A Basket Case

26th April, 2012

I know 26th April, is a long way from 22nd June, but hey better late than never. 

So on the 26th April we had a lesson in basket making, well weaving actually.

We used paper cups and baling twine. Not sure if I have called it the thing there, but its the string that farmers use to tie up their bales of hay. After you know the steps, you can really use what ever you find. I'll post some photo's further down that the lady leading the class has tried. Paper, wire, plastic milk bottles.

So first things first. The show and tell of how to do it. 

This was a large milk container that she cut up so we could all see.

Take you string and find the half way point. Move you hand down a bit so that it is no longer even and place over your fist spike as below. The reason for it being uneven is that towards the end of the weaving, both ends wont be finishing in the same spot.

Take the piece of string on the left hand side and bring it across the front of the first spike moving towards the right side. Put the string through the slot above where the other end is coming through and take it around the back of the next spike, bringing it out on the right side of the next spike.

Now take the piece of string that is on the left side and do the same thing as you did with the previous piece. But moving towards the right again.

You continue to alternate between the two pieces moving you way around the container, until you have about 10cm of string left. To add in a new length, put it over the spike that you are up to and then weave both the new and old string at the same time. When you have about 5 cm left on the old string let it stick out and just continue on with the new string. Once you have finished you go back and with a needle thread the sticking out bits under the weave and trim. Sorry don't have photo's for that bit. So always leave the sticking out bits on the outside of the container or it can make it very tricky to tread it through the weaves.

So we used paper cups. Cut the paper cup into strips, but don't go all the way to the base.

Push down on the cup to flatten it out, this helps to be able to wind the string through the spikes.

This is what it will look like.

Our cups had been pre cut, so the first step for us was the flattening.

Then the tricky part of the weaving. You can see that our string is very stringy. The twine is a bit like your cross stick cotton that you only use 2 or 3 strands out of the 6. We untwisted it and used thinner strands.

We decided to change colours.

Completed. We were able to change the shape by how tight you pulled on the strings. So this is Miss E and my first attempt.

Master J efforts. He got tricky with his ending bits and instead of just threading them underneath the weaving, used them to make a pattern around his blue bits.

Miss Z effort. You can see here what I am talking about the sticking out end bits. This is before she uses a needle to thread them in behind the weaving.

This is with after she has done the treading.

Looks much neater.

Now these are the other creations from the instructor, just to give you some more example and ideas.

Imagination at work

Its always good when one's child has an imagination. Miss E loves pulling out the train set and making a railway line. Nothing compared to what Dad has, and certainly not the same without a remote, but it gives her a chance to play around with track layouts and to work out out to join everything up. Todays track has been confined to a small area. I got sick of having to step over train track to walk from the lounge to the kitchen. Not a bad effort for having to stay on one side of the room.

How ever, its not long until the transport empire has been laid to one side and an agricultural empire has been made.

Home made carrots, tomato, lettuce and cauliflower can be seen in the above photo. On the vegie patch is one tiny orange seed, there are more coming. After all you need the seeds to be planted to be able to produce the crop.

A small pond for the water, complete with lilly pads

She even made a rake to be able to work the vegie patch.

Amazing what some coloured paper, sticky tape and scissors can do. OH and an imagination.

a Promise is a Promise

Tuesday 27th March, 2012

Miss E is now officially a girl guide.

Today she made her promise:

"I promise to do my best:
To do my duty to God,
To serve the Queen and my country,

To help other people, and

To keep the Guide Law.

Well done Miss E.

Come for a Drive

Saturday 24th March, 2012

This week at church we had a guest speaker, via the dvd player. So we decided that he wouldn't notice us driving off before he even got a chance to start talking. I was told he was good, and I'm sure he is, however dvd's can be watched anytime and God's creation was beckoning.

Our trip start by driving out past the Hume Weir. It's nice to be able to see water.

Our trip then turns and winds up and down, our destination Dartmouth Dam.

 The scenery is absolutly beautiful. I love the area. I can't wait to see what heaven will be like in perfect condition. I wish it was more practical to be able to live in these surrounds. Who would need to have a holiday with that at your back door.

Anyway the dam is at 81% at the moment thanks to all the lovely rain that has been falling.

  The kids had a bit of a play while I took some photos and then it was time to head back across the wall and find some BBQ's.

 View from on top of the wall looking away from Dam.

 Once back in Dartmouth itself, we found the BBQ's and had our lunch.
Its a place we will have to go back and visit during the week. I would love to take the kids out to the power station at the bottom of the dam and visit their visitor centre to learn more about the area. It will make a great school excursion.

 After lunch we went for a walk along a foot path that took us over a little creek.

 Smelling smoke we looked around and saw that someone had lit fires along the walking track. We had just walked along there not that long before hand, so I'm glad we went on our walk when we did. I also took some snaps, just incase he was some crazy guy that just liked starting fires.

 Then it was time to play and relax.

With some time for talking as well.

It was a great way to spend the Sabbath. Outside in creation, with family and friends.

Burraja - Aboriginal Heritiage and Environmental Discovery Centre

Monday 19th March, 2012

Today we packed our bags and headed into Wodonga to visit Burraja - Aboriginal Heritage and Environmental Discovery Centre.

There, with a number of other homeschoolers, we were shown some of the local history of the aboriginal people from the area.

How they made paints.

And their uses.

We were shown, some of their tools and how they were made.

 

Set up inside was an archeology dig, to show how before any major works is done around the area, the acheologist does his job and what he is looking for.

After a little break, we all head outside to have some spear throwing practice.

 

 I'm glad that our next meal was not reliant on the spear throwing. We ended our morning by going through the bush tucker garden. Donna, our guide was very knowledgable and answered all the questions we had. 

So if ever you around Wodonga and you feel like some Aboriginal heritage, Burraja is the place to head to.