Sunday, October 27, 2019

~ MMGM WEAVING WITH LITTLE HANDMADE LOOMS ~

~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADE
MONDAY S.T.E.A.M. FEATURE ~
--  'WEAVING WITH LITTLE HANDMADE 
LOOMS:  MAKE YOUR OWN MINI LOOMS & 
WEAVE 25 EXQUISITE PROJECTS'  --
AUTHOR HARUMI KAGEYAMA




ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:

Learn how to make your own portable weaving loom with everyday materials like cardboard, paper, pins, tacks, wood, and nails. Step-by-step instructions illustrate how to construct four handcrafted loom designs with ordinary tools. Use a cardboard cake box to make a circle loom and weave friendship rings. Create a little loom with a picture frame and weave a colorful purse.

Featuring 25 cute projects like bags, jewelry, table-mats, and pouches, all projects are friendly for weaving with both traditional and unconventional fibers. You can try different materials, from classic yarn to more novel materials like ribbon, suede and pipe cleaners -change it up for a whole different look!


These do-it-yourself looms are perfect for crafting on the go. They are small enough to take with you as a portable travel craft or outside pastime. With basic materials you’ll be weaving on your handmade loom in no time!

MY THOUGHTS:
When I saw this book listed in the online catalog for my local public library it piqued my interest. I remember making some fun weaving projects in Girl Scouts and in a high school weaving/stitchery class. 

The author has written her book in a warm, welcoming tone which encourages readers to try new techniques, use recycled materials to make the looms, and make the projects for gifts and personal use.

The book begins with a gallery of the 25 exquisite -- one of my favorite words -- projects ranging from bracelets, necklaces, coasters, and pouches to more complex projects such as covered buttons, brooches, totes, and clutches. A beautiful close-up photo and blurb for each project is included along with the page number where the instructions can be found in the final section of the book.

Next is the section about the weaving tools, other useful tools, and stepped-out instructions (including photos) for how to make a variety of looms. There are board looms, round looms, box looms, and frame looms. The instructions for how to construct these looms are excellent and include measurements written in the Imperial and Metric systems to make them appealing and user-friendly for readers around the world.

Finally, the materials list and detailed instructions with photos and diagrams for each of the projects is presented. I feel these instructions are very user-friendly because they are brief and concise.  

There are a few projects presented in the book that I would like to try such as the color block tote/clutch and the clamshell pouch. Since the projects in the book are small, using scraps of yarn leftover from previous knitting or crafting projects is appropriate.

Highly-recommended! This book is an excellent resource for adults working with middle-graders. The reading level may be challenging for some middle-graders, but the text, techniques, and projects are appropriate for tweens and teens to use independently. 

I borrowed this book from the 'new' book non-fiction shelf in the children's section of the local public library.
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Learn about more great middle-grade reads by visiting Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' blog to find the links to other blog posts celebrating Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday!
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3 comments:

  1. This book would have appealed to me as I did a lot of weaving as a girl. The book sounds easy to use and a creative way to express yourself. Never thought about using a cake box or picture frame. Girls like to give friendship bracelets, rings and necklaces -- even better when they've made them as gifts. Great choice before the holidays begin.

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  2. This looks and sounds difficult to someone like me who has never woven anything. Middle grade would be the perfect time to introduce this skill. Thanks for featuring on MMGM.

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  3. This sounds like a wonderful book. Lucky you. My library doesn't have a copy. Thanks for telling me about it. I might get it for my granddaughter.

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