Second grade boys can spin up some wool. They've got the power.
Today I was honored to participate for about the fifth or sixth year at Fine Arts Day at Hedgecoxe Elementary School in Plano. I get to show the second grade classes where wool and fiber comes from, and what to do with it, once it's grown.
I take sheep shears, drop spindles, hand cards, raw and clean wool, dyed fiber, finished items, sheep and alpaca photos, and a spinning wheel and walk them through the whole twisted story of yarn.
After all these years, I've learned to keep the jabber to a minimum because the real excitement of the day is the part where the kids actually spin some yarn themselves.
Try this with kids - they actually do an excellent job. With just a little bit of instruction, and some encouragement that even adults struggle with spinning at first, they take off and sometimes make some really good looking yarn.
First, everyone gets a partner. Then, a small handful of wool and an unbent paperclip is all it takes. Hook the paperclip into the puff of wool and start twisting. The pair has to work together, one twisting and one drafting, to make this work.
The parent helpers got into the act as well. It IS fascinating, no matter what age you are.
Some of the kids really blow me away - this pair had enough yarn spun in a matter of minutes to knit a pair of mittens. So don't be intimidated or anything.
The boys love it just as much as the girls - they were convinced that their wool bracelets (one strand plied back on itself) contain superpowers, and that all cool guys have them. Yessssss.
