apple stamped capes for martinmas

A few years ago, when Naiya was still in preschool, the children and their teachers at her Waldorf school made these sweet capes for our Martinmas Lantern Walk.  We still have ours and take it out every year when we take our walk through the neighborhood on November 11th.  They're of such a simple design and young ones love the apple painting portion of this creation so I thought I'd share them as a Martinmas family craft.

They're made out of a single piece of wool felt and some felted yarn for the braided tie.  For our four year old the fabric measured 32" x 36" and this size still works for her at six.  Our finger knitted draw string measures about 36" as well.

Begin by laying out the flat fabric.  Using apples cut in half on their "equator" (which, in all apples, reveals a magical star), dip the open side in red paint and stamp the fabric at random intervals.

After allowing the paint to dry, fold the fabric in half with the stamps on the inside and sew across one of the short ends with a broad running stitch.  This creates the hood of the cape.

Measure about 12" down from the seam just created and cut three holes in a line in from the outside edge.  The first is only 1/2 an inch from the edge and the other two are about 3/4 inches apart.  Repeat on the other side.  These are holes for the drawstring.

Fold the fabric to align all three holes.  Using a thick braided or finger knitted yarn (about 36" long), run the drawstring from one side to the other.





 

Maintain the fold up to the top where the seam was sewn and place a few stitches at the peak to create a folded edge around the entire hood.

With needle and thread, stitch the drawstring at the center back.  Since we used wool felt, there was no reason to hem any edges.

It's made a warm and festive wrap for our evening Lantern Walk three years running.

Father Sun, Father Sun, will you lend me pray
A little flaming lantern to light me on my way?
The fairie folk have vanished from the meadow and the glen
And we would fain go seeking till we find them once again
Oh, lend me now a lantern that I may bear a light
To find the hidden pathway in the darkness of the night

martinmas - in the spirit of giving

As we transition out of harvest time and celebrating the abundance of the Earth and all her gifts, we move into a season of expressing gratitude for all we have and celebrating the spirit of giving.  This is really how I think of Martinmas which is coming up on Friday.  We decorate our Nature Table with a scene from the popular story of Saint Martin wherein he cuts his cloak in half to save a beggar from freezing in a storm.  The theme of giving carries us nicely from the bounty of Summer's end to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

Last year right around this same time, Ryan and I were listening to a talk by Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield speaking on this very subject.  I can't recall his exact words but he was telling about how he sometimes has the impulse to give, second guesses himself, reflects upon what might be personally lost by handing over something (tangible or intangible) that belongs to him and, after much more thought, finally decides for or against the giving.  Actually, he says he used to do that.

He talks about how we probably all have gone through this same process in our own ways.  "Should I donate this sweater to Goodwill?  I might need it...  But it isn't my favorite... but I might wear it if I make it to the snow this year... No, I probably won't.  Okay, I'll donate it...."  "I could go down and volunteer to help at the shelter, but do I really have the time?...  Would a couple of hours make a difference anyway?  Well, maybe next year..."   "A lot of people have a lot more than I do.  Let them be the ones who give away their money, their things, their free time..." 

More or less, I think we probably have all had this kind of internal dialogue.  Jack says at some point in his life though, he made the decision to just always follow the initial impulse to give.  He no longer agonizes over the decision or wonders if it's the right or best thing to do.  He says that when the first inclination of giving arises, he doesn't stop to think about it or reflect on it or weigh the consequences of his actions.  He just does it.  As immediately as possible.

Not once has he regretted it.

A wise approach to living I think.  Something for us all to reflect upon.

Within the fullness of our lives, how might we share our time, our money, our food, our energy and even the oft overlooked but immensely valuable gift of our undivided attention both with those we love and with those to whom we are still strangers?

martinmas

On November 11th we celebrated Martinmas at home with Naiya. We told stories of giving and sharing and one of the more well-known stories of Saint Martin himself. Naiya wanted to hear it over and over and also set up her dolls to act out the events. It was a sweet day even though the weather was quite dreary and we couldn't get her to go outside to walk the neighborhood with her lantern.  There are many famous works of art of this tale of Saint Martin that we had copies of around the house.

Long ago, there lived a good young man named Martin. Even as a boy, he knew that one day he would be expected to serve in the military. His father was an important military officer. And, though he desired a peaceful life outside of the military, he knew that it would be his duty to follow the life of his father. So, Martin joined the military, became an officer, and was eventually assigned to garrison duty in the town of Amiens.
One bitterly cold winter evening, the young Martin rode through the gates of Amiens on his fine proud horse. He was dressed in the regalia of his military unit: gleaming armor, a bright helmet, and a beautiful red cloak, lined with lambs wool. It was nearly freezing outside, but his thick cloak kept him warm. He was hardly aware of the cold. But then, as he approached the gates of the town, he saw a poor man, a beggar, dressed with clothes so ragged that he was practically bare. The man was shaking and blue with cold, but no one reached out to help him. People would pass through the gates, looking straight ahead, so their eyes would not meet with those of the poor, desperate man.
Martin, seeing this, was overcome with compassion. He rode straight to the poor man and took off his red cloak.  With one stroke of his sword he tore the lovely mantle in two. He wrapped half of the cloak around the freezing man and the other half around his own shoulders.
The people nearby watched in amazement. To see a fine military officer do such a thing was a ridiculous sight to many, but others were touched by the goodness that Martin showed.
That night, as Martin slept, he had a dream. A man appeared to him who looked so familiar, and he was wearing the half of the cloak Martin had given to the poor beggar. And then, Martin saw in the eyes of this man, and the light of the Divine which we all carry within us.
From that day on, Martin’s life was changed forever. He knew that he could no longer fight and harm other men as part of the military, for his true desire was to live a life of kindness, forgiveness, compassion and goodness.

Golden light is turning grey,
Mists begin to rule the day.
Bare the trees, their branches lift;
Clouds of dead leaves earthward drift.

Through the field the farmer goes,
Seeds of ripened corn he sows’
Trusts the earth will hold it warm,
Shelter it from cold and harm.

For he knows that warmth and light
Live there, hidden from our sight;
And beneath a sheltering wing,
Deep below, new life will spring!

(adapted from a story by Cerdiwen Anya Coit posted at www.herbnites.tripod.com/waldorfinspiredschool )

lantern walk

Each October/November we have a Lantern Walk to celebrate Martinmas, a celebration of inner light in the midst of the outer darkness of the approaching winter. Waldorf education places a special emphasis on festivals in community. Festivals anchor the human spirit to the year. It doesn't matter how festivals are celebrated --it's the celebrating, the ritual, the reverence, and the consistency within the cycle of the seasons that grows in a child (and in an adult!).
Saint Martin's legend is one of choices and service. The tale most associated with Martin is one in which he gives half of his cloak to a freezing beggar outside of the gates of the city of Samarobriva (Amiens). After splitting his cloak with his sword and sharing it with the suffering man, the soldier Martin has a dream in which he sees the beggar as a holy figure. Martin awakes and knows in his heart that he can no longer fulfill his duties as a soldier, but instead becomes a devoted man of God helping those in need.

Our walk this year wound through the candlelit Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden with various stops where the children were given small gifts.  (The children helped make their apple stamped wool capes in class earlier in the week.)  We started at twilight and ended in darkness.

I go outside with my lantern

My lantern goes outside with me

Above me shine the stars so bright

Down here on earth shine we

So shine my light in the still dark night

Rabimmel rabammel raboom

'Neath heaven's dome 'till we go home

Rabimmel rabammel raboom

(Oma prefers the original German.)