Tag Archives: felt crafts

CELEBRATE THE SEASONS: SPRING IS HERE! BANNER

CELEBRATE THE SEASONS: SPRING IS HERE! BANNER

WHAT IS A BANNER?

A banner is a piece of cloth suspended between two poles and often bearing a design, symbol or slogan. Banners can celebrate the seasons, holidays or bear slogans. The designs in this series of Art Tutorials celebrate summer, spring, winter and fall.

SPRING IS HERE! BANNER

SPRING IS HERE! BANNER

Ages: 5 – 12 years

Time: ½ hour – 1 hour

MATERIALS:

White felt 36” x 36”

Green Fun Foam

Pink Fun Foam Pink Fun Foam

Blue Fun Foam

1. Measure and trim white felt to 14” x 20”. Place the piece vertically in front of you. Measure and fold a 1” seam at the top and iron. Fold another 1” seam. Iron and glue the second fold. The dowel rod will go through this loop.

2. Enlarge the photo of the completed banner above. Then trace and cut the flower shapes: yellow Fun Foam for one tulip and one daisy; pink for the second tulip and daisy; blue for the three morning glories; pink for the butterfly and green for the stems and leaves. (NOTE: The daisy and the tulip have different leaves.)

3. Cut one small yellow circle for the center of the pink daisy and one small pink circle for the yellow daisy.

4. Glue all the pieces, scattering the shapes randomly to create a cascading effect. Avoid placing two flowers of the same color next to each other.

5. Draw the centers of the morning glories with a black marker. Add antennae to the butterfly and dots in its center.

6. Cut the dowel rod like the other ones, insert, tie the string to the ends of the dowel rod and han

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HALLOWEEN BANNER

HALLOWEEN BANNER

 HALLOWEEN: A BRIEF HISTORY

Halloween began as the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts lived in western and central Europe as early as 800 B.C. They followed a religion called Druidism, named after their priests who were known as the Druids. The Druids celebrated Samhain, the festival of the harvest, because it marked the end of one year and the beginning of the next. The Druids also used Samhain to predict important events of the coming year.

The Druids believed that the spirits of the dead visited their families before the first day of winter. They taught their followers to light bonfires on sacred hilltops so that these spirits could find their way to their former homes on earth.

By the end of the first century A.D. the Romans had conquered the lands of the Celts. They mixed the Celts’ traditions and early Christian customs with their own.

Later on, most of the inhabitants of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Britain converted to Christianity and no longer celebrated Samhain. These converts used the old Celtic rituals and traditions as part of their Christian worship but cleansed them of their pagan meaning.

However, not everyone changed their religion. During the Middle Ages, pagan priests and their followers turned to the practice of witchcraft. Witches flew to their Sabbaths, or meetings, on broomsticks with their black cats as companions. One of their most important Sabbaths was held on October 31st, which is celebrated today as Halloween.

In Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Britain, local inhabitants continued to light bonfires as they did in the past. Pranks and tricks became common. In Ireland, groups of people would go door-to-door demanding food and other gifts in preparation for Halloween. If the visitors were refused a treat, the party-goers would play a trick on the residents of the house.

Halloween did not become a popular secular holiday in the U. S. until the 1880’s. Black cats, carved pumpkins, witches, candles, and masks became popular symbols of the holiday. By then, most Americans considered Halloween a holiday for children.

 

HALLOWEEN BANNER

HALLOWEEN BANNER

Ages: 5 – 12 years    Time: ½ hour – one hour

MATERIALS:

Black craft foam                             (2) 10 mm wiggle eyes

White craft foam                           excelsior (or moss or raffia)

Yellow craft foam                          Dark blue felt 36”x 36”

Green craft foam                          (3) ½” green or dark blue pompom

Orange craft foam                        white glue

Patterns provided below

Measure and trim dark blue felt to 14” x 20”.  Place felt piece vertically. Measure and fold a 1” seam at the top. Iron. Fold a second 1” seam.

Iron and glue the second fold.  (You will be inserting the dowel rod through this.)

As this is drying, trace and cut the patterns provided (enlarge patterns as needed):

Cut the pumpkin out of the orange craft foam

Cut the pumpkin stem out of the green craft foam

Cut the witch out of the black craft foam

Cut the moon out of the white craft foam

Cut the scarecrow’s face out of orange craft foam

Cut the scarecrow’s jacket and hat out of yellow craft foam

Cut the scarecrow’s nose and mouth out of white craft foam

Cut the stars out of white craft foam

Apply tacky glue to craft foam pieces with a Popsicle stick and adhere them to dark blue felt background. Use the photo of the completed banner above as a guide.

