July 2010

Because it is often hard to find things to make for older boys, and I know many of you are still looking for ideas for small gifts, I wanted to repost this. Bug loved the movie The Never Ending Story. (Joy of joys, he's now ready to read the book.  The Never Ending Story. I will need to remember to give it to him later :) Anyway... just thought some of you might have a budding Atreyu in your house that would love this as much as Bug did... actually, still does.

Excerpt from The Never Ending Story by Michael Ende:

Everyone in Fantastica knew what the medallion meant. It was the badge of one acting on orders from the Childlike Empress, acting in her name as though she herself were present. It was said to give the bearer mysterious powers, though no one knew exactly what these powers were. Everyone knew its name: AURYN

When Atreyu, the little boy hero, accepts the Great Quest bestowed upon him by the Childlike Empresses, a quest to save Fantastica from the Nothing, the medallion is placed around his neck.

"AURYN!" Atreyu repeated with awe. "I will be worthy of the Glory."

A couple of days ago I watched The Never Ending Story with Bug, Fairy and Pixie. They were enthralled. I promised them that the next time they were over I would begin reading them the book. Bug said, "I need a thing to put around my neck like Atreyu.

Well, of course he does! I did an Internet search to see if there were any metal ones out-and-about to purchase. There were, but all of them were pricey. So, I set about making one for him out of felt. When I gave it to him today, I know he couldn't have been more pleased if it were made out of gold. He immediately changed into what he considered appropriate attire (his Pirate Shirt Michelle made for him, although I'm thinking of actually making him an Atreyu costume), and he was more than willing to participate in a photo shoot!  Although I did make this as a medallion, if enlarged slightly, it could be used as one of our 6" applique blocks. Hope you have a little boy hero (or little girl hero :)to give AURYN to! Enjoy!

Materials:
wool felt
embroidery floss
lid of wide mouth Mason jar
1mm satin cording
pattern

Make a copy of the pattern and cut out the necessary pieces. (Directions for cutting out felt can be found HERE.)

Using the pattern as a guide, place pieces on top of pattern, weaving them together following the pattern. Note: It is easier if you make 2 copies of the pattern; one to lay the pieces on and one to refer to for weaving the pieces correctly. Pin the felt together so it will not shift when you move it.

Position the snakes in the center of one of the felt circles. Pin in place. Stitch the snakes to the felt circle following the stitching lines on the pattern. Embroider eyes. (BTW... the pattern calls for a "stain stitch"... this should read "satin stitch"). Note: When cutting out the 2 large sections of the snake, you cut through the snake's body. This is necessary so you can intertwine the snakes. When sewing the snakes to the felt DO NOT sew along this edge because it is suppose to look like one continuous piece of snake. Instead, from the back side, tack this edge to the felt, making sure you do not go all the way through the snake. You do not want to see the stitching from the front but you want to make sure it lays down flat. Instead of tacking it from behind, you can put a little tab of fabric glue under this edge to hold it in place.


Lay the embroidered felt circle on top of the other. Pin in place and blanket stitch half way around the 2 circles.

Slide the wide mouth Mason jar lid between the 2 circles. This will give it body. If you do not have a wide mouth Mason jar lid, cut a circle from a rigid piece of plastic (mayo or peanut butter jar lid will work). The circle needs to be smaller than the felt circles since you need to blanket stitch around the outer edge. Finish blanket stitching around the rest of the circles.

Cut out a piece of felt 1" x 2" the same color as the felt circles.

Fold the piece of felt in thirds creating a 2" long, skinny loop. Sew a running stitch down the middle to hold the folds together.

From the front, mark the top of the medallion with a pin so you can see it from the back side.

Fold your loop in half and pin it to the back of the medallion so the top of the loop is 1/2" from the top.

Sew the loop to the medallion across the loose bottom edges and a few tacking stitches on either side near the bottom of the loop.

Cut a length of cord the desire you want. Make sure it will be able to slide over your child's head. String the cord through the loop and tie off the edges.


You are now ready to send your little boy hero on his own Quests!
 

 

Over the years I have made quite a few quilts... Log Cabin, Split Rail, Nine Patch, Irish Chain, Around the World, even a Lone Star but the quilt block I return to again and again is the Pinwheel. I love pinwheel quilts. It is my go to pattern when making baby blankets.

