Here is another quick and easy Mother's Day project your kids can whip together.........hand painted scarves...I absolutely love these and they are incredibly easy. This was the project I did with Grade 3. So any grade 3 Moms out there avert your eyes.
You need some lightweight material like organza, silk, lining material....I got ours at Walmart for about $4.00 a meter. White works well so your colors stay true when you paint on it but you could also use a cream or beige.
You then need to cut scarf lengths...easiest way to do this is to measure about 14 inches or 33cm and then cut from the fold all the way to the salvage ends. This way you only have to hem the sides and you can maximize the # of scarves you get. I used 7 metres to get 21 scarves.
Now you can hem your sides at this point...I ran out of time on Sunday night so I had the kids paint first and then I hemmed them after.
Take regular acrylic craft paint...you don't need to buy fancy dyes or fabric paint and water it down to an inky consistency.
Lay your scarf down on top of wax paper. I had the kids working on long tables..we put down long pieces of wax paper on top our our Art vinyl tablecloths...we could get 2 to a table.
Paint on your design..the paints will run a bit together but that is the beauty of this technique..you get a soft watercolor effect. Try to choose colors that compliment each other..no black or really dark colors.
I then hung the scarves from a clothesline which had a tablecloth laid out underneath to pick up drips...peel off the wax paper and let the scarf dry...it will only take a few minutes.
When the scarf is fully dry wash in the washing machine with a bit of detergent and fabric softener. The colors will fade only slightly and you will lose the stiffness from the paint...it will also get rid of that paint smell.
Give one to your Mom or Grandma...and make a few for yourself!
The kids got lots of positive comments from other teachers and visiting Moms as they were working on these..I think they will be a hit.
Give it a go and we will see you next time.
HAPPY MOTHER"S DAY !!
gail
These look great! We did something like this a few years ago for teacher presents, but since we use koolaid dye, the colors weren't as good. We did use prefinished scarves from Dharma Trading, only a few dollars a piece, but saved all that hemming on silk :)
ReplyDeleterosesmama
These are beautiful!! I needed a gift for the grandmas so I think I'll go get the fabric today and make them!
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ReplyDeleteNice project!!! To hem them, the easiest thing is to use a rolled hem foot in your machine... It is very easy and fast and the scarf comes out looking really nice (your machine maight have come with the foot, or you can buy it online for about US$ 10).
ReplyDeleteMaria (http://SilkAtFromBrazil.com)
OH! These are lovely. I can't wait to try this out with my kids. It may be months, but I'll let you know the results.
ReplyDeletewhat a creative way to go with scarves...i just love it and am gonna try them for sure.
ReplyDeleteHi Gail,
ReplyDeleteCan i borrow this post to have it on my blog? I shall link it back to yours.
Kindly permit me to do so.
Sangy
http://diva-fo-ever.blogspot.com
Hey Sangy,
ReplyDeleteI would be honored to have you link to my blog and thanks for asking.
gail
aka that artist woman
Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the positive comments. The scarves were a hit...I literally had many Moms stopping me in the streets of the neighborhood thanking me for doing this project with their kids.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing such a beautiful idea! Can't wait to make some with my little ones for gifts. Your site is AWESOME!!! Blessings.
ReplyDeletelovely blog!
ReplyDeletei am 13 years old and i am a homeschooler. i wanted to start a home buisness so i thought that i was good at sewing and painting. This was perfect! Ill let you know if i make millions!
ReplyDeleteDid you wash each scarf individually or all together?
ReplyDeleteGorgeous scarves,very clever. Are they washable with acrylic paints?
ReplyDeleteHey Jenny,
ReplyDeleteYes, they are washable and tend to soften up with handling and washing.
Thanks for sharing the method! Many stores like Gap and J Crew have beautiful gauzy cotton scarves in season, and now I know how to make some!
ReplyDeleteDear Gail,
ReplyDeletewhat kinds of paints did you use? where can I buy them?
