Guest post by Melissa Hathaway
Textile and Yarn Crafts for All the Family!
When
the summer holidays come around it can seem like a lot of free time is
suddenly thrust upon you. Creating
things from yarn, fabric and other mediums not only brings with it the
satisfaction of accomplishing something but also teaches new skills and
is something the whole family can participate in. Patterns
and materials are readily available, so there’s nothing stopping you from experiencing the excitement of home crafts today!
What to Make
The
list of crafts that are easy and fun to learn are endless. Most of the
time the actual making is the best
part but you have an added bonus of an end product that is useful, hard
wearing and even fashionable! To help you out, here are some ideas of
child-friendly crafts:
Cross Stitch
Cross stitch is a craft that has been practiced through
the ages, probably originating in ancient Egypt. Using woven cloth,
pictures are made by sewing crosses next to one another. The effect when
you stand back from a well sewn cross stitch panel is that of a
painting or even a photograph! Cross stitch is easy
to learn and patterns are readily available. You can start with just a
small sample of your initials say, and build up to a complex picture.
The materials are not expensive, and thread can be bought for around one
dollar. If you enjoy taking on a project over
a few days or weeks and ending up with a work of art cross stitch is for
you!
Crochet
Crochet
uses a hook to loop yarn in various stitches, forming circular and
cylindrical objects. Once learnt,
you can create anything from lace doilies to socks and shawls. It can
seem a little complicated at first but like all crafts, patterns are
available for all levels of competency. Simple designs can be tried out
first. Crochet starts with a simple chain and
even young kids will be able to pick this basic technique up in no
time.
Knitting
Knitting
is centuries old but no one knows exactly where it came from! Cute
sweaters, hats, gloves and more
can be created if you take up knitting. Using a pattern and two long
needles to loop yarn together you can start with something easy like a
scarf and end up completing a Christmas sweater that you’ll wear for
years to come. Teaching kids to knit may take a
bit of perseverance, but they'll have a valuable skill for life.
Applique
Applique
is the art of sewing a patch neatly onto a piece of clothing or fabric.
There are so many fancy patches
available, ranging from your kid’s favorite superhero to pretty flowers,
stars and virtually anything you can think of. You can also use the
technique of applique to make quilts and bed spreads. This is a fun and
relatively easy craft that you can use to make
matching textile sets for your home or renew old clothes. Start kids off
with basic shapes, chunky embroidery needles and brightly-colored
thread.
What You’ll Need
All
the crafts mentioned require a different set of tools and materials.
It’s really easy to come by these
at your local craft store or on the internet. Even stores like Target or
Walmart stock an increasing range of craft products these days. You
don’t need to spend a lot of money on supplies and, remember, you’ll get
a usable item at the end of the process. Take
advice from friends or family who already participate in crafting so you
know what you’ll need and what might not be necessary. It's always best
to start with the very basics and add to your kit once you're sure
you're going to stick to your craft long-term.
There are lots of crafting kits for kids out there, usually very
affordable and containing everything needed to produce a whole completed
project, be it a knitted scarf, a Disney cross stitch or an appliqued
tote.
Once
you’ve started up you’ll find out what works best for you and which
materials you’re happy using. Apart
from the material aspects the most important things you’ll need are
enthusiasm and patience. Learning a new skill is rewarding but you’re
bound to make some mistakes and become frustrated at times. The time it
takes to make something, especially when you’re
learning a new craft, can range from an hour to several weeks. It’s
vital that you have the diligence to finish off a project - the
satisfaction levels are worth the wait! Teaching
your kids new crafts is a great way to bond as a family and for everyone to learn valuable new skills. They’ll learn with you and
take pride in creating new things. It’s something to fill
hours of unplanned school holiday time whilst keeping their minds *(and
hands) active. Be sure to keep projects small at first to keep kids
engaged. Once they’ve mastered a few things though you can step up the
skill level and sit back as they enjoy showing
you what they’ve made.
What You’ll Get
Enjoying
home crafts is not just about the ultimate satisfaction of using
something you have made with your
own hands. The skill and repetitive nature of the craft itself is
calming and therapeutic. Crafting is a great pastime for adults and kids
alike.
Home
crafts are great for the environment too. By making something yourself
instead of buying a factory produced
item you save money and air miles. You can turn old clothes you were
going to throw out into something new and fashionable by appliqueing on
patches or embellishing with crochet motifs. With any craft you will end
up with a unique
piece of art. Crafting is both fun and educational and is the
perfect answer to what’s going to fill up the hours during the school
holidays.
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