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ladybugs
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Hi Families,
We recently read Marguerite Makes a Book.
It is a stunning book....
Well...in the book Marguerite has to make her own dyes for ink. We're going to take our handy-dandy book book that I mentioned in another thread today and make our own dyes. I have some of Steve's old shirts that we use for smocks or aprons and we'll dye those.
I have two girls interested in designing fashions so this will be a cool intro...
We've also recently read Tomie DePaola's Charlie Needs a New Cloak and we can do Anna Needs a New Coat...
Any other recommendations?
Thanks, ladies,
__________________
Love and God Bless,
Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
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JennGM
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| Posted: Nov 07 2005 at 2:39pm | IP Logged
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Oh, Wow! I wish I was studying with you! I love this subject material! I'm thrilled to find out about Marguerite...I didn't know that was out there.
So your rabbit trail will go towards textiles and not calligraphy and illumination? MaryM has spinning and other yarn experience...and MaryG is a Knitting expert, so they might have some great suggestions. 
I have a few ideas, but they are not exactly the rabbit trail you seem to be taking:
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. It's not about designing from scratch, but designing and making useful clothing from an already existing but worn-out coat. The Scholastic Video of this (it has Strega Nona on the cover) is delightful, with a wonderful and catchy tune at the end. Plus, you hear the Yiddish sayings...we love it!
Would some of Patricia Polacco's books fit the bill? I was thinking of her The Keeping Quilt and Christmas Tapestry, showing other forms of textile designs.
Handmaking dyes would be another book by Polacco, Rechenka's Eggs. I think I remember that she mixed her own colors for her beautiful Ukrainian Eggs....and that's another rabbit trail, making homemade dyes for eggs, both wax resist (Ukrainian) and other types. There's a thread or two on that craft.
And to follow up on calligraphy and illumination as in Marguerite, how about studying a little on the Book of Kells? Maybe your library has The Sailor Who Captured the Sea: A Story of the Book of Kells. Then Color Your Own Book of Kells and other illumination projects can be found at Dover Publications. When I was in Ireland viewing the Book of Kells, I picked up Exploring the Book of Kells. It's a small book, detailed, not exactly a living book, but solid information and great illustrations, including those in color. Also, one can try Celtic Illumination and knotwork.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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ladybugs
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jenngm67 wrote:
| So your rabbit trail will go towards textiles and not calligraphy and illumination? |
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I think we'll actually get a little into both...but for right now...I'm going to capitalize on their interests. I've introduced some calligraphy to them, but they're not as interested yet. They took a sewing class last year and talk a great deal about modesty...so I figure we'll go this way.
jenngm67 wrote:
| MaryM has spinning and other yarn experience...and MaryG is a Knitting expert, so they might have some great suggestions. |
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Bring 'em on!
Thanks for the great book ideas, too. I like the idea of re-using fabrics...that's a resourceful way of using fabrics!
I appreciate the book recommendations and have already put them on hold at the library. I love on-line requests!!!
Now, to see what we'll create!
__________________
Love and God Bless,
Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
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MaryM
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Here are directions for making a simple (and inexpensive) drop spindle. The same site has a section with directions for using it to spin yarn from carded wool. See side bar.
You can also bypass spinning your own wool and just get a skein of white yarn and cut it into couple foot lengths. Use natural yarns like cotton or wool - not acrylic. Try dying each length in a different homemade dye. Here are ideas for some natural dyes from a lesson plan on-line and another natural dye site. Compare the different colors.
I wouldn't necessarily go with the calligraphy angle as I think it doesn't really appeal to that age group - they can't easily get it to look like the "samples". I think they would be very interested in some of the other angles on the writing/illuminating. One suggestion I have to go with the book is to make a quill and some ink, just like Marguerite does. I did a pioneer class with 6-8 year olds and they loved writing with a quill pen. This recipe is for walnut ink, but you could also try to make some with soot like in the book.
Making quill & walnut ink
Materials for ink:
10 walnut shells
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Hammer
Old cloth/rag
Saucepan
Small jar with lid
Strainer
-Using hammer, crush the shells in the cloth
-Add the shells and water to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, simmer 45 minutes or until dark brown. (Much of the water will evaporate.)
-Remove the ink from the burner and let it cool.
-Strain it into the jar and add vinegar and salt (this preserves the ink).
Here's how to cut quill pens from feathers
Marquerite makes her own paint to color her illustrations - make some egg tempera like she did.
A recipe to make your own Egg Tempera-
• Egg yolk
• Water
• Tempera powder
• Small paintbrush
Break up the egg yolk in a bowl, measure 2 teaspoons, and put in the jar.
Add 1 teaspoon of water and 1 teaspoon of powdered tempera. Stir till smooth.
Gold Leaf
You can get supplies to do gold leaf at a craft store. It's easy to do and it gives such a dramatic effect. Kids love it.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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ladybugs
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Hey MaryM,
GREAT suggestions.
Thank you,
__________________
Love and God Bless,
Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
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ladybugs
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Weavers of the Magic Elven Cloak fibers
Chari Bryan sent me this link LOTR costumes and I came across the above link!
Hope everyone is well!
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Love and God Bless,
Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
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Donna
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ladybugs wrote:
| Any other recommendations? |
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The Rag Coat.
__________________
Donna
DH, Keven
Jason, Stevie, Marie, Jackson, Clara, and Aaron
Jacob, Sam, and Regina with God
Grandbabies Leigha and Elsie
Moments Like These
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ladybugs
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I wanted to throw out an idea that we used...
This morning, I had some old pomegranates left from the fall...
I thought, "Why don't we boil these to see what we get?"
Earlier in the week, I had gone through Joseph's old clothes to get rid of what he has outgrown. I pulled out an old, white T-shirt and I thought, "We'll dye this!" So right now, we have the shirt dying on the stove with boiled pomegranates.
In addition, I don't know about you, but I have several old, white socks that no longer have mates. So, we'll use those to dye in the Spring, when it's warm and we can do this outside. Then, we'll make puppets out of them.
Just wanted to share the idea in the event that anyone can use it.
__________________
Love and God Bless,
Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
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4Real Forums : Picture Book Discoveries
Topic: Marguerite Makes a Book
