Fiber Art Classes at Kaleidoscope with Adults & Children

This week brought a variety of projects, some just begun and others finished up!

On the adult circuit, one of my new adult students who has been attending a class for Parent and Child has completed her first felting project and it turned out great! She quickly realized what goes into creating something by hand and has found a new appreciation for all things hand made. Well done!
She was very pleased with her beaded necklace which she is proudly wearing and enjoying. It is always rewarding when a student creates something that they are happy with and can be proud of.

Each children's class this week has been working on different projects. The monday class has begun a lesson in needlepoint on plastic canvas. I gave them each a small 3" square with their initial on it to create a monogramed mat. I was quite impressed that they mostly have gotten the concept though as always, some are more adept and quicker than others. In this class my tiniest student of 5 yrs old grasped this concept first and will be the first to complete her project! Although they often aren't working their rows of stitches in the same direction, I give them leeway on this since they are working hard to get the idea of working in the diagonal. If they end up with a chevron pattern here or there, I am calling it part of the design! I am most interested in them completing the project and at least doing the basic stitches. I should have photos of the finished projects next week.

The 5 yr old class this week did felted snakes. This was a very good one hour project and they loved their end project! They all completed their snakes successfully without having to rush. The challenge for this group is to keep them on task while working the felt for a fairly long period of time. I am convinced that part of my role in  their  young lives is to be teaching them patience and perserverence :-)

Not bad lessons to learn early in life!

My 8 & ups this week continued to work on their cardboard loom weaving projects. Their challenge continues to be learning to work while they socialize. Many children in my classes seem to need their hands to talk and get a point accross :-) Their lesson is to learn to "walk and talk" as they finsish their projects. They should be finished next week with the exception of a few students who were absent for a week.

The next project for the older children will be an ambitious surface design project using basic crewel embroidery skills on a commercial wool felt to make a wearable vest. It may take us the balance of the term to complete them but they seem keen on the idea of completing a piece that they can wear. I'll keep you poested on our progress.

Until next time.......