Needle felted gnome tutorial

This is the Tutorial I am writing about. Not to complicated, great gnomes to make ...

Quick last gifts - tutorials

p://makeanddogirl.com/2011/10/tutorial-diy-felt-flowers/

http://theartgirljackie-tutorials.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-07-08T22:14:00-07:00&max-results=7

http://makeanddogirl.com/2011/12/tutorial-diy-winter-dioramas/

http://www.moredesignplease.com/moredesignplease/2011/3/24/pancake-doodles.html

http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/diy-mistletoe-kissing-ballhow-to-134939

Felted wool solsitice lanterns

Here is a great tutorial for all of us who are in love with felting. I need to try it a.s.a.p.:

Felted wool solstice lanterns by plotfiftyfive.blogspot.com

The fingerloop tutorial

I would like to share a great tutorial for a square string, named also the Viking string.

This is the way how I like to make it, comfortably sitting with the string attached to my toe.

You need seven strings in two colors, 4 of one and 3 of the other, about a fathom (=6 ft) long.

Fold them in half and tie them together at the loose ends.

Now put them on your fingers: 4 on the left hand, on 4 of your fingers (not on your thumb), and 3 on your right one, on 3 of the fingers (the little, the ring and the middle finger).

With your right forefinger go through the loops on your left hand and grab the lowest string of the little finger. Pull it through. Now you have 4 occupated fingers on the right hand and only three on your left.

Move the strings on your left hand lower: from the ring finger to the little one, from the middle to the ring and from the forefinger to the middle one.

Now use your left forefinger and go through all of the strings on the right hand to grab the lowest of your little finger. Move the strings one finger lower and repeat and repeat.

The dandelion's garland

It is very easy to make while playing outside. It looks great on children and adults as well ... My friend said the other day wearing one of the garlands that she felt very special wearing it.

Pick about 30 dandelion's blossoms with long stems but begin with only four of them.

Place them parallel and wrap the next one around the stems.

Continue until the chain is long enough.

Wrap the last one or two around the stems and "lock" the stems in the loop of the previous wrapping.

Raise your head and enjoy the day wearing the garland.

Natural toys that cost almost nothing

So simple and so much fun:

make a paper drinking cup. drill a hole into a chestnut, tie a string to it and try to catch it into the drinking cup:

The string should not be to short nor to long, mine is about 20 cm long. Have fun with it!

One of my childhood toys

This kind of toy is almost 200 years old, it is called the turning marvel or the wonder turner. 

We made it ourselves as kids. It is easy and fast to make. All you need is two round cards, a bamboo stick and glue. 

Draw two circles on a bright colour paper (help yourself with a glass), cut them out. 

Then draw a simple picture in the middle of one card.

Take a second card and hold both up to a light or against a window. Draw your second round card and draw the picture the way you want it to fit with the first picture.

Take the bamboo stick and glue both cards around the stick.

Spin your toy between your palms to see what happens. 

You can make changes by adding more to the drawings or coloring them in. 

Waldorf star lantern tutorial

I make waldorf star lanterns for years, but start differently to the ones I have seen on some blogs. Here is my short description with pictures, in case you don't find way through you can email me your question and I will try to explain more.

As said, I do not start with circular paper, I start with a square one, approximately 25x25 cm. I use wax crayons and paint one side.

I oil the paper after folding (unfold, oil and fold again). This is needed to do so the light shines through the paper.

I make each fold both ways to make the final folding easier.

  I fold the square in half and half (to get quartes) and again in half (to get eights), and once again in half, so I get sixteenths:

(here is a hint how to fold for the last time)

then I cut four (in the above picture white) triangles away

 and then I start folding this way: 

so that a new square appears. I unfold, rotate the paper for 45 degrees and fold the same way again.

 then the folding becomes a little tricky: 

I fold the top edges of one "kite" shape inwards, around and around, so I get eight "kites"

I made the little triangle in the bottom of the "kite" as a help to unfold. It will become the bottom of the lantern, place where the candle will be.

Start folding the little triangles on the top of the kites (around and around)

and then it is time to make the bottom flat.

I like to make the top edges sharp, the lantern looks more beautiful to me.

I hope you can understand my tutorial. Email me in case you do not.