The Vision

E M RE

T X E

Tie-Dye to Die for

O

Crocheted Ipod Case

rig

am

i

Dangers of Crafts

Spring 2010

Craft Heroes

Weaving Princess...............................18 A feature about a teacher who used creativity and innovation to make the coolest things. This feature is about her experience, and advice she has to students who are interested.

Lasa’s Knitting Machine....................20 Read this story to get into the life of a busy biology teacher who has to juggle knitting and school work.

Black and Blue and Silver All Over...22 Read this story to find out how a High School Senior and her boyfriend went to prom in clothes made entirely out of duct tape.

How-Tos

How To Fold Modular Origami................................21 Tie-Dye to Die For...............34 How to Make Your Own IPod Case...........................19 How To Do Basic Crochet Stiches..................................40

Extras

Lantern Fest........................17 What Craft Are You?.........24 Frayed Ends........................25

Voice The Dangers of Crafts 12 There are many dangers

surrounding crafts. Read this opinion to find out what they are and decide what your stance on sharp objects is.

Crafts vs. video games 42 There are large numbers of

Cut Paper, Not Art 36 There is a large amount of

Schools in the United States that are cutting crafts out of their budget. This opinion will lead you through what’s happening and help you gain a further understanding of the problem.

teenagers who play video games, and not enough doing other activities, such as crafts.

This article addresses the postive effects of having a craft.

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Meet the Crafters!

Christina C. loves to make fun of Krafty Kat, but he still loves her anyways. Pretty much no one calls her by her real name, but uses various nicknames and fruits to summon her. She is best known for being very punny, which could explain her bad arm wrestling skills.

She would sell Krafty Kat for Justin Bieber tickets, which wouldn’t be too abnormal except she hates him.

Sapphire Emerald (Safia E.)

Safia E. is an avid knitter and crocheter, who can often be found knitting with pencils during class. She loves the jokes found in Reader’s Digest, and can be found reading it while listening to her ipod (which is covered in the ipod case she crocheted herself). If given the choice, she would sell Krafty Kat for Justin Beiber tickets. Obviously Krafty Kat is the hated one of the group.

Krafty Kat (Kevin K.)

Kevin K. is a fish. Why, you may ask?

Well, first off, he’s a swimmer, and spends pretty much all his free time in the water. Another reason why he’s a fish is, because he’s a freshman, whom are dubbed with the name fish. Lastly, his zodiac sign is a Pisces, which has the symbol of a fish. Why he picked the nick-name Krafty Kat (when cats eat fish) is the world’s greatest mystery. He also loves his (blue) iPod with a dying passion.

Visit our blog at visionofthecranes.blogspot.com

Crocheting Clementine (Christina C.)

Voice

“Problems can occur even when using simple things like glue�

Safety is important, from paper cutting to cutting wires.

The Dangers of Crafts

Photo taken from free use

E

Photo taken from Free Use

veryone enjoys the fun of crafts; from toddlers to adults the fun is endless. But crafts can be dangerous. What if a teacher at a local elementary stepped out of her classroom for personal business, and she left the line-leader in charge of the class. If safety is ignored then there’s a room full of elementary students all running around with scissors, held with the handle down, a couple of fingers stapled together.

Accidents like this happen to anyone, including adults, and even with the most common tools for crafts, which is why it is important to make safety a priority.

There are different ways to be harmed when it comes to crafts. There is dermal exposure where the crafter’s skin is in contact with a hazardous material or pointy objects. The information found on http://www.trueart.info which was put together by graduate student Wendy Rich and home environment extension specialist Shirley Niemeyer. There is inhalation where the crafter has inhaled smoke, fumes, spray mist or dust, which can damage the lining of the airways or lungs. The smoke, fumes spray, and dust damage the lining of the lungs by having the body’s immune system introduced to a foreign agent. The immune system then freaks out and attacks the agent, even though it is not dangerous.

There is also ingestion such as eating or drinking hazardous or contaminated objects by accident.

In crafts, it’s very common to use bladed objects of some sort while making crafts, from safety scissors to band saws. If the user is using something dangerous such as a band saw, the risk of dismemberment is at a high level.