I made my first pinwheel quilt when I was a sophomore in college. It was a gift for my then boyfriend/now hubby and is now our well loved family picnic blanket. When I found out the gender of my first child I immediately went to the fabric store and turned out another pinwheel quilt... on of course a smaller scale. Each of my girls got a pinwheel quilt too... all slightly different but all sporting the playful pinwheels.

Why the obsession with Pinwheels? I believe this all stems from the fact that my baby blankie, the one I could not leave the house without, the one my mom had to patch and re-patch until the fabric was worn completely through, the one I still have tucked away in a keep sake box in my closet was in fact a pinwheel quilt. Nothing says comfort to me like a pinwheel quilt.

Once again playful pinwheels squares are scattered across my sewing table as I am making a baby blankie for my soon to be here niece. This time I have been taking notes and lots of pictures and I will be sharing the pattern for my beloved pinwheels shortly.

There are many different variations for beeswax crayons, but most use equal weight amounts of beeswax and white bar soap. This is the recipe I've used with great success over the years. How do these compare to the Soy Crayons we made several months ago? I find the beeswax crayons to be harder than the soy, giving the ability to add more details to pictures. Both are wonderful and VERY child friendly. BTW... I found out that little puppies LOVE to chew on these. Shocker, right?

BEESWAX CRAYONS

(Use equal weights of soap and beeswax.)
1 part soap, grated (inexpensive bar white bar soap)
1 part beeswax, chopped into pieces
Paste or liquid food coloring or a veggie based colorant. Note: You can use tempera paints or fresco pigments instead of food coloring for deeper colors, but they should not be ingested so they are not safe for small children.
2 cup Pyrex measuring cup or other microwave safe container
Molds – see note in directions
Veggie spray or shortening

Chop up beeswax into pieces and grate soap.

In your microwave melt soap and beeswax in Pyrex measuring cup. Caution: the liquid will be very hot! You can also melt the soap and beeswax in the top of a double boiler. Watch the mixture closely. You do not want it to boil or it will foam up putting air bubbles in your crayons. If this does happen, let it set for a couple of minutes, gently stirring to remove air bubbles. 

When the soap and beeswax have melted, carefully mix in color. I used paste food coloring. Obviously, the more you add, the more vibrant the color. I also wanted to make 4 colors so I divided the hot liquid before adding colors. Note: If using a veggie based colorant, you may have to return it to the microwave to completely melt the tart.

Lightly grease the mold you will be using to pour the liquid into. Possible molds are ice cube trays, mini muffin pans, depressions in artist clay, disposable mini paper cups, or make your own mold using foil paper.

Pour the melted mixture into your mold and allow to dry completely. Note: If the crayons have become "gloppy" and you are using an oven safe mold, pop them in a 350 oven for a few minutes to melt a bit. Be careful not to let them go too long or they will begin to foam!

Remove from mold and use!

BTW… I have had parents tell me that if you use glycerin soap the crayons will be harder. I have not tried it yet, but you may wish the experiment.

Autumn brings an explosion of color; transforming greens and pastels to golds, oranges, browns and deep crimson. It’s as if nature has decided to have one last fling before retiring for the winter! For families that follow the rhythm of the seasons, now is the time to bring those beautiful colors indoors. We love to use wreathes in our decorating. The wreath, a symbol of eternity, reminds us of the circle of life; of how one season flows into another, only to return again and again.

We would like to share with our Autumn Oak Leaf Wreath. With just a wee bit of sewing and a simple stencil, you will be able to bring the beauty of the autumn season indoors.

Materials:
2/3 yard cotton solid or muted print
2/3 yard cotton print
2 – 3 pounds stuffing (Polyfill, cotton or wool)
4 ½ yards 3/8” grosgrain ribbon (I used 2 different colors; 2 ¼ yards each)
Bone ring (for hanging)
2 (two) 6” square pieces of Mylar (for stencil)
X-Acto knife or small, very sharp, pointy scissors
Permanent marker
Stenciling paint
Stenciling paint brush
Pattern (weefolkart-autumn-wreath-pattern[1].pdf)

Make 2 copies of pattern.

From 2 pattern sheets cut out one upper wreath section and one lower wreath section. Tape the two pieces together along the marked broken line.
Place pattern on fabric matching the “place on grain line” on the lower wreath section with the grain of the fabric. Cut out 8 solid pieces and 8 print pieces. Set aside while you make the stencil.

There are 2 pieces to the leaf stencil; the leaf and the leaf detail. Place the first piece of Mylar over the pattern of the leaf. Using a permanent marker trace the leaf. Next, place the second piece of Mylar over the pattern of the leaf. Trace the leaf AND the leaf detail.

