By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
Colorful scarf doodles from Trego Grade School students went from paper to snuggly real-life creations.
Inspired by another teacher who transformed student sketches into stocking caps, Preschool Teacher Niki Sauer brought the same idea to her classroom.
With the help of Sauer's mother, Sherri Ruder, the two planned to surprise the preschoolers on Valentine's Day with their "Act of Love" scarfs.
Sauer said her students receiving scarfs they had colored aligned perfectly with the class's theme of the week: imagination.
"I think it'll influence them by seeing that it's good to give to others and show them acts of kindness," Sauer said.
Ruder has always found joy in crocheting, and ever since Sauer began teaching, she viewed each holiday as a chance to create something new.
"I would find little things to make for the kids," Ruder said. "In my spare time, that relaxes me, and I just love to do it."
For Christmas, Ruder crafted stockings for the students. For Valentine's, she made small envelopes to hold candy. For Easter, she created miniature ducks and rabbits.
Sauer compared her mother's crafts to those on Etsy, suggesting they could be sold. However, Ruder said selling them would take the joy out of crocheting.
Ruder said she appreciates homemade items and the effort people put into creating them rather than going to the store.
"It's more personal because it's not how much you spend or what you buy. It's the thought behind it," she said.
Ruder has also crocheted play toys for the class, including kitchen items like chicken, cans of soda, spaghetti and meatballs, and a miniature fishing game.
"I love kids and I love doing stuff like this," Rude said. "Their personalities came out in those scarfs."
Sauer said arts and crafts play an important role in education, especially in the early stages of child growth. She said the class fosters a sense of unity, similar to a family.
"I'm very blessed to have my mom, who considers all of these kids as her grandchildren, and just like I consider them like my own children," Sauer said.
The students were also gifted lollipops shaped like big lips in their Valentine's Day bags.
