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Thursday, November 4, 2010

Craft Classes: Felt Crowns

Last evening Maureen (of Twig and Toadstool) and I hosted the second installment of our series of craft workshops, aimed at mamas who want to create beautiful handmade gifts for their children. You can read about the first session here, where we made felt fruits and veggies for our little ones. Both Maureen and I are thrilled to pass on our skills and knowledge, not to mention the perfect excuse it gives us to drop everything and hang out together! As two part-time workers, and full-time mamas, it can be hard to find time to just visit and craft. To do it in the company of other enthusiastic wild women makes it all the more fun!  

Who could resist this rainbow of embroidery floss,

these colourful scraps,

a jumble of pins, needles, and scissors (recognise that toadstool pin-cushion?),

and an opportunity to create a gift of beauty and love?

Patient hands learned blanket stitch, running stitch, and backstitch,

and personalised and embellished with silk flowers, rickrack, ribbon, and buttons.
In spite of the uproarious mama-and-grandma-laughter, this little man dozed off (felt food in hand!)

allowing his mama to stitch this beautiful "L" onto his crown!

A sampling of the almost-finished results! (We used Amanda Blake Soule's crown template, found in her book, "Creative Family").

During these craft-lesson gatherings, the best moment for me is seeing the sparkle of pride dawn on a mama's face when she finally figures out how to make a nice, neat blanket stitch, or finds her finished product looking so much lovelier than she'd imagined it would. Crafty possibilities blossom, and everyone leaves with a feeling of accomplishment and renewed confidence!

Do consider sharing your skills and gifts with the world, either through informal gatherings like this one, where you collectively create an opportunity to create by bringing a bunch of materials (beads, earring hooks, string, feathers, mirrors, paper embellishments, etc.), or through classes. We've been so thrilled with the response to our Handmade Christmas series that we're already planning our Spring sessions!

Visit http://www.twigandtoadstool.blogspot.com/ for details of upcoming classes!









7 comments:

  1. I love this post! I am organizing my second craft night. A little different than yours with no exact craft that we are working on, it is to encourage mamas to bring whatever they are working on in. We do have a few "experts" on hand to help where needed - I make waldorf dolls, felt crowns and knit prolifically, and my friend is a crochet master - to help out along the way. It is such a wonderful time to connect with other mamas in this age old rhythm of creating for those we love!

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  2. Wish I could come!! So great that you are sharing what you do.

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  3. What wonderful photographs! I have to say I am always envious of how beautiful and colourful your photos are; what a delight for the eyes!

    This post has given me the inspiration to highlight our own weekly knitting group - started with the purpose of helping each other get ready for the holidays too! One of these days though I'll have to try my hand at those crowns, I have such wonderful memories of my mom mamking similar ones for my siblings and I!

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  4. Sounds like another fun night.
    Too bad I am not just a wee bit closer.

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  5. It was a fun night...and I have colourful bits of thread all over my house to prove it!
    Up next...tree blocks!
    xo maureen

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  6. Oh how I wish I could come to your craft nights!

    I am giving you the Versatile Blogger award! Please stop by for details!

    www.ourbrokenroad.blogspot.com

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  7. This was just so much fun! And the best part is that my crown is already finished and has spent some time being modelled by her royal cuteness. I am definately feeling mighty proud of my accomplishment! I have now been given very specific instructions by my bigger kids as to what sort of embellishments they want for their crowns. Only 3 left to go...thankfully I am not making all of them for Christmas presents (unless I get extraordinarily ambitous).

    Hugs to you my dear!

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This space is a creative outlet for a busy mama; I warmly embrace your comments and feedback, as well as questions/requests for details. I do check them daily and will respond where appropriate! Thank you for visiting the Knitty Gritty Homestead!