Creating Fish using Yarn - A Children's Project

As promised, I am sharing another piece of the under sea world made of fibre that we created in the Fiber Art Camp at Kaleidoscope Arts Foundation during their fall vacation break.

Children can create more than just fish with this simple technique. All they need is a bit of encouragement! I used the Huichol people from western cental Mexico and their sacred artifacts called nieli'ka as inspiration. I was first introduced to this lovely art form from long time art teacher and fiber artist friend, Janet Conner.

Traditionally, Nieli'ka are either round or square tablets which are covered with colorful pieces of yarn pressed into beeswax and pine resin to create incredibly detailed and colorful images like the one pictured here.

 For more information about these people and their beautiful work click here. 

To study the undersea world through fiber with 5 - 12 year olds, I needed to use my friend Janet's method of gluing yarn to the background. For classrooms and working with children at home, I like simple methods that use safe, and easy to get materials.

I chose to use cookie cutters as templates for my shapes. If you want children to use the most of their creativity, they can draw their own shapes. Lightweight cardboard like cereal boxes work well. Any worsted weight yarn will do, though anything that is shiny or of poor quality will not give the best result. They often don't stick as well and the plies often separate. I happened to have some wool, rug hooking bundles that worked great. I have found my favorite glue for fiber projects is Tacky Glue. It is just what it says it is - tacky! It is easier and less frustrating for children when they don't have to hold the yarn in place for but one second to have it stay in place. Since you have to use less, it is less messy. Amazing stuff!  I tell my students "a drop is a  lot" and "A fine bead is all you need". Elmer's is a great paper glue but not so much for fabric and  yarns. Compare the two and you will see what I  mean.

 The goal is to completely cover the cardboard with yarn. You should not be able to see any of the cardboard between the yarns. Having said that, I will tell you right now from my experience that children under 8 have a hard time with the concept of covering all of the cardboard, so be prepared that their pieces will not look like my sample and will have gaps in coverage. The other idea that they have trouble with is cutting the yarns so that they don't over hang their templates. That is easy to fix by cutting the stray ends after they are done.
Having said all of that, I'm going to stand on the soap box for a moment :-)

It's only been in more recent years that I began to understand the notion of 'age appropriate' and 'experience appropriate' art. In my classroom it is always apparent who has done creative artwork before, and I don't mean coloring in the lines in a coloring book. Coloring in the lines only makes them neat, it doesn't foster creativity. As with any discipline, it takes practice for people to become adept at any skill they attempt to master. Be kind and and don't be so quick to judge the results of a child's project. Everyone needs practice to be better at something. Understand where they are starting from. At the same time, when you know a child's capabilities and experience, that's not to say that you should accept work from them that you know to be inferior to their capabilities. Then again, we all have bad days :-) Find the balance.

So, when your child or student has never done a project or technique before, accept where each is in their learning and repeat the technique at another time and you will see how quickly they learn and improve over their last efforts.

Encourage the children with this project to create the details using color and cut pieces of yarn accordingly. One way you might achieve this is to have them do a drawing and ask them to color in the details. They then can use their drawing as a pattern that they can repeat on the cardboard.

TIP: only apply glue where the next piece of yarn will go. This helps keep their hands and their workspaces cleaner along the way. Allow them to wash hands as necessary to avoid them getting frustrated because yarn is sticking to their fingers. They are using glue after all :-)

Until next time.........

Batik Dyeing with Children Using a Flour Paste Resist Method

During this year's Bermuda schools fall vacation brought with it a terific Fiber vacation camp! Kaleidoscope Arts Foundation offered an exploration of the Sea through fiber! It was fantastic! The children worked hard and created some  amazing results considering their age range and time restraints.

Our program began as children created the foundation for their piece. The backing for a wall hanging diorama  was a piece of batik that the children painted to depict the water. I wanted the children to be able to do the batik work themselves. Some of the children were as young as 5, so using hot melted wax seemed inappropriate. Hot wax can be dangerous to work with and is also a messy process. I always enjoy looking for an alternative way for children to achieve the same results that they would get using a more traditional or labor intensive method. In this case, the hot wax method was not an  option. After doing a bit of research I found references on line to using a flour paste resist. Brilliant! I experimented with this completely safe option and it worked beautifully.
 Teaching at a non-profit with lots of "stuff" hanging around is a good fit for my resourcefulness. I needed a frame for each child's fabric to be stretched on for painting. I found a variety of old picture frames that had been used in the gallery at one time as well as some wooden weaving frames we had made for a class project a few years ago. Perfect!
We also had some yardage of cotton muslin for fabric. After deciding on a dimension, I tore the fabric to size. Tearing works better than cutting cotton. You get a straight line and it's very fast. I mounted the fabric to the frames using masking tape. This worked well but I recommend you not do this too far in advance. In a damp environment the tape won't hold for too many days and might have to be done over.
Once the fabric is stretched on the frame, it is Batik ready!

I made a flour and water paste the consistency of thick pancake batter; thick enough to create a dam that the dye could not pass over and not so thick that it was hard to paint onto the fabric. Brush choice for putting the paste on might affect the results depending on how wide or stiff it is. I liked using a 1/2" - 3/4" flat brush. This is what the flour paste looked like after painting it on my sample. I chose to make a design that made me think of waves or movement in the water. After the flour paste was dry, it is ready to be dyed. Drying time can vary from a few hours to overnight depending on the weather and temperature.

There are several dyes that will work well with cotton. Dylon dyes can be purchased at Joanne Fabrics so is very convenient. Procion dyes are also a good choice and can be purchased on line at Dahrma Trading Company. It may also be available at other shops that sell fiber related supplies. We happened to have some Dylon dyes in our stash so we used that. The mixing directions are easy to follow. Since you should be careful about inhaling dye powders, I prepared them in advance of our class.

I used two colors and randomly painted them on my piece with a sponge brush. I kept it flat to dry so there was no chance of dyes running and this is what I got.
The hard part of this project was washing out the resist. Once the dye was completely dry, the best results came from using a scrubby sponge after soaking the piece for a 15 -30 minutes in room temp water. Although it took a bit of time, you don't have to scrub much and this serves to rince any excess dye from your piece at the same time.