Place a small amount of glue around the scarecrow’s neck. Add excelsior. Press and let dry.

Glue wiggle eyes to the scarecrow’s face. Glue pompom to the jacket.

Or using the patterns provided, cut eyes out of black craft foam and buttons out of green craft foam. Glue nose and mouth to scarecrow’s face. Let all the pieces dry.

Glue the pumpkin pieces to the pumpkin’s face. Glue the green stem.

Insert dowel rod through the loop at the top of the dark blue felt background. Measure and cut a piece of string 22” x 36”.  Tie the string to each end of the dowel rod.

Enjoy your Halloween Banner!

VARIATION: The Halloween Banner design was inspired by these traditional symbols.  However, you can substitute your own Frankenstein, Dracula, witch or ghost design.

 

Patterns for Halloween Banner

Patterns for Halloween Banner

Patterns for Halloween Banner

Patterns for Halloween Banner

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KID’S CRAFTS: Red,White and Blue Banner

KID’S CRAFTS: Red,White and Blue Banner

Fourth of July Banner

Red, White and Blue Banner

Ages: 5 – 12 years

Time: one hour

MATERIALS:

White felt 14” x 18”

Red, white, blue craft foam sheets

Sharp tool like an awl

¼” red, white and blue ribbon

Dowel rod 18”

String – double the length of the dowel rod

Measure and cut white felt to 14” x 20”. Place felt horizontally. Make a loop by measuring and folding and ironing a 1” seam. Measure and fold a second 1” seam. Iron and glue the second fold. You will be inserting the dowel rod through this loop. (This piece of felt should now measure  14” x 16”.)

Using templates or stencils trace the large star pattern and cut one large star out of the white craft foam sheet. Cut 13 smaller stars out of the white craft foam using the smaller star pattern. Trace and cut a large circle out of the blue craft foam sheet. Glue the large star in the center. Arrange the smaller stars around the circle. Make sure that they all face the same way. Lay aside.

Measure and cut 7 stripes ¾” x 16” out of the red craft foam sheet. Arrange the stripes on the banner so that there is a ¾” stripe of white felt showing between them. (Refer to the photo of the banner.) Glue the stripes down and trim if necessary.

Glue the blue circle with the stars in the center of the red and white stripes.

At the bottom of the banner, poke holes every 1” with a sharp tool like an awl. (Small children should let adults do this for them.) Insert the ribbon in the holes, alternating the colors. Pull the ribbon through and tie a knot in the back.

Trim the dowel rod to 18”. Cut a piece of string to a length suitable for hanging. Tie the string to each end of the dowel rod. The first Fourth of July celebration occurred in Philadelphia, PA. Eventually, all the states celebrated the holiday which included parades, picnics, military displays and fireworks.

VARIATION: You can also hang your banner on Memorial Day or Labo

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Banner Designs: Winter Banner

Banner Designs: Winter Banner

WHAT IS A BANNER?

A banner is a piece of cloth suspended between two poles and often bearing a design, symbol or slogan. Banners can celebrate the seasons, holidays or bear slogans. The designs in this series of Art Tutorials celebrate summer, spring, winter and fall.

(For the first tutorial, the Winter Banner, scroll down.)

MATERIALS

Here are some basic supplies that you will need on hand for all the banner designs:

Yardstick iron/ironing board (optional) string

Ball point pen or marker scissors tacky glue

Dowel rods Fun Foam pencil/eraser

Poster board felt or fabric squares paper towels

*Unless indicated otherwise, all felt squares should measure 9” x 12” and all sheets of Fun Foam measure 12’ x 18”.

STUFF TO KNOW

How to copy a pattern: Trace a pattern or object by placing tracing paper on its surface and tracing the design with a pencil. Turn the tracing paper over and blacken the reverse side. Then flip the tracing paper original side up again. Lay the tracing paper on the surface you want the design to transfer on to and trace the outline of the design.

Cutting a Square:

Technique #1: Measure with a ruler the desired size of the square.. Draw the outline of the square.

Technique #2: Hold the paper flat and bring the top right corner down to the left edge. Then fold the paper so the edges line up on the left side. Cut off the extra strip of paper and unfold the square.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Holz, Loretta. Mobiles You Can Make. New York: Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Company, 1965

Zubrowski, Bernie. Mobiles: Building and Experimenting with Balancing Toys. New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1993.

