Heavily Meditated

I am planning to take my first baby free weekend the week before I go back to work.  Eep.  I’m not sure yet if this is a good idea or a bad idea.  On the one hand, if I’m not ready to spend so much time away from him yet, it will be sad to force myself to do it early.  On the other hand, if he and I aren’t ready by that point, we better get ready.  For my first trip away, I am going on a yoga retreat in western Massachusetts with my sister and my friend Amy.  Worst case, it’s only an hour away, so Will offered to come meet me with the baby if it is a total nightmare.  (Hopefully it won’t come to that.)

I’ve always wanted to go on a yoga retreat.  This one is lead by my yoga teacher, April, who I credit with introducing me to the world of yoga.  The 3 day retreat includes meditation sessions and a reiki session.  Exciting!  Well since I’ve had the baby I’m way behind on my goal of meditating multiple times a week.  I was so good while I was pregnant, but I’m back off the wagon again!  This is really embarrassing but towards the end of my pregnancy and now that we have Julius I have the tendency to fall asleep while meditating.  Even before parenthood I could sleep almost anywhere (which lead to great concern one time from my friend Amy when I completely passed out on a rocky lawn in a park).  So I have to be careful to find that fine line between clearing my mind and passing out.

Either way, to prepare for meditation sessions I decided to make a meditation cloak.  The cloak is made of fleece and nice and snuggly.  Perfect for staving off a draft while you’re meditating!  And as and added bonus you look like a Jedi in it!  Since this is basically just a giant blanket with a hood, its pretty much one size fits all.

While meditating on my cushion.

Hooded Meditation Cloak

What you’ll need:

• 90″ of 58” wide fleece (you can do wider fleece, the arms will just be longer, but definitely don’t do narrower)
• hook and eye closure
• hood pattern here

1. Cut a 90″ section of fleece.
2. Cut a 45 inch slit from the bottom of the fleece rectangle to the middle, perpendicular to the selvage (see picture).  The slit will be 45 inches long and 29 inches from either side.  Easiest way to do this is to fold in half the long way and cut a 45 inch long slit along the fold.
   

   Cut 45″ slit along lengthwise fold.

3. Cut out hood.
4. Stitch hood together along curve.
   

   Pin and stitch hood along curve.

5. Stitch a 3/4″ rolled hem along the face of the hood.
   

   Form 3/4″ rolled hem along all sides, and hood front.

6. Stitch a 3/4″ rolled hem all along the perimeter of the square, stopping when you get to the slit.  At each corner, form a mitered corner.
7. The portion at the slit is a bit tricky.  Line the hood seam up with the center of the slit, and pin, right sides together.
8. Stitch the hood to the cape leaving 1.5″ seam allowance.
   

   Attach hood to slit (neck edge) right sides facing, leaving 1.5″ seam allowance.

9. Turn the seam allowance under to form a 3/4″ rolled hem.  Stitch along the whole inner portion of cape from corner to corner (once again forming mitered corners.)
   

   A close up view of what the hood should look like when attached.

   

   Fold under seam allowance on slit all the way up to where it attaches to the hood.

10. Hand stitch the clasp to either side of the cape directly below where the cape meets the hood.
    

    Hand sew closures on, just below hood.

11. Zen out!
    

    Front view

    

    Back view

    

    What it looks like when I raise my arms…