#sleep sack

[elisegravesbondageliberation]

Now Kiss!

From "A Suspended F*ck" ft Heavy and Sasha

[ck1957]

[daddydicktampa]

[thecrochetcrowd]

Crochet Mini Toddler Shark Snuggle Sack Pattern

Crochet Mini Toddler Shark Crochet Mini Toddler Shark Snuggle Sack Many people have requested a smaller version of the latest Fin-Tastic Shark Snuggle Sack by Yarnspirations.com. Jennie Renshaw of Missouri, USA saw a need and fulfilled a need by doing an adaptation of the Yarnspirations.com Shark for her 3 year old grandson, Chase. Free Pattern: Crochet Shark. See notes below for the…

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[restrained4u2use]

[billyskullknits]

Miscellaneous other projects of note:

FROG BLANKET

This is a giant granny square baby blanket I started to use up some green yarn I wasn't going to use, and then realised that I liked the yarns accompanying them too much to waste.

I've always had a problem with granny squares ending up funny shapes, and I think it's to do with my cast on - chain on? The first bit. Either way, this is getting frogged and turned into a scrap scarf.

PORTAL GLOVES

I swear, the gesture was unintentional. Probably.

These gloves were my first attempt to actually knit with some of my handspun yarn. I used no pattern, the yarn is probably too soft and underspun to withstand any kind of wearing, and by this point I’m probably going to have to frog and reknit it to get gauge and sizing.

STRING JUMPER

I’ve posted about this before. I have no idea what I was thinking, but by gosh I’m going to follow it through.

I think the sizing is a little small now, but I can crochet a border around the side seams to give it another couple of inches. Probably.

SLEEP SACK

I have… no idea what I was thinking. I mean, I do - I was thinking about the cool-looking mermaid tail blankets that were around at the time and how I’d really love one of those but without the tail. I was also thinking that I have a lot of this green yarn that needs using up, and also probably that I was stranded at Mum’s house with nothing else to work on.

This yarn is scratchy, fiddly, and non-machine washable. Why on earth would I make a blanket out of this?

This is probably getting frogged. I may experiment with felting at some point, because I honestly have no idea what to do with the massive cones of scratchy 3-ply yarn I bought from a yard sale because they were £1 each.

Note to self: bargains are only bargains if you actually use the thing.

FUCK TUMNUS

Heh. Um… it’s a long story?

I made this in honour of ATCB Gaming’s LP of City: Skylines to commemorate one of the most beautiful moments of friendship between Matt The Bastard and Coreline.

Sadly I haven’t done much cross stitch since I moved in with HM and The Panther - something about sharp needles and stray floss around the cat makes me nervous. Still, I think it’s about time to finish this off when he’s asleep.

[daddydicktampa]

[appalachianheretic]

Sleep IS Self-Care

To me, sleep IS an activity. On days off of work, when I am home alone, it’s often so quiet that the only thing breaking the silence are the birds chirping outside in the trees; my cats yawning; or my light steps, treading through the house. To me, this level of quiet--of alone time--represents peace.

Having truly undisturbed peace is a rarity for me anymore, but, when I find it in the moment, I tend to use it to sleep.

Why?

It’s something I can enjoy for myself, by myself

It helps me to feel relaxed

I am able to rejuvenate myself

I have the possibility to dream (which is my favorite)

During the work week, I can easily become busy and get in the habit of treating sleep as a chore instead of something that brings me peace and renewal. I am trying to change that viewpoint so that I may have a healthier balance of sleeping and waking, but it is a process! 

I have strayed away from my former nap & bedtime self-care rituals since becoming busy with school, but I am planning on returning to those to better love myself and foster a healthier, more intentional life balance by making sleeping during the week something I look forward to (like on the weekends)!

Here are some of my sleepy, self-care tips to help make sleeping an intentional and meaningful part your day:

Make your bed a few hours before planning to sleep. My general rule is to try to make my bed around 3+ hours before I plan to go upstairs and sleep for the night or before I plan to take a nap. If you have a one bedroom dorm/apartment/studio apartment, you may wish to make your bed earlier to enjoy your open space throughout the day. Choose textures for blankets and pillows that make you feel happy, safe, and warm. Choose colors that promote what you wish to get out of sleep (I chose white pillows and blankets to promote peace). Put on your favorite song or open a window while making your bed to allow the outside air to refresh your room (if possible).

Change your sheets once a week. Changing your sheets often is good for promoting restful sleep and it’s good for your skin! I have two sets of pillow cases and sheets on hand that I can switch out when it comes time to change my bedding. When stripping your current bedding, envision taking away any restlessness, negativity, nightmares, or anxiety that may have affected your sleep that week--all bundled up in your bedding. When putting on the new bedding, think about (or speak aloud!) what you wish to happen during the upcoming week and what you wish to get from your opportunities for rest. When laundering your sheets, use scents that appeal to you so that you can look forward to changing them and speak for the negativity to be washed away down the drain.

Spritz your bedding with herbal-based mists. When I am at the peak of my sleepy time routine, I often spray my bed with a water-based lavender mist so that my bed smells nice and comforting throughout the week. The lavender also promotes relaxation, which helps soothe me to sleep. Make sure you choose your herbal mist meaningfully (be wary of purchasing drugstore products that may contain harmful ingredients) and spritz lightly at least 3 hours before planning to sleep so that it may dry. This is also a great way to refresh your bedding throughout the week before changing them.

Hang a “sleep sack” from your bed post to deter nightmares and promote good dreams. My mother-in-law does what she calls “mountain charms” and she made a “sleep sack” for me several times over the years to ward off bad dreams. She adds dried lavender, sage, chamomile, rose petals, mugwort, and two drops each of lavender and rose essential oils to a small sachet and gives it a good shake to blend the herbs together. I would usually hang the sachet from my nightstand drawer or my bedpost--anywhere nearby so that the scent could reach me. Just be careful if you have curious cats like I do and put it away during the daytime if needed!

Keep your sleeping space organized and clean. As someone who loves organized chaos, having a completely chaotic, non-organized bedroom greatly affects how well I tend to sleep--especially at night. While cleaning, light a soothing candle, incense, or turn on an essential oil diffuser and your favorite music. While doing general pickup around your space, remind yourself that every object in your room has a specific place and work to return these items to their “homes.” Even picking up two to three items before bed is progress--especially on busy days!

Create your own rituals that make going to sleep more special. This could mean something a little different for everyone. Perhaps a glass of wine or a cup of soothing tea before bed. Or reading a few chapters in a book you've been working on. Or cleansing your skin with a mask or with rejuvenating oils. Or watering your indoor plants. Or writing in your daily journal. Or praying. Personalizing your pre-bedtime ritual is what makes it the most fun. Creating a routine before sleeping can be comforting and prep your body for rest. My only tip would be to choose activities that you can easily disassociate from technology, which can easily interrupt our bedtime rituals and become distractions.

Consider increasing weight of your bedding if you have anxiety. Sometimes my anxiety will rear its ugly head at the worst moments (middle of the night), but to help combat discomfort while sleeping if I am feeling anxious, I will often place two or three additional blankets on my side of the bed to allow more pressure to occur while I am sleeping. This helps me to feel at ease and feel safe. For those of you with anxiety, you may feel more smothered or uncomfortable by heavier bedding. Reflecting on your anxiety symptoms and your personal comfort levels when considering whether to add or take away weight is important! Changing my bedding from a thin quilt to a down comforter with a heavier quilt, folded on top, positively changed my sleeping experiences. Experiment to see what works for you!

happy sleeping!