Things happen, even to adults, “Mine— being struck in the back of the head (lower occipital) with a belt sander New Year’s day. Hard lesson as to why tools should not be left on the ladders.”-- from Craziest power tool accidents. Even though we don’t all own belt sanders, we still need

By Kevin K.

to be cautious about leaving objects in places where it can fall and injure people.

Ass^triad has shown that even adults, when they are careless, can get injured from crafts.

It shouldn’t have to take an accident for people to learn how to be safe. I know what you’re thinking. We all don’t own ladders or power tools.

I beg to differ. Problems can occur even when using simple things like glue. Jeff of Yahoo! Answers asked about a question about an accident he had with glue.

He was willing to tell the world about his accident with the glue. “I was super-gluing a plastic ruler back together and the bottle spilled on my lap. It was soaked through my jeans and is stuck to my leg (not kidding).

The glue is stinging them a bit but my real problem is separating my pants and legs hurts. Can anyone tell me how to get out of my sticky situation? What dissolves super Glue? The glue packet doesn’t say!” Well, even the simple objects used in crafts can put people in…sticky situations.

Glue can hurt people and it can become troublesome, making a big mess of things.

People need to be educated in using common sense to prevent these accidents. By substituting hazardous materials with less hazardous materials, it has lessened the chances of encountering skin exposures. It is also important to use the correct tools for the job. I know that sounds

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By Christina C.

Cut Paper, Not Art T Art from flicker (labeled for reuse)

hink back to your golden years in Elementary School.

The lunchboxes, cubbies, and recess. Where long division seemed like calculus, and your popularity depended on how many crayons you owned. Those were the good times. You’d want every kid to experience the joys of elementary school, right? Well, with recent budget cuts, some schools are wiping out the

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entire art curriculum. No more clay sculptures and pots. No more Paper Mache creatures. No more macaroni art. People, this is serious. The fabric and foundation of our dear childhood is coming undone!

Kids need to express themselves in their own unique way, which they can do through art. The class is a way for them to relieve stress, as well as learn lots of new ideas and concepts.

Voice There’s nothing wrong or bad about art, and it shouldn’t be cut out of curriculums.

Some people think that art should be cut because it is not as important as other programs and classes. However, art is just as important as other subjects. It teaches kids to be creative and express their individualities. It’s a soothing activity that relieves stress and is quite fun, which is what all kids need. Removing art is like removing recess, which is like removing the peanut butter out of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

The school funding should not be cut because it is a way for kids to express themselves without judgment, and to have fun. While all kids need to learn arithmetic and basic science, it doesn’t leave much room for self-expression or creativity. Kids need to develop these skills just as much as any other skill. Art class allows for kids to create something with their own hands, with minimal help from anyone else. They’re proud of their work, just as much as you’re proud of that crocheted dress you made last spring.

Art is a way for kids to take a break from the heavy studying they do throughout the school day. Recess is nice, but it is only for half an hour a day and while it does release some of the kids’ energy, they won’t

be able to last the rest of the day without getting restless again. Art is a fun and calm outlet for children and adults alike, and participating in simple crafts will leave them feeling content and ready to focus again.

Kids do learn a lot in art, while still having fun. You may not have noticed it when you were younger and in the class, but you were learning. The study of cultures occurs when students participate in crafts from around the world, such as origami. Art teaches the basic but extremely important skill of following directions when kids learn Paper Mache or weaving, and basic motor skills such as coloring in the lines or using scissors can only be learned with practice and projects.

Art is a very important curriculum that needs to be kept in schools. Without it, kids would either end up emotionless robots that do nothing but study all day, or uncontrollably hyper puppies that cannot seem to calm down. They wouldn’t know much about the outside world apart from where the continents are located, and they’d never learn that glue isn’t edible.

Without art class, elementary school would be chaos. So for everyone’s sake, let’s keep the art program.

“They wouldn’t know much about the outside world apart from where the continents are located, and they’d never learn that glue isn’t edible.”

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Voice

Video Games vs. Crafts By: Safia E.

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here is an alarming rate of teenagers that are way too focused on video games and not on crafts. I believe teenagers who do not have crafts in their life lack variety and color, because with crafts, the possibilities are endless, different colors can be mixed and matched to yield a beautiful and magnificent product that actively portrays the creativity of the maker. I say all this; because many teenagers fail to realize what playing video games are actually doing to them.

