2019 Wk 33 - Children's Crafts

I spent a week teaching crafts at Windsor Baptist Church's Pop Up Community Cafe.  In UK children can get free hot lunches at school if the family income is below a certain level.  But this policy does not help feed them during school holidays.  The church set up a Community cafe offering lunches every day for a week - and parents could pay what they liked or could afford . . . if they left paying nothing that was OK

It was very popular and an amazing atmosphere too!

I was there every day teaching crafts:

We tried to make all the crafts sustainable - using leftovers or things that can be bough really cheap from charity shops.

Day 1.  Bird Seed Cakes
This was the only one that had real expenses - these were the cookie cutters, but they were only 20p per item, and the families got to take them home so they could make the craft again or use them for making cookies.

1 part water, 1 part flour and about 5 parts bird seed.  Mix (adjusting quantities if necessary) until thick and all seed is coated.   Press mixture into cookie cutter.  Use handle of spoon to make a small hole in the middle.  Allow to dry (turning over every few hours on day 1) then hang out with thread or pipe cleaner through the hole for the birds to enjoy

Day 2 - Weaving & Embroidery
Using a paper bowl or plate cut an ODD number of v shaped wedges in from the edge.  Tie yarn around one section then weave in and out going around the bowl.  To change colour tie the new yarn to the old yarn and hide the loose ends under the weaving.

Day 3 - Bunting
Bunting can take a lot of time to make properly - so we bodged a quick way of making it!  I cut loads from triangles from old sheets, and gave the kids fabric pens to decorate them

Rather than sewing or knotting the triangles to the yarn, I taught my helpers (two ten year olds) how to maker these loops and they did a great job of teaching the children and their adults.  Once you have this loop yo can push one top corner of the bunting through and pull the wool tight.

If you want to change things you can still pull the fabric out and there is no knon left in the yarn

It went really well!

Day 4 - Friendship bracelets
I have made friendship bracelets the traditional way - with fancy knots and very detailed instructions, but I wouldn't like top teach to more that two or three kids, and they'd have to be at least 10 or 12, but I potentially had about 30 children, and as young as 3!

So we did the twist method.  2m (2 yards) of two different wools.  Fold in half and knot at both ends.  Start twisting: you can anchor one end and twist by yourself, or two of you can twist opposite directions to make it quicker.  You want to twist until the stripes are almost left to right (weft) rather than top to bottom (warp).  I then take both ends and get the child to help the middle.  I bring both ends together and tell them to let go when they are ready and watch.  It often springs into a real mess (I have been known to tell the child it must have gone wrong and we should throw it away!) but if they run their hands down it (like milking a cow?) it tidies itself.

This little munchkin certainly got the hang of it!!!!

Day 5 Wooden Mobile
There is a tree at church which drops really nice chunky twigs.  I gathered loads, and we wrapped wool around and around, then used another colour to add decoration and to tie on with pine cones or extra twigs

 A great week!!!!!