Craft of the week, Fiber picture

Materials: Wool roving

Glue

Optional: Needle punch

Dyes, Unsweetened Cool-ade or Rit dye

Vinegar

Steam bag

1 cup measure

You do:

If you’re roving is already dyed, great. Otherwise, dye small amounts in bright colors.

You can dye it with Rit or Cool-ade.

How to dye with cool-ade:

First soak about 4 oz of fiber in warm water for 20 minutes.

2 oz vinegar in 1 cup measure. Fill the rest with hot water.

Dissolve 1-2 pkgs. unsweetened cool-ade in hot water.

In a 1 cup measure put 2 tbsp vinegar, cool-ade mixture and enough hot water to fill. Put this mixture and wet fiber (squeeze out excess water) into a steamable bag.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes.

Let it cool. If you want a brighter color, you can microwave another minute or add more Cool-ade. Make sure there is enough liquid to cover fiber. If there is not enough liquid, fiber will scorch.

When cool, rinse in cool water till water runs clear. Squeeze out water and let it air dry. Either hang it up or lay it on a dry towel.

To dye with Rit dye, follow instructions for Wool. You can also microwave it in steamer bags using the same steps as for Cool-ade.

I like to bring colors for landscape and earth tones. Scenic calendars are great to display for inspiration.



They do:

If doing a scene, they can draw basic shapes on the card stock and fill it in with the colored roving. Roving can be glued, spray glued or if you are a needle felter, you can needle felt it for them. For spray gluing I use a large paper grocery bag. Can be embellished with other materials (buttons, lace, ribbon, pass the embellishment box.

My Mom

My Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer about 10 years ago. My Dad took care of her the best he could.
He died about 4 years ago and me and my 2 sisters took turn taking care of her. It was hard. She would wander off, rearrange our houses, dig up our garden. It all sounds petty now but believe me, it was difficult.
The decision to put her in a nursing home was guilt ridden and sad but she is much better off. She has staff to take care of her, feed her, dress her.
She has been there for almost 2 years. She still gets confused but mostly she knows how to find her room. If we had waited, she would be more lost. Sometimes I take her out for ice cream but when I bring her back, it takes her a while to get re-oriented. She doesn't know where she is.
My mom was a great Mom. She was loving and nurturing. Even now she is mostly sweet. Sometimes lately I notice her being nasty to the other residents.
The good news is my Dr.says its not genetic.

Caregivers of Alzheimer patients

I volunteer at a local nursing home doing crafts. It is important to stimulate their minds without frustrating them. We have a great time and I have some men in my class that say they have never done crafts before but they give it a try.
I like to do practical crafts, i.e. tissue box covers for their rooms. Some of them have no idea where it came from, (LOL) but a lot of them get a warm fuzzy feeling and remember the fun they had creating it.
Does anyone else have suggestions on activities for people with dementia?