I was very pleased with my result. I knew the children would find success! See my next post for the next piece of this project!

Until next time........................................

Fryeburg Fair Fiber Center 2010

Well I am finally officially living in the US again. Talk about culture shock! After driving on the narrow curvy Bermuda roads at a max speed of 35 mph, returning to the highways of Florida for part of the winter where most roads have a minimun speed of 50mph and two lanes or more; I've got some catching up to do!

Add to that the shock of going into stores and seeing the endless shelves of goods. Seeing the selection of any item you could want is astounding! I marveled at the view in Bed Bath and Beyond the other day. I don't  need anytthing, I just wantted to look and the lookin' was gooood:-)

Why is it that we are always wishing our life away.... I can't wait to get settled into our own home  again and have to shop for the things we will need to set it up. In the mean while, I will get back to reality, the here and now, and bring you up to date with postings. I begin today with some pictures from this year's Fiber Center exhibit.

Fiber Center 2010


Until next time.........................

Exploring the Sea through Fiber

Fall always brings me the busiest time of the year. This year, I have the mother load!

Having finished up with the Fiber Center during Fryeburg Fair week, which was a great success by the way, I returned to Bermuda for three weeks of intense teaching. Top that off with these weeks comprising my final weeks on the island of Bermuda, and that constitutes "the mother load"!
Yes, sad but true, my husband's work contract has ended here after 4 years and we return to the states to re-patriate and get back into the US mainstream.
The grass isn't growing under my feet as my days in Bermuda come to a close! Last week was busy, intense and very rewarding, though stressful at times. Twenty -two children participated in this Fiber Art Camp.
Their project? A Diorama using Batik for a water background, Wet Felting to create Octopus, Clams and Coral, Nuno Felting to make Seaweed and Jelly Fish, Huichol for colorful Fish, and finally for the older children, Needle Felting to create a Mermaid or Merman. Additionally, there were some extra projects to fill in with including, hand dyed beaded necklaces, Shibori Dyed Scarves, Designs on Fabric using fabric Crayons, halloween masks, and last but not least Halloween Ghosts! Phew!
Photos of their work will have to come later since I do not have access to my own computer right now.

Currently, we have a variety of classes in the works for one off Fiber Art opportunities including Mondrian inspired fabric applique paintings, Fun Crazy Hair Self Portraits, Surface Design on Burlap and more!

Once I get settled back in the states with my own computer in hand, I will post photos and give an update on the classes and goings on.
Until then.....

PAINTING WITH WOOL: The Hooked Rugs of Janet Conner

I sit at my computer as hurricane Igor approaches. We are hunkered down in a tropical storm wave awaiting Igor's arrival around 10 pm tonight. In the mean time, I have power and some time so thought I would share the information with you about our exciting guest artist at the Fryeburg Fair Fiber Center this year.


FIBER ARTIST JANET CONNER GUEST ARTIST FOR 2010 FRYEBURG FAIR FIBER CENTER EXHIBITION

PAINTING WITH WOOL: The Hooked Rugs of Janet Conner

Maine Fiber Artist Janet Conner known for her original hand hooked rugs and mats, is Guest Artist showing her work at this year’s Fryeburg Fair. The Fiber Center Exhibition opens on Sunday October 3rd to Saturday October 10th from 9am to 9pm daily and ends on Sunday October 10th from 9am – 6pm.

Ms. Conner’s work is considered primitive or country Victorian in style. All designs are original; the wool strips are cut by hand from recycled and heirloom fabrics and many of the colors are the result of natural dyes. The family tools she uses were inherited through three generations and her greatest influences have been the study of antique textiles and folk art, as well as the landscapes, museums and cultural experiences from her international travel.

Because of Ms. Conner’s 30 year career as an elementary art teacher, she continues to enjoy her enthusiasm for teaching by providing various classes for beginning and experienced rug hookers in pattern design, dyeing for special color effects, and Folk Art style rug hooking. She also offers advanced workshops in Van Gogh Inspired Rug Hooking, and couture hooked bags.

Ms. Conner in 2004 was selected for her exceptional work as one of the 200 Best Traditional American Craftsmen by Early American Life Magazine’s jury of Curators from Historic Williamsburg, Sturbridge Village, and Shelburne Museum. Additionally, in 2004 her work was been exhibited at the Moore College of Art Alumnae juried Exhibition in Philadelphia. In Maine, her work has been seen at, the Brick Store Museum in Kennebunk, the Public Library, and the Whimsical World Art Gallery in Portland, and the Maine Fiber Arts Center in Topsham, Maine.

Fryeburg Fair has supported fiber education for over 15 years and built a permanent fiber exhibition hall in 2004. The Fiber Center serves to educate the public about Fiber Arts featuring fiber art demonstrations throughout fair week. The Fiber Center features alternative gallery space to show fiber art like Ms Conner each year during fair week. This unique environment allows new eyes to see and understand the progression of natural fibers from function and craft to fiber art in a way that has never been possible in any other venue that we know of.

For more information about the Fryeburg Fiber Center and Ms. Conner’s Art please visit:

http://www.jconnerhookedrugs.com/
http://www.fryeburgfair.com/ and go to Exhibition Halls.
http://picasaweb.google.com/hairlockpaintings/FiberCenterSlideShow02  for a slide show of past events

The Fiber Center at fryeburg fair

By this time next month the 2010 Fyreburg fair will be gone by! Time sure flies when you;re having fun!

Here is our schedule of events. Lots to see so hope to see some of you there!

