This craft project demonstrates how a parent can teach their child to braid while integrating some basic math questions.
The instructable requires some hands-on work from the adult (especially when dealing with the hot glue gun), but it’s pretty straight forward and a great learning tool for kids. Have Fun!
I created the “Felt Owl Brooch” that I found through the Craft Blog. The instructions were great! I really only have a few comments on how this tutorial could be even better…
1. The pattern is hand-drawn and it really would be better if it had been done in Illustrator or something like it. I only say this because the owl is asymmetrical.
2. The designer recommended felt material but she didn’t say why. I found out (because I used cotton) that the reason for using felt is because felt doesn’t move, it “sticks” to itself. The cotton I used frayed a bit around the edges (which I don’t have a problem with) and it continued to move while I sewed… which got annoying.
3. The eyes were so difficult to cut… so I used buttons. She gave a good suggestion (cut a small square and trim the edges) and maybe it would have worked with felt, but it was impossible to do with cotton.
Things I liked about her instruction set:
1. Great pictures and corresponding text!
2. Even though I would have liked a symmetrical owl pattern, I really appreciate that she made a pattern for me to print out and follow.
3. The varied owls near the bottom of her post using different colors – they each have their own personality which is fun
(I apologize for my not-so-spectacular images… my camera died and it’s in the process of getting fixed. I’m not going to get it back until late next month… I’ll need to figure something else out between now and then.)
The robot seems easy to make – the instructions seem very easy to follow and the patterns are great. I also like the idea of using old sweaters to make such a cute little pillow .
Building the Drawdio was pretty straightforward. The images and corresponding text really helped me to build the kit easily.
I have two comments on how the process could have been made better:
1. The design of the Assemble It page would be more user friendly if it used clear formatting. For example, if at the page there were some sort of a numbering system (Step One… Step Two…) and if those steps linked to an image/text below, I think the directions would have been more clear. It was easy to get lost in the non-formatted page.
2. The tack that needed to be placed in the top of the pencil was quite difficult to push in. I’m not sure how I would improve this but it was an observation I had.
The two projects I think I’d like to do…
E-Puppets – Emoting Electronic Finger Puppets and theGlam the Glo Bug
I found this “How-To: Felt Owl Brooch” through the Craft Blog. The step-by-step instructions for making this brooch are easy to follow – especially with the clear photographs. I like how the designer included a full size template for users to print and make his/her owl brooch to scale. Super cute!
I’m a 2nd year MFADT candidate. I grew up in Moss Beach – a small coastal town about 45 min south of San Francisco. My background is in graphic design and art history. I worked as a production artist/designer for a couple years (at a bio-pharm company [Amgen]) before returning to graduate school. I am interested in toy making (just for fun) and sewing.