For example, even though video games are a good way to promote hand-eye coordination, good reflexes and strong joints. Hours of playing video games can also lead to seizures and damaged retinas due to lack of sleep, and that leads to many psychological problems such as isolation and addiction. On the other hand, crafts, knitting and crochet in particular, are also and effective way to promote hand-eye coordination and strong joints without the risks that come with playing video games.

Crafts bring people together in a number of different ways. It could be through the pretty scarf that was made for a loved one or it could be through seeing the smile on someone’s face when they’ve seen a hand -made product that was specially made for them with love,

care, and effort. There is no amount of video games that can compare to the emotions people feel once they’ve received a hand-made product that screams originality and talent.

According to an article by Manali Oak, video games are a fun and social form of entertainment that develops selfconfidence. I believe video games can’t really do all these things, if most kids play in isolation.

Knit and crochet not only aid in the development of handeye coordination, they also offer a large range of health benefits such as making teenagers calm, lowering stress levels and happiness.

According to a press release from a yarn company called Lion Brand Yarn, many institutions such as hospitals are incorporating knit and crochet into the activities they provide, because it helps the people in the institution go through the various problems they have to go through on a day-to-day basis.

When someone wins a video game, they feel a feeling of accomplishment, but id does not last long and it is not as if winning the game can be displayed for all to see. Whereas with crafts things that have been completed can be proudly displayed and distributed for all to see and admire.

“It brings people together and gives a sense of accomplishment.”

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Video games

Vs. Afr bys some random guy

As someone who knits and crochets, I will tell you that there is no better feeling than walking into a craft store and seeing all the vibrantly colored yarn that’s on display.

The best feeling is knowing that there is no endless possibility as to what can be done with the yarn and once the project is completed, the feeling of accomplishment that wells up inside, is like no other. The feeling is like reaching the peak of a mountain and just screaming about the success that has been made and how great it feels.

If my experience with crafts has persuaded you in any way to take up knitting or crochet, I would suggest you try something easy like a scarf or a hat. Once you have the basics down, try making a skirt or your favorite article of clothing and I guarantee you, once you have made your first knit or crochet product you will have the greatest sense of pride and accomplishment, because you are wearing something that some effort and time has been put into. Involve yourself in crafts; it can be just as fun as video games.

Art by somerandom person

Voice

Crafts

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How-Tos

Tecnique One

Tecnique Two

Tecnique Three

Tecnique Four

Tie-Dye To Die For With these instructions, you can make your very own Tie-Dye T-shirt.

Things You Need:

1) Get your work area ready.

* A white T-shirt (any cut) * Rubber Bands * Dye - you can buy many different colors and brands, usually around $3 per bottle. * Rubber Gloves *An old t-shirt you don’t mind getting dirty *A large bucket (that might get dyed) * Something to stir with (an old wooden spoon, a paint stirrer, etc.) * Newspaper

some options.

If you don’t want to go out and buy seperate parts, Tie-Dying kits are also sold with different dyes and rubber bands.

Find a large, clean area and lay the newspaper down thoroughly.

2) Tie your T-shirt in the design you want. Look to the right for 3) Prepare the dye. Different

brands have different water ratios, so follow the instructions on the bottle/box.

4) Stick the T-shirt in the dye.

If you purchased squirt-on dye, you can apply that in whatever fashion you like.

5) Wait a few minutes, then take out the T-shirt. The longer

you leave it, the more vibrant the colors. Raise the shirt out; if it starts dripping dye, it’s a good sign.

6) Let the dye sit. Leaving it out overnight is best, though the minimum need is 8 hours.

7) If the instructions on the dye tell you to rinse afterwards, follow them. You’re done!

Tecnique One, the Spiral:

Lay T-shirt flat on a surface. Pinch the center, and start twisting your hand in a circle,. Once Tshirt is nice and twisty, tie up with rubber bands.

Tecnique Two, Pleating:

Take the end of the T-shirt and start folding it back and forth, like an accordion. Once it’s entirely folded, tie rubber bands tightly on the two ends, so the pleats will stay.

Tecnique Three, the Target:

Lay the T-shirt on a flat surface and grab a bit of fabric in the center.

