Paper Plate Woven Poppies

A beautiful way to combine both the beauty of florals and weaving!  This craft process is lovely for Remembrance Day.

Materials

• Sturdy/ thicker type paper plates
• Pencil/eraser
• Ruler
• Paint
• Sponge/brush
• Scissors
• Yarn
• Tape
• Bead (optional)

We always find these items useful too:

Directions

• Paint your paper plate(s) and allow them to dry overnight.

• Now it is time to cut in your spokes.  As we were making several of them, we took a blank plate and created the template to easily lay overtop and cut the slits.  It is REALLY important that your cut an ODD number of slits to create the spokes for your weaving.  You can measure and mark them approximately an equidistant apart with a ruler and the help of an adult.  We went with 11 so as to make a simple weave, but you could certainly add more for older children.

• Once you have your slits marked, cut them only to where the edge of the plate reaches the main part (the lip).  You may need a bit of adult assistance with this, depending on your scissors.

• Now it is time to weaving frame.  The spokes in weaving are called the warp.  Start your yarn on the back, taping down the end. Then stretch your yarn across the front of your your plate, putting it through a slot across from the one you started with.

• Now underneath the plate, move to the notch to the right of the one you just came through and go across your plate again.

• Turn your plate so that notch is at the bottom (this makes it easier to keep track of- see the video for help)!

• Again, move your yarn to the notch to the right of you and stretch it across.  Keep doing this until you have no more notches to fill.  With the end stretch it to the middle and start weaving.  Be sure to pull your yarn a bit firmly to bring the centre together.  To weave go under one spoke and then over the next, followed by going under in that pattern sequence. For children it is easy to remember if you actually say, “Under, over, under, over” as you weave.  (It keeps us on track- so it might help you too!)  The yarn that is used to weave is called the weft.

• Once you have your centre forming you could add a bead embellishment if you like.  We painted wooden ones black to correspond to our poppy centres, but go with whatever colour you like!  To add the bead, simply lace your yarn through (if it gets stuck, we use a BBQ skewer with the sharp end cut off to push it through, a thin dowel would work too) and then stretch it across from its original point and continue weaving.

• Continue weaving, adding as many colours as you may like.  To join the colours tie the two colours together and tuck the knot on the underneath side after you have trimmed it.

• To finish the weave we tied the end to a spoke and tucked the knot under the weave.

• Give your flower to a friend or hang them together form a garland!

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Purpose

• Appreciating and be inspired by nature.
• Developing one’s fine motor skills.

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you use a tray and a smock to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors with care and direct, adult supervision.
• Cord, yarn etc. can be a strangulation hazard, therefore be sure to use with direct supervision and for its intended purpose.
• Beads can be a choking hazard, therefore be sure to keep them out of the reach of children ages 0-3 years of age or those that tend to put things into their mouths.