Thursday, October 5, 2017

1889 - Seed Crafts for the Clever Child (With Notes for Modern Parents)

As a retired art teacher, I applaud any craft that gets a child using their hands, especially ones that turn "nothing" into something. 

Over the years I taught I noticed children having less and less control over their hands. While in the 19th century little children (K and first grade) were using tools of all sorts, from pen knives to needles and thread, kids now manipulate pre-made things, and their understanding of how to hold and use tools, even scissors has gone way down hill.   Handwriting readiness for the classroom teacher has gone the same way.  If you are reading this your child probably isn't who I am talking about :-)   (My notes in brown text.)

Harper's Young People, Volume 11, Part 1 - 1889


The fierce-looking snake shown in No. 6 is simply a lot of acorn cups strung together in order of size on a piece of string or line wire.

Hand drills are magic to children.  Forget the electric ones for little kids.  Let them revel in watching the drill turn its way down into the wood.  Show them how the drill is an inclined plane wrapped around.  They will get to invent some sort of clamp to hold the acorn cap still...perhaps their legos could be put to use?     

I think this illustration is a bit fanciful...that tail doesn't look likely.  Perhaps aiming for a fatter boa would match the acorn caps I know.

The pretty basket (No. 9) is made of melon seeds strung on stout silk or linen thread. The shape of the basket and of the handle is preserved by a frame of wire bent to the proper shape. This will form the rim and handle of the basket, and from the rim strings of melon seeds may hang. 

The manner of threading the seeds is shown in No. 10. The lining of the basket is a bag of colored China silk. It should be attached to the wire frame only, and hang loose therefrom. It is not to be expected that this fragile little basket will hold anything heavy, but hung from a gas bracket in a bedroom it will be useful as a receptacle for the burnt matches which are not wanted immediately to provide legs and arms for cork beauties.

See the original article for more 19th century projects like the little doll "cork beauties".
I do not know if this is relevant, but many seed crafts soak the seeds before sewing or piercing as the dry ones split.  

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