Tie off with a rubber band. Move a couple inches down (however big you want your target to be) and tie another rubber band. Repeat until you’re satisfied with the target size.

Tecnique Four, Stripes:

Take the end of the T-shirt and start rolling it up tightly. Once it is entirely rolled up, tie rubber bands where you’d like the stripes to be. You can rotate the shirt before rolling it up to change the directions of the stripes.

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How-Tos

How to crochet Learn how to do the most basic crochet stitches in an interactive and fun way.

By: Safia E. The three basic stitches that will be taught are how to begin, single crochet and slip- stitch. In patterns, when the term ch is seen, it means make a chain, which is the first part of crochet that will be learned. Chains are usually used as the foundation row in crochet and once one has mastered making a chain, one can move on to learning how to make a single crochet.

Slip -stitches are usually used to end one row and move on to the next row. In most crochet patterns, slip – stitches are usually identified as sl.

The single crochet is a fairly simple stitch and it can be used to make items such as, iPod and phone cases, bags and bracelets. Single crochet is a really cool stitch, because when single crochet is used to make a bag or an iPod case, it looks as if there are tiny squares going around the bag or iPod case. Another thing that makes single crochet so amazing is, the way it adds strength to an object, single crochet is so tiny that even the tiniest objects such as pencils or sand cannot pass through. In most patterns, single crochet is identified as sc.

Below are a few examples items that have been crocheted using chains and single crochets.

Crochet Stitches

Step 1: Beg. of chain (ch)

Make a knot around the crochet needle.

And wrap a piece of yarn around.

Step 2: Pull

Use the crochet hook to pull the yarn you just wrapped around the needle.

rials: Mate any color of Yarn het hook c A cro Ruler od An ip

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Step 3: Continue

Continue with step 2 until you are comfortable with making chains.

Step 1: Beg of sc.

Step 2: 2nd part of sc.

Step 2: Final part of sc.

Step 2: Slip Stitch (sl.)

On the existing chain, ch 1. Place your hook into a ch st and yarn over.

Pull the yarn though one loop on the hook. Yarn over and pull through all the loops on the hook.

Follow steps 1 and 2 of sc, until you are comfortable with making single crochets.

On the existing chain, place your hook into a stitch and yarn over. Pull through all of the loops.

Name:

Abbriviation:

Beg. Sc. Sl. Ch.

Begin(ing).

Single crochet.

Slip Stitch.

Chain.

How-Tos

Step 1: Measure the width of the iPod using a ruler.

Step 2: Crochet a ch that Step 3: Ch 1 and begin making measures the width of the iPod. sc’s around ch.

Step 4: Crochet 1 more row of sc, and ch 6. Attach ch 6 using a sl.

Step 5: Make sl’s around the ch Step 6: Continue with sc’s for 6. three more rows.

Step 7: Work on the side of peice using sc’s.

Step 8: Ch. 6, across ipod and Step 9: Make sc’s on the ch. 6. join using sl.

Step10: On the front of bag, make three rows of sc’s.

Step 11: Attach yarn to the edge Step 12: The iPod case should look more or less like this. of bag, and make ch for neck.

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How-Tos

Modular Origami 12. After constructing all 30 pieces insert corner into pocket of the second piece.

1. Fold paper in half hot dog style and then unfold (make sure the crease is prominent for all folds).

11. I know this sounds frightening but repeat Steps 1-10 on 29 more pieces of paper. Don’t be scared, it will look beautiful in the end.

10. Repeat on right side.

E

F 9. Move point E to F and crease on edges.

A C 8. Repeat on opposite corresponding side.

B

D

7. Move point A to C and B to D which makes a triangle.

By Kevin K. photos by Kevin K.