2010 SCHEDULE


Sunday, October 3rd

Fiber Animal of the Day 9-5p Angora Goats Front Porch Sue Bradbury

Dye Demo of the Day 9-5p Playing with Color Front Porch Betsey Leslie

Guest Artist Exhibit 9-9p Traditional Rug Hooking Exhibit upr & lower Gallery Janet Conner


 9-5p Rug Braiding Inside Janet Goodwin

9-9p Fleece & Fiber Sales Inside

9-9p Fiber Wall / Fiber Animal Educational Exhibit Outside Wall

9-9p Sample Mini Skeins Exhibit Fiber Area

9-9p Natural Dye Exhibit Fiber Area

9-9p Hairlock Painting ™ Exhibit Upper Rear Gallery Gale Bellew

9-9p Mixed Media & Felted Art Upper Rear Gallery J. Yarborough, E. Hedglin

9-9p Drum Carding Inside Karen Cornell

9-9p Spinning inside exhibitors

9-9p Tapestry Weaving Inside Linda Whiting

9-9p Hackle Blending & Spinning Inside Michelle Day

9-9p Needle Felting Inside J. Yarborough & R. McLellan

11-4p Fleece & Fiber Show Inside

10-12p Punch Hooking Inside Kim Kaslow

2-4pm Weaving on a floor loom Inside Kim Kaslow


Monday, October, 4th

Fiber Animal of the day 9-5p TBA Front Porch TBA

Dye Demo of the Day 9-5p Dyeing for fun & Color! Front Porch Betsey Lesllie

Guest Artist Exhibit 9-9p Traditional Rug Hooking Exhibit upr & lower Gallery Janet Conner


 9-5p Rug Braiding Inside Janet Goodwin

9-9p Fleece & Fiber Sales Inside

9-9p Fiber Wall / Fiber Animal Educational Exhibit Outside Wall

9-9p Sample Mini Skeins Exhibit Fiber Area

9-9p Natural Dye Exhibit Fiber Area

9-9p Hairlock Painting ™ Exhibit Upper Rear Gallery Gale Bellew

9-9p Mixed Media & Felted Art Upper Rear Gallery J. Yarborough, E. Hedglin

9-9p Carding with Karen Cornell Inside

9-9p Spinning Inside

9-9p Tapestry Weaving Inside Linda Whiting

9-9p Needle Felting inside J. Yarborough & R. McLellan

9-9p Hackle Blending & Spinning Inside Michelle Day



Tuesday, October 5th

Fiber Animal of the Day 9-5p Pygora Goats Front Porch Jen Smith

Dye Demo of the Day 9-5p Dyeing Wool Fibers & Yarns Porch Betsey Lesllie

Guest Artist Exhibit 9-9p Traditional Rug Hooking Exhibit upr & lower Gallery Janet Conner


 9-12p Drop Spindle Spinning Inside Joan Janness

9-5p Rug Braiding Inside Janet Goodwin

9-9p Fleece & Fiber Sales Inside

9-9p Fiber Wall / Fiber Animal Educational Exhibit Outside Wall

9-9p Sample Mini Skeins Exhibit Fiber Area

9-9p Natural Dye Exhibit Fiber Area

9-9p Hairlock Painting ™ Exhibit Upper Rear Gallery Gale Bellew

9-9p Mixed Media & Felted Art Upper Rear Gallery J. Yarborough, E. Hedglin

9-9p Carding with Karen Cornell Inside

9-9p Spinning Inside

9-9p Tapestry Weaving Inside Linda Whiting

9-9p Needle Felting inside J. Yarborough & R. McLellan

9-9p Hackle Blending & Spinning Inside Michelle Day



Wednesday, October 6th

Fiber Animal of the Day 9-5p Cashmere Goats Front Porch Jodie Richards

Dye Demo of the Day 9-6p Kool - Aid Dyeing Front Porch Kathy Cooper & Cecilia Vasquez

Guest Artist Exhibit 9-9p Traditional Rug Hooking Exhibit upr & lower Gallery Janet Conner


 9-5p Rug Braiding Inside Janet Goodwin

9-9p Fleece & Fiber Sales Inside

9-9p Fiber Wall / Fiber Animal Educational Exhibit Outside Wall

9-9p Sample Mini Skeins Exhibit Fiber Area

9-9p Natural Dye Exhibit Fiber Area

9-9p Hairlock Painting ™ Exhibit Upper Rear Gallery Gale Bellew

9-9p Mixed Media & Felted Art Upper Rear Gallery J. Yarborough, E. Hedglin

9-9p Carding with Karen Cornell Inside

9-9p Spinning Inside

9-9p Tapestry Weaving Inside Linda Whiting

9-9p Needle Felting inside J. Yarborough & R. McLellan

9-9p Hackle Blending & Drum Blending Inside Michelle Day & Sue Connolly

2-9p Rug Hooking with Scrap Woolens Inside Janet Conner

Thursday, October 7th

Fiber Animal of the Day 9-5p Pygora Goats Front Porch Jenni Smith

Dye Demo of the Day 9-5p Wool & The world of Color Front Porch Linda Whiting

Guest Artist Exhibit 9-9p Traditional Rug Hooking Exhibit upr & lower Gallery Janet Conner


 9-12p Drop Spindle Spinning Inside Joan Janness

9-2p Rug Braiding Inside Janet Goodwin

9-5p Fly Tyeing with Natural Fibers Inside Bill Thompson

9-5p Weaving on a Floor Loom Inside Mike Kozel

9-5p Blending on drum carder Inside Sue Connolly

9-9p Fleece & Fiber Sales Inside

9-9p Fiber Wall / Fiber Animal Educational Exhibit Outside Wall

9-9p Sample Mini Skeins Exhibit Fiber Area

9-9p Natural Dye Exhibit Fiber Area

9-9p Hairlock Painting ™ Exhibit Upper Rear Gallery Gale Bellew

9-9p Mixed Media & Felted Art Upper Rear Gallery J. Yarborough, E. Hedglin

9-9p Spinning inside exhibitors

9-9p Needle Felting inside J. Yarborough & R. McLellan

9-9p Carding Inside Karen Cornell

9-9p Rug Hooking Inside Janet Conner

2-9p Locker Hooking Inside Karen Thompson

5-9p Tapestry Weaving Inside Linda Whiting

Friday, October 8th

Fiber Animal of the Day 9-5p Finn Sheep Front Porch Mary Anne

Dye Demo of the Day 9-5p Natural Dyeing Front Porch Marty Elkin

Guest Artist Exhibit 9-9p Traditional Rug Hooking Exhibit upr & lower Gallery Janet Conner


