Book Making with Kids

Just found a great resource - Brooklyn Artist alliance.


Click on the Download Booklyn's ED Manual link for a list of downloadable pdfs with clear information, instructions and lessons plans for creating a variety of different styles of simple books with kids. The "Entire Section" links include pdfs that include both instruction sheets and lesson plans. Click on the Education Archive link to find some photographs of books made with these instructions.

Newspaper baskets

Population: I had good results with this project with adolescents (11-17) who have trauma & drug abuse/use in their backgrounds.
Materials: lots of newspaper, glue sticks, paperclips, acrylic paint & brushes & palettes.
Time needed: at least two sessions (1 hour each), if not longer.
Helpful note: I found out this directive would work great for dyads. Two staff created one basket together the first day of working on this project, which helped control the level of frustration. The second day we worked on baskets together, each person receieved help and this really helped get through the weaving of the first row (that row is the most difficult) and weaving the other rows.

Directions:

Tear large sheets of newspaper in half down the center crease.

Start along the long side and fold about one inch over and over and over until you create a flat reed. Use the glue stick to glue the edge down.

Repeat this to make lots more 'reeds.'

Lay at least three reeds down parallel on surface. Then take another and weave it over and under perpendicular to the ones on the surface. Do this at least three more times. Making a basket less than 3 x 3 is difficult, bigger can be better. Once the base has been created, fold up the sides and make sure the sides are all about even in length. Then once it seems about even, fold each strip up and over the base creating a crease. This helps make the next step easier. A little glue in each corner really helps too.

Take another reed and use a paperclip to secure it to the underneath of a side reed and then weave it over and under all the way around creating the first row on the sides. Having a partner help hold the sides, makes this process less frustrating. At each of the corners, crease the reed. Once you have gotten back to the where you started, tear the reed off leaving enough to overlap the beginning. Remove the paperclip and then glue the reed to itself.

Repeat with other reeds, making sure the next row goes over if the previous row went under and vice versa.

When sides are completed, the left over spokes coming up can be tucked up and under the top row of weaving. It helps to tear it off so that the leftover is only about two weaves long.

Use paint to decorate.

My experience: This project is difficult and frustrating when it doesn't seem to stay together. I would suggest making one yourself so that you understand the difficulties yourself. Some worked through the frustration, some made a second when the first got too frustrating, and some were able to say this is frustrating and ask to color a mandala instead. Having a partner really helps and the pride in making the product is not diminished at all by having someone else help.

Next week, we are going to try an easier version of basket weaving using a bottle as a template. I will post that directive up once I have tried it with my students. I would suggest, as this is what I will do in the future, to do this easier version first. Some of the young adults have done this easier version of weaving previously and said that would have been better to start with.

Therapy pillow (no sew)

Population: I had great results with this project with adolescents (11-17) who have severe trauma in their backgrounds.

Materials: various fabrics (preferably cotton or muslin or others that don't stretch or fray easily), paper, pencil, transfer paper, scissors, puff paint (optional).

Time needed: at least two sessions (1 hour each), if not longer

Directions: Create a sketch of how the pillow should look on paper first, simple shapes work best (like circles, ovals, squares).
Cut out the pattern. Place on chosen fabric and trace around the edges of the pattern directly onto the fabric. Ensure to leave at least 2 inches of extra material all the way around the edges of the material to create ties.
If a design was created inside the basic shape, it can be transferred onto lighter fabric with transfer paper. Puff paint can be used to decorate it. If this is going to be used as a real pillow, might only want to decorate one side so a person could sleep on the non-decorated side.
Cut out pillow shape. Best to lay both pieces of fabric together with inside of the material (backs) touching. This ensures both pieces are exactly the same. Make sure to leave at least 2-3 inches of extra material around the entire edge of the pillow. This extra will be cut into strips up to the edge of the pillow that are about 1 inch wide and 2-3 inches long. Make all cuts with both material pieces together.
Start tying strips together with a simple double overhand know. Don't pull to tight or material will pucker. When all are tied except about 5 inches worth, stuff pillow. Can use anything soft, pillow stuffing (even from old pillows). Then finish tying the rest of the strips. The strips can now be trimmed, if desired.

P.S. You can google no sew fleece blanket and find videos & instructions. Same concept, just a smaller size.

My experiences: Both females and males liked this project. Those who say they can't draw have a little trouble starting. A lot wanted to do words, so we did an oval or heart shape with words inside. A complex design or picture looks great on square pillows. Some finished the design and puff paint portion within an hour, some needed extra time. I did all the cutting because of my population.
I brought back the pillows all cut with strips and ready to tie two weeks later, which gave me enough time to do all that inbetween. We did another directive during the week inbetween.