wrap and tie a prairie yarn doll

Brief Description: These kinds of rag dolls were made by American settlers. They have an old-fashioned charm. My daughter took this one as soon as it was photographed.

Supply List: 

• One skein of yarn if it is bulky and soft
• scissors
• small piece of cardboard
• scrap fabrics and lace trims
• needle and thread that matches the yarn

Directions:

Twist the yarn around a notched piece
cardboard, first one way, then another.

Soon you will have made a tight ball
the size of my doll's head, approximately
one inch in diameter. This solid
ball will add weight and substance to
the doll. I want this doll to stand
up to a three to five year old's rough play.

Use a large book to twist the yarn around
repetitively (about 35 times) until
there is enough yarn to create a full
body with. My book measured
approximately eleven inches long.

After removing the yarn from the book carefully
tuck the ball of yarn beneath it. Pull the yarn
over the "head" and tie around the bottom with more yarn
to create the neck. Then thread a long needle
with matching thread and sew in and out of the head.
The thread should disappear into the yard but
if you continue to do this the doll's
head will become firm and compact.

Run your fingers through the yarn body and
clip the looped bottom apart. Gather up the
yarn ends and trim these ends off evenly.

You will need to repeat the third step above
(about 17 times).Tie off the yarn edges.
Braid the yarn to create the arms.
The braid is shown above
along with the yarn doll body. Divide
the doll's body in two even sections
and then position the arms between the sections.

Wrap more yarn around the doll body
to create a waste just below the doll's arms.
Thread a needle and sew in and out of the
waste, the wrist joints, and arms of the doll.
Sewing ensures these ties are firm and will
stand up to rough play.

Now you are ready to dress your prairie doll.
I gathered and sewed onto the body a skirt.

I added a lace shawl and mop cap.

Additional Suggestions: Yarn dolls are dressed in a variety of ways. Scarecrows and clowns are popular costume choices. Some crafts people prefer just to leave them without clothing as well.

photographs and written craft pages copyrighted by Grimm 2011 

Want something more contemporary? 
SoCraftastic makes a octopus doll from yarn.

Bend a pipe cleaner puppy

Steps for twisting
pipe cleaners illustrated.

Brief Description: Small children can learn much about sculpture by playing with pipe cleaners (chenille stems), especially if given some simple steps to follow.

Supply List:

• one variety pack of pipe cleaners
• scissors
• one tiny charm for his dog tags
• two tiny seed beads for his eyes

Directions: The following steps are pictured on the right.

1. First bend the upper body shape of your dog. This will be his tail, belly, neck and head.
2. Then cut one long chenille stem in half and twist one of these just below the beginning point of the dog's tail and the other stem at the beginning point of the dog's head.
3. Proceed to fill in the dog's body with as many stems as you need, more for a large fat dog, less for a tall skinny dog. Play around with your wire form to give it character.
   
4. Bend in ears, glue on eyes and twist on a collar after stringing the charm for a dog collar.

Additional Suggestions: Projects such as these give children a concrete idea to work towards. After they have mastered this process of including those features that should be anticipated, encourage them to create silly monsters that may look like anything. Take small steps toward creative big steps. Encourage with predictability and then challenge your young students to take unpredictable measures afterwards.

From "Remarkable Lifelike Little Dogs
Made from Pipe Clearners"
(April, 1933 issue) by Popular Science

This pipe cleaner pup has an
additional detailed collar.

Remember to think about "how"
your wire dog looks from
a variety of angles.

From this angle this pup
looks pretty relaxed.

photographs and written craft pages copyrighted by Grimm 2017

Children love to paint rock pets

Left to right, a blue horse, 
a fanciful peacock and a purple mouse.

Brief Description: Pet rocks come in all shapes and sizes. The creator is only limited by his or her imagination. My youngest made these at camp when she was very small.

Supply List:

• a variety of rocks
• a variety of shells
• decorative feathers
• twine
• several colors of acrylic paint
• small scrap pieces of cardboard
• plastic eyes and beads
• wood glue
• hot glue gun (the adults must have one at hand)

Directions:

1.  First you must hunt for your rock pet and this could take an entire day at the beach. People might think that this is an easy thing to do, but it is quite difficult. Not every rock is destined to be a pet. 
2.  After finding your future pet, you must turn the rock over and over in your hands and decide what kind of pet that the rock is ment to be. Observe the rock from different angles, eat lunch, perhaps take a nap in the sun. This is a long arduous process when a person is away at camp because most rock pets are made at camp. Didn't I mention this fact?
3.  When you have decided "what" your pet rock shall become, select with care his or her features. It is important to remember that if your rock pet is a girl, it should be painted in girl colors. I'm not going to say what "girl" colors are but most rock pet artists instinctively know what these are. You don't want to embarrass your pet rock by making a mistake like that.
4.  Arrange the features of your pet and glue these on. This can be a bit tricky but there is usually some big person present with a hot glue gun who will make sure that those features do adhere in time.
5.  Now it is about time to return to the beach and play until sunset.
6.  After the features of your pet have dried, (this could take a day) you may paint your pet with acrylic paints. 
7.  Let your new pet dry again over night and then take him away to hide under your pillow or display him on your dresser. Rock pets like to ride in the car just underneath the front seats.

Additional Suggestions: Although rock pets need no food, they do need much attention. These critters will listen to anyone talk for hours and they will never expect a fee for it. Parents should be forewarned that rock pets do have feelings and should never be randomly tossed away. I've had to keep several of these for over twenty years! If this were not the case then I wouldn't be able to blog an entry such as this, so my teenager has spoken.

