The Prettiest Easter Eggs Tutorial

This week's How-To is Prettiest Easter Eggs Tutorial is by Donni, from Fairyfolk from the Natural Kids Team. This is a really straight-forward way to decorate eggs and it is so beautiful! You can blow the eggs (link below) for longer lasting eggs or you could do what our family does each year, which is hard boil the eggs and hide them outside in the wee hours of the morning for an Easter Egg Breakfast Hunt (along with chocolate, of course!).

The Prettiest Easter Eggs:

We have been making beautiful heirloom eggs to decorate our home for Easter. This craft makes such pretty eggs... we used transfers to color our eggs beautifully.

All we needed was white blown egg shells (tutorial on how to safely do this is here) and transfers that we found at a craft store... both the rub-on's and the transfers that need to be dampened with a wet cloth will work.
Kitty and Teddy chose which images they wanted for their eggs and cut neatly around the edges.
We used rub-on's and they worked wonderfully, sticking nicely to the naturally porous egg shells
It was a gift to watch the delight on my children's faces as their eggs got prettier and prettier.

Happy Easter crafting!
Blessings and magic,
Donni

This tutorial is brought to you by Natalie, of Woolhalla

Please visit Donni at