day with nothing to do and the mom made a doll out of scrap fabric.  His name was Jingle Bell Jack.  I am posting a picture of the book from the internet because MY copy was loved until it has begun to disintegrate!   The book is also available at Ebay and Amazon.  Sit and read it to your child.

Then, you could make the doll!

www.etsy.com 

     When my kids were little, I used the book to make dolls for them to play with.  However, by the time I was having children, it was considered unsafe to hand a child a hand stitched toy with metal bells attached!  I must not have been a good mom, because I sewed the bells on with thread, buttonhole thread and dental floss.  If they ever came off, someone would have to use a skilsaw!  You could modify yours with the use of pompoms, but the point of today's missive is, these memories last forever!  

Sure, you could buy a doll online and give it as just as meaningful a gift as any other.  But, you could practice your hand sewing skills, while your child watches and build a friend for them.  It will be like magic!  

Cut circles of scrap fabric and stitch around the edge.


Gather the circles to the center and finger press them flat.

String together yo-yo s for arms and legs.  

Cut some circles larger and repeat to make the body.

Use pompoms or jingle bells at the end of the limbs and on the top ot the hat. ( hat is a cone , and head can be a stuffed pompom made from a circle larger than the body circle, stuffed with batting) 

www.quiltersclubofamerica.com

Other things you can do with 'Yo-Yo s:

Make maby.  Stitch them together to make place mats or many to make quilts.

Make puffy dolls by stacking two stuffed yo-yo on top of each other, add yarn hair.

Make yo-yos out of scrap fabric from a dress project to dress up the dress!

You can also use yo-yo s to cover a stain on a favorite t-shirt, skirt or blouse, or use on a childs shirt to make it live longer!


Giving a child a gift from your hand is the stuff that the memories of a lifetime are made of.  Try to remember the gifts you received as a child.  THe ones that came attached to a story, will stick out.  This story of Jack is a nice story.  

I like to suggest homemade and hand made thoughtful gifts for adults and children.  As a prepper, it is part of the lifestyle.  To prep is to save and store, to squirrel away toward that rainy gloomy doomy day, and to learn how to make what we have do what we need or want.  It is not about stripping away a childhood or surrendering your kindness or generosity for stinginess or hoarding.  

I have a prep son who has chickens.  He gives away his excess now.  In return, he has made neighbors into good friends.  He has built a hydroponic garden that the neighbors are using as a learning tool, to see what it yield in comparison to their ground gardens.  It makes for good conversation with like minded preppers.  He gives to the neighborhood and his community, building a foundation of respect and friendship that could save his life.  His kids see his lifestyle and his way of life and they learn from it.  This is all good.

Giving of yourself as well as giving what things you can, teaches others a better way to live.  You can stand on a box and holler, "Be Generous!"  or you can lead by example.  Make something, then give it to someone.