In front is a large, pink, trumpeting elephant
with giant sea shell ears. In the background is 
a very sleepy black mouse.

photographs and written craft pages copyrighted by Grimm 2017

assemble a half mask for a masquerade

A close view of the half mask.

Brief Description: I made this mask for my younger teen one year for a party. These kinds of half masks are very easy to assemble if you've got a glue gun.

Supply List:

• one prefabricated half mask
• two small bags of silk flowers
• one prefabricated glittery peacock
• approx. five yards of satin ribbon
• two yards of contrasting ribbon
• one long sturdy dowel rod measuring approximately 15 inches

Directions:

1.  Wrap approximately two yards of the larger quantity of satin ribbon around the dowel rod. Apply very tiny drops of hot glue to the back side of the dowel rod as you wrap.
2.  Hot glue a small portion of the larger quantity of satin ribbon around the half mask.
3.  Hot glue into a pleasing arrangement, the tiny silk flowers.
4.  Hot glue the glittery peacock onto the right side of the mask if the lady is right handed, to the left if the lady is left handed.
5.  Hot glue the dowel rod to the back side of the half mask so that the top of the dowel rod does not show above the mask.
6.  Hot glue the remaining ribbons to the back side of the dowel

Additional Suggestions: Work as neatly as you can: the aesthetic appeal of such a project depends upon the careful attachment of the elements.

The full length view of our masquerade mask.

photographs and written craft pages copyrighted by Grimm 2017

Craft More Masks:

• Kids Crafts: Superhero Masks and Template
• Fun Family Crafts: Masks
• Craft A Simple Butterfly Mask 
  

decoupage a postage stamp vase

Two glass bottle decoupaged
with old stamps.

Brief Description: This is a perfect project for used postage stamps. As long as these are not valuable, why not use them to decoupage a vase or two? These little vases display nicely on top of a bookcase or antique wooden desk.

Supply List:

• many handfuls of used postage stamps
• a small, clean and dry glass bottle
• Mod Podge glossy or mat
• twine for bottle lip (optional)
• old paint brush
• wood glue

Directions:

1. Wash and dry the glass bottle
2. Cover a small area with Mod Podge using an old paint brush
3. Layer stamps randomly on top of the glue.
4. Paint another layer of glue on top of those same stamps and cover a new area and then repeat the same step
5.  After the glue dries, glue on a felt bottom to prevent scratches on furniture. Use wood glue to add this felt.

Additional Suggestions: Mod Podge dries very clear so do not become concerned about how the end product will look.

Glue on a felt bottom with the wood glue only. Clip the
edges after the felt dries to give it a cleaner appearance.

photographs and written craft pages copyrighted by Grimm 2011 

More crafting with postage stamps: 

• Jewelry from postage stamps
• Resin Paperweights decorated with old postage stamps
• Photo charms from old postage stamps 
• Decoupage bracelet (postage stamps)
• Postage Stamp Art
• Funky Little Bird Houses

wrap a bottle to create an interesting vase

Close up view of the surface of my vase.
Different textured yarns lend unusual interest to the project.

Brief Description: This project takes patience but the end results are definitely groovy! It is also a good way to use up old yarns that have been tossed around in storage forever.

Supply List:

• lots of yarn of any size, shape or color
• white glue
• old discarded plastic bottles
• scissors

Directions:

1. Start by adding a generous bead of glue to the base of a washed and dried plastic bottle.
2. Wrap the first layer of yarn on top of this bead of glue.
3. Then add a second layer of glue and continue wrapping yarn on top of the glue. 

Additional Suggestions: The key to getting excellent results in this project is patience! The first two rows of yarn will seem slippery but, once the glue becomes tacky, the rest of the following rows will apply easily. Don't forget to add a felt bottom to your bottle's vase to prevent scratching the surface of tables.

A finished yarn wrapped vase.

photographs and written craft pages copyrighted by Grimm 2017

More links to yarn crafts:

• Yarn Octopus
• Yarn Stars for Christmas
• Craft a Yarn Wrapped Star
• Yarn Butterflies
• Yarn Coaster Craft Kit 
• Create a Yarn Butterfly Picture

cut a construction paper frame

Side view of the project

Brief Description: This construction paper frame stands on its own and is an affordable way for children to display photos of their family around their room. Mrs. Lewis, a paper craft enthusiast, made a template for my teen daughter to use in the cutting of the window.

Supply List:

• three sheets of solid colored paper
• markers
• an oval window template, included below (6 1/2 inches by 4 inches)
• a favorite photograph (4 inches by 6 inches)
• white craft glue
• scissors

Directions:

1. Use the template provided below to trace and cut out the front paper "mat" of your frame
2. Then color the mat using simple shapes and bold colors.
3. Cut a second mat just 1/8 to 1/4 inch larger than the first.
4. Glue only the corners of your photograph onto this mat. Use minimal amounts of glue
5. Then center the decorated mat on top of the second to frame your photograph as you like and glue down the edges only.
6. Fold the remaining sheet of paper 15 inches by 7 inches into three equal parts.
7. The end fold will have an additional fold of one inch so that this edge may be folded up and behind the frame and glued into place.

Additional Suggestions: I would advise using acid free papers and glues for this project in order to avoid damage to valuable photographs.

My daughter's finished version of the project.

This template may be downloaded and sized in a
word document to fit the above measurements.
Read the Terms of Use before using it folks.

photographs and written craft pages copyrighted by Grimm 2017 

More frames crafted from paper:

• Folded Paper Frame by Beate Johns 
• Origami Photo Frame
• Christmas Star Paper Frame
• A Quilled Valentine's Day Photo Frame