Place the stencils over a cutting surface, and using an X-Acto knife, cut out the leaf shape on the leaf stencil and cut out only the leaf detail on the leaf detail stencil. Note: You can also use small, very sharp, pointy scissors to cut out the stencil.

Stencil 4 solid wreath pieces as follows: Fold a wreath piece in half lengthwise and lightly finger press so you can see the center of the wreath piece. 

Position the leaf stencil in the middle of a solid section by turning the stencil diagonally. The points of the stencil should be touching the middle crease line and be centered up and down. Note: The wide part of a wreath section is the top, and the stem of the stencil should be at the bottom of the wreath section. (The narrow section.) If it makes it easier, you can tape the stencil to the fabric so the stencil does not slip.

Dip stenciling brush in paint and tap on paper towel to remove access paint.

Beginning at the outer edge of the leaf stencil, stencil the shape using a straight up and down tapping motion. Re-dip your brush in paint as needed, always tapping it off on paper towel before continuing. Tip: When stenciling, it is better to use less paint and apply multiple layers. This gives you more control and creates a more natural look. I prefer not to stencil the center of the leaf to give the leaf more depth. Note: If you would like to shade your leaf even more, apply more paint to the outer edges of the shape or use another color. Stencil 4 solid wreath pieces. You do not need to stencil the other 4 since they will be at the back of the wreath and not seen. Allow the paint to dry.


Position the second stencil, the leaf detail, over your stenciled leaf shape. Use the outline of the leaf on the second stencil as a guide. Using a darker color, stencil the leaf detail. Allow to dry.

Assembling the wreath:
Front:
Beginning with a print section, sew a print and solid section together using a 1/2" seam.

Iron all seams open as you go.

Continue sewing pieces together, alternating the print and stenciled solid sections until you have 8 sections sewn together. DO NOT sew the 8th section and the 1st section together. Your ring should remain open.

Back:
Beginning with a solid section, sew together like the front wreath. The back will mirror the front.


With the right sides together, pin the front of the wreath to the back of the wreath, matching seams. Note: Solids will be touching solids and prints touching prints.

Using a 1/2" seam, sew the outer circle then the inner circle. DO NOT sew the ends. You have now created a long tube. Clip inner seam to stitching line. This will help the seam lie flat.

Turn the tube right side out. With right sides together, pin section 1 to section 8 on the front side. Extend your pinning to 1" - 2" on the back.


Using a 1/2" seam, sew the circle together, leaving an opening on the back.

Stuff the wreath.

Using a slip stitch, sew up the open stitch on the back.

Turn the wreath over. On a print section, sew a bone ring to the wreath about 2” from the top.

Cut out 8 pieces of ribbon, 20” long. When cutting the ribbon, cut the ends on diagonals so the ribbon does not fray. From the back, tie the ribbons to the wreath along the seam lines. Use a square knot (right over left, left over right) with 1” tails. This will slightly gather the wreath sections creating a “puffy” look.

Celebrate the beauty of autumn!

Additional Photos:

 

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Below is a post I shared the first summer I started blogging on One Generation to Another. As it happens I just stumbled upon the steno pad I referred to in this post. It seems fitting that since it resurfaced, I should share this particular post. There were many things I left off the list, like learning to knit, sew and work with wood, which all of my children learned. And of course, today my list would be more inclusive... there are new circumstances that children must deal with... but all in all, kids are kids, and words of wisdom like, "Don't stick anything up your nose!" are as true today as ever! I invite you to share your own bits of wisdom following my list!

THINGS I TAUGHT MY CHILDREN
In my on going, and usually monumentally unsuccessful, attempt at getting organize, I was sorting through an archaic stack when I came upon an old steno notebook that I had been writing in back when my children were in elementary school. I remember at the time I had decided to jot down the wit and wisdom I had taught my children. These weren't rules written on a board somewhere, but the casual lessons taught on an on going basis. Some might seem self evident…but one thing I learned very early on in parenting was…ASSUME NOTHING! The following is a list that I threw together that evening. Now, I find the list to be both amusing and nostalgic. Although not exhaustive, and there were certainly more things added to the list as the children got older, these got them through the first decade of their life! These were written in no particular order...just as they popped into my head!

