One of the great things about woodworking is how it can be used to foster creativity and help build hand-eye coordination for kids, particularly teenagers. Of course, woodworking tools can be extremely dangerous for anyone at any age, so woodworking with your kids is a perfect opportunity to teach them the proper respect for, and safe use of power tools.

In these free woodworking plans, find a terrific project you can complete with your kids: a bamboo wind chime. While there are some steps of this project that you probably will want to complete yourself (for safety), it is a perfect opportunity to spend time with your kids in the wood shop and not only teach them woodworking skills, but build a memorable project at the same time.Bamboo wind chimes can be quite expensive if you buy them in a store. In these Free Woodworking Plans: Bamboo Wind Chime, learn how to build a beautiful bamboo wind chime for a fraction of the cost you’d pay in a store. To top it off, it is a woodworking project you can build with your kids, which will make it all the more special every time you hear the dulset melodic tones in a light summer breeze.

I wrapped her in a tablecloth and took her out to play

Not quite to play but rather, to put her on display!

There are days that mark our life and this one was her first,

The family all gathered as we took her into church.

We called her for her grannies, with a little variation

And so it was that she was known until her own abbreviation!

The tablecloth it was not plain and made with loving care

By a granny that she never knew, no longer round to share.

The tablecloth was crocheted in cotton years before

It spent near half a life time, lying in a drawer.

Now freshly washed and smelling sweet it was a perfect square

And it looked just right, on our wee mite, as we took her through the door.

A bright June morning the sun was high with singing in the choir

Our hearts near burst with happiness, with our darling hearts desire.

Then she grew up!

This is the tablecloth that I used as a shawl.

Once I decided to use the tablecloth for a shawl I set about finding a pattern to crochet a dress for my little bundle of joy.  I did not want a dress a mile longer than my 18inch baby so adapted a pattern for a woolen dress.

Elly just four weeks old in the only photo I have of her taken on the day.

Our photographer for the day didn’t make it – his car broke down and it was before the days of digital cameras.  I came across the outfit while clearing a drawer last week and gave it a wash.  It is amazingly white even after all this time.  To show it off properly I went in search of a baby sized doll.  Not a difficult task you would think.

The first doll I borrowed was from a school pal of Elly’s and was the correct size and vintage.  There was only one problem… the eyes were damaged and the young ladies father had replaced them with marbles.  All the photos I took made them look like cats eyes!  No way could I use a full face so I cropped the photos accordingly.

The pattern I worked from also had a pair of pants:

The pants may look bulky but not with a nappy on under them.

One day while out I saw a new baby goods shop and called in to see if they had a doll for display puropses.  No they didn’t but the assistant promised to bring her daughters doll in the following day.  It was a little smaller than the original one but I managed to take a photo.

I took this photo on the floor in the shop!

So to the girls in Rock-a-Baby who were so helpful I say thank you.