9-5p Rug Braiding Inside Janet Goodwin

9-9p Fleece & Fiber Sales Inside

9-9p Fiber Wall / Fiber Animal Educational Exhibit Outside Wall

9-9p Sample Mini Skeins Exhibit Fiber Area

9-9p Natural Dye Exhibit Fiber Area

9-9p Hairlock Painting ™ Exhibit Upper Rear Gallery Gale Bellew

9-9p Mixed Media & Felted Art Upper Rear Gallery J. Yarborough, E. Hedglin

9-9p Spinning inside exhibitors

9-9p Needle Felting inside Julie Yarborough

9-9p Carding Inside Karen Cornell

9-9p Rug Hooking Inside Janet Conner

9-9p Off Loom Weaving Inside Val Sullivan

9-9p Penny Rugs Inside Jerry Wax

9-9p Tapestry Weaving Inside Linda Whiting



Saturday, October 9th

Fiber Animal of the Day 9-5p Finn Sheep Porch Mary Anne

Dye Demo of the Day 9-5p Natural Dyeing Front Porch Marty Elkin

Guest Artist Exhibit 9-9p Traditional Rug Hooking Exhibit upr & lower Gallery Janet Conner


 9-5p Locker hooking Inside karen Thompson

9-5p Rug Braiding Inside Janet Goodwin

9-9p Fleece & Fiber Sales Inside

9-9p Fiber Wall / Fiber Animal Educational Exhibit Outside Wall

9-9p Sample Mini Skeins Exhibit Fiber Area

9-9p Natural Dye Exhibit Fiber Area

9-9p Hairlock Painting ™ Exhibit Upper Rear Gallery Gale Bellew

9-9p Mixed Media & Felted Art Upper Rear Gallery J. Yarborough, E. Hedglin

9-9p Tapestry Inside Linda Whiting

9-9p Off Loom Weaving Inside Val Sullivan

9-9p Needle Felting inside Julie Yarborough

9-9p Penny Rugs Inside Jerry Wax

9-9p Rug Hooking Inside Janet Connor

9-9p Drum Carding Inside Karen Cornell

9-9p Spinning inside exhibitors


Sunday, Oct 10th

Fiber Animal of the Day 9-5p Finn Sheep Porch Mary Anne Mary Anne

Dye Demo of the Day 9-5p Natural Dyeing Front Porch Marty Elkin Marty Elkin

Guest Artist 9-9p Traditional Rug Hooking Exhibit upr & lower Gallery Janet Conner Janet Conner

Fleece Markdown Day! 9-6p SALE - Fleece Markdown Day! Inside

9-12p Drop Spindle Spinning Inside Joan Janness

9-6p Fleece & Fiber Sales Inside

9-9p Fiber Wall / Fiber Animal Educational Exhibit Outside Wall

9-6p Sample Mini Skeins Exhibit Fiber Area

9-9p Natural Dye Exhibit Fiber Area

9-6p Hairlock Painting ™ Exhibit Upper Rear Gallery Gale Bellew

9-6p Mixed Media & Felted Art Upper Rear Gallery J. Yarborough, E. Hedglin

9-6p Tapestry Inside Linda Whiting

9-6p Off Loom Weaving Inside Val Sullivan

9-6p Needle Felting inside Julie Yarborough

9-6p Rug Braiding Inside Janet Goodwin

9-6p Penny Rugs Inside Jerry Wax

9-6p Rug Hooking Inside Janet Connor

9-6p Drum Carding Inside Karen Cornell

9-6p Spinning inside exhibitors

9-6p Locker hooking Inside Karen Thompson

Bad News & Good News..............

Well life as we all know has a way of showing us that we are not in control.... all of the time :-)

The Bad News:
On July 27th at 8:35am a fire broke out in our apartment and burned fast and fruiously. By 9:30am we had lost almost all of our possesions that we have in Bermuda.

The Good News:
Although we escaped with only the night clothes on our backs, my husband had time to pull his most precious race bicycles from the building because they were near the door. We did manage to salvage some clothes, tools and a file box with important personal papers. The best news for me? The hard drive from my computer was not harmed inspite of it all. This means that all of my years of fiber projects, education and photos as well as, the documentary photos that I have taken for the childrens fiber art project book are safe and the notes and directions for each project that were in a plastic file folder were protected enough so that only the edges were singed!

As devastating a loss as this kind of tragedy can be, we feel infinitely grateful that we are safe, unharmed and that the most precious pieces of our lives were saved.

There is an additional upside. We are repatriating to the US at the end of October. It is customary that when you leave a rental here that you completely paint the inside for the next tenant. This was weighing heavily on my mind and I now do not have to paint! Additionally, our plan had been to sell all of our household furnishings and only bring personal itmes back with us to the states which I no longer have to do!
So as devastating as the loss has been, we have found some positive aspects that keep us smiling. We have not lost anything that can't be easily replaced.

 There is always a bright spot to be found if we will only look for it. Yes the road can be bumpy along the way but the choice as to how we look at things is our own. That is the miracle of life for each of us to seek an find. May we always manage to find some good in our bad.

SO..... given the unsettled reality of life for now, I will post when I can.

Until next time..................................

Summer Weaving Project for Children

Now that the school term is over and I've had a vacation with family to decompress, I'm trying to get into a new groove! Summer always brings a variety of new routines for everyone, especially those with children.

Rag Weaving is  a fun project that children can do on rainy days during their summer vacation that doesn't require much in the way of special pricey materials.

What they will need:

A loom: This can be a simple wooden frame of most any manageable size. Even an old sturdy picture frame will do. A piece of sturdy cardboard cut about 3" larger than you want the finished piece to be on each side with slits cut into two ends about 1/4" apart so that the warp threads will stay in place will also work. Old pizza boxes work well. Or maybe you already have a basic store bought frame loom.

