Things[Hand Made]: Making a willow umberella

As it is the summer holidays my making things has to work around making tghings with the kids.

I will often have a "bright" idea to make something with the kids and its great to get some of them ticked off as we move through the holidays.

Some ideas are "brighter"than others!

I am currnetly intriged by scuplting with willow.

When I mean sculpting I do mean it in a very loose general way, more making shapes.

The 4 year old is making a decorating a butterfly I made for her, the 11 year oild is making akite by himself. The 7 year old and I decide we can make an umbrella.

Hmmm who's bright idea was that.

Here follows the process.

I do hope you are not expecting beautiful pictures of rosy cheek kids having a wonderful time.

Make an 8 spoked star taped together at the top.

Ask kids to stop using willow as swords and to put it back in the cloth to stay damp.

Make a hoop using 3/4 lengths of willow and lots, LOTS of masking tape.

Start to put the spokes into the hoop. Quite helpful to have a 7 year old holding as you try to do this.

Calmly explain to the 7 year old that he cannot just walk off to get a drink at this point.

Keep going until all spokes are in the hoop.

Add a central handle with even more masking tape.

Using watered down PVA glue start to put glue onto the spokes. Lay pieces of tissue paper over.

Decide that the garden was a good idea for so much PVA glue sloshing about but not such a good idea for tissue paper.

Wrestle the tissue paper onto the frame

Try not to yell at 7 year old that its best if I do this in piece and that his bedroom would be a good place to wait.

Make sure you fold the pieces over the edge hoop.

Decide that its is almost working and throwing the whole PVAy wet tissuue papey mess into the bin in a fit of tantrum would just set a bad example to the kids.

Taaa Daaaaa.