EverydayFun
HOMEMADE JEWELRY
Seed Beads
Next time you slice open a summer melon, use the seeds to
make this back-to-nature necklace.
First, rinse the scooped-out melon pulp and seeds (we
used a cantaloupe) in a colander, removing as much pulp as
you can. Spread the seeds on a cookie sheet and let them dry
just to the touch. Thread an embroidery needle with about 2
feet of clear nylon thread (available in the beading section of
craft stores). Poke the needle through one seed and push the
seed down the length of the thread until it is about 3 inches
from the end. Run the needle back through the seed and gently
pull it taut; this will act as a stopper for the rest of the seeds.
Continue stringing on seeds, adding beads if desired. When
your necklace is long enough, sew through the last seed twice,
as you did with the first one. Trim the thread to 3 inches from
the last seed. Tie each end to a strand of embroidery floss.
Summer Craft
Garden of Weavin’ (From page 13)
To make a yarn sunflower, first cut an
odd number of petals around the edge of
a yellow paper plate. Tape the end of a
length of yellow yarn (we used 16 feet
for the dinner plates) to the back. Wrap
the yarn around the plate, going from
one notch to its match across the plate.
Tie the two ends together at the back.
Next, to make the weaving easier,
wind up a bobbin. Start by anchoring the
end of a 5- or 6-yard length of brown
yarn by winding it around your forefinger
a couple of times. Then
wrap the rest of the yarn
around your whole hand.
When you have about a
foot left, carefully pull the
wound yarn from your hand. Wrap the
loose end around the center of this yarn
a few times and tie it to secure.
Find the end of the yarn inside the
bobbin and tie it around the intersection
of the yellow yarn on the plate’s front.
Weave the brown yarn around the
spokes of yellow yarn, as shown. The
yarn should pull neatly from the inside
of the bobbin. If you run out of yarn,
make and tie on a new bobbin.
When your blossom is done, tuck the
end of the yarn under the
woven section. For a stem,
paint a stick green, and
tuck it into the yarn on the
back of the plate.
