Craft Up Some Holiday Spirit

What's New, Nov/Dec 2002 by Meyer, Donald

The holiday season is the perfect time to get creative juices flowing. Whether your students are making decorations for home, a unique gift or a simple memento to remember this year's holiday, the possibilities are endless. Crafting is a great outlet for self-expression and to show your love for others during this special time of the year.

The following Star of David Pillow, Kwanzaa Angel and Felt Holiday Tree, projects honor Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas, while teaching essential sewing skills.

HANUKKAH

Star of David Pillow

The Star of David is a hexagram that is used as a symbol of judaism. During Hanukkah, this symbol becomes even more important to those of Jewish faith. The following Star of David pillow is a great way to accessorize your home for the "festival of lights."

Materials:

* 16-inch-square decorator pillow

* 3 yards of 1 1/8'' wide figured or embroidered ribbon

* 3 yards of 1 1/2'' wide blue satin ribbon

* Thread and needle

Instructions:

1. Pin ribbon to pillow. Holding the figured ribbon on top of the blue ribbon and working with them as one, pin the ribbons to the pillow front in a triangle that fills the pillow's front. Be sure to center the top point on one edge. Match up the points of the triangle.

2. Add second triangle. Make a second triangle opposite to the first, to form a star. Weave the ribbons through the arms of the first triangle and pin the ribbon to hold it in place.

Sew the ribbons to pillow.

The Star of David Pillow is courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens.

KWANZAA

Kwanzaa Angel

Kwanzaa is a Swahili term that signifies "first fruits of the harvest" and is celebrated from December 26th through January 1st. The Kwanzaa celebration gathers together families and friends to honor tradition, family, community and to give thanks for life's bounty. The following is a decorative angel that will carefully watch over your Kwanzaa celebration.

Materials:

* Buckram (a stiff, open weave fabric often used as an interlining to give a garment shape), artboard, or heavy paper (9'' x 14'') for body

* Ceramic angel head

* Ceramic hands (3'')

* Colorful fabrics: (20'' x 30'') for skirt, (9'' x 14'') for bodice, (6'' x 7'') for sleeve, (1/4 yd.) for drape

* Coordinating beading thread of choice

* Gold fabric angel wings (12'')

* Colorful 3/4''-wide wire-edge ribbons (three 16'' lengths)

* Coordination 1''-wide wire-edge ribbon (28'')

* Fabric scissors

* Glue: craft, hot glue gun and glue sticks for fabric

* Coordinating thread

* Sewing needle

Instructions:

1. Cut buckram into a triangle. Using craft glue, glue edges together to form a 9'' high x 4'' diameter cone.

2. Hot-glue tip of cone into ceramic head.

3. Fold skirt fabric in half, wrong sides together, to form a 10'' x 30'' rectangle. Using needle and thread, sew a gathering stitch along 30'' raw edge. Slip fabric over cone and pull thread to gather tightly at base of head piece. Tie off gathering strings.

4. Fold bodice fabric in half, right sides together, to form the 4 1/2'' x 14'' raw edges together. Turn right side out and hot-glue or sew open end together to form a tube. Sew a gathering stitch along top of tube, 1/2'' from edge. Slip tube over head and pull thread to gather tightly at neck. Tie off gathering strings.

5. Cut sleeve fabric in half, forming two 3'' x 7'' pieces. Fold each piece in half, right sides together, to form a 1 1/2'' x 7'' rectangle. hot-glue or stitch 7'' raw edges together. Turn right side out. Turn 1/2'' of one sleeve end into sleeve. Hot-glue hand into this end of sleeve. Repeat process for remaining sleeve. Hot-glue sleeves to back of bodice.

6. Thread beads by hand onto beading thread as desired for necklace. Tie necklace around top of bodice. Hot glue ends to back of bodice to hold in place.

7. Gather drape fabric in center, drape fabric over each shoulder. Hot-glue or stitch drape to shoulder. Drape around back of arms, gather at the waist. Secure around waist with 1'' wide ribbon.

8. Paint wings with acrylic paint and allow to dry.

9. Hot-glue wings to back, making certain wings cover raw ends of sleeves and necklace.

10. Drape 3/4''-wide ribbons through angel's hands. hot-glue to secure ribbons to palms of angel's hands. Lightly curl and twist ribbon ends.

The Kwanzaa Angel project is courtesy of Sterling Publishing Company from the book "Kwanzaa Crafts" ©2002 by Marcia Odle McNair.

CHRISTHAS

Felt Holiday Tree With Buttons

Handmade ornaments give a special touch that reflects tradition, joy, and pure holiday delight. Create and hang these homemade ornaments on your tree to achieve a unique and charming holiday focal point.

Materials:

* Green felt

* 1 1/4'' Wood spool

* Wood stain or dark brown acrylic paint

* Fabric scrap

* Assorted buttons

* 1'' Cinnamon star

* Fabric glue

* Green thread & needle

* Quilt batting

* Gold wire

Instructions:

1. Cut 2 tree shapes (triangles about 5 1/2'' high) from the green felt.

2. Place the two felt tree pieces together, making sure they are even. Sew around the 2 long sides of the tree and turn it inside out. Stuff the tree with quilt batting. Stitch the bottom of the tree closed.