Monday, 23 July 2012

Keeping the kids busy...


So the sun is out (finally) and school holidays have begun!  Like many mums, my thoughts have turned to how to keep my youngest occupied during the next 5 weeks that is  (a) not too expensive (b) doesn’t involve sitting in front of the TV/computer for hours on end and that will (c) hopefully keep him from groaning  ‘Muuuuummmm - I’m bored’ after only the third day off !

Of course, it’s all ok when there’s good weather as there are many freebie entertainment options like parks, scooters, bikes & picnics etc but on wet days it’s always good to have a few ideas ready up your sleeve. For me, being as I have plenty of crafting materials around, it makes sense to use some bits & pieces for the good of entertainment and one such idea is this simple covered pot (of course, this is my 'test' version in nice girly colours but my youngest wants to make one in rainbow brights!)

recycled crafts

Once made, this could be used as a money box, pen pot, a store for precious collectables and all sorts of other things!   It came about as an idea after teaching my youngest to crochet simple ‘chain stitch’  (he'd got curious when I was making a you tube video for Beadclub called  How to Crochet Chain Stitch and even joined in on the end of it which proves it is that easy!)  After he got the hang of it and made yards and yards of wibbly chains, I tried to think of something novel he could do with this newly learnt skill...

So, here we are, and all you really need for this idea is wool, crochet hook, a suitable ‘pot’, glue & scissors.  To start with just make enough chain length to be able to wrap around the entire pot. Then, starting under the top rim,  take your time wrapping & gluing it all into place.  If you have made several different colours of chain you just need to butt the end pieces up as closely as possible to avoid gaps when joining the new strand.  Finally, when you get to the bottom of the pot, trim the excess chain then tuck & glue the end neatly under the last round of chain.



If the pot has a lid it can be used to store stuff (of which most kids have plenty!) or you could cut a rectangular slot in it so that it can be used for coins that can be saved for the next rainy day.  Or, if there is no lid it can be simply useful as a pen pot or similar organiser type thing.


Well, I'm off to think of more ideas and I hope that’s one afternoons worth of idea 'brownie' points for you during the hols!


Happy Making ;-)


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