2. Fold two sides of the paper to the center fold you just created, and then unfold again.

3. Rotate 90 degrees and flip it to the back.

4. Repeat steps 1 and 2 and then flip it over again (this should make 16 squares).

5. Fold any corner to the vertex of the square that is 3 squares up and 3 squares left and then unfold.

6. Repeat for all 4 corners.

13. Insert one corner into a pocket of the second piece so that the 2 triangles form a right angle.

14. Fold the overlapped corner to the right angle formed the triangles.

15. Fold the 2 free vertex of the colored triangles down and towards each other.

16. Flip it to the back and fold along the center (where the 2 pieces meet).

17. Continue going around until you make a star with your pieces. (you will have used 5 pieces).

18. From here you add a piece between the points of the star (now you will have used 10 pieces).

19. Add 2 pieces to complete each stars (you have now used 20 pieces of paper).

21. Put 5 pieces between the points of each star (you have now used 25 pieces of paper).

20. Connect the points of the star to the adjacent one.

22. Now make a 5 pointed star with the last 5 pieces of paper and attach them to the last 5 pieces.

Extras

Burning Passion

The paved road was awake with people, many of which were children between the ages of 4-10. The second I walked in to Sri Atmanada Memorial school on April 10th, I heard the music of a local Austenite, who was sitting on a small stage located under a great oak tree, just off to the side of the paved road. The mouthwatering scent of P. Terry’s Burgers and french-fries fill the air, as many participants line-up to give their tickets to the cashier as payment for their burger. To the left of the burger stand were vendors selling their homemade crafts. Behind the vendors on the side of the burger stand was a vastly wide area with a playground where some restless children ran inside and out of the jungle gym.

Next to the gym laid a clear trail lined with games, at the end of the trail sat a stand with face painting. Towards the end of the paved road was the main theme of the festival, lantern making. There, kids gave tickets to the volunteers to make a simple homemade lantern, using only a piece of paper, paint, glitter, and a glow-stick.

Finally past all of these attractions were three towering inflatable wonderlands. This was Lantern Fest. By Kevin K.

Lights, Camera, Lanterns!

Once getting there, you could already tell it was a well planned event, with lots of cool activities and booths.

It really reflected well on the image of Austin, with the availability to buy veggie burgers at the burger stand, biodegradable confetti eggs, and presence of local craft booths and musicians. It was a family event, so many kid-friendly activities were scattered throughout the school courtyard: face paint, pin-the-tail-on-the-tiger (the school’s mascot), snowcones, and even a section of giant inflatables. The first booth Emily and I traveled to was the craft booth. A local artist made a ton of cool crafts herself decided to sell them.

There was everything from color-it-yourself greeting cards to mustache printed baby outfits. After snapping a few pictures and complimenting the artist, we headed our way over to the main event, lantern making. We painted a beautiful and brightly colored lantern and maraca. It was a blast, and I’d definitely go next year, too. By Christina C.

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A Fiery Festival

The lantern making booth was one of the last ones I noticed; with all the stands and activities to participate in, it just seemed to fall right into place.

Although I had to leave before the parade at dusk, where everyone put glow sticks in their lanterns and marched along the school’s road, I had fun during the whole arts and crafts experience. With my bestest buddy Christina by my side, I got my face painted, visited many booths, had a balloon sword fight, enjoyed the music, carried around a “yellow rabbit with a long tail” balloon animal, made a great looking lantern and a brightly colored maraca, spilled paint all over myself, and took tons of pictures. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to jump on the moonbounces since I didn’t have enough money, but I had a great time anyways. By Emily J.

Craft Heroes

By: Safia E.

photo by Safia E.

“I weave, because it is a very traditional thing for women to do and not enough people weave, so, it is important to know how to do it,” Ms. Estes said, a teacher from the Liberal Arts and Science Academy. Weaving might not always be a person’s craft of choice, but Ms. Estes took to weaving at the age of ten and it gave her an edge in her life.

“Because I knew how to weave, I started winning art

A picture of Ms. Estes

competitions,” Estes said.

In LASA High School, not many students (or teachers for that matter) can weave or make their own yarn, except for Estes and a few students that she teaches.

“People interested in weaving should know that it is not for everyone - it takes a lot of patience, but the result are highly rewarding.” Katherine Nehyba, one of Estes’ students said. For many, weaving might be the most complicated thing in Page 18* The Vision

Weaving Princess the world, but for Ms. Estes, it offers stress relief and confidence.

At the beginning of the interview, Ms. Estes sat down and began twisting what looked like cotton, the more she twisted, the more the piece began to take the appearance of yarn “you just keep on twisting” Estes said.

“Yarn from a store is thicker and it has less imperfections, mine is really loose and not perfect, it is that imperfection that I really like.” Ms. Estes said as she held a piece of yarn in here hand. In a world where perfection is heavily weighed, it is rare, to find someone who accepts imperfection with open arms.

