Washcloth Craft and the Fabric Called Terrycloth

TerryGami, 15 Cloth Toy and Ornament Projects for Crafters, Teachers, and Children

 

The book is available at:

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TerryGami Website

Esty

Welcome to washcloth crafts!

TerryGami washcloth crafts is one of my “WIGs” or “wildly improbable goals" Martha Beck talks about in her book “Finding Your Own North Star.”  I know there are people like me who have wanted to see a craft organized around using washcloths similar to the little Boo Boo Bunny.  I hope TerryGami will live up to their expectations.

Yesterday, I realized something when vetting some of the critters with some 12 and 13 year old girls.  They didn’t know that washcloths are made from a fabric called terrycloth.  It never occurred to me that they wouldn’t know that because it seems as though terrycloth has been around forever. 


As far as terrycloth goes,  I will have to do additional research one day to verify this information, or please feel free to chime in on this version of the story.  From what I can gather on the web, terrycloth has at least been around since the middle of the 1800s.  The material and weaving technique was invented in France.  The French used silk to weave this new, looped fabric.  Later, Englishmen made the material, first from worsted (a wool yarn), and then later from cotton.  The Englishman Samuel Holt brought it to the United States, patented the looped weaving technique, and later sold it to a cotton manufacturer.  The loops in the fabric make it very water absorbent.  This is why washcloths and towels are made from this material.

One thing I can tell you about learning to sew on terrycloth is that, if you match the thread to the washcloth, you can barely see the stitches.  Kids just learning to sew can get great results their first time sewing.  Also, with the easier items, they don’t have to worry about cutting out a pattern of any kind; the critters are shaped and rolled from washcloths, and then sewn together.

Some of the new TerryGami items will involve a little more sewing, which will be good practice, but I would suggest to always start with the easier critters first.  I would also recommend that the instructor or parent have the children take a minute to read through the entire set of instructions first, asking them to match the words to the illustrations, as they go. If the children are young, read through the instructions with them.  This way they get the whole concept of how to put the critter together, so when they start to assemble it, they can just refer to the illustrations for a quick reference.

Many of the TerryGami items can also be glued with fabric glue.  If the children cannot manage to sew yet, you may want to go this route.   Apply the glue with a cotton swab to avoid a glob of glue spewing out from the spout and ruining the critter.  Be sure the critter or ornament is assembled right first before it is glued because there are no second chances with glue.  If sewing the item, the stitches can always be ripped out and sewn again. 

Another thing to watch when gluing is not to get any of the glue on other parts of the terrycloth because it won’t come off easily, but you can try to wash it off.  Another option is to sew some of the critter and glue some of the critter.  This way the children learn how to do it both ways.  It may even help in a pinch, if you are running out of time finish the project by gluing it.  Sewing can take some time, especially if a lot of sewing is involved.  Plan a head if this might be the case, when using TerryGami in a party or group situation where there may be a time crunch.

If you don't know what a Boo Boo Bunny is, check out terrygami.com for free instructions.

The Firecracker Party Favor Box Instructions and the Heart Favor Box Instructions are now available on Etsy.

The book is available at:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

TerryGami Website

Esty

Happy Crafting with Terrycloth!

~Terry

Washcloth Crafts, Firecracker Instructions Now for Sale on Etsy

TerryGami, 15 Cloth Toy and Ornament Projects for Crafters, Teachers, and Children

TerryGami 4th of July  Firecracker Party Favor Box

           TerryGami New Year's Day Firecracker Party Favor Box

Washcloth Crafts, TerryGami

TerryGami, 15 Cloth Toy and Ornament Projects for Crafters, Teachers, and Children

TerryGami Party Popper Favor Box

TerryGami Firecracker Party Favor Box

The book is now available in soft cover!

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TerryGami Website
Etsy

Welcome to washcloth crafts!

A couple of weeks ago I panicked because I wondered where in the world had all of the washcloths gone?!  Not long ago, there were a lot of colorful washcloths to choose from, but it had appeared as though the well had gone dry in that department.  I know there wasn't a problem selling them, because the supply constantly dwindled off the shelves. 

I started to hope Amazon would  pick up the slack and start providing the 18 packs online.  They had sold the 18 packs before; surely would do again.  Indeed, this would be a handy thing because then crafters could get the color they needed without worry, especially if there was a special project that requires a certain color. Fortunately, a few weeks later the cloths turned up again, but I had to ask where they were located. For some reason the store had placed them on an end cap near the linens in housewares, but not close enough so they could be found easily.  The packages had some colors, but mostly white cloths in them, which is okay, especially if you are making the firecrackers and party poppers for 4th of July party favors.

Many of the TerryGami animals, (not all) will require three cloths, or at least, two. Of course, there are several other items that require only one washcloth. In the 18 packages of cloths, the colors have been grouped in threes, which works out pretty well. The most difficult colors to find are Christmas red, gray and black. So, if you see these colors, snatch them up for Halloween and Christmas ornaments.

If you are making the critter for a baby, you may want a softer cloth.  If the baby is teething, the rougher utility cloth might be better.  Always wash the cloth first and embroider on the eyes and nose, when making a critter for a baby.  Also, make sure the rubber bands are not exposed.  Remember, you can always use string or yarn, instead of rubber bands. 

