Looming with Kids

Now that Victoria is getting older she is getting more interested in making things handmade for herself and her friends.  She loves making things for people she loves and then seeing their reaction to what she has done for them.  Its really quite adorable to me, and makes me happy that we have been able to pass on the love for handmade stuff to her.

I have tried to teach her how to crochet, but she is left handed and since I am right handed it makes it kinda hard to really show her what I am doing.  I am hoping once she is a little older it will make more sense to her when she sees me to it and she will be able to "flip" the motions in her head to suit her needs.

Over the summer we got her a kit with a few different looms in it for her to try out since crocheting was not working for her and she really wanted to do another yarn craft besides spool knitting.   I am so glad we got those for her because she loves working with them.  She made some things for her dolls and for herself to practice with and then this Christmas she worked hard to make many presents for people.

She made bracelets for family and friends, belts and headbands for family and friends as well as for her dolls {she said they needed holiday gifts as well :) } and she made a wide bracelet/wristlet for me.  I love the wide one she did, she picked out one of my favorite shades out of my favorite organic yarn collection.  Its so soft!  I would love to have a whole sweater made out of that yarn. :)

Victoria picked out some vintage buttons out of my collection as well, she def. went all out to make this piece totally up my alley.  Its even more amazing since she made it all by herself. :)

If you have a little one or know a child who really wants to learn to crochet or knit and the motor skills just are not there yet, I highly recommend trying them out on a loom.  They are really easy to work with and there are some great beginner videos on youtube.  Victoria and I prefer the metal tools to pick up the yarn rather  than the plastic or wood ones, they just seem to work easier.  The easiest way I have found to end your piece is by using a crochet hook and then a yarn needle to weave in your ends.

Recently I have been finding Victoria working on her latest loom project when she has her TV time, she is making herself a pillow case.  For that project I am just going to wing it.....hopefully that will work lol  My plan is to have her do two rectangles that are the same size, and then I will just sew three sides together.  It seems simple, and hopefully its going to go as simple as I am seeing it in my head. ;)