Fall Weaving with Grade 1

Last week I taught Grade 1 weaving at Altadore School.
We started with a simple paper weaving to get them accustomed to the process.

We then did a weaving on a branch loom.  The students selected their favorite season and had to come up with colours for that season ahead of time in their 'wonder journals'.  Don't you just love that title.... maybe my design journal should become my wonder journal!  Each child did an illustration of that season using those colours.

It was amazing how the process of weaving a textile feeds into the weaving of reflection or memories which then will result in a story.  As each child changed to a new colour both myself and their teacher would ask them "What does this colour represent in your chosen season?".  The answers were very expressive, "The yellow lights on my Christmas tree." or "The red watermelon of summer".  Now that their weavings are done they are working on their writing projects.

MATERIALS REQUIRED:

Paper Weaving:
- strips of orange painted paper
- orange construction or cardstock paper
- ruler
- green construction or cardstock paper
- glue stick
- scraps of black paper
- scrap of brown paper
- pumpkin templates, I used this one
- pencil and scissors

Branch Weaving:
- branch for loom, twist your branch into circle as soon as branch is collected
- string
- chunky yarn in lots of colours
- masking tape
- scissors

PROCEDURE:

Pumpkin Paper Weaving

Now the Pumpkin paper weaving is based on this post from Cutting Tiny Bites.

I just made a few changes.

Instead of scrapbooking paper we used painted paper.  If every child paints on piece of paper you'll have lots.  Each one was different using stamps, glitter, different printmaking techniques, variations in yellows and orange, etc.

I gave each child a piece of orange cardstock for the loom.  They folded it in half, corners to corners.

Taking their ruler placed at the open end they drew a line across.  It was the width of the ruler.

This is the STOP line.

Using the width of the ruler again they made vertical lines, about 7 or 8, depends on the size of your paper.

They cut from the fold along these vertical lines until they reached the STOP line.

I demonstrated weaving on a giant piece of paper and then they started their own.

We talked about the pattern and how it should look like a checkerboard as each new strip is opposite to the one before.

You end up with something like this.

Now fold a green piece of paper in half.

Using templates trace the half pumpkin shape on the fold.

Cut out your window.

Using glue stick or white glue,  glue the green sheet in place over the weaving.

You can then trim the excess if needed.

Using black paper scraps make your face and add a stem to the top.








Branch Weaving:

I collected all the branch looms before the project.  I find Red Dogwood branches to be the best. I trim a branch and then loop into a circle right away.  I tend to only do this project in the Fall when I'm trimming out branches and they are still pliable.

Let them sit for a few days before weaving.

I made this little video to show you how to string the loom.  I did this ahead of time before we started this project.  I just use regular household string.

With the masking tape put each child's name on their loom.  They select their first colour and you tie on about a 30 inch piece of yarn to the first string.

With the masking tape put some tape on the other end to stop the yarn from unraveling as they are weaving.

They begin using the same pattern as the paper weaving...under, over, under, over.

The biggest difference between yarn weaving and paper weaving is when we get to the end of a row we turn around and continue back.

They had to do at least 5 rows before they could switch to another colour.  I like to knot it off and then tie on another colour.  That way my rows are just one colour and not 1/2 and 1/2.

Here is some of the student work in process.

Great work Grade 1.

Gail

Mixed Media Pumpkins

I'm going to show you 2 ways to do a mixed media pumpkin, both have lots of texture going on.



This is a mixed paper collage.

and this is made with masking tape.


















MATERIALS REQUIRED:

- base paper, can be wc, heavy sketch, or posterboard
- mixed papers like kraft, tissue, streamers, book pages, newspaper
- masking tape
- paint, disk tempera for the paper collage and acrylic for the masking tape version
- scraps of white and black paper
- scissors
- glue
- black buttons

PROCEDURE:

For the paper collage version gather up your assorted papers.


I love using white streamers, you can create some incredible texture with a streamer.

Pour a little white glue into a container.  Tear your papers into strips.  Brush some white glue on your base paper.

