CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA-- SPOOL NECKLACE

Spring isn't all sunshine and flowers, as you all know. We still get cool temps and lots of rain that can make for very long weekends, especially if you've got kids climbing the walls.

Few parents want their kids glued to the TV or playing video games all weekend, so it’s time to haul out the crafts supplies and get creative. How about having the kids make spool necklaces?

To be prepared for those rainy weekends, head to the crafts store to buy a bag of wood spools, a bag of pony beads, and some plastic lacing (the kind you used to make lanyards out of back in summer camp.) Make sure you have a large selection of acrylic paint colors and brushes of various sizes.

Have the kids paint the spools in different colors. When the spools are dry, they can add decorative patterns to them.

After all the painting is finished and dried, have the kids string the painted spools onto the plastic lacing, alternating spools and pony beads. Tie the ends together to form the necklaces.


One bad weather afternoon down. Here’s hoping you don’t have too many more. Post a comment to be entered in the drawing for a free book from our Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--MORE IDEAS FOR FABRIC SCRAPS

Today I have more ideas for things to do with those small scraps of fabric left over from other projects.

*Sew miniature quilts to use as pin cushions or hot pads. Use sawdust to fill the pin cushions and potpourri for aromatic hot pads.

*If you’re making children’s clothing, use the leftover fabric to make matching outfits for the child’s dolls or stuffed animals. Patterns are available at fabric stores.

*Make a first book for an infant. Using fusible web, fuse 9” x 12” fabric rectangles together. Trim the edges with pinking shears. Layer the pages. Machine stitch down the center of the pages to form the book. Fuse simple shapes such as hearts, stars, trees, and apples to each page.

*For a great rainy day activity, cut fabric scraps into squares and rectangles with pinking shears. Let your children “decoupage” the shapes to empty cardboard juice boxes, cigar boxes, or oatmeal containers using tacky glue. After the glue dries, apply a coat of brush-on sealer. These make wonderful “I did it all by myself” gifts for family and friends.

*Begin a memory quilt for each of your children or grandchildren. Save a 6” square of fabric from each special outfit, Halloween costume, play costume, dance recital outfit, etc. Using fabric writer paints, markers, or embroidery floss, write or stitch on each square to identify the event and date. Sew the squares into a quilt to present to the child upon graduation or as a wedding present.

Have I missed any great ideas? Let’s hear from you. Tell us how you use up your scraps of fabric. Post a comment to enter the drawing for a free book from our Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP