Take & Make Craft Kit: Sun Stitching

  I introduced this to-go craft kit as we welcomed the sun shining in spring!  But really, it could be used to celebrate the sun any time of year!  

Supplies provided in the kit:
Plastic large-eye sewing needle
Yarn
Burlap fabric
Embroidery hoop
Cardboard circle
Pencil

What you need from home:
Scissors
Optional: Pens, buttons, sequins, craft foam, etc. for decorating

Instructions: 

1. Clamp the burlap fabric inside the embroidery hoop

2. Thread the needle
Cut the yarn into 2 foot long lengths. Push one end of the yarn through the eye of the needle. Leave about 2-3 inches on one side of the needle.  Tie a knot at the end of the long side of yarn.  Large knots are best. 

3. Trace the circle of your sun
Using the cardboard circle and the pencil, lightly trace the circle in the center of the burlap inside the embroidery hoop. 

4. Stitch the circle of your sun
Start from the back side of the hoop, poke the needle through the burlap somewhere along your pencil line circle.  Carefully pull the needle and yarn through.  Stop when the knot gets to the burlap.  Do not pull the knot through the fabric.  Now, a little way away from where your yarn came through the fabric, but still on the pencil line circle, push and pull the needle and yarn back through the fabric from the front side.  You made your first stitch!

A little way away from this spot, but still on the pencil line circle, poke and pull the needle and yarn through again from back to front.  Poke and pull the needle again, a little way away, from front to back. Continue this back and forth stitching from back to front, front to back, all the way around the pencil line circle.  

When your stitches go all the way around the circle, make sure your last stitch ends with the needle and yarn on the backside.  Unthread your needle.  Tie a knot as close to the burlap fabric as you can make it.  Cut off the extra yarn.  

5. Stitch the rays of the sun
Think about where you want your sun rays to come off the circle.  If needed, use the pencil to lightly draw the straight lines of the rays onto the fabric.  

Thread your needle.  Knot the long end of the yarn.  Choose the spot for your first straight line ray.  From the back side of the fabric, poke and pull the needle and yarn through the fabric at one end of the ray line.  Do not pull the knot through the fabric.  Poke and pull the needle and yarn from front to back on the other end of the ray line.  Unthread the needle.  Tie a knot as close to the burlap fabric as you can make it.  Use your scissors to cut off the extra yarn after the knot.  

Repeat as many times as necessary until you have your desired number of sun rays stitched.  

6. Hang up your sun
Use scissors to trim the extra burlap around the embroidery hoop.  

Using your leftover yarn, tie it to the embroidery hoop screw.  Tie it into a yarn loop at your desired length.  Use this loop to hang up your stitchery.  

7. Optional - Decorate your stitching
While your stitchery will look wonderful without any decorations, feel free to use craft foam, buttons, pens, glitter glue, or whatever else you can find to decorate your sun.  

Every sun stitching is unique!

Community Helpers Toddler Storytime

 Opening #1 - Skinnamarink (action song from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck from Kimbo)

Opening #2 - Sticky, Sticky Bubblegum (fingerplay)

Sticky, sticky bubblegum, bubblegum, bubblegum;
Sticky, sticky bubblegum;
Stuck to your __________.
1, 2, 3, PULL!

(repeat with more body parts)

Letter of the day - "H" is for helpers

Transition #1 - Open-Shut Them (fingerplay) 

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them

Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap 

Book – Kitten Red Yellow Blue by Peter Catalanotto

Stand-up activity – Busy Family of Workers (action chant found in Artsy Toddler Storytimes by Carol Garnett Hopkins)

Activity - "The Night I Had a Dream" action song from Whaddaya Think of That? by Laurie Berkner 

Transition #2 - Come 'A' Look And See (fingerplay song I first picked up at a workshop conducted by Jane Cobb but can also be found on the music CD The Baby Record by Bob McGrath)

Flannelboard – Can You Guess My Job? (guessing rhyme found in Artsy Toddler Storytimes by Carol Garnett Hopkins)

Closing - Jumping and Counting (action song from Jim Gill's Irrational Anthem & More Salutes to Nonsense by Jim Gill) 

Take & Make Craft Kit: DIY Troll Hair Headbands

 Another successful craft kit that my library gave away.  

Supplies provided in the kit:

Headband
Tulle cloth
Paper ruler
Rubber band
Yarn for tying

What you will need from home:

Scissors
Optional: Ribbon, colored paper, felt, craft foam, etc. for decorating 

Instructions: 

1. Cut your tulle cloth

a) Cut strips of tulle cloth.  Length should be approximately 20 to 24inches long.  Width should be approximately 2-6 inches wide.  Measurements do not need to be exact!

b) For each headband, you will need about 10-30 strips of tulle, depending on how wide you make them and how thick you want your troll hair.  

2. Attach your tulle to the headband.

   

a) Fold each strip in half to make a loop.

b) Place the loop part way under the headband.

c) Reach through the loop to pull the ends of the strip through the loop.

 

d) Tighten gently.

e) Repeat for all the strips or until the headband is full of loop knots.  

3. Trim and decorate

a) Once all the strips are on the headband, personalize your troll hair.  Spread the strips apart or push them together for different looks.  One popular style is to loosely gather the ends together and tie with the provided yarn (this helps the hair stand up, too).  

b) Optional: Add decorations like stars or flowers made of paper, felt, or craft foam. 

There is no wrong way to create your troll hair!