Today was a day of finishes.  All scarves were finished and most of the campers learned how to warp their own looms.  Oh, Yeah!!

There was lots of nerve racking cutting of the warp this morning in camp.

Of course, when there is cutting of warp, there is the finishing of a project.

   

Once a project is finished, it is completely necessary to begin a new one!

All but one of the campers at least started warping their looms today in order to start the next project.

 

Such lovely scarves have been created and all the campers were so happy with them!

I simply cannot believe it!  These campers are so fun!  We have one totally completed scarf and several in the final stages.

This camper was so glad when she finished her warp!

After the weaving is finished , there are several other steps before you actually have a finished project.  The first of these steps is the hem stitch.  This stitch adds a very nice finishing touch to your woven piece.

Once the hem stitching is done on both ends, then the knotting of the fringe can begin.The last piece is to cut the fringe even.  For this project, we cut the fringe at 5 inches.  Isn't that a lovely scarf?!

Another scarf being cut off a loom.

And another...And another.  The others are not far behind.  I envision some warping ahead of these new weavers!

Camp today went so well!  The campers really got into weaving whole heartedly!

Here we are just learning how to use the shuttle and adjust the heddle reed.

It didn't take very long for everyone to understand what to do and boy did they take off!  They were adding colors and textures - these projects are going to be so beautiful!

Of course we had to dye more yarn.

By the end of camp today, all the campers had a fair amount completed.

     

I just love all the different colors each camper has chosen!

We are ready for our campers today in weaving camp!

Warping all the looms went relatively smoothly except for my enthusiastic helper...

She LOVED that ball of yarn rolling around on the floor!

We were so busy last week during sewing camp!!  Take a look at all that we accomplished!

There were several more projects that were completed, but I didn't get a chance to take pictures.  I wish I could share them with you.  Weaving is this week!!  We shall have fun!

This session of sewing camp is pretty interesting.  There are only three new students, the rest of our students have all been with us previously.

Take this camper, she was with us the last session and came to camp yesterday wanting to make a pillow right off the bat.  She quickly finished her pillow and then started a quilt.

Some of the new campers worked on hand sewing while another one (who has lots of sewing experience) started laying out fabrics to make a quilt.

Quilts seemed to be the order of the day!

It is so nice to see these campers having so much fun!

I love the fabrics this camper chose for her quilt.  This is the layout she decided upon after careful thought.

I had to post this next project because it is very impressive for several reasons.  The first being this camper has only taken one week of sewing camp and had minimal sewing experience prior to this.

Second, she chose to make something that is quite complicated.  There are many steps and a whole lot of skills necessary in order to make this project.  We picked a pattern - she cut out the pattern - pinned it to the fabric learning about straight of grain, fold line, notches etc.  Even just putting this pocket together had many steps which she completed very well.  Just look at those hems on all sides.

Then lastly, she had to gather the skirt of the apron to fit to the bodice of the apron.  No simple task!!  This kind of work takes time and patience.  Didn't she do a great job!      

We are in process with several different projects right now.  But never fear!  We will finish everything up by Friday.First we paper mached the small bowl.  After is was dry and trimmed, we glued it to the big bowl.We put several layers of paper mache on the bowls.  We used two sizes of bowls to create a pedestal bowl.  Once the paper mache was dry, it was time to trim the edges and make our last adjustments and "fixes" before painting.Then we glued the bowls together and paper mached the join to hide it.  Now, after it's dry, it's ready to paint.We moved on to painting pots.  These pots, after painting, will be decoupaged with fun images.  They will be perfect colorful additions to any garden!The campers really enjoyed painting.

This one looks like a gift!Sorry the picture is so blurry, but I had to include it - doesn't this camper look so happy??  And isn't her pot beautiful?!This one contained a LOT of detail.After painting the pots, we started our glue oil pastel drawings.  This is the first step.  The campers drew a picture of anything they wanted on a piece of cardboard.  Then we followed the outline of the drawing with a thick bead of glue.  Once it dries we can use our oil pastel crayons to color and blend our pictures.The picture on the lower right is pretty interesting.  This camper plans to use a combination of the oil pastels along with adding some details in ink.  I can't wait to see how this one turns out.Last, but definitely not least, we worked on these yarn octopi.  I hadn't planned on doing these with the campers, but they saw the ones on the counter from our crochet class in the morning and really wanted to make some - so of course I had to say yes!  They had so much fun with these!

