For several weeks now (since about the time we got our last electricity and gas bill), I’ve been trying to figure out an easy, blanket free way to keep Wiggles’ hands warm at night.  We’ve been turning down the heater at night to save money, but the baby’s hands get so cold.  I knew there must be a simple solution to the problem, but my usual answer finder (Google) failed me this time around.  What I did find, was a lot of other people asking the same question, “How can I keep my baby’s hands warm at night?”  I put on my thinking cap and pulled out my sewing machine.

Right now, we put the baby to sleep in a long sleeve sleepsack similar to the Kiddopotamus Dreamsie Sleeper.  At first I planned on making a separate blanket to wear over the sleeper, but I think I found an even easier solution.  I simply added foldover mittens to the inside of the cuff on the sleepsack.

(pictures and directions follow)

1.  Find or make mittens.

For the first sleepsack, I used a pair of flannel baby scratch mittens.  If you don’t have any scratch mittens, you can make mittens out of some leftover fleece or flannel.

How to make the mittens (if you don’t have any scratch mittens handy):

• Cut a piece of fabric in a 4″ X 8″ strip.
• If you use fabric that will fray, finish the 4″ sides with hems.
• Fold the strip like a hamburger so you have a ~4″ X 4″ square.
• with right sides together, sew along the side seams, leaving the side opposite the fold open.

How to attatch the mittens:

• Turn sleeper inside out, and fold cuff into sleeve.
• Turn mitten right side out and slide inside cuff of sleeper (so right sides are together)

slide mitten inside cuff of sleeper

• Pin side seam of mitten with seam of sleeve, then match the other mitten seam with the other side of the sleeve (where the other seam would be if the sleeve were made of 2 pieces).  Pin mitten to sleeve along the side facing the back of the sleeper. (you will leave the front side open to make it easier to get the baby hand in and out of the sleeve/mitten)

• Use a zig-zag stitch to sew along the pinned edge.  You want to sew as close to the edge as you can.

sew a zig-zag seam along pinned edge

• Trim the thread and turn sleeper right side out.  Tonight your baby’s hands will stay toasty warm. (picture below is of a sleeper with my homemade mittens attached.  They are flannel on the inside and satin on the out–just some old fabric I had laying around.)

Does anybody know how to make snowshoes? That’s right, just a week or two ago I was writing about keeping cool without air conditioner, but today my thoughts have changed and I am looking towards the long winter.

It started Sunday with rain…a sure sign that fall is coming.

Brenton and I have decided to take up snowshoeing this winter, but as part of the plan we are going to make our own snowshoes instead of buying them.

If you have a link on how to make snowshoes, post it in the comments. I would love that.

In the winter, we are all told to wear a hat because a lot of body heat can be lost through the head and neck. This principle can be applied in reverse during summer heat waves when you are trying to keep cool without air conditioner.

One product that can help you keep cool is the ThermalSoft Gel Hot/Cold Pack ( Standard Size – 11″ x 14″). These packs can be put in the freezer to cool down, but they maintain their pliability after being frozen. This works out for keeping cool when the air conditioner is broke because you can wrap the frozen gel pack around your neck or back.

If you are overheating in the office, I realize that you can’t wrap a 11 x 14″ medical looking gel pack around you neck. For a bit more hidden way to cool down, try ThermalSoft Gel Hot/Cold Pack – Neck Contour ( 23″ x 8″). The neck contour could be hidden under a scarf or collar while you are cooling down.

If you need an alternative to gel packs, you can dip a bandanna in ice water and tie it around your neck. The cooling effect will work, but won’t last as long and you might get your shirt soaked in the process.

Keeping your pulse points, such as wrists, cool really helps lower your core body temperature without much effort.

As always, when the heat wave comes, whether you have air conditioner or not, drink lots of water so you are hydrated and healthy.