Kinkeeping at Christmas ...

I learnt a new phrase recently Kinkeeping Kinkeeping 

Noun - [kin-kee-ping] 

The labour involved in maintaining and enhancing family ties. 

Kinkeeping is a term coined by sociologist Carolyn Rosenthal (McMaster University) back in 1985, stating that it’s primarily a female activity. Yet, over the past 20 years, nothing has changed: 91% of kinkeepers are still women.

Kinkeeping is a form of work that is devalued; it’s feminized and women are culturally expected to do more of this emotional labour. And yet it’s essential because it allows our families, communities and societies to run.

It is a phrase used to describe the unseen & often undervalued contribution women make to keeping traditions & observations alive in families.  The kinkeeper looks after both sides of the family doing cards & gifts, keeping track of birthdays, anniversaries, events, occasions etc. 

The festive season means trees to be decorated, sideboard to be changed, menus to be sorted for the shopping needs, gifts to be bought & wrapped, cards to be written & posted etc. It is a busy time ... 

My grandmother & mother were our kinkeepers - making, baking & doing so many things that it all just happened. My grandparents used to visit a jeweller in the centre of Johannesburg to buy the silver charms for the Christmas pudding which was then baked weeks in advance. There was a joyous anticipation of finding a silver charm. 

It is a role that is carried on with great love, trying to maintain old traditions that hold memories while creating new ones for a new generation - traditions evolve but there is a warm glow when some old ones are sill observed by another generation.

I baked at the knee of my Grandmother & Mother & it is a tradition I have tried to uphold with the next generation - the smell of baking & the special time together is one I value. 

This role passes unseen & without fanfare at some point in time; it is the glue & love that holds it all together. 

However, some are so organised that they take on some roles, not because you don’t want to do it, but because someone else has a talent & ability to do it well & that is how traditions pass on ... 

Kinkeeping, especially over holidays, can be tiring keeping on track of multiple lists of things & little wonder they feel rather frazzled at the end of it with the decorating, shopping, gift wrapping & giving, cooking & setting a beautiful table ...

The magic of Christmas is not in the things, it is in the people who make it special.  

Who is the kinkeeper in your family? What traditions are special that will be carried forward? Tell all & thank you for your visit, it is appreciated. 

Dee  📝🎶🎄🤷‍♀️

Starting some Christmas sewing ...

Is it just me or has December come up rather suddenly? It seems like summer was just yesterday ... 

I have been catching up with a week long online sewing retreat with something like 20 workshops so have been completely distracted & the end of November is here. 

Two years ago I made some soft & colourful fabric decorations for the little ones tree - soft with longer hanging loops to make it easier for little hands to handle them. They did not have a many embellishments sewn on which could be put in the mouth so safe for small people. 

I was asked by a friend to gift one to her & so I did another selection of Christmas decorations with interesting beads, little bells & more that I gifted to friends with their Christmas cards.  I handstitched gold or red edges to them all & they were well received. 

I am meeting friends / colleagues soon & wanted to add a handmade decoration to their cards too so having some time, I cut out some trees & a few tiny boots again. I still had some patchwork sections in my Xmas fabric stash (everyone has such a box do they not? ) so I cut an additional 2 trees too. 

All of these are backed by soft red or green felt / flannel.

My process was the same as before - machine stitch around the edge (in red or green thread) then keeping it on the machine, with the needle in the fabric, lift the presser foot & stuff it lightly with soft toy stuffing. I used a wooden quilting creaser & pointer to poke some stuffing in. The rounded edge was useful to ease it in, then the pointed tip could push it to the corners etc. 

Then I simply dropped the presser foot & sewed up the last bit - an easy way to do it as long as you leave enough space to pop the filling in. 

Because these few are for adults, I will add some tiny bells, beads & then blanket stitch the edge in embroidery thread. 

They are well received as gifts & it is a relaxing activity to get one in the spirit of the festive season as it is fast approaching. I know - I should have started sooner, however, they are lovely to make. 

EDITED - some completed ones that are ready to go with cards. 

Please tell me how your preparations are going. Thank you for stopping by, it is much appreciated. 

Dee 🧵🎄🪡📍

A nod to Scandinavian decorations ….

Is anyone else doing some sewing ahead of putting up decorations? I did quite a lot of handsewn decorations last year.  I saw this in one of my many books & it reminded me of making them decades ago. You need two fabrics ... 

I did  similar little woven hearts were with my Mother & Grandmother as a child but they were with paper which was probably easier as it was firmer. I came across the pattern in one of my many sewing books & decided they would look rather sweet as a decoration this year.

The little template is an easy shape with 2 cuts making 3 parts. You need two of these for each heart as they are woven together to make a heart shape.

I was out of practice & had to pull them apart a few times & redo them.

Once they were woven, I attached them to plain felt shaped hearts, then using my favourite blanket stitch all around the edge. A length of white cord was stitched in to the top so they can be used as a decoration.

I might make some others, perhaps using a stiffer fabric.  I might even do several different colours & make them to pop in to Christmas cards as a gift. 

What are your festive decorations looking like? Tell all & inspire us ... 

Thanks for stopping by, do comment & share please

Dee 🧵🪡