Gift Wrap Idea: Using Rope & Twine

This is a nod to the dad’s who enjoy the nautical and is something that kids can easily do. (Anyone who has tied kids’ shoes knows that they love making knots…) Rope makes a simple ribbon in this gift wrap idea and twine serves as a printing technique.  

Materials

• Rope (re-use or purchase at a hardware store)
• Twine
• Square of cardboard
• Paint
• Flat tray, container
• Tape
• White paper or newsprint
• Crepe paper & Kraft paper (optional)
• Gift Tag I’m Knots Over You!  KnotsAboutYou
• Scissors

Directions

• Cut a piece of twine and wrap it around a square of cardboard (cut from a box etc.).  Tape it at the back.

• Put your paint in a shallow container or on a tray (that will fit your cardboard square.)

• Dip your twine wrapped square into the paint, being sure to keep it relatively flat (so the paint stays on the twine).

• Place it gently on your white paper.  We found holding the twine on the back worked better than the cardboard itself).  Dip and repeat.  You could do lines or other formations- this is mainly to get familiar with a different printing technique.

• Allow your work to dry.

• We cut out a thick strip and layered it over top of kraft paper and crepe paper and secured the layers with tape.

• We then took a length of rope and tied knots in it!  (Older children could experiment with more complex knots).

• Wrap your present, using the rope like a ribbon and attach the provided gift tag, should you like. (“I’m Knots Over You!”)

Purpose

• Re-using materials, learning different techniques/processes for creating prints

Safety Notes

• As rope is sometimes thicker and difficult to cut, have an adult help you.  Rope can pose a strangulation hazard- use with direct supervision and care.