Materials A makerspace is a space to think and be creative You can dedicate a space for your makerspace or make one as you need it You may already have many of the basic supplies for your makerspace You can purchase whatever else you need at a craft store or dollar store If you don’t have a dedicated area make a portable makerspace by organizing your supplies in boxes or plastic bins and pull them out when you want to create A note about patterns Many of the toys in this book use patterns or templates Trace the pattern cut the pattern and then place it on the material you want to cut out You can either tape it in place and cut both the pattern and material or trace around the pattern onto the material and then cut it out recyclables You can make many of the toys in this book with materials found around the house Save recyclables newspapers cardboard boxes mailing tubes cereal boxes tin cans and more to use in your craft projects Use your imagination and have fun A note about measurements Measurements are given in U S form with metric in brackets The metric conversion is rounded to make it easier to measure 4
Paint and Markers Craft Thread Decorative Tape Buttons Feathers Felt GLue and Tape Paper Tools 5
Techniques Have fun while making your toys Be creative Your project does not have to look just like the one in this book If you don’t have a certain material think of something similar you could use The following techniques will help you create your crafts Using your creativity to make crafts is a very rewarding activity When you are finished you can say with great pride I made that Threading a needle Threading a needle can be frustrating The following tips will help Cut more thread than you think you will need Wet one end of the thread in your mouth Poke it through the needle opening Pull some of the thread through until you have an even amount and make a double knot If you are using thicker thread like embroidery thread do not double up the thread Just pull a small amount through and make the knot at the other end Easiest method Use a metal needle threader Push the metal threader through the needle hole put the thread through the loop and then pull the needle threader back through the needle Once the thread is in the loop pull the loop back through the needle Put the thread through the loop Sewing fabric The whipstitch works great with felt It is used to sew two pieces together Place the needle and knotted thread in between the two pieces of felt and up through the top layer of felt 1 Take the needle behind both layers of felt at point 1 Pull the needle through both layers of felt at point 2 Continue stitching until finished 6 2
Sewing buttons Thread the needle Double over the thread until you have equal amounts on either side and tie a knot Run the needle through the fabric where the button will go Push the needle from the back to the front through the first button hole Take the needle through each hole of the button a couple of times Tie a small knot under the button and trim the extra thread Using Collage You can decorate your toy using the collage technique Arrange and glue cut-up pieces of tissue paper magazine pages or wrapping paper in an interesting pattern Standard craft glue works best if it is diluted with a little water Use a paintbrush to spread some of the glue onto a small part of your project Press the paper into the glue When you are finished gluing the paper cover it with a thin layer of glue to seal the paper Make sure to use glue that dries clear You can also use specialty glues which can be found in most crafting stores Folding cardboard Cardboard is easier to fold if you score the fold lines first Place a ruler along the line you want to fold Set a blunt tip on the surface of the cardboard against the ruler Press and pull the blunt tip along the ruler Do not cut through the cardboard Bend the cardboard at the indentation created scoring tool you can use anything that has a blunt tip a retracted ballpoint pen dull pencil screwdriver Be prepared Read through the instructions and make sure you have all the materials you need Cover your work area with newspaper or cardboard Clean up your makerspace when you are finished making your project Be Safe Ask for help when you need it Ask for permission to borrow tools Be careful when using knives scissors and sewing needles 7