Today everyone was really on the ball!

So many hair scrunchies completed today that it was very easy to move on to the more advanced projects!

I love these colors!

Most of the campers decided to work outside this morning.  The weather was totally perfect!

She was so happy to finish this.  These are not easy for the beginning crocheter.

Everyone finished their hair scrunchies this morning and started their next projects.  Last week, most of the campers chose the beaded headband, this week there are quite a few different projects started.  Several hats (granny square and half double crochet), bags, and one beaded headband.  I can't wait for tomorrow!!

We had a fabulous time yesterday during Arts 'n Crafts Camp!!  I guess we always have a great time - I think I have just as much fun as the kids!We started out working on our 3D paper mache projects.

I was a little worried that some of the campers might not like getting their hands slimy, but that was not a problem.  They all seemed to really enjoy the process of making these.  They had a choice between making a doll or a pedestal bowl.  Now, I thought the boys would choose the bowls while the girls would choose the dolls.  I could not have been more wrong!!  It was the other way around.  Every girl chose to make the pedestal bowl and the boy decided to make the doll.

Then we moved onto melted crayon art.  This is such a fun art project.  The campers get to dip crayons into the flame of a candle and then create a picture with dots of color from the melted crayon.  Of course, I am sitting right there with them to make sure everyone stays safe!

The campers had such a great time, several of them made more than one picture.

More of an impressionist piece of art.

Today we will continue with our paper mache projects and work on some other fun art!!

This is the second week of Crochet Camp for Let's Go Crafting and we have a whole new group of enthusiastic new crocheters.  All but one were brand new to crocheting this morning.  But by the end of our three hours they were doing great!

There was such a lot of great work going on today!

Fun yarn, a new skill, what could be better?

This camper already knew how to crochet, but she learned a better way to hold her yarn and hook so that her next projects will be easier to complete.

The first boy crochet camper!

This is such a great time for the campers!  They make new friendships and bond together.

We dyed yarn again this week because the campers really love this activity.  We soak the yarn first because the wet yarn takes up the dye better.

Every single camper finished their shoelaces today!!  What a great day at camp!

Today was our final day together for this camp.  I am going to miss these campers!!  They are so hardworking - no one wanted to take a break today - they just kept on working!I found those doll eyes at JoAnn's last night and just had to get them.  Don't they look so cute on her stuffed bear?  She was thrilled with them.Amigurumi penguin in the making.  This is the body and she is almost done.  I sent her home with supplies to finish up and also with instructions to call or stop by if she needs help.This camper worked so hard to master the half double crochet stitch needed to make this headband.  As you can see, she did a fabulous job!All my campers took home the necessary supplies to finish their projects.  They also know that I am always available to help them if they hit a snag and need help with something.  My primary goal for them is to feel successful and have a great first crocheting experience so that they continue - anything I can do to make that happen I will do!  See you next time :o)

First up, we had a big finish - a hair scrunchie for this camper!  She did so great.  It is not easy to connect this yarn to the hair tie and it takes a long time to make all those chain stitches!  Good Job!Doesn't it look adorable on her??I can't believe a 10 year old can crochet this.  These are tiny stitches and make up the body part of an amigurumi elephant.  This camper is now working on the head.  What an accomplishment!Another camper started an amigurumi penguin and this is part of the head - almost complete!Our youngest crochet camper threading beads onto her yarn to make a beaded headband.  I can't believe tomorrow is our last day of this week's camp!  I will be winding yarn for the campers to take home with them so that they can finish their projects.

Today, crochet camp was amazing!As soon as the campers arrived, they got right down to work.A beautiful headband was created!And another beautiful beaded headband was created!  I can't believe what these kids accomplish in such a short amount of time.Two of the campers want to make some amigurumi stuffed animals - so that is what we started.  This is the start of an elephant.  There will be a start of a penguin tomorrow for the other camper.  In the upper corner you can just see a barely 7 year old crocheting her hair scrunchie.Such lovely, small, perfect crochet stitches for her stuffed elephant!

I can't believe how hungry these campers are to learn and create!  It is music to my ears!This camper kept diligently crocheting along until she had mastered the chain stitch and completed her shoelaces!  It takes determination to get it right.And here they are.  She has her own sense of style - the shoelaces are different colors on purpose!This camper was so excited to learn more that she brought her work home with her yesterday and finished up her hair scrunchie.   It's just perfect!  Now she has moved onto a beaded headband (which she will finish tomorrow) and on her list to make is an amigurumi stuffed animal.  I know she can do it!We also made a yarn octopus complete with embroidered face and bows everywhere!  Tomorrow this young camper will make her hair scrunchie. 