Constantinides, Marion. Banners! (Unpublished)

WINTER BANNER

Winter Banner Desgin

Ages: 5 – 12 years

Time: ½ hour – 1 hour

MATERIALS:

Blue felt square 36” x 36”

Black Fun Foam

Black Marker

White Fun Foam

Brown Fun Foam

Silver glitter pen

Blue Fun Foam

Orange Fun Foam

Red Fun Foam
1. Measure and trim blue felt square to 14” x 20”. Place felt vertically. Measure and fold a 1” seam at the top. Iron. Fold a second 1” seam. Iron and glue the second fold. (You will be inserting the dowel rod through this loop.)

2. Using the patterns provided, trace and cut two large, two medium, and two small circles from the white Fun Foam. Glue these pieces to the blue background towards the center of the material.

3. Trace and cut the following:

The snow woman’s scarf and beret from the red Fun Foam

The snowman’s and snow woman’s noses from the orange Fun Foam

The snow woman’s buttons from the blue Fun Foam

The snowman’s hat, pipe and buttons from the black Fun Foam

The snowman’s scarf from the brown Fun Foam

4. Glue these pieces.

5. Make snowflakes and dots to show the mouths with the glitter pen. Draw sticks to show the hands.

6. Trim the dowel rod to about 16” – 18”. Insert dowel rod through the loop. Cut the string to a length suitable for hanging and tie to each end of the dowel rod. Hang from a window, door or wall.

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Kid’s Crafts: Mr. and Mrs. Snowman Winter Banner

Kid’s Crafts: Mr. and Mrs. Snowman Winter Banner

 

Winter Banner Design

Mr. and Mrs. Snowman Winter Banner

Ages: 5 – 12 years

Time: ½ hour

MATERIALS:

blue felt square 36” x 36”

black Fun Foam white Fun Foam

brown Fun Foam blue Fun Foam

orange Fun Foam red Fun Foam

silver glitter pen

Measure and trim blue felt square to 14” x 20”. Place felt vertically.

Measure and fold a 1” seam at the top. Iron.

Fold a second 1” seam. Iron and glue the second fold. (You will be inserting the dowel rod through this loop.)

Using the patterns provided, trace and cut two large, two medium, and tow small circles from the white Fun Foam.

Glue these pieces to the blue background towards the center of the material.

Trace and cut the following:

The snow woman’s scarf and beret from the red Fun Foam

The snowman’s and snow woman’s noses from the orange Fun Foam

The snow woman’s buttons from the blue Fun Foam

The snowman’s hat, pipe and buttons from the black Fun Foam

The snowman’s scarf from the brown Fun Foam

Glue these pieces.

Make snowflakes and dots to show the mouths with the glitter pen.

Draw sticks to show the hands.

Trim the dowel rod to about 16” x 18”. Insert dowel rod through the loop. Cut the string to a length suitable for hanging and tie to each end of the dowel rod.

Hang from a window, door or wall.

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Kid’s Crafts: Red, White and Blue Banner

Kid’s Crafts: Red, White and Blue Banner

RED WHITE AND BLUE BANNER

Fourth of July Banner

Red, White and Blue Banner

Ages: 5 – 12 years

Time: one hour

MATERIALS:

White felt 14” x 18”

Red, white, blue craft foam sheets

Sharp tool like an awl

¼” red, white and blue ribbon

Dowel rod 18”

String – double the length of the dowel rod

Measure and cut white felt to 14” x 20”. Place felt horizontally. Make a loop by measuring and folding and ironing a 1” seam. Measure and fold a second 1” seam. Iron and glue the second fold. You will be inserting the dowel rod through this loop. (This piece of felt should now measure  14” x 16”.)

Using templates or stencils trace the large star pattern and cut one large star out of the white craft foam sheet. Cut 13 smaller stars out of the white craft foam using the smaller star pattern. Trace and cut a large circle out of the blue craft foam sheet. Glue the large star in the center. Arrange the smaller stars around the circle. Make sure that they all face the same way. Lay aside.

Measure and cut 7 stripes ¾” x 16” out of the red craft foam sheet. Arrange the stripes on the banner so that there is a ¾” stripe of white felt showing between them. (Refer to the photo of the banner.) Glue the stripes down and trim if necessary.

Glue the blue circle with the stars in the center of the red and white stripes.

At the bottom of the banner, poke holes every 1” with a sharp tool like an awl. (Small children should let adults do this for them.) Insert the ribbon in the holes, alternating the colors. Pull the ribbon through and tie a knot in the back.