I am starting a project painting on 100% rayon sarongs.
If you have any paint recommendations, I would appreciate it.
Thank you.
~Carla
Dear Gail
ReplyDeleteI am most impressed by the quality of crafts that you design for children. Sometimes I cringe when I see what other sites offer. I think children are capable of doing much more than usually expected
Thanks for all you do
Gail....My Kindergartens made these! I had them choose a "main" colour which they rolled on with a roller. I made sure the paint was quite watery for this. Then they added polka dots, stripes, some did hearts and xox. My teeage girls saw them and were very impressed. The only issue is - I am on wash #3 now and they are still quite stiff. I used lining - the best quality I could find.....maybe that is why?
ReplyDeleteHey anonymous:
ReplyDeleteIt depends on the material but I used lining material as well...sometimes you can get them to soften up if you handle them a bit. The one my son made for me was quite stiff and I just kept crushing it and running it thru my hand till it became soft.
Hope this helps.
I ironed the fabric to set the color & it also softened the paint. Then I washed it.
DeleteTHE MOST AMAZING IDEA EVER!!! I set out to make 1 same, I just finished 3 and wonder which colors to use next. I can not wait until tomorrow, b/c my grade 3s will have the most amazing mothers day gift EVER!!! WOW.
ReplyDeleteI hope I don't lose lots of the color in washing. FANTASTIC Thanks for sharing your ideas!
They are even more beautiful than I thought!
ReplyDeleteWOW!!!! (and BTW it was 1 SAMPLE that I made)
oh these are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI have one question: will this work if I can't use fabric softener? I react very badly to it.
I follow your blog faithfully by RSS and so appreciate the care and detail you put into your posts. Thank you :)
Hey Liberty,
ReplyDeleteYes you could leave out the softner. I would try to choose asofter material to start and you might have to wash it a few times. You will probably have to handle them a bit to get that softness back.
Thanks Gail!
ReplyDelete:)
You can go to Dharma Trading Company and buy some great sized scarves for less than $2! And the scarves are all edged and ready to go! And I used a lemon/water solution on fading tissue paper with preschoolers - the results were great!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant!!! I have taught 5 year olds in Australia for many years. I'm always looking for new ideas for Mother's Day to keep me feeling fresh and creative. Thank you for sharing your lovely activities!!!!
ReplyDeleteWe did this yesterday and they came out BEAUTIFUL! We folded them in half to make more room on the table and have the same design on each end. The paint bled through just fine with 4 teaspoons of water per 1 teaspoon paint. Probably that was more watery than yours so the designs are less distinct but most of our children are pre-K and that worked well for their random strokes. Your blog is great!!!
ReplyDeleteGail, Thank you so much for your blog. I have used several ideas however today we made scarves with a group of Grade 3 to 5 students. They really enjoyed watching the colours blend and came up with some beautiful colours and patterns.
ReplyDeleteRobin Bradshaw
Gail,
ReplyDeleteThese scarves are amazing! I teach therapeutic horseback riding to children and adults and I help run a few weeks of summer camp in the summer months...this could be a great project for them...your blog is AMAZING!
thank you for keeping art for children so fun and beautiful!!! i have taught 5 year olds for a long time and still enjoy it because of the creativity in these kind of projects. you are talented. well done :D
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm looking forward to trying this with my class. I am planning on washing them all for them (would you recommend against that or will they be okay all together in one load?) I was wondering if you would sharpie each students name on them to tell them apart? It might not look as nice...do you have any other ideas of how to tell them apart?
ReplyDeleteI wash the whole class together and I use the sharpie to label the scarves as well. Just pick a corner to put the name. Good luck with the project. :)
DeleteCould you tell me the finished dimensions of the scarves?
ReplyDeleteHi, each scarf is about 14" or 33 cm wide and then anywhere from 45" to 60" depending on the fabric you buy. I measure the 14" make a snip and then tear the fabric salvage to salvage.
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