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May Flower Hair Clips

I know there are lots of flower tutorials out there, but as I was making these for my daughter’s class fundraiser, I felt that I had gotten them down to a science so thought I’d share. This is a great way to use up those precious Liberty scraps. Head over to Alpha Mom for the full tutorial.

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Guest Post: Embroidered Growth Chart

Today’s guest post is from Emily of The Student/Teacher. I came across her blog when she commented on a post and I saw this wonderful felt and fabric memory game that she made for her kids. I asked her if she would do a guest post for The Long Thread, and happily, she agreed! Emily has made this lovely growth chart for her daughter that is sure to become a cherished family heirloom. I know you’ll enjoy this project.

I love this photo of her daughter looking up at how tall she’ll become. It makes me have an “Oh, how quickly they grow” moment. Thanks for sharing this special project, Emily!

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Hello! I’m Emily from The Student/Teacher. I am a writer, crafter, and unschooler living near Washington, D.C. with my husband and our two young daughters. My blog is a journal of love and learning, a place to celebrate childhood and creativity. I use it as a space to discuss alternative education and to share the exciting crafts, projects, and activities that fill our busy days. As far as crafting goes, I am mainly a sewist. Quilts are my current favorite thing to make, but I love sewing clothes, accessories, and home decor, too. (You can read more about me and my blog on my About page.)

I am thrilled to share my tutorial for an Embroidered Growth Chart here on The Long Thread. This project is simply a long, narrow wall quilt designed to be a stylized version of a traditional children’s growth chart. Each patchwork square in the left-hand column of the quilt is one inch long, so these colorful bits serve as pretty stand-ins for numbers. Additionally, the horizontal rows of machine-stitched quilting that cascade down the quilt’s length serve as built-in straightedges; as your child grows, you will embroider his or her ever-changing height measurements along these lines, effectively capturing special moments in time for your family. Click here for the full tutorial!

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Lego Necklaces

Last week my daughter’s kindergarten class had a fundraiser at school that they call “Kindercollectibles” where they sell baked goods and small toys to kids throughout the school. This year they raised money for a local organization that helps the homeless. So it was a good lesson in charity, math and economics. The big hit of the sale were these brilliant lego necklaces that one of the mothers made. Holly has agreed to share her process with you, so here she is:
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Last summer when my daughter and I were in Cambridge, Maryland, we went to this cute shop, Sunny Side Shop, and found these cute Lego necklaces. We got pink ones. I was wearing it one day at drop off and the kindergarten boys all ran up to me and went crazy over this pink lego necklace.  The teacher asked me if I would be willing to make some by the end of the year to sell at the school’s kindercollectibles market.
I started looking into it and found out that I could make these for about $3.00 a piece.  Then, when the teacher asked me to make a couple hundred, I got busy and tried to find a cheaper way.  I got them down to $1.91 a piece.  I had paid somewhere between $8 – $12 for mine last summer.
My materials:
  • Quick drying epoxy from Fire Mountain Gems.
  • Bails from Fire Mountain Gems.
  • Ball chain from Ace Hardware ($.48 a foot, but $.39 a foot if you buy the whole 100 feet roll of it)
  • Clasps for ball chain from Ace Hardware ($.13)
  • Legos from Bricklink
Where I really started shaving off the cost of my materials is when I found Bricklink. You can go on there and find legos that are less than $.01 (a penny!!!). So we just stayed with the basic 2×2 lego brick in cool colors for this school project. To be really creative, you could build colors together, use different shapes.
This was a project we were supposed to do together. My daughter could help with some, but not all of the assembly. I did not want her dealing with the epoxy, so I did that myself. I also cut the ball chain in 16″ links, and I had to affix the fastener (she tried, but could not). My daughter did thread the lego onto the chain. She was so proud when we took the necklaces in to school.
Things I considered when getting my materials together:
1. You have to get a bail that has an opening big enough for the ball chain and one where the flat part has enough surface area to hold the glue and affix to the lego itself. I think the best is one big enough to also reach the middle of the back of the lego so you have that surface area contact.
2. I found these cute paw bails that were cuter for kids than the fancier, more expensive classic looking bail.
3.  I thought Home Depot would have the ball chain and fasteners cheaper, but they did not even carry them in bulk like Ace did.  I bet you can even find that stuff cheaper somewhere.
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Thanks, Holly! What a great idea. I think these would be a wonderful party favor or birthday gift for kids (and adults) of all ages. If you aren’t feeling up to making these, there are quite a few sellers on Etsy who sell some version of a Lego necklace.
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50 More Summer Crafts for Kids

This week I’ll be continuing the month-long handmade theme with crafts and sewing projects for the kids. Gigi has compiled a new list of 50 crafts to help you keep the kids entertained this summer.

