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Saturday, October 13, 2007

Projects and Overlays

Still reading several books at once. Keep starting new ones, but nothing has seriously grabbed my attention, and I've been so busy lately that there has not been a great deal of time for reading anyway.

I've been making pencil rolls when I have spare time -- instead of reading. The mouse fabric one is for Mila and is made from scraps left over from an apron I made her a couple of years ago.

From the little scraps left cut from the ends of the above project came a little landscape. Most of the little strips are 1/4 to 1 one inch wide, trimmed from squaring the fabric. I cut a wavy edge all around and then satin stitched instead of binding it. The scraps are covered with tulle to keep them in place.


Here is an interesting note relating to reading:

Colored overlay transparencies can improve your child's reading. My sister-in-law told me about this and let me try some of the overlays to see which ones improved my reading ease. I was surprised at the way almost all of the overlays made the words jump off the page, but the light blue and a bright yellow worked best. The overlays are a real aid for children with reading difficulties, but can make reading easier for anyone. I'm going to order some, as my eyes sometimes get tired, and the overlays could relieve some of the eye strain.

I've got a lot to do before getting ready for Amelia's baby shower, so I'd better get to it. Erin and her family are in town, and Mila will attend the shower with us. This should be fun.

10 comments:

  1. Oh....I LOVE those pencil rolls!! I should do that for me kids! What a great idea!

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  2. I heard that many years ago from my grad school prof, who is dyslexic. We had to turn everything in on a particular shade of light blue paper that she passed out at the beginning of the semester.

    I really like your pencil rolls!

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  3. This is intriguing -- this is the first time I've heard about colours and how it helps reading.

    I have to research this a little bit more.

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  4. I think I might have to try the overlays. I've noticed as I've gotten older that words tend to jump around on the page for me and that I wind up reading the same lines or paragraph over and over again. Where I was once a very fast reader, I am now very, very slow. Maybe these would help.

    Love the pencil rolls, too!

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  5. Those pencil rolls are so darn cute and so is your landscape. I wish I knew how to sew!
    Hope the baby shower was fun!

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  6. Stephanie - They do make great gifts for kids. Mila liked hers. Shorter pockets are good for crayons.

    Bybee - Year's ago, I'd read that some dyslexics found a shade of red "unscrambled" letters. Now, I guess the idea is that there may be an individual aspect, and that even average readers can improve their comprehension. Very impressive.

    Orpheus - I'm always interesting in stuff like this. My sister-in-law is an Adaptive P.E. teacher and is always learning interesting new information about the way humans learn.

    Ex Libris -- The "tired old eyes" is my reason for being interested, too. I'm still a fast reader, but cannot read for long periods before the eyes tire and blur.

    iliana -- Thanks! They were both fun, but nothing I do with a sewing machine requires much knowledge. Oh, yes, the shower was fun; I drank mimosas while admiring all the wonderful gifts. :)

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  7. Where does one get colored overlays? I have a dyslexic husband - maybe that would help him.

    Love the pencil rolls and the landscape. I read quite a few books at once, also. Last week, I only finished one. Looks like you're having fun, though!

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  8. Bookfool -- The link will take you to a site that sells them, but I think you order the packet with all colors to see which works best for you first. I have not followed up yet, but I intend to!

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  9. Thank you! I didn't even notice a link. Blind as a bat, here.

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