Weaving material: Old sheeting can be torn or cut into strips or old T-shirts, spiral cut into one continuos strip about 1" wide as the weft or weaving source.

Warp thread: A cotton crochet yarn like "sugar & cream" that can be found in most discount stores works well and is available in lots of colors. 

Beater: This is used to compress the rows of weaving to make it sturdier and more durable. I use a hair pick comb but a fork will work just as well.

Other supplies: Fabric scissors, a large eyed weaving needle. A popsicle stick with a hole drilled into one end works well too. If you are making a cardboard loom you will also need a razor knife to cut the slits and a ruler and pencil to mark them.

To warp the loom, tie or tape one end of the warp thread to the loom and wrap it leaving a 1/4" space between wraps. Keep wrapping until the threads are as wide as you wnat the project to be. Once your loom is warped and the fabric cut, begin weaving three or four rows using the warp thread remembering to always use an over and under pattern on each row as well as when moving on to the next row in one continuos

pattern. Beginning and ending with the warp thread will create a finished edge for the work. Once that has been done begin weaving with the fabric.

Whenever you change from one end of thread or cloth to another overlap them as shown in the photo. This will ensure a good joint and prevent your woven cloth from having any weak spots.

After every two or three rows of weaving, beat the work to compress it as much as you want to make a firmer piece of cloth. The more you compact it, the less of the warp thread you will see and the harder the cloth will become. Weaving that is not beaten or compressed will not hold up well to heavy use or laundering. Have the children

experiment with beating so that they can see what they like and what works best for their end project. A piece that they create to act as a doily for a bureau may not have to be as sturdy as a piece that they will make to use as a coaster or a place mat.

Part of the learning curve in weaving is to not pull the fabric too tightly when weaving it across the warp to the other end which will create a "waist" in the work. Having the edges even is part of the challenge without making it so tight that the waist is created. A little bit of ease on the edges is OK; eveness at the edges is more important.

Keep weaving until your piece is about a half inch shorter than you want it to be and weave a few final rows using the warp thread as you did at the beginning. The weaving part is now complete. Turn your weaving so that the back side is up and cut the warp threads in the center as shown in the photo. Be mindful to keep the threads in order to make it easier for tieing them off.

Finish off the piece by tieing double knots in the cut ends as closely to the work as possible without making it curl up from too much tension and cut the ends evenly to whatever length you prefer for fringe. (The cut threads can be saved to use in thread painting projects later.) Children can experiment here with knotting patterns. One option is to tie a knot near the work using two threads on each side and then tieng a second row further down by taking one thread from each knot end to create a macrame look.

See how many different end products the children can come up with using this easy weaving method. By using cardboard as a loom various shapes can be woven that can be stitched into small purses and amulets to make necklaces, or a gift set of coasters.

Children gain a mountain of self esteem when they can create something on their own. It is especially important for them to be sure that whatever the outcome of their project is, that their efforts are recognized. In praising their efforts you are fostering their creativity and helping them to develop into independent and confident adults. For children, the end reuslt is not as important as the process :-) 

Until next time............

Spool Knitting, Tie Dyed Halter Tops, Braided Bracelets & Felt on Soap with Children

Teaching in Bermuda has been a fabulous time and experience for me and the class evaluations have been terrific! I have probably learned more than the children and, I feel they've learned alot!
So here is my last official Term Class report... But no worries, I have other plans for future reports for you to enjoy! I will be continuing to work on children's projects for the foreseeable future.

First of all there are some projects that we finished up that I want to tell you about, beginning with the Button Picture Frames that the 5 yr & 6 yr old class children stitched. I held their button work back so that I could prepare a parting gift for them. KAF had some wooden picture frames that I used to hot glue their button stitchery onto. I have taken lots of photos of the children during my classes so found photos of each student and matched it up to their work as a parting gift for them. They  came out great and the children were very proud and anxious to show their mom's their work and their photos! I so loved this project....


The next items to finish up included the 10 yr olds tie dyed halter tops. One student had a simpler embelishment design and finished hers last time but wore it to class for me to see and pohotograph. The others finished theirs this week and anxiously tried them on and gave the KAF office a mini fashion show! What fun! I was so proud of their accomplishments. For new stitchers they did a terrific job! They named this project their favorite because they had liscense to create the embellishing designs on their own and loved that they could wear their very own creations. I remember wearing the first piece of clothing that I ever made for myself and the self esteem and confidence that comes with that is priceless. I hope they enjoy wearing their pieces all summer long and remember them forever!

Our new project of the week for both the 5 yr olds and 6 yr olds was spool knitting. This age old art encourages hand eye coordination and repetition which I feel helps give a sense of achievement and accomplishment. When the tails of their work began to show form the bottom of their spools they squeeled with delight and were motivated by measuring their progress in inches. Even the younger chidren who often get bored or tired kept at it to simply be able to see their progress! They were so proud of themselves :-)

Such concentration and pride show up in the photos at left :-)

The spools were made from toilet paper rolls and lollipop sticks that you can buy in a candy section of your local craft store. I chose a chenile yarn that we had a bunch of becasue of it's soft texture and appearance of bulk. It created a nice fat and soft tube. Of course they asked what they would do with this tube so I put it right back at them and gave a few suggestions after which they were coming up with ideas of their own.
It was interesting to see how even the littlest ones caught on to the idea of turning their work round and round, repeating the same process over and over again. It seemed to give them a great sense of accomplisment since it seemed so complicated to them at first. When they got it, it was a big deal and it didn't take too long. I did purposely spend a few minutes with each child demonstrating and tutoring them as they completed the first stitches and went back to each child as they needed assistance.
I pre- assembled the knitters for the 5 yr olds but the 6 yr olds were able to make them themselves. I like to be able to show them that they don't need anything fancy for their tools; that often we can make them ourselves by recycling.
Each of the children left with their knitters in hand and very proud of the tails they had created :-)

The 10 yr olds melted my heart with their completed Tie Dyed Halter tops. The one student who had finished last time wore it to class and it looked so cute on her I couldn't believe it! Her mom looked just as proud as she did :-) And the backs are just as cute as the fronts!
This class was a modge podge of things allowing time for finishing remaining projects. One student had missed two classes during the Nuno purse classes and finished her bag with the exception of stitching the straps on. Her mom will help her finish it up at home. Halter tops were completed and we then moved on to a simple felt on soap project; one that this group had never done and wanted to before term was up. This basic felting project is a good way to teach basic felting and allowing them to go home with a nice gift or shower soap for themselves.

