DIY mini BELT

Gigi needed a belt.  So, today, I made her one…from Loopers.

I tried to show the steps one by one below.  FIrst, I looped the loops to make three long ropes, about seven loops long each.  Then I tied a knot at one end and taped it down to the table.

Next, I braided the three ropes and tied a knot at the end.

I found a button around the house and sewed it onto one of the knots.  Then, I cut the loops at each end to create fringe.  *NOTE* I left one loop on the opposite side of the button uncut so I could loop it around the button.

Voila.  A sweet little belt for my girl.

Pretty cute.  Hope she likes it.

 

Weaving A Starburst

I’ve been seeing all these great weaving projects all over the place.  Especially on Vivid Layers, one of my fav blogs.  I decided to try out a little weaving myself to see how it might go for my kindergartners.  There are so many ways to do this.  I think this particular project is best for summer camp.  They’d look great hanging from trees or hanging in a sukkah.  I used old ribbons, pipe cleaners, sticks and burlap.  I think I cheated a little since I glued the sticks together to get started.  I thought that would make it easy to get started and it did.

I’m not sure it’s really a starburst.  Ev says it’s more like a dream catcher.  Call it what you will.  Just have fun.

Tree Weaving

Family Fun Magazine has a tree weaving tutorial in it this month.  I had seen this project on That Artist Woman (Gail’s creativity blows my mind!!!) and have been wanting to make it.  Here is a great tutorial on it.  The tree comes out really pretty.  Ev even let me hang it up in our living room.

I Made Myself A Loom!!!

I am feeling pretty dang proud of myself today.  I have been wanting to make a loom for months.  A teacher friend once showed me one she had used with her preschoolers and I was totally intrigued.  I did some research on line, watched some vids, and knew the time would come.  Well, sure enough, I noticed a pile of trash, including an oversized picture frame, on my block yesterday.  I walked over in the billion degree heat and snagged it.  It still had the hooks to hold in the glass.  Ev suggested I leave in the hooks and add screws in between for more weaving.  Perfecto!  He watched the vids with me, which came in handy, because Evan has a bionic memory and there were some tips I had forgotten.  Anyway, after just a few minutes of hammering and nailing, my loom was ready to go!  This is perhaps the most fun and satisfying project I’ve done since I started Artist’s Way.  I really loved it.  This loom will def be set up in my kindergarten class come the fall.  It’s awesome.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.  I basically just ripped up strips of fabric I had, added some ribbons, and a flower I made from an egg crate.  Over, under, over, under.

Just one tip-At first I had the loom standing upright while I sat on the floor and weaved.  Well, that totally killed my shoulders, so Ev suggested I lay it down on the table.  What a difference.  Holy.  So much more enjoyable.  Ev always knows what to do.

How cool is that!!!??!!  So pretty.