Trim the dowel rod to 18”. Cut a piece of string to a length suitable for hanging. Tie the string to each end of the dowel rod. The first Fourth of July celebration occurred in Philadelphia, PA. Eventually, all the states celebrated the holiday which included parades, picnics, military displays and fireworks.

VARIATION: You can also hang your banner on Memorial Day or Labor Day!

 

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Kid’s Crafts: Halloween Banner

Kid’s Crafts: Halloween Banner
Copy this design or create yur own following the tutorial.

Halloween Banner Design Sample

                                                                            HALLOWEEN: A VERY BRIEF HISTORY

            Halloween began as the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts lived in western and central Europe as early as 800 B.C. They followed a religion called Druidism, named after their priests who were known as the Druids. The Druids celebrated Samhain, the festival of the harvest, because it marked the end of one year and the beginning of the next. The Druids also used Samhain to predict the important events of the coming year.

            The Druids believed that the spirits of the dead visited their families before the first day of winter. They taught their followers to light bonfires on sacred hilltops so that these spirits could find their way to their former homes on earth.

            By the end of the first century A.D. the Romans had conquered the lands of the Celts. They mixed the Celts’ traditions and early Christian customs with their own.

            Later on, most of the inhabitants of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Britain converted to Christianity and no longer celebrated Samhain. These converts used the old rituals and traditions as part of their Christian worship but cleansed them of their pagan meaning.

            However, not everyone changed their religion. During the Middle Ages, pagan priests and their followers turned to the practice of witchcraft. Witches flew to their Sabbaths, or meetings, on broomsticks with their black cats as companions. One of their most important Sabbaths was held on October 31st, which is today’s Halloween.   

            In Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Britain, local inhabitants continued to light bonfires. Pranks and tricks became common. In Ireland, groups of people would go door-to-door demanding food and other gifts in preparation for Halloween. If the visitors were refused a treat, the party-goers would play a trick on the residents of the house.

            Halloween did not become a popular secular holiday in the U. S. until the 1880’s. Black cats, carved pumpkins, witches, candles and masks became popular symbols of the holiday. By then, most Americans considered Halloween a holiday for children.

 

HALLOWEEN BANNER

Ages: 5 – 12 years    Time: ½ hour – one hour

MATERIALS:

Black fun foam                              (2) 10 mm wiggle eyes

White Fun Foam                            excelsior (or moss or raffia)

Yellow Fun Foam                          Dark blue felt 36”x 36”

Green Fun Foam                           (3) ½” green or dark blue pompom

Orange Fun Foam                          Patterns provided below

Measure and trim dark blue felt to 14” x 20”.  Place felt piece vertically. Measure and fold a 1” seam at the top. Iron. Fold a second 1” seam.

Iron and glue the second fold.  (You will be inserting the dowel rod through this.)

As this is drying, trace and cut the patterns provided (enlarge patterns as needed):

Cut the pumpkin out of the orange Fun Foam

Cut the pumpkin stem out of the green Fun Foam

Cut the witch out of the black Fun Foam

Cut the moon out of the white Fun Foam

Cut the scarecrow’s face out of orange Fun Foam

Cut the scarecrow’s jacket and hat out of yellow Fun Foam

Cut the scarecrow’s nose and mouth out of white Fun Foam

Cut the stars out of white Fun Foam

Apply tacky glue to Fun Foam pieces with a Popsicle stick and adhere them to dark blue felt background. Use the photo of the completed banner above as a guide.

Place a small amount of glue around the scarecrow’s neck. Add excelsior. Press and let dry.

Glue wiggle eyes to the scarecrow’s face. Glue pompom to the jacket.

Or using the patterns provided, cut eyes out of Black Fun Foam and buttons out of Green Fun Foam. Glue nose and mouth to scarecrow’s face. Let all the pieces dry.

Glue the pumpkin pieces to the pumpkin’s face. Glue the green stem.

Insert dowel rod through the loop at the top of the dark blue felt background. Measure and cut a piece of string 22” x 36”.  Tie the string to each end of the dowel rod.

Enjoy your Halloween Banner!

VARIATION: The Halloween Banner design was inspired by these traditional symbols.  However, you can substitute your own Frankenstein, Dracula, witch or ghost design.

 

Patterns for Halloween Banner

Patterns for Halloween Banner

Patterns for Halloween Banner

Patterns for Halloween Banner

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