“Feel this”, Ms. Estes instructed me to do as she held out two different types of yarn.

The first type of yarn was yellow and it was extremely rough and heavy, “this is synthetic yarn, it is made out of plastic,” she explained to me. The other type of yarn was a pinkish sort of color and it was very delicate and soft, “this is cotton” she explained to me.

Ms. Estes uses Marino wool, which is a type of yarn that comes from sheep, but there are alternatives if you don’t really feel comfortable taking wool from sheep, you can you synthetic or cotton instead.

There are many ways to win competitions, but for Ms. Estes, she always won because of the fact that weaving was such a unique talent, “it made me stand out”, she said.

Weaving is the kind of craft that requires an understanding of fabric and patience, but the concept of weaving has been grasped, which is basically going over and under with the yarn, one can begin moving on to

photo by Safia E.

Craft Heroes

Largerst flag on the left side is the flag that can be found displayed in Mr. Risinger’s class.

different mediums of weaving, such as, the Plain weave, Twill weave and Satin weave. With all these different types of weaving, one can move on to flourishing their creativity, and creating many memorable and fun memories for them self.

“The best product I’ve ever made is an American Flag made out of plastic, I made it last spring.” Ms. Estes said. The flag can be found in Mr. Risinger’s classroom, a history teacher in the same school.

The flag hangs proudly in his classroom, “students always ask where it comes from,” Mr. Risinger said.

There are many reasons why Estes weaves,

but there is one particular reason that began her interest in weaving, and that reason surrounds the history of weaving itself. “For hundreds of years, women weren’t allowed to do handicrafts, only the men could” Estes said “so women started to weave and during women reform and all that stuff, weaving became recognized as an art form”. There are many reasons why people follow a certain path, if Estes’ reason has inspired anyone, in anyway to take up weaving. Estes has some advice: “Find a mentor that knows a lot about weaving and join the Texas Handweaving Guild.”

“It made me stand out.”

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photo by Kevin K.

By Kevin K.

T

photo by Kevin K.

LASA’s Knitting Machine

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Picture of Ms. Walker (to the left) how to knit, when she had more time.

“I think when I was around 10, I taught myself. And then I got an older student to help me.” Walker says.

Just as the student taught Walker when she was 10, Walker tries to pass this knowledge onto her students. Walker has an extension course where she teaches her students the craft of knitting, but just because people learn a new trait doesn’t mean they will enjoy it.

“Some people take to it immediately, and there are other people that are have this drive to it where people think it’s cool to turn yarn into fabric, and then there are the people who don’t care for that.” Walker says.

It’s not hard to learn, she says. People she has taught how to knit in the past are way better than she is, she claims, and some people never picked it up again. Once you have learned the two basic stitches in knitting, called knit and purl, one can begin to turn yarn into fabric. But in order photo by Kevin K.

he frantic scraping of pencil to paper sounded as students quickly chickenscratch the answers to the make-up biology exam that had been given back. To Walker this is a normal routine, but there is a different life outside of the pencils and papers. Sometimes, though, this other life cannot be reached until all the responsibilities of being a teacher are fulfilled.

“I almost have no time during the school year. I definitely have less than an hour a week during the school year.” Walker says.

The reason why she is so busy is because she is a biology teacher at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy. Because she is constantly busy grading and making lesson plans, she hardly has the time to do what she loves most, knitting. Even though one may have very little time to enjoy their hobbies, somehow, Walker is able to find time during the busy year to sit down and knit.

“I always wanted to make things out of fabric and when I was little used to make collages out of cloth,” Walker says.

As a child she would take pieces of velvet and glue them to a piece of paper, making a collage. Through the years she shifted from making cloth collages to knitting.

During the school year, she is separated from knitting due to her busy schedule. But it was not always like this. As a child she taught herself

Picture of Ms. Walker classroom (above)

Ms. Walker with her game face on.

“I’m not allowed to take a credit card to the knitting store anymore because I got spoiled with silk, mohair, angora

yarn, which is all really expensive.”