1. Spend some part of every day outside.

2. Don’t watch television on school days.

3. Do your homework before you go to bed.

4. Don’t swear.

5. Don’t tell dirty jokes.

6. Keep change in your pockets at Christmas to throw in the Salvation Army Buckets.

7. Make a point of reading biographies.

8. Never share an important secret with someone who says, “You can trust me.”

9. Smile a lot!

10. Ask the new kid at school to eat lunch with you and your friends.

11. Don’t tattle.

12. Wear a helmet when you bike on the road.

13. Don’t be a show off.

14. Call your grandmother, often.

15. Use most of your allowance to buy things for other people.

16. Learn to type.

17. Never be the first in your bus line.

18. Cry if it hurts.

19. Never talk badly about anyone.

20. Never buy your teachers perfume or a coffee mug.

21. Have your teacher over for lunch or dinner at least once during the school year. (After I started teaching, I revised this to NEVER invite your teacher over for lunch or dinner. If you really like them give them a gift certificate to a favorite restaurant so they can have a leisurely dinner themselves.)

22. Never talk to strangers.

23. Never go near parked cars.

24. Be alone in your room, not on the street.

25. Stop, look and listen before you cross the street.

26. Never flush anything except toilet paper and your body’s waste.

27. Go for comfort over style.

28. Keep your ears clean.

29. Never let a romantic interest come between friends.

30. Don’t lie.

31. It’s okay to color outside the lines.

32. Learn to shoot marbles, jump rope and play hopscotch.

33. Learn to play an instrument, well.

34. Learn to appreciate your parent’s music.

35. If your neighbors can hear your music when the doors and windows are shut, it’s too loud!

36. Assume nothing.

37. Don’t be quick to judge.

38. Hear people out.

39. Unzip your pants before you try to put them on.

40. Leave the toilet seat down.

41. Don’t be sarcastic.

42. Never use the expression, “But everyone else is”, in an argument with your parents.

43. Believe in Santa Claus.

44. Only ask Santa for 1 gift.

45. Get a pen pal.

46. Pray.

47. Get a magazine subscription, and then read it cover to cover.

48. Learn to bake something that doesn’t come out of a box.

49. Read The Giving Tree.

50. Don’t pick your nose in public.

51. Every once in a while, tell your siblings you love them.

52. Don’t start smoking.

53. Ask your parents and grandparents to tell you stories about their childhood.

54. Never stick anything metal in a toaster.

55. After a shower or bath, dry off with a towel before putting on your clothes.

56. Cover your mouth when you sneeze.

57. Wash your hands after going to the bathroom.

58. Flush

59. Share your lunch with someone who forgot theirs.

60. Feed your pets.

61. Don’t put dirty socks and underwear on a clean body.

62. Change your socks and underwear daily.

63. Don’t watch anything on television or at the movies you would feel embarrassed watching with God.

64. Don’t abuse your phone privileges.

65. Never make your parents breakfast in bed. (Disastrous memories surface!)

66. Occasionally, clean something without being told to.

67. Don’t forget your prayers.

68. Never take drugs.

69. Never Take Drugs.

70. NEVER TAKE DRUGS.

71. Memorize your locker combination.

72. Don’t throw ice balls.

73. Never cancel plans to wait for a phone call.

74. Don’t change your plans with someone because something better came up.

75. Be courteous to adults.

76. Get to know your friends’ parents.

77. Don’t be rude.

78. Be curious. Question everything.

79. Always accept sincere apologies.

80. Don’t wear socks with holes in them.

81. Mend holes in socks.

82. Find something good in everyone.

83. There are many things in this world worth fighting for. Choose your battles wisely.

84. Remind your parents to recycle. It’s your future they’re protecting.

85. Recycle and reuse.

86. Don’t be wasteful.

87. Set good examples for your parents.

88. Learn to dance.

89. Learn the difference between “I need” and “I want”.

90. Learn to control your wants.

91. Don’t ask your parents to buy you something you wouldn’t be willing to spend your own money on.

92. Read something out loud daily.

93. Never take food for granted.

94. Never take your home for granted.

95. Never take your education for granted.

96. Never take your parents for granted.

97. Never take your country for granted.

98. Always sing the National Anthem even if you can’t hit the high notes.

99. Stand at attention and cover your heart for the Pledge Allegiance.

100. Have fun!

101. Memorize poems you love.

102. Keep hope in your heart.

103. Dare to dream for more than you thing possible, then make it happen.

104. Never run with scissors.

105. Don’t put your tongue on cold metal.

106. No matter how bad your day was, home will make it better.

107. Lie on your back, look up at the stars, and feel the earth turn.

108. Brush your teeth twice a day or three times a day if you ate something disgusting.