We had an additional half hour or so of class time after their fashion show and photo shoot so they migrated to the standing loom and decided to braid friendship bracelets for their final project. What a pleasure to see them enjoy practicing skills that I teach and helping them to learn how to tie off their work to create bracelets.
In the end a good time has been had by all and we will miss each other and our time together. I will hope to see them all in my classes during fall camps and Fiber Fest for one more chance for them to enrich MY life!

The content of my reports will change of course but I hope to keep you informed of my creative journey, especially with children.

So, until next time.................

Children's Button Projects & Tie Dyed Halter Tops

It is a sad time for me at KAF :-(
Only one more week of classes with my precious students.....
I will sorely miss the children and the classroom. I have so many more things I want to share with them!

This week KAF received an order of supplies from Blick and in that order was a fabulous assortment of buttons! One of the things that I have found with all of my students in the two years of teaching fiber arts is the lack of their ability to tie knots. With the invention of velcro and it's convenience, many children do not need to learn to tie their shoes. It is seriously affecting some of their fine motor skill development! I have struggled with any project that requires the tieing of knots which is a basic skill for many applications of fiber and traditional arts.

For all age levels, this weeks classes included the use of stitching and knotting. My students ages range from 5 to 10 years old and the age of the students ability to tie knots used in projects for their age level doesn't seem to matter in their ability or inability to get the concept of and executing knot tieing. Although the older group with a bit of practice gets it, it doesn't always come easy :-) They just don't have the need to tie knots in their young lives so lack practice.

The 5 & 7 yr old groups this week stitched buttons onto burlap to create picture frame decorations. They used pearl cotton and colorful buttons which I asked them to select keeping the color wheel in mind. Young children will often choose an item for a project based solely on the one item and how much it attracts them. They have not yet learned how to consider how each choice affects the whole. In this lesson, we not only learned to stitch on buttons and tie knots to fasten them but we practiced what I call informed choice.
These groups did a terrific job! I actually had the youngest ones stitch and knot each button on individually. I felt that this way they would have less to think about; no worries of stringing along several buttons in a row and getting tension right , not to mention the possibility of tangling the thread up in the work. And there would always be a good stopping point at the end of class. This seemed to work very well. It also meant that they got to experience using scissors for something other than cutting paper. I asked them to stitch on a button and knot it on the back side but one inovative student chose to knot on the front, being very careful to cut the threads all the same length so that the threads were part of her design concept. I'm not sure she realised this, but she knew instinctively that this is what looked best. That child has a good eye! I am always happy when a student shows such insight. Good Job Amy!
The only disappointment for these children is that I didn't let them take their projects home this week. I held them to complete a special farewell gift for them that you can see in next week's posting :-)

So, the 5 yr olds did remarkably well with this project! I never can predict what things they will have trouble with. They all have varying degrees of ability and concentration. Some stitched more buttons on than others and some made knots that looked like they were tied by an adult! They basically all got it.... In fact the littlest one was one of the best performers! Well done Sam! And one other child in this group finished early enough to move on and finish a bookmark. So Sam, Amy and Aishling got the gold stars this week! Having said that, they are all stars and I try to tell each of them what a good job they do each time we meet. I'm sure I don't do it often enough! We all know that praise is always welcome and just the fact that they come to class and make any effort at all to accomplish their task is a big deal for young children. Life is too busy to early these days!

The 7 yr old children enjoyed this project as well. I pushed this group to think about the overall design when selecting their buttons and threads. Each one is different and they all did a great job. They too were disappointed to not be able to take it home but are looking forward to their surprise next week. This group has a longer class so they were able to also go on and make button braclets using elastic thread as a fastener.

I love the way these projects turned out! To see the various designs that came from each student using the same materials is inspiring! This group has gotten better at their knot making over time and I found I had to direct them very little in this task. Mission accomplished!

The older girls this week are nearly all finished their tie dyed halter tops. These are adorable! Last week they dyed the cloth and began stitching the straps on. What a challenge stitching is or can be! Not only are they practicing fine motor skills and precision in their stitching but they have to think about spacial relationships between stitches and practice consistency in stitch length all while making sure their needles don't come unthreaded. And of course they have to try to conceal their stitches in some places or keeping their work neat while anchoring and embellishment and then there is the task of knotting the threads so their work doesn't come apart. Let's not forget to be careful not to get unwanted fabric caught in the stitches too! Phew!!! So this was all about practice and I am always telling my students, practice makes better because no one is perfect; not even the teacher :-)
Only one student finished her piece since she chose a simple design embellishment that didn't require alot of stitching, but the others are very close and will complete theirs in our last class of the term. There's that sad ending again :-(

So until next time.......

Tie Dye Projects with Children ages 5-10

What a fun week we've had! This was tie Dye week at KAF. All ages participated, found success and had a great time!

The children in my classes are always so excited about their work that they want to take it home right away! As a result I researched using the Dylon dyes on line and found a reference that they can be heat set in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Though the colors are not as intense as if they are left on overnight or simmered in a pot which would allow only one color way, the children were more happy to take their proud posessions home, than have to leave them until next week to get a brighter color.

I had spent some time as always doing prototypes before the class to better assess the need for any adjustments to the procedure to

accomodate the childrens ages and limitations if any. I want them to find success and it always surprises me to learn that something that I take for granted is difficult for them to accomplish.