  1. Milk Carton Boats from lilla a design.*
  2. First Loom for Preschoolers from My Mommy Makes It.
  3. Dream Catchers from Natural Kids.
  4. Hot Air Balloon from Bloesem Kids.
  5. Handprint Sunflowers from Nurture Store.
  6. Nature Jar from No Time for Flash Cards.
  7. Driftwood Sailboat from Wabi Sabi Wanderings.
  8. Nature Potions from Squashed Tomatoes.
  9. Seashell Koalas from Martha Stewart.*
  10. Backyard Mural from Family Fun.
  11. Color Scavenger Hunt from Family Fun.
  12. Cootie Catcher Nature Game from 5 Orange Potatoes.
  13. Painted Sun Prints from Skip to My Lou.
  14. Friendship Bracelets from Srumdilly Do for Skip to My Lou.
  15. Nature Guides from Natural Kids.
  16. Beach Art from Artful Adventures.*
  17. Summer Necklace from Growing Up Creative.
  18. Printable Seaside Sketch Books.
  19. Seaside Windchime from Hillbilly Jillies.
  20. Sandcastle Candle from Squashed Tomatoes.
  21. Tic-tac-toe from Bunny Cakes.
  22. Seaside Shell House from Martha Stewart.
  23. Under the Sea Snack Game from Muffin Tin Mom.
  24. Insect Dioramas from Art Lessons for Kids.
  25. Swinging Spiders from Se7en.
  26. Dirt Dessert Recipe from No Time for Flash Cards.
  27. Bug Jars from lilla a design.
  28. Draw and Label Insects from Fairy Dust Teaching.
  29. Bug Catcher Necklace from Whimsy Girl.
  30. Star Fruit Bunting from Alpha Mom.
  31. Holiday Lanterns from Martha Stewart.
  32. Red, white and blue Paper Pinwheel Cupcake Toppers from The Long Thread.*
  33. Confetti Launcher from Family Fun.
  34. Confetti Pop Rockets from Alpha Mom.
  35. Fourth of July Flowers from Crafts by Amanda.
  36. Sidewalk Chalk from Alpha Mom.
  37. Summer Solstice Celebration from Love in the Suburbs.*
  38. Dice Walking from The Artful Parent.
  39. Story Stick from The Butterfly Jungle.
  40. Butterfly Fan from Maya Made.
  41. Homemade Slime from Tidy Mom.
  42. Make Your Own Fabric from Filth Wizardry.*
  43. Glow Cones from Givers Log.
  44. Butterfly Collection from Growing Up Creative.
  45. Paper Poppy Wall Art from Create, Celebrate, Explore.*
  46. Tissue Paper Lanterns from Waldorf Family Network (maybe with battery-operated lights).
  47. Raspberry and Goat’s Milk Yogurt Popsicles from Joy the Baker.
  48. Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches from Grace Violet.
  49. Watermelon Ice Cream Pie from Make and Takes.*
  50. Fruit Leather Recipe from Berlin’s Whimsy.

We’ll also have guest contributors and giveaways throughout the week, so check back!

And if you want more crafts, take a look at the list of 50 summer crafts that I posted a while back. Some websites that regularly feature crafts for kids are Skip to My Lou, Alpha Mom, The Crafty Crow, and Make and Takes (see Marie’s lists of crafty websites here and here).

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Happy Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day! It was less than ideal around here, but we made it through the day. Parenting is so hard, but worth it. And it sure makes you realize the full extent of what your mother did for you. Thanks, Mom. If you’re a mother, you’ll enjoy this excerpt about a mother’s wish for her child from Tina Fey’s new book, Bossypants. It could even make you cry, if you are an emotional mother today.

Anyway, my sweet and creative daughters made me some lovely cards. Love the wow/mom creativity (done all on her own) by my eight-year-old and that’s me with the orange hair there on the right in the drawing made by my six-year-old. Hmm, maybe you’re not as interested in the handmade cards my kids gave me as I am. But thought I’d share.

And congratulations to #81, Meg from Elsie Marley, who is the winner of Handmade Weddings. You will hear more from Meg later this month in a guest post. And she’s been doing some interesting and inspirational interviews with children’s clothing designers, so be sure to check that out. Hope you enjoy the book, Meg!