Mending bee

Dec 15th

Bring your mending basket and let's patch things together! Come see how other parents mend their children's clothes, and show us how you mend yours, and we can make things whole together. We will be fixing holes in woolens, or whatever else you want bring, and sharing ideas as we go.

You could bring:

~ Clothes with holes

~ Mending examples to share 

~ Patch fabric

~ Needles and colored thread

~ Felting needles 

~ Wool roving 

~ Cookie cutters for felting

~ Yarn

Dodecahedron star lanterns

Dec 8: Star lanterns

If you have some, bring:

watercolor or other heavy paper

watercolor paints or crayons

metal ruler and knife

cutting board

glue

Paper clips 

RSVP helps me have enough materials. 

The instructions are here:

http://www.happinessishomemade.net/dodecahedron-star-lantern-tutorial/

I plan to try hexagons and six-pointed stars or octagons and eight-pointed stars, but those polyhedrons may not lend themselves to the magic of this dodecahedron lantern. Geometry will be relevant but optional conversation topic!

Thursday morning fun and productivity

So far we have been crafting each Thursday with an eye to the Holiday Fair young children's activities, Treasures in a Haystack, where children dig in a big heap of hay for a treasure to keep, and Children's Bazaar where young children can choose a gift to give a friend or relative. The crafts for these activities are made by the parents, primarily, of all the early childhood classes. Here's some of what we've done!

Holiday fair Pinterest boards

Amanda put together these boards for parents over the past few years. Lots of ideas and inspiration!

Tutorial board

http://pin.it/Q59-Bog

2014 board

http://pin.it/elNdQBt

Peg dolls

http://pin.it/uig9r0o

2015 board

http://pin.it/e2Zxh3w

India's board:

http://pin.it/bnvW0JT

More felt and felting small creatures

Come craft with us on Thursday morning after drop off! We will be making felt mice and necklaces, pine cone hedgehogs, wooden peg fairies, felted acorns and bees, and more. You can take them home or contribute for the Holiday Fair. We have supplies but if you have felt, embroidery floss (colored string), colored ribbons, wooden pegs, please bring along. You may also want to bring your own scissors.

Felted acorns and felt birds

Last week an enthusiastic group of parents cut and stitched felt birds and felted little acorns. This Thursday morning after drop off, come join us to make felt mice and felt necklaces! We will have plenty of supplies but could use more felt, embroidery floss, and thin, colored ribbons.

If you find little pinecones about 1-1/2" long, please collect for us to make hedgehogs one week soon. Thanks!

Go outside!

"In the calendar of the soul, we are expanding out into the universe..." Go outside and celebrate Spring and these final weeks of the school year! We will resume regular crafting in September, when we seek the warmth of community, welcome new families, and begin preparations for the Holiday Fair. We will learn felting, basket-making, star folding, knitting, and other handwork. If you have ideas, suggestions, or would be willing to teach a craft, please contact Jennie Abbingsole.

Knitted chicks

We will knit again after the break, adding hens and chicks to our knitted bunnies we made last month. If you are just learning to knit, or have a sweater you're working on, any and all knitting or other crafting is welcome at our table. Or just come for the conversation!

Knitted rabbits

Knitting warmth through community in the chilly winter! 

Beginning and experienced knitters can all make a rabbit or cat -- even if you've never knit, we can help you to begin.

Needles and yarn will be provided, or bring your own animal-colored yarn and knitting needles. 

Knitted animals

January 21, 2016 and other Thursdays following

All levels of knitters started knitting little animals, sewing and stuffing, sharing patterns. Thanks to Louise Spear for showing us how to turn a square into a rabbit, a triangle into a chicken, and for remembering the verse for teaching knitting! What fun for parents whose children were learning to knit in first grade to learn as well.

We did the bunnies closer to springtime.

Needle Felted Puppets

Needle Felted Puppets Part I

Magdalena Toran taught us how to make these well-loved puppets, over the course of two sessions.

 

"Puppet" in this case are the dolls used in early childhood plays done for the children, or displayed on seasonal tables. (Magdalena's regulars in the photo around the basket, our inspiration!)