Our first day of crochet camp was today and boy are these kids quick learners!We always start out with shoelaces.  It's a quick way to learn the chain stitch and to also learn how to make your tension even.

Finished shoelaces!!

And another pair of finished shoelaces!

We also dyed yarn.  I love having the kids do this.  They have such a great time and it will be exciting for them tomorrow to roll up the yarn into balls and make something with it.

Each hank is different.  Some like just a smattering of dye...

while others like lots of dark vibrant colors.  Either way, the resulting yarn will be beautiful.

This camper even finished a hair scrunchie!  Then she started a beaded head band.

These camps are so fun!  I can't wait until tomorrow to see what each camper makes.

Boy, we had a lot of fun this past week!!  Lots of knitting was done and new friendships were forged.  Knitting always seems to bring people together, both kids and adults.One of the camper's favorite places to knit is around the kitchen table.  They knit and chat and laugh and have a great time.Another favorite place was on the couch.However, knitting outside was their very favorite place to knit.  Unfortunately, the first two days of this past week saw rain and we had to stay inside.  Thankfully, by Wednesday, things had cleared up and we were outside again!The abilities of our campers was also varied.  We had campers who were brand new to knitting and...Knitters who had been with us for awhile.  This camper made a vest for her bear.  The bear she had made during knitting class after school during the year.Isn't that vest so cute?!!  It fits her bear perfectly and look at that great knitted fabric - job well done!!Such concentration!During camp this week, we learned how to dye our yarn!  See those extremely fancy garbage bag aprons?We placed the yarn on a plastic wrapped paper plate and used spoons to get the dye in just the right place.Each hank of yarn was unique and beautiful.Lots of very vibrant colors.Then back to their knitting!Proud of progress!Having so much fun!This camper finished her wrist warmers in a day and a half!  Then she started a scarf.   Amazing!Her first knitted project and it looks fabulous.  Such a lovely bag!  This camper went on to knit several cat toys to donate to our local animal shelter.Meet Stella Stuffmore, the name given to this monster bag knitted by this extremely creative camper.Gotta love that colorful yarn!  Isn't Stella Stuffmore cute?This camper is entering 2nd grade in the fall and completed these wrist warmers before the end of the week.  Her knitting improved so much and I am so proud of her!!  Now she is working on a stuffed toy.More wrist warmers - a very nice first project for this camper.A mini-monster stuffed with beans and with an embroidered face.  So cute.Her very first knitted project - VERY nice!Octopus dolls.  These are so fun to make.Another octopus doll in the works!Not only did this camper finish her wrist warmers (her first ever knitted project), but she made this little phone holder for her phone.A very mini octopus.  I have to say, I think this is the cutest!Another set of wrist warmers made by an entering 2nd grader.  That is a lot of knitting for a 2nd grader!!

We are ready and excited for knitting camp this week!!  Lots of fun things to learn and do.Here you see yarn that has been measured and tied so that we can learn how to dye!  You can make all kinds of colors of yarn this way.All the yarn bundles are ready for our campers.Our sample dyed yarn.  Isn't that so pretty??  Can you imagine how fun it will be to knit with this yarn?!And stay tuned tomorrow to see what fabulous crafts we create in the afternoon!While our morning camp is full this week, we still have spaces available in the afternoon.  Give us a call if you would like to join us!

