I'VE raised four children, all of whom enjoyed a public school education and all of whom had the support, means and skills to take up tertiary education.

 

For 57 million children worldwide, their chances of going to school and on to good, well-paid jobs is limited or non-existent. Girls, in particular, some 31 million of them, are the most disadvantaged.

 

Each year in October, UNICEF Australia raises awareness of its work to reach more children with primary school education and start a shift that can lift a whole community from extreme poverty.

 

On October 23, Aussie children will wear blue on UNICEF Day for Children and raise fund for UNICEF's Schools for Asia projects and to help children in 11 Asian countries realise their right to an education.

 

To raise awareness of the day I am one of 10 bloggers to take a blue UNICEF T-shirt and up-cycle it into something your children can make, or something a child can use.  

 

I've turned my T-shirt into a knot-tie head scarf for my granddaughter (she's now one, can you believe it) and a matching one for me. If you do use my pattern and make a knot-tie head scarf, there's just one thing I ask. Please, consider the good fortune you and your children enjoy and make a donation to UNICEF Day for Children. You can donate HERE.

 



To make your knot-tie head scarf start with an old T-shirt, your pattern, scissors, pins, sewing cotton and sewing machine, fabric paint, a roller and something to roll it out onto (I use a piece of Perspex but a smooth cutting board would work too) and a potato - yes, a potato.

 

To measure a pattern, measure the circumference of your head. My granddaughter's head was 45cm. Mine was 57cm. I then halved that figure and knocked another 1.5cm off the final length. That figure was the length marked by the bulleted line on the picture below. The neck of the pattern help holds the tie and the rounded ends could be quite round or lengthy, like floppy rabbit ears. You decide.

 

The pattern is designed to be cut on the fold. I used the side seam as the fold when I pinned the pattern to the T-shirt. You'll need to cut two pieces for each headscarf.

 

Cut your potato into geometric shapes ready for printing. My design was inspired by the Himalayas and a reference to the Schools for Asia country of Bhutan.

 

Roll out your fabric paint, dry any extra moisture from the cut potato shapes, dab into your rolled out paint and print onto your cut fabric pieces.

 

Pin the two pieces of printed fabric, right sides together. Make sure the paint has thoroughly dried before you start.

 

Stitch the pieces together leaving an opening through which you'll turn the scarf to the right side. I left about 15cm on a straight edge to turn my scarf. Also, use a very shallow zig zag. The T-shirt fabric, or jersey, has a stretch to it. The slight zig zag will stretch with the fabric.

 

 Once you've stitched around the edge and before you turn your headscarf to the right side, clip around the curves. This helps give your curves a nice shape.

 

 Ta-dah! Tie your headscarf on with a reef knot and you're done.

 

Don't forget. UNICEF Day for Children is on October 23. You can donate HERE to support UNICEF education projects and programs. Thanks.

 

#takeauniceftee is a UNICEF Australia project for UNICEF Day for Children.

Just so you know, I work at UNICEF Australia and am lucky enough to know many amazing people advocating for children's rights, including the right to an education.

 

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