With this project, the 7 yr olds went first. Some of them had difficulty figuring out how to twist the rubber bands to bind them to the cloth. Though they were successful with a little guidance, I immediately knew that the 5 yr olds would never be able to get through it without great frustration to them and chaos for me:-) As a result, I ammended their procedure and used the time tested Shibori binding method with thread which they simply had to wind around the fabric. I took that even further and prepared a BBQ skewer with a large bead attached which the students used to drape their 18" square of cotton over. I told them they were making an umbrella which they all understood. Once they had their umbrella, the stick gave the fabric some stability and something for the children to hold onto as they    wrapped the thread around. The only possible glitch I found with this method is that once they get half way down they sometimes get the thread caught on the end of the stick and tangle it up. To further address this issue, the children can work in teams; one holding the stick horizontally and turning while the other keeps tension on the thread. This made a quick job of it and was an easy task for them to accomplish.

The older children chose to mix it up. Some used rubber bands while others used the thread depending on how complicated they wanted to make their designs. The beauty of doing the same project with all ages is to allow the older children to take their projects further either with design concepts or simply because they have better motor skills and can be more creative especially with the binding of the cloth.

In the end, the 5 yr olds were the most impressed with themselves and the transformation on the fabric from bright white to multicolored dyed designs. Those boys were so proud of their bandanas it was a joy to see!
The 7 yr olds were proud as well and were glad to take home two projects this week since they were able to complete their paintings on silk as well as their tie dye projects.
The older class is all girls and I always like to push them further when I can. I decided that their tie dyed bandanas would be turned into fun summer halter tops that they will embelish with beads, some of which they are dyeing themselves! They completed their tie dyes, worked out their designs and began stitching the straps on during this class. Next week they will complete them so be sure to check next week's post for pictures of their wonderful creations!
Until next time........

Children's Fiber Art Projects: Patchwork Clocks & Painting with Wool

It was a short week here in Bermuda. Monday was a holiday for us so my Monday class was off.

This week's class news......

The little 5 yr olds had a wonderful time creating a patchwork clock this week.This project was educational in several way. Not only did they get to practice the concept of patchwork and using their motor skills, but they ended up with a functional tool to help them learn to tell time! Using pre-cut pie shaped fabric, they glued the sections in place and arranged the clock face numbers which they also glued down. We used foam numbers which I  learned needed a full strength tacky type of glue. Hot glue would have been ideal but the children would not have been able to

do this by themselves so a good  fabric glue like tacky would be a good one to use. After they glued the numbers on they added a fat yarn around the edge to frame it up. The hands were made up of a tongue depressor and popsicle stick with holes drilled in one end and fastened with a brass fastener that has a head on it. They were all pretty proud of their accomplishments this week!

The older girls finished off their paintings with wool. After they finished needling on the wool to complete their scenes they wet felted them creating durable pictures that they can turn into pillows, bags or wall hangings. This project was about them designing their own holiday scene to be submitted for possible selection by local businesses as a holiday greeting card image. I was very pleased with their accomplishment. Each has a different style that reflects a holiday sentiment without words. I'll let the photo of their work speak for itself. Great work for 10 year olds with very little assistance!

The term is winding down now with only three weeks left before school is out for the summer. So much to do! So little time! I'm beginning to miss my students already :-( This is my last term of teaching here in Bermuda as my husband and I return to the states in the fall. I will get a last blast during mid term break next fall teaching fiber arts during camp as well as the Annual Bermuda Fiber Festival but will then be re-adjusting to life in the states and looking for another teaching opportunity where I can share my passion for fiber with interested children! If you know of any events seeking somone to teach children fiber arts, let me know!

Fiber Art Projects for Children: Painting on Silk, Painting with Wool and Mixed Media Wind Socks

This week two of my groups finished up incomplete projects.....
The monday class of 5-7 yr olds finished up their Solar System Mobiles  and began the planning and staging process of painting Silk Suncatchers which will be done using Kool Aid and food coloring for their paints. I love these non toxic dyeing options for children! The only draw back is the lack of color intensity that you get with chemical dyes. At this stage, children can learn all of the techniques which they can experiment with at home later, using easy to get supplies! A win/win situation......

They began the class by doing simple drawings. I had asked them to think about their subject as they left class last week. I offered simple creature shapes I have in the classroom for those who needed some inspiration and soon they were quickly putting them on paper. Of course some children have more aptitude for drawing than others but this is the norm. By the end of class, each child had done a drawing. They then traced them on the blank silk circles with washable gel glue which will act as a resist or dam. This resist will allow them to color in various parts of their creatures using different colors and prevent the colors from running into one another. Blank silk circles are available from Dharma Trading Co. on line.

Next week they will paint the dyes onto their silk. I can't wait to see the end results!

The five year olds also finished up this week. The Wind Sock projects needed to have their fabric glued on and hangers attached. A few still had to complete the "cow hitch knots" of yarn around the bottoms. Since I was busy with the hot glue gun, those who had finished first, helped the others by guiding them through the knotting process. I think they may have done some of the work for them but they loved being the helpers and the benefactors were appreciative:-)
This is my roudy group as I have mentioned before. I had an epiphany last week regarding this group though. One child indicated that he has a hard time focusing since it gets so noisy. He becomes distracted. I had no idea he was having an issue and thought it awesome that he would know this about himself at such a young age and tell me about it. I felt the need to address this in the classroom so I rearranged our seating so that they are seated in small groups and purposely assigned seats to specific groups of children. It seemed to work well! I will know better as we move to a project that they don't need me to participate in so much but I'm thankful to have learned this now while I can at least attempt to address it and have impact. I am told by this child's mom that she has noticed improvement in his focus since coming to my class. So, even if he is slow to complete a project, apparently the experience of working in a noisy and sometimes chaotic space has helped him to learn to deal with it better and what he does do, he does well! Bravo! I may have never known this and I'm so glad to know it now..... My mentor and education director at KAF has also given me some things to try to help rein in the mustangs when necessary. Hopefully a combination of things will bring greater sucess for us all!
They were all pleased with their work! They always are easy to please anyway. When they get to take something home that they made, regardless of how big or small or how well it is accomplished, it is an accomplishment and they beam because of it.... so do I :-)...............