(Jump to page 26 for the rest)

photo by Kevin K.

to accomplish this task one must first have string. There are many kinds of string, and no, string cheese is not one that you can knit with. There are the common materials in strings like cotton, silk, and wool. But there are the more abstract string materials that can be as far fetched as plastic made, synthetic yarn.

“I’m not allowed to take a credit card to the knitting store anymore because I got spoiled with silk, mohair, angora yarn, which is all really expensive. If I can get away with it I’ll pick silk or angora, but it’s really expensive, but that’s what I prefer, of course. Your fingers get spoiled because it’s so soft.”

Soft yarn turned to fabric as Walker’s crafty fingers swiftly manipulated the string around the needles into an amazing work of art.

“When I was like 12, I made a scarf that was ugly, and not very well done but I made it, it was like first big, not like a potholder, thing you could

wear that I made. It was the first real piece of clothing that I ever made. It was amazing, not in terms of ability.” Walker says.

This may not have been the most amazing thing that she’s made. But sure enough she has made amazing things, like jackets, quilts and many other things. Perhaps, such talent is not obtainable at first.

“Just keep doing it.

Eventually you don’t have to look at it anymore, you get so good and it is very meditative.

When you get to that point where your fingers know what to do, it is very meditative, calming thing that you can do, that you end up with something at the end. It feels really awkward and frustrating at first but when you get it, and if you keep doing it, your fingers will fall into place and figure it out.” Walker says.

Once your fingers fall into place, the process of knitting becomes a relaxing ride where the destination is a piece of art. “I think it lowers blood pressure, calms, and you get cool stuff that you make it. It is the way you want it, the yarn you wanted. It fits you. You can make stuff for

Ms. Walker posed picture

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Craft Heroes

Black and Blue and Silver All Over

By Christina C.

T

he dress was jet black. It was a halter-top dress, with no sleeves and a not-too-low of a back. The bottom of the dress was an A-line skirt, which dropped to the floor. There was a silver and blue diamond pattern running down a section of the A-line, and it shimmered and sparkled whenever the light touched it. While it seemed like a normal, conventional prom dress, if you looked close enough, you would realize a unique trait to the dress that set it apart from all the others: It was made out of duct tape.

While you may think of duct tape as being the shiny silver sticky stuff used for miscellaneous projects around the house, the possibilities and uses of

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duct tape are endless. You can use it to spice up normal, everyday objects, from wallets to tote bags.

If you really want to go all out, you can even make something as complex and flashy as a prom dress.

“My granddaughter always thinks outside the box...[she’s] not a normal child.” Jean McIntosh laughs. McIntosh first got the idea of making a duct tape prom dress when her granddaughter approached her asking for help on a scholarship contest. The contest is called Stuck at Prom, and lets couples across the country send in their pictures of completely original prom dresses, all made out of duct tape. Once the results are posted, people can vote or their favorites, the one with the most votes winning.

“When [my granddaughter] first came to me with this idea, I thought it would look bloody awful.”

McIntosh says, remembering back to April of 2009. She had prior sewing experience, but hadn’t really made anything out of duct tape before. Thinking rationally,

she gave the suggestion of making different parts of the dress separately and sewing them up together at the end, like you would do with normal fabric. The pieces were all arranged on a dress pattern, and there were seven of them total. Once they were all cut out, the duct tape had to be applied.

“I thought that [the duct tape dress] would be sticking all over the place,” McIntosh says. Originally, she thought that the duct tape would be applied vertically. Her granddaughter, though, thought it would be cleaner and easier if it was taped side-to-side. Since her granddaughter was busy with college preparation, McIntosh sewed up the dress for her, and added in a zipper.

The dress was finished, and just in

Craft Heroes

“When [my granddaughter] first came to me with this idea, I thought it would look bloody awful.” time for Cedar Park High School Prom.

“The whole time, she was the center of attraction,” McIntosh says, speaking about her granddaughter’s time at prom.

Her date (and boyfriend) participated in the duct tape fashion, too. He bought and covered a suit with the tape, as well as an old tie and pair of pants. He even ended up covering up his shoes. They had a consistent color scheme: Black duct tape with silver and blue accents.

“From a distance, the dress looked like a shiny black dress.” McIntosh added.

Until you got up close, you could hardly see the small lines the texture of the horizontal duct tape created. Utilizing different colors, instead of just the regular silver duct tape, gave interest to the dress, and some couldn’t believe it was an original piece.