Start adding your strips on top of the glue.  You can have spaces where there is no strips, it will just add another variation in your collage.

Let the base paper dry, or use a hair dryer to speed it along.


Paint with disk tempera varying the colour from yellow to orange.

For the masking tape version you need regular old masking tape, whatever size you have on hand.

Rip off some lengths and tear them into strips.  Stick on your base paper.


Leave some spaces bare.

I find it helps if you turn the paper upside down as you work on it to ensure a good mix.

Paint with watered down acrylic.  The acrylic will paint over the masking tape, disk tempera only beads up on the tape.


Let dry.

An optional step is antiquing.  I use a little black and raw sienna acrylic paint and a squirt of float medium.

Now I don't want you buying special materials but you can get a little bottle of float medium and it will do a whole class as you only need a little bit.

I mix with my finger and then add a little here and there.

I did an extra piece of paper with just white streamer glued down to make the stems.


Paint with disk tempera green and brown.

When your painted papers are dry turn over and sketch out your pumpkin shape.


Cut out.

Glue onto black paper, add a stem.

Cut some circles out of white paper.  Root around your button bin for 2 black buttons, mismatched sizes look especially cute.


Glue on the eyes.

Add a mouth and some teeth.  Then you can add some text and stamps if you want.



A good display idea is to just do the pumpkin (a pumpkin patch grouping) and then when you get closer to Halloween add the faces. 







 See you next time.

Large Papier Mache Pumpkin

This is just a short post to show you another variation of the papier mache pumpkin.

We follow the same procedure as before we just use these large pumpkins.  For the nose I made a cone out of cardstock and then taped it on the face.

The eyes are 2 sections from an egg carton, taped on and papier mached over.

You only need 2 coats of mache. Let dry and then paint with acrylic or tempera.

If you want to keep it on display outside use an outdoor sealer.

Papier Mache Pumpkin Tower

Ok, next up with our series on "altering those little plastic pumpkins" is this Pumpkin Tower (totem pole).

It's based on this wooden pumpkin tower (totem pole) that I made several years ago.
































MATERIALS REQUIRED:

- 2 of those little plastic pumpkins from the Dollar store
- white glue
- a few paper towels
- water
- recycled container for the glue mix
- sheet of wax or parchment paper, or an old plastic bag
- paint, acrylic or tempera
- Mod Podge, optional






PROCEDURE:

Cut or tear your paper towels into strips.  Mix up your white glue with some warm water (makes it feel less yucky for the kids) in your recycled container. 1 to 1 ratio.

Remove the plastic handle.

Working on top of your wax paper,

start covering your little pumpkin with strips crossing the ends over. 

The middle pumpkin only needs a couple of coats but for the bottom one you want it to be a bit larger so add a few more.

Add a few features in papier mache to the faces.

Leave the opening in the plastic pumpkin as is, you don't need to cover it over.

For the top pumpkin I took a 1/2 sheet of paper towel and scrunched it into a ball.  I then papier mache a layer or two on top of this. You could also use paper, foil or newspaper.


Try to keep it smaller than your middle pumpkin.

When you added all the features you want let dry.  You'll need to turn them every so often to get all sides to dry out.

When they have dried out, (a couple of days), paint with acrylic or tempera.

I wanted my top pumpkin to have a witch hat so I made one out of felt.

I used the glue gun but you could use tacky glue.

Glue on top of your little pumpkin.

Then start gluing your tower together.  I used the glue gun as I was a bit impatient but you could use tacky glue again here.

Now if after gluing your tower doesn't stand up you can push in the bottom of large pumpkin.  This should help.

If you want you can seal the pumpkins with Mod Podge for a nice shiny coat.


.........and that's it.  You can vary your tower having the faces looking out at slightly different positions if you want.

I also do a variation of this with Grade 1 and Kindergarten using paper.  We talk about facial expressions and try to get 3 different looks to our pumpkins.




Give it a try and I'll see you next time.