109. Use toothpaste on your toothbrush.

110. Brush for at least 2 minutes.

111. Acknowledge who you are when you make phone calls. Don’t assume everyone knows your voice.

112. If you take a message, give a message.

113. Never ease drop on another phone.

114. Return library books on time.

115. Return things you borrow in the same condition or better.

116. Only loan things that you’re willing to never see again.

117. Never use rubber cement to glue anything to your body. (A lesson my youngest and I learned the hard way.)

118. Have friends of the opposite sex.

119. Tell your parents everything another adult tells you not to tell your parents.

120. Make your bed daily.

121. Turn your socks right side out before throwing them into the laundry.

122. When given the chance, sleep in.

123. Every once in a while, get up before everyone else and enjoy the quiet of the morning.

124. Take some time everyday to be alone with your thoughts.

125. Never call 900 numbers.

126. You don’t have to like all foods, but be adventurous enough to try everything at least once.

127. Ask for help when you need it.

128. Don’t ask for help if you can do it yourself.

129. Offer to help when you can.

130. Don’t write anything in a note that you’re not willing to have the whole school know about it.

131. Be generous with your hugs.

132. Stick up for those who can’t defend themselves.

133. Use public restrooms only when you absolutely have to. (Personal repulsion!)

134. Never tell someone they deserved what they got, even if they did.

135. Use eating utensils in public.

136. When in doubt, talk to your parents.

137. Find out when your teacher’s birthday is and do something nice for him or her.

138. Learn all three verses to Silent Night.

139. Don’t litter.

140. When possible, pick up litter and throw it away.

141. Take the advice of your parents over your peers.

142. Grow up but not away from your family.

143. Use deodorant if you need it.

144. Don’t squeeze pimples.

145. If you’re doing something you don’t want your parents to find out about, chances are you shouldn’t be doing it.

146. Learn to see the insides of people, not just the outsides.

147. There’s no shame in failure if you tried your best.

148. Laugh a lot!

149. Learn to be a good listener.

150. Don’t say anything about someone you wouldn’t say in front of them.

151. Never get in a car with someone who’s been drinking.

152. Apply Vaseline to your eyebrows before blowing record breaking bubbles.

153. Don’t be in a hurry to grow up.

154. When filling a bathtub, you need to account for body mass.

155. Abhor violence.

156. On very hot days, lick your ice cream cones quickly.

157. Learn the difference between sympathy and empathy.

158. Be empathetic.

159. Eventually, your mother will look under your bed.

160. Be honest.

161. Don’t cheat.

162. Learn some really funny clean jokes.

163. Throw up in toilets.

164. Hold hands in a crowd.

165. When you’re out in a crowd, always have a place to meet in case you get separated.

166. Remember where your mom parks the car at the mall.

167. Never try something if it's prefaced with "Does this taste bad to you?"

168. When given the opportunity, run through sprinklers.

Several months ago we received an email from Michelle at Will Knit For Food. She asked for permission to use our Basic Knit Doll Pattern to create dolls to send to a village in Africa were her sister Hallie was volunteering this summer.

Our answer... a resounding YES! We did ask her, however, to share pics with us, especially photos of the dolls in their new home. Last week we received the photos you see in this post. Michelle also shared a little bit about her sister's experience.

Hallie is a student at Northern Illinois University. She is in her final semester of nursing; she was able to join the group she traveled with as medical assistance. The group she traveled with are engineering students who are working with "Engineers without Borders". This is the second year the school has taken a group to do work. They are committed to four years of work, so they will be going back to continue improvements for the community. This year, the team installed solar panels and lighting fixtures into the school buildings at their site in Tanzania. Last year, they built a dormitory for the school.

I learned so many things from talking with Hallie about her experience, i.e. most people do not have access to running water or electricity. And, children who attend school are required to purchase a uniform in order to do so; if they can't afford a uniform, they are not allowed to attend.

The professor who oversees the project is an African native, and he and his wife have started work on a separate, independently funded project to build a school and dormitory for children who cannot afford to attend traditional school and/or who are orphaned.

To learn more about Hallie's experience, read Michelle's post Out of Africa.

Here are all of the dolls that found new homes in Tanzania.

