The older I get the more I realize that some of my best memories are the times that my mother, aunt or grandmother spent with me baking or crafting. I spent a bit of time with my great-niece, Ella, over the Thanksgiving holiday. We collaborated on a yarn-wrapped headband and then we filled clear ornaments with bits of yarn. Here are some tips if you would like to do these two projects with a young person in your life. Headband: We used a headband from the craft store that was already covered in fabric, so it didn't matter if it got wrapped perfectly. It looked great with some of the pink showing through the yarn. We used #4 weight yarns called Celebration and Holiday. Six-year-old Ella liked being able to choose her own color. I think any worsted weight #4 yarn would work as well, but the metallic threads in these yarns make it a bit more festive. Glue dots (also from the craft store) were used to attach the yarn to the headband, so there was no messy liquid glue and she could wear it as soon as it was done. Yarn Scrap Ornaments: We used clear glass ornaments from the craft store, but next time I would look for plastic. That way there won't be a mishap if the ball is dropped. (Yes, it happened.) Ella chose White, Lime and Pink so she could hang it on the little tree in her bedroom. Adult fingers should remove the top from the ornament. We cut pieces of yarn 3 to 4 inches long for one ornament and then left the pieces a yard long in the other two. Either way looked fine, so I don't think it really matters how long the pieces are. Just keep adding pieces until the ornament is really full. I'm hoping that this crafting tradition is something that Ella and I can share each time we get together. If you have ideas for kid crafting, please share them in the comments.