If you’re interested in making an item of clothing, such as a dress, out of duct tape, McIntosh has some advice.

“One thing to remember is that duct tape is difficult to sew, and it doesn’t move.” She advises. “[You should] definitely cut pattern first, then sew it up.” Another thing to remember is that duct tape doesn’t have a hem, and that a simple pattern is the key for working with fabric such as duct tape.

So, how did McIntosh’s granddaughter hold in the contest?

McIntosh responds: “She didn’t end up

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Extras photo by flicker (labled for free use

4.)How much free time do you usually have on weekends? a.) 12 hours b.) 10 hours c.) 5 hours d.) 2 hours or less 5.)How patient are you? a.) I’m pretty patient b.) I’m extremely patient c.) I have patience…to some extent. d.) I’m not the most patient person

Quiz: What cratf are you?

1.)How do you feel about numbers and counting? a.) I don’t particularly hate numbers, but I’m not really fond of them. b.) Yay, numbers! c.) Numbers make me sick! d.) They’re okay.

2.)What material do you most identify with? a.) Yarn b.) Paint c.) Needles d.) Paper 3.)How do you feel about following instructions? a.) I hate instructions, they don’t allow my creativity to flow. b.) They’re okay. c.) I love instructions, they spare me time. d.) Sometimes I love them, sometimes I don’t.

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6.)What kind of colors are you most likely to use? a.) Cool colors b.) Warm colors c.) Neutral colors d.) Anything goes 7.) How do you feel about sharp objects? a.) STOP, DROP, AND ROLL! b.) Sharp Objects, WHERE!? c.) Kinda dangerous, but I need them d.) Mom says I’m not allowed to go near scissors anymore.

8.) How natural do ideas come to you? a.) With God-like speed b.) Ideas, what are those? c.) Once in a blue- moon d.) When pigs fly. Oh that’s a good idea, I should go make a flying pig! Thanks!

Frayed Ends

Quiz results:

The Dangers of Crafts (con’t)

1.) a = 0, b= 2, c = 1, d=3 2.) a = 2, b = 0, c = 1, d=3 3.) a = 0, b = 1, c = 2, d=3 4.) a = 3, b = 2, c = 1, d=0 5.) a = 2, b = 3, c = 1, d=0 6.) a = 1, b = 2, c = 0, d=3 7.) a = 0, b = 2, c = 1, d =3 8.) a = 2, b = 0, c = 1, d=3

Combine your score now:

Crochet/Knitting 18 Tye-Dying/painting 2 Origami 13 Sewing 11

knitting. As a knitter from 10 years old, nail. Don’t try to use a knitting is a hobby tool simply because thatWalker seems it may seem easier to be unable to at first, use the right separate herself from. tools for the job. It Even if one may lead may be tempting to a busy life like Walker, sit there all day and one can still find time use a sander to sand to enjoy the crafts something down they love. instead of just cutting that piece off. Just Black and Blue and Silver All Over by cutting the piece (con’t) off, the risk of lung damage has been winning, because reduced. Create [the contest] said a manageable, they wanted workable area so that something more it is easier to make colorful.” Even so, crafts and lessens the making the dress possibility of knocking wasn’t a total waste. something over, like She got a lot of our glue friend. positive attention at Accidents happen prom, and ended and it is important to up wearing it to reduce the quantity her band banquet. and the seriousness “’Hey I’m getting of the accidents. It’s two uses from this simple to do the little thing,’” McIntosh things mentioned in said, quoting her the article and by granddaughter. doing so, it could

The grand reduce the amount daughter is in college of accidents. now, but that doesn’t Remember: Safety stop her creativity. first.

Even before creating the dress, she used to buy a plain purse LASA’s Knitting Machine (con’t) or bag, go home, people that they like, and decorate it with like ‘I like that hat, but I duct tape to make it wish it were green.’ Youcolorful. can make it for them.”

Interested in Walker says. making your own

Walker finds duct tape dress, and satisfaction in making entering the contest? the perfect present in Stuck at Prom has

their own website, with their rules, how to enter, and entries from previous years. The website is stuckatprom. com, and once the deadline for entering is passed, you can vote on your favorite dresses, boosting them up to win.

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