Easter crafting with my class

Hello Fellow Crafters

Well here n South Africa we have school holidays for two weeks, starting from today. So I have spent the last week making Easter crafts with my class of 3 year olds. Here are the things we made.

First up is what I call a "Rocking Chick". This chick is made by folding a paper plate in half, getting a set of each child's hand prints for the tail feathers and using a circle for the head and a triangle for the beak. As the name indicates when the chick is placed on a flat surface it be pushed so that it rocks to and fro on its own.

Second is a chick, still in its nest, which is newly hatched. Due to the age of the children in the class I tried incorporating the symbols of Easter i.e. chicks = new life and at  Easter Jesus gives us new life as discussing the crucifixion and resurrection are not within a 3 year old's scope of understanding.

Thirdly we made these bunny egg holders, I sat with each child individually over a 2 day period making these as I wanted  them to do as much of the assembling as they could on their own. The bunny is assembled out of two long strips of paper which are bent into two tubes. I with copy off the pattern and post it later this weekend.

Here are a couple of other ideas from my co workers that I fancied:

This cross was made using egg cartons cut in the shape of a cross, ribbon was then used to criss cross down the length of the cross and Easter flowers were colored in and stuck onto the cross.

These crosses are printed onto a light yellow, lightweight paper and then painted with vegetable oil on the reverse side. You don't get the full effect from the picture, but the yellow becomes translucent and the light shines through the yellow making the cross and its detail stand out dramatically.

Felt Fruit- Apple with template and tutorial

Hi Fellow Crafter's

Back with the promised apple pattern and tutorial.

OK straight onto the How To:
 1. Cut out the apple pieces using the pattern below the how to

2. Sew the two pieces together along the sides of the apple leaving the top and bottom straight edges
    open.

3. Turn inside out.

4. Run a gathering stitch around the top edge, being sure to insert the leaf before tightening and
   securing.

4. Fill the apple with polyester filling.

 5. Run a gathering stitch around the bottom, tighten and secure.

 6. Now take a longer needle - one that will fit through the apple from the top to the base easily. Take
     the needle and thread and insert it through the top of the apple, bringing it out through the bottom,
     I recommend pacing it back up to the to and pulling the thread in slightly to give the apple its
     shape.  Once you are happy with the shape secure.

And viola you have your apple.

And the whole bowl of fruit I put together:

Now for the apple Pattern:

You know what to do.... right click on the pattern as save image as..... 

FREEBIE

Happy Crafting

I am linking to Craft Schooling Sunday (see button in my side bar)

Felt Fruit- Pear with template and tutorial

Hi Fellow Crafters

Keeping with my class theme - foods we eat, I came up with a pattern for a pear. My youngest squealed with joy when he saw the couple I made and promptly went to fetch his shopping basket from the toy room to "purchase" the newly made pears. Needless to say I was thrilled that he liked them and promptly designed an apple to go with the pears- but you'll have to wait until tomorrow for that template ;-)

OK, so let's get started with the HOW TO:
1. Cut out the pieces using the pattern at the end of the how to

 

2. Pin the leaf to the center of the top curve of one of the pieces, facing in and down (sorry no pic of

    this step)

3. Place the two pieces together, with the leaf on the inside and stitch around the pieces leaving the 

    bottom straight edge open.

    (Close up of the top to show the top of leaf sticking out a bit)

4. Turn inside out.

5. Fill the inside of the pear with polyester filling and run a gathering stitch around the straight edged 

   base.

6. Pull the gathered edge in tight and secure.

 

Viola you have your pear.

And know for the pattern:

You know what to do- right click on the image and save image as.... and it is all yours for personal use only please.

The VERY Hungry Caterpillar

Hi Fellow Crafters

I came across this idea -> here, and as my theme for the next 2 weeks at school is the foods we eat, I decided to use the idea and make props to go with the story of the Very Hungry Caterpillar. I just looked at the pics in the book and drew out the pictures onto the felt.  I reinforced all the pieces with fusible web and on some foods I sewed details (ice cream cone, cherry pie, and cupcake wrapper) and on others I used my copic markers to add sprinkles (ice cream and cup cake) and seeds (the strawberry)  and bumps on the skin (oranges).

I made a "caterpillar" out of a piece of crushed stretch velvet onto which I glued some googly eyes. I just cut a rectangular piece and folded it in half, I rounded off the top part of one end (the head end) and sewed a channel in the opposite end, through which I threaded some elastic so that the caterpillar doesn't come off my arm during story time.

 

And this is what it looks like once the caterpillar has eaten all the food.

Happy Crafting