I like to use the rubber bands, but I do have not-so-great memories of my father and brother shooting rubber bands and my sister and me when we were kids.  All in good fun, of course, ha, ha, ha -- but, boy, did those rubber bands sting!  Rubber bands now come packaged in colorful balls, which often match the washcloths.  They make quick work, when making a critter, because you don't have to stop and tie them off like string or yarn. The use of either requires dexterity, so you may want to experiment, especially if you are using TerryGami for occupational therapy.

I digress. The white cloths can always be found online, sometimes in packs of 25 per package.  For TerryGami critters and ornaments, look for thin, borderless washcloths or utility cloths.  If they are too thin, the critters can be stuffed with batting.  Ones with medium thickness do pretty well.  The thicker cloths will make the critter a bit chunky, but then, it may look okay just the same, but there will not be much you can do to improve the look of it, if it is too thick.  There are so many borderless washcloths available now, there should be no problem finding them.  A cloth with medium thickness is perfect for making the Turkey.

As I mentioned before, cloth sizes 12" x 12",  11" x 11", 12"x 11" and 10" x 10" shouldn't make any difference in the project.  The ten-inch square ones will make the item a little smaller, which maybe good, especially if the item is to be a holiday ornament for a tree, and it is the perfect size for the Easter Egg. The 11" x 11" or 12" x 12" is a good size for an animal or doll.  I rarely worry about the size of the cloth. Often times, the cloth can be cut down to the desired size.

Blunt-end needles, including plastic needles, darning needles, plastic canvas needles, and yarn needles all work well when sewing with terrycloth washcloths due to the open weave of the cloth. This makes terrycloth great material to use when teaching kids to sew.

Yesterday, I went shopping, expecting to see packages of red, white, and blue washcloths on the department store shelves.  Well, not really, but that was on my wish list.  However, there were white and blue cloths in the package, so at least that's a start.  Soon, very soon, I hope to see the shelves bursting with every color imaginable -- all of the time! 

Happy Crafting!

~Terry

Washcloth Crafts, Crafters -- Are you thinking about Fall?

TerryGami Bat

TerryGami Pumpkin

TerryGami Turkey

The book is available at:

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TerryGami Website

Esty

Welcome to washcloth crafts!

Is anyone out there thinking about making Halloween and Thanksgiving crafts yet?  It's time to start making them now, rather than wait for the hustle and bustle of the holidays!  

Just a few hints:  Add a foam board or felt face to the Pumpkin and you have a Jack-O'-Lantern. Also, the stem can be wrapped in yarn or covered by a piece of brown terrycloth. 


For the Turkey, use a little thicker washcloth, if you can, or just add an extra cloth to the tail feathers for a nice display.

Happy Crafting!

~Terry 

TerryGami, 15 Cloth Toy and Ornament Projects for Crafters, Teachers, and Children

 

The book is available at:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

TerryGami Website

Esty

Check this out from "Craft Magazine":  How to make a Storage Garland for Softies.  This would be perfect for the TerryGami critters, both holiday and otherwise.  The garland can even be made out of terrycloth, and the kids could make it themselves.  Perhaps instead of strips of washcloths, strips of cheap, thin, colorful towels could be used to make the work go faster.

Colorful, plastic clothespins could be used or the kids could paint the wooden ones to match the color of their rooms.  This could make the whole summer fun -- make TerryGami critters and a terrycloth garland to hang them on.  One thing though, for the critters, I would put a loop of  yarn, ribbon or string in the top of the head, rather than make a clothespin dent in their heads. If you hang them by an ear, they may end up with a cauliflower ear!  Tie the yarn off in a knot as you would if you were making a hanger to hang on a tree. The loop wouldn't need very be large.  There could also be Halloween garlands (make black, orange, yellow and purple bats) and Christmas garlands.

I'll get crackin' on the second book so there will be animals and other kinds of washcloth critters to choose from.

Happy Crafting!

~Terry

Washcloth Crafts, Boys Need to Learn to Sew Too

TerryGami, 15 Cloth Toy and Ornament Projects for Crafters, Teachers, and Children

The book is now available in soft cover!!

The Book is available at:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

TerryGami Website

Etsy

Teaching boys the basics of sewing will serve them well throughout their lives.  At some point, they will need to know how to repair a hem on a pair of pants or how to sew on a button on a shirt.  TerryGami is a great way to start because all kids love stuffed animals.  Just imagine being able to create your own!  TerryGami also teaches them how to make a toy in a pinch with a washcloth and a piece of string, which might come in handy someday when they need to entertain a crying child.

I was worried that kids would not want to be bothered with stuffing the critters, but the opposite was true.  They loved it!  I was surprised to see just how fat the TerryGami Snowman could get, which is okay, because then more stitching is involved, and it is good practice.

If boys can learn to cook, why can't they learn to sew?  TerryGami may help some earn a sewing or entrepreneur merit badge for Boy Scouts or Cub Scouts, too.

Happy Crafting!
~Terry

Washcloth Crafts, Boo Boo Bunny Instructions - Free

      Boo Boo Bunnies

The book is now available in soft cover!!
The TerryGami Book is available at:

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Etsy

TerryGami Website

Welcome to washcloth crafts!
I know bunnies have nothing to do with the 4th of July, except that they probably fed many hungry soldiers, but, if your children are young, why not make red, white, and blue Boo Boo Bunnies to celebrate Independence Day?  The instructions are free on the TerryGami website.  Red, white, and blue ribbon is available at discount department stores and craft stores.  You can use stars for the eyes, too.

Remember, 2011 is the year of the Rabbit! 

Happy Crafting!
~Terry