Exciting news!!  Sewing Camp has been such a big hit, I have added another morning session from July 22nd through July 26th!  I'm so glad because I am going to miss teaching sewing.Today was the last day of sewing camp for this week.  And boy, what a great day we had!  Lots of laughter and chatting and sewing - the perfect way to round out the week.Another finished skirt!  I don't think I have mentioned how amazing it is that these campers can make these skirts.In order for them to have the nice gathered waistline, the fabric must be twice as wide as their own waists. So for example, if the waist measurement of the camper is 22 inches, then the skirt fabric will be cut 44 inches wide.  Then we measure down from their waist to find out how long the skirt should be and add 4 inches.The campers sew up the back seam, then measure down from the top of the skirt 1/2", pin, iron and sew.  This is the facing - then they again turn under 1" from that fold, pin, iron and sew - then insert the elastic.The hem at the bottom is done about the same way - measure 1/2", pin, iron, sew - measure 1", pin, iron and sew.  WHEW!!  That takes a lot of concentration and time!!  Simply amazing!Diligent work on a pillow case.And the finished pillow case!  It's so fun to be a part of the learning process.Two campers having fun working on their projects.Batik pillow.  These always turn out so nicely and we leave the sewing up for the last day.Finished 3D cat stuffed toy.  This toy is VERY complicated!  It has a bottom gusset where the tummy is and was quite a challenge to sew together.However, this camper persevered and completed her project complete with felt applique eyes and embroidered nose and mouth.  Way to go!!A beautifully painted still life.Two more pairs of shorts!  These are very similar in construction to the skirts.  Same amount of measuring, pinning and sewing.  What troopers these campers are!I always find it so interesting the fabrics that are chosen.  This skirt is so pretty!Yet another pair of shorts.  I tell you, these campers are amazing!This camper decided all on her own that she wanted to make a quilt.  She took the 4" template that we used for our sachets, chose fabric and cut it out all on her own.  I asked her to lay the squares out on a flat surface so that she could organize and reorganize her squares to get the look she wanted.   This is her final choice and I LOVE it!!  More importantly, she loves it!  At the very end she chose to change her quilt into a pillow and it looks great this way as well.This camper chose to make a 2D stuffed cat.  Boy did she work hard sewing around those curves for the paws!!  Sewing curves is no easy task.Aren't those pastel colors beautiful?!  She will be joining us for our next week of sewing camp in July and has already started a 3D stuffed pig complete with head and under belly gussets.We had ten minutes left of camp today and this apple pincushion was created!I love how these pillow fronts come out.  Each one is totally different.She made a very similar drawing as her sister, but as you can see, the looks are completely different!The camper who drew this, ran out of time to turn it into a pillow.  She had been working on so many other fabulous projects, but I just love the arwork!See you next week for knitting camp and arts & crafts camp!!

Students new to camp worked on needle books and pincushions.

New skills are hard to learn!  But this camper is such a trooper, she mastered her hand stitching by day two.

This camper was with us last week as well and was completely ready to tackle a much more involved project.  She has chosen to make a summer robe.

This young camper decided to make a skirt.  We measured her and she made her own pattern, cut out her fabric, and mastered ironing to create a very nice waistband and hemline.

She liked it so much, she decided to wear it over her dress!!

A new camper, already adept at using a sewing machine, jumped in to make shorts.

Ahhh!!  But we were able to teach her how to use the iron and she did a fabulous job!

Don't they look fantastic??  She did a great job!

This camper is making cat toys to donate to the local animal shelter.

Figuring things out.

Another new sewer!

Anywhere is a good place to sew.

Help comes from unexpected places.

So much sewing going on this week.

I had no idea how popular these headbands would be.  I think just about every camper decided to make these.

So many fun finished projects!  I can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring!

WHEW!!  Boy did this week go by quickly!  I think the campers felt the very same way.  Several of them were disappointed that this was their last day.  Several of them are coming back next week and are very excited to tackle some more complicated projects.

This camper had so much fun today!!  She finished her skirt before our morning break and wore it for the rest of the morning.

I just love the fabric she chose and it fits her well and look fabulous.

These headbands were so popular!  I think almost every camper made at least one!

This camper is working on a 3 tiered skirt and was so involved and wanted so much to finish before the end of camp today, she didn't even take a break at all!

She wound up making mounds of pillows for her bed.  She told me she wanted to fill up her bed with pillows!

Yet another headband!  Isn't this one cute!  I love the fabric so much and this camper added a decorative stitch on each side of hers - very creative.

Woo Hoo!!  She did it!  She finished her skirt with time to spare.  She was so thrilled!

Look at those shorts!  Aren't they fantastic?  She did a great job with the waistband and also the hemline.

Another lovely headband with decorative stitching on the edges.

This is the third pillow case for this camper (she wanted one for each pillow on her bed) and she is such a pro it only took her about 45 minutes!

A finished batik pillow - this was such a fun multi day project.  The kids really enjoyed it.  I will have to come up with something different for next week as some of these students will be with me again.

Not only did this camper finish her pillow, she also made a pillow case!  She is amazing!

Just before the end of camp today, this pillow was finished.  So this camper finished a skirt and made a pillow - whew!

I think she accomplished her goal - to cover her bed in pillows!  Look at that happy face, I can't wait to see what she creates next week!