At Wee Folk Art we share our crafts in hopes of promoting global goodwill and friendship. NOTHING delights us more than receiving comments and emails that readers share with us on how they have used our projects to bring joy to others. As you can well imagine, to see our dolls being loved by children so far away, validates what we do here. We hope you find this as inspiring as we did. Thank you, Michelle!

Remember that pinwheel quilt I started before my vacation. I didn't forget... as promised here is the second part of the tutorial. Now that you have complete Part One of this tutorial, you should have your 17 pinwheel blocks completed and 18 6" print blocks cut out.

Layout your block into rows as follows...
3 rows (A) with Pinwheel, Block, Pinwheel, Block, Pinwheel
4 rows (B) with Block, Pinwheel, Block, Pinwheel, Block

Sew your blocks together into rows and iron the seams.

Pin your rows together in the following pattern... B, A, B, A, B, A, B.
Sew your rows together and iron the seams.

Cut out your border. You will need 4 4x42" strips. Your strips will be longer than you need. I always like to leave my border longer and trim them after I sew them on.

Sew the borders onto the long sides of your quilt block. Iron your seams and trim the borders even with the top/bottom edges of your quilt.

Sew the borders onto the wide sides of your quilt block. Iron your seams and trim the borders even with the sides edges of your quilt.

Now you need to cut out a piece of batting to fit with your quilt top. Trim up your yard of backing fabric to fit as well. Layer your pieces batting, backing right side up, quilt top face down. Pin and sew leaving a 5" gap. I like to use a 1/2" seam allowance when sewing the quilt layers together.

Turn, iron the edges and then sew the gap closed by hand.

Now it is time to tie your quilt. Use two full strands of embrodery floss in cordinating colors to tie your quilt in the middle of each pinwheel and print block. I tie 3 knots and then trim the thread to be about 1/2" long.

Enjoy your Playful Pinwheel Quilt.

Song of a Scarf: Quick Bias Scarf Pattern
Size 11 Needles
Gauge not important
Yarn 1 Skein - Mine was hand spun and varied a lot in weight... basically this is a great pattern use funky yarns with... very forgiving.

Cast on 17 sts
Row 1: KFB, K14, K2T
Row 2: K
Repeat rows 1 & 2 until you reach your desired length.

This is a project we tried last summer and was originally post on July 3, 2009 at Nature's Way Learning. It was a good first attempt and is definitely something I want to re-visit again this summer. This time I will be limiting our colors to only primary colors so they blend nicer (our orange and blue last year turned brown and purple with the kids over zealous dipping). I will also be purchasing some squirt bottles to give us more control over the dyes. I will post again when we make our second attempt.

This is a project I have wanted to do with the kids for awhile now... a great summer project. My nephew's birthday was last week and we will be seeing his family for the first time in a long time at a wedding next week. The kids have already picked out a gift for their cousin but I wanted to give him something homemade too... something the kids could make for him. Sooo... Bug and I decide that the t-shirts would be cool.

This was our first attempt but the kids have already been asking to do it again. I'm sure we will get better at it... of course the big mistake was on my part. I had too many colors to pick from for the first try. The kids wanted to use all the colors and like an Easter egg that has been dipped in every color (if you have ever dyed Easter eggs with a two year old I'm sure you know what I'm talking about) the shirts started to take on that mucky brown/purple color.

 

We started with washed but damp 100% cotton shirts, Dylon brand permanent dyes, salt, rubber bands and containers. The Dylon brand dyes are reactive with salt and warm tap water (safer for the kids with no boiling water... of course don't eat it or get it in your eyes). You will probably want gloves... but I didn't have any. I think I need a manicure before the wedding ;). The kids were dressed in their swim suits and old t-shirts.

Then off course comes the tying part. Bug was able to do this part on his own but the girls needed help. They would pinch off the fabric they wanted tyed and I put the rubber band on for them.

After the shirts were tied I prepared the dyes. I followed the directions on the packet, which included I believe (I didn't save a packet to look at) 4 TB of salt, 4 cups warm water and the dye. A quick dip was enough to get light colors. Had we only used one color... thorough soaking would have led to much brighter colors. The dye colors mix like they should... red and blue will make purple.

Then we rinsed the shirts until the water ran clear (I actually did this part... the kids held the hose for me).

 

It was very exciting when we took the rubber bands off. Of course the kids didn't totally understand what was supposed to happen and they eagerly awaited each shirts unveiling. I rinsed them again and then hung them to dry in the shade.