My older group of girls is coming along so well! They love everything we do in class and this week one of them asked if the class could be extended from 2  to 3 hours! If all teachers could have this problem!

This weeks challenge was to come up with a Christmas season image for a drawing. This drawing is being Painted on wool pre felt with the needle felting technique and, using wool as the paints. KAF  was looking for holiday artwork that can be photographed and used as  holiday greeting cards by corporations who make a donation into the Holiday greeting card program. Our children produce the artwork, the corporation makes a donation and gets exclusive use of a photograph of children's Holiday art that they will use for their corporate greeting cards. The children of course keep their artwork but might have the honor of having one of their pieces selected by a KAF donor to be used as their holiday greeting card and sent to their many clients and business associates! How fun!
Drawings were completed and the paintings begun.... They are looking great and I can't wait to see the final products!

So, progress at KAF continues in the Fiber Arts!

Until next time..........

Yarn Windsocks and other Fiber Projects for Children

We are half way through the term already! WOW! When did that happen :-)

This week, the only new project that I began was with the 5 yr olds. The other two age groups are finishing up their projects from the weeks before and all is going well!

The Monday class of 5-7 yr olds is at the final stage of their Solar system mobiles. Only one child who started the term after we began this project, has not completed his planets. He has however made great strides and will spend our next class getting most of them done and strung. Good work! The rest of the students will also finish up and begin designing for the next assignment which will be Suncatchers painted on silk!

The Five yr olds did some great work this week! Their new project is to create a wind sock made from  yarns that they have to attach  to holes punched into the bottom edge of  the milk cartons with a "Cow" hitch knot. Using a crochet hook to pass the hanks of yarn through the punched holes in the carton, students found it challenging but managed to get he hang of it. Each found success. Though not everyone's work is even or tidy, they got the job done :-)  Yeah!

These will be very fun when done! As usual, students worked at varying paces but I foresee that we will finish this project in next class. At that time they will finsih up their knotting and then add pre cut fabrics with glue to cover and decorate the cartons. These little guys needs lots of attention so I find it hard to get action shots. I'll see if I can get some for next time :-) As well as the finished projects....

Above is an example of me doing the Cow hitch knot.

And then there are my 10 yr old girls... This week they finished up their Nuno fetled purses. Each did a bit more fulling to finish up and then they worked on their stitching skills to attach the straps. These purses are great and completely functional. I have hopes that this little item will remain with them for years to come!
Next week we will begin working on designs for a christmas card project that will be "painted" with wool on wool, using the dry needle felting technique. I know it's early for Christmas cards but this is a joint effort as a fundraiser for our school, Kaleidoscope Arts Foundation. A group of local corporations are each making a donation for the use of a holiday themed design created by Kaleidoscope students in various mediums. Selections will be chosen and photographed, and turned into holiday greeting cards exclusive to each individual corporation. A grand idea!
We have no idea if any of our pieces will be included but we will make a grand effort to bring them our best work for this project! At the same time, my class will be learning a new fiber art technique in the process! Wish us luck!
Maybe you know of a company who would like to have their very own exclusive piece of holiday themed art to be used for their holiday greeting card. If so, contact Kaleidoscope Arts Foundation at 441-542-9000 or email director@kaf.bm
Until next time................

Weaving, Felting & Nuno with Children!

This week has been a mixed bag. A little bit of everything! I often like to have children doing related projects but it hasn't been going that way lately....

The 5-7 yr old children are still working on their Solar System mobiles. Although I am feeling a little anxious about how long it has taken to complete them, they don't seem to mind and are having a good time. They especially are concious of the proportional relationship of size for their planets and worry about it much more than I do! I keep reminding them that it's ok if they aren't exactly correct :-)
We did make great progress this week and the only child who has not completed all planets just began class with us this week. He made great strides though and completed three planets. Great job for a first time felter! He may get most of them done while the others are stringing theirs together in the next class. I am including a picture of the class sample for you to see. It is not perfect... but it is perfection :-)

My 5 yr old group continues to be a very active bunch. 5 boys and 2 girls make this a roudy group! I sometimes feel like I have a group of wild mustangs that I am trying to rein in! I'm sure our class can sometimes be heard throughout the building :-) The good news is that we are having fun!

This week I prepared some burlap strips that they turned into bookmarks. Last weeks' class was a practice for the stitching/weaving used in this little project. I was unsure how successful they would be since the stitching was completed with mixed results. I worried that the small strips of burlap would be difficult for them to handle. But, they did a GREAT job! I was so pleased. Their only task was to weave their chosen yarn through the cloth from top to bottom so that the ends could be tied in a knot to hold them in place.

It was interesting how each child worked the piece. Several chose to use very small, evenly spaced stitches. This of course allowed them to only weave in one or two threads BUT, their work was very good; straight, even and very good quality as a result. It looked more like adult stitching! I'm sorry I missed a photo op for a sample of one of these but the child was still working on it when I took the pics.

The remaining children were at pretty much the same level. They completed three to four threads duirng our class time with varying degrees of eveness. I really was not worrying about how even it was or straight, I was more interested in them getting the concept of weaving in and out and having them complete the work. I believe that last weeks' practice had impact on this weeks results.
You will note from the photos that the shiny threads were of most interest and chosen most often over a large selection of various colors. They loved the bling! Don't we all.....

The older group continued to work on their nuno bags. No complaints about the labor intensive process, and they are getting the feel of the wool and how it changes at various stages of the felting process. They are noticing that it gets stronger by how it feels; that it gets thicker as it

shrinks and that it feels less fragile. They are beginning to sess out on their own, how much pressure they can exert without damaging the piece. This was a very nice revelation to experience with them! Though their bags are not quite there yet, they have enough integrity to not have to worry about damaging them between classes. They are well under way in the fulling process and will be able to finish fulling and stitch them together next time. I anticipate being very proud of their work when they are done as I am already! This is a very mature project for them and I hope a piece that they will proudly use...............................................

Until Next Time............