Crafts To Do During Covid Restrictions

[PayrollNerd]

I make bags for no reason. LOL! I quilt but sometimes I just need a little side project. This is the one I use for my meds. I have to take them when I go to the doctor. I don’t have a pattern. I just wing it.

 

[PayrollNerd]

I make bibs and burp cloths too. Babies tend to just pop up sometimes.

 

[JaneEyre]

These are very pretty! It seems like I could figure out how to do it... but I only have card stock in white.

I initially did them in one color but chose the two-color scheme so that it would be easier to write the instructions. You know, like “take the two inner white strips...” I think it made a difference in the pictorial instructions, too. Plus, I ended up loving the multi-colored flakes.

I watched the tutorial on The Rainbow Garden Accrington on Facebook. She also has a separate tutorial for the “star” in the center, which she calls a wreath.

The problem with me linking to her tutorial on our Facebook page is that my patrons will not be able to understand her accent. Plus, they do not all have FB, so I needed to come up with picture instructions. I’m not sure I can do that for the very cool wreath (star), but I may give it a shot.

 

[JaneEyre]

I make bags for no reason. LOL! I quilt but sometimes I just need a little side project. This is the one I use for my meds. I have to take them when I go to the doctor. I don’t have a pattern. I just wing it.

Very nice. I had my mother make me multiple bags that just fit a book and a snack for my many doctors appointments.

 

[anneg]

I make bags for no reason. LOL! I quilt but sometimes I just need a little side project. This is the one I use for my meds. I have to take them when I go to the doctor. I don’t have a pattern. I just wing it.

Beautiful fabric. Have you also used it for masks? I seem to remember a photo of a mask you made in that or a similar fabric.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Beautiful fabric. Have you also used it for masks? I seem to remember a photo of a mask you made in that or a similar fabric.

Yes I made some masks from it too.

 

[PayrollNerd]

I make chemo caps with matching masks and knit caps too. I try to keep a few on hand because cancer is always such a sad surprise. Having something homemade and useful cheers up the newly diagnosed.

 

[JaneEyre]

Yes I made some masks from it too.

Is it a batik?

 

[JaneEyre]

If any of you see any ideas you think I can use to cheaply make grab bags for child or adult patrons, please let me know. The main things are that the supply cost be low and that all of the supplies can be sent home.

I need to avoid projects that require things the average person doesn't have, such as a hot glue gun. This in itself can knock a lot of great projects out. I have found ways to send small quantities of white glue and paint home with the kids. We also purchased a bunch of small, cheap paint brushes.

My goal is to basically replace in-person programs and offer a relaxing break for the adults. (I found that making the paper crafts yesterday was relaxing and fun.) The kid crafts help the parents, too, as it provides a ready-made kit to keep their kids busy.

A lot of libraries are doing this right now. So you should follow their Facebook pages and keep your eyes peeled for their next craft grab bag for adults. They seem to be offering them monthly, from what I can tell.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Is it a batik?

No, it a cotton. The blue chemo cap & mask are batik.

I also made a fish print set that was batik. I gave it to a new cancer patient already. She really loves it.

 

[PayrollNerd]

If any of you see any ideas you think I can use to cheaply make grab bags for child or adult patrons, please let me know. The main things are that the supply cost be low and that all of the supplies can be sent home.

I need to avoid projects that require things the average person doesn't have, such as a hot glue gun. This in itself can knock a lot of great projects out. I have found ways to send small quantities of white glue and paint home with the kids. We also purchased a bunch of small, cheap paint brushes.

My goal is to basically replace in-person programs and offer a relaxing break for the adults. (I found that making the paper crafts yesterday was relaxing and fun.) The kid crafts help the parents, too, as it provides a ready-made kit to keep their kids busy.

A lot of libraries are doing this right now. So you should follow their Facebook pages and keep your eyes peeled for their next craft grab bag for adults. They seem to be offering them monthly, from what I can tell.

What about fabric gift card holders or ornaments? Scrap fabric, a bit of thread and a sewing needle? There’s a ton of youtube videos that you could link in an instruction sheet.

 

[SugarQueen]

What about scrap fabric over styrofoam balls for ornaments?

 

[SugarQueen]

For the kiddos what about beads and string to make jewelry?
Felt petals , glue, and a small bit of something sparkly to make pointsetta flowers.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Reusable sandwich bags and snack bags are popular with my kids. A few years ago I made a stack of them. These could easily be made by hand.

The light weight see thru fabric they use as produce bags. The grocery cashiers don’t even bat an eye. These could be made by hand too.

I made small zippered bags for toiletries. My oldest does offshore marine research and has to pack efficiently. She uses these bags for her personal items, small office supplies, etc. You would need a machine for the zipper or use snap tape.

 

[TillyMay]

I've been making grab and go bags for the kids to pick up at the library since we can no longer do programs inside the building. I'm now going to do the same for our adult patrons. Basically, the trick is coming up with crafts to do with no in-person guidance, and well, I thought that would be great to share here as well. I hope some of you will post your own ideas and crafts.

Because I really don't want to be doing video guides, and my co-workers are not very handy, I'm going to attempt this project through a pictorial guide for adults.

The first picture is the finished product, although there is not yet a pictorial guide for the center star. I will upload the pics in order. All you need are strips of card stock cut lengthwise in 1 cm strips and a small stapler.

They look great!
I bought a craft set just before lockdown, I made Easter chicks and lolly stick dolls with my young nephew, and he made a very scary alien

 

[TillyMay]

Reusable sandwich bags and snack bags are popular with my kids. A few years ago I made a stack of them. These could easily be made by hand.

The light weight see thru fabric they use as produce bags. The grocery cashiers don’t even bat an eye. These could be made by hand too.

I made small zippered bags for toiletries. My oldest does offshore marine research and has to pack efficiently. She uses these bags for her personal items, small office supplies, etc. You would need a machine for the zipper or use snap tape.

Very creative!
I'm always looking for bags to use around the home and office, I must've bought about 8 toiletry bags this year to store things in, much cheaper if I try to make my own.

 

[JaneEyre]

Reusable sandwich bags and snack bags are popular with my kids. A few years ago I made a stack of them. These could easily be made by hand.

The light weight see thru fabric they use as produce bags. The grocery cashiers don’t even bat an eye. These could be made by hand too.

I made small zippered bags for toiletries. My oldest does offshore marine research and has to pack efficiently. She uses these bags for her personal items, small office supplies, etc. You would need a machine for the zipper or use snap tape.

What kind of fabric do you use? Tell me more about these things.

 

[JaneEyre]

This is the December grab bag for kids. I'm looking to January now. Considering mitten cut-outs to be decorated and hung on twine like a garland with mini clothes pins. Not sure about the adults yet.

I wanted to be sure every kid had everything they need so we bought little bottles to fill with glue for those who don't have this at home. As this will be a monthly thing, we're asking them to hold onto the bottles and bring them back in for refills if needed.

ETA - these are holiday cards to make.

 

[PayrollNerd]

What kind of fabric do you use? Tell me more about these things.

For the sandwich & snack bags, I used cotton. I didn't have anything on hand that was leak proof. We really don't find it necessary. Two layers of cotton seem fine for most snacks. The bags are packed in the morning and eaten at lunch so it's not much time for things to go stale.

After using them, we turn them inside out, pop them in the washer & dryer. If they're packing the same cookies or chips each day, we don't wash them in between. They tend to dump trail mix in them too. Just shake out the crumbs and refill the next morning. Then at the end of the week we wash them.

I don't think I'd use them for tuna salad type sandwiches but a turkey sandwich is fine. I guess you could use wax paper for a gooey item, then tuck it in the cloth bag.

I don't remember the actual video I ended up using but this is a basic instruction page:
Fold-over Sandwich or Snack Bag

 

[weepingangel]

Oh dang it another thread to ooh and ahh over like the cooking and gardening ones.

just throwing these out there as I’ve was looking for xmas ideas (store bought kits)

origami - this was a small book of papers with directions for maybe a dozen different things.

felting - these were kits that made mainly cute little critters I have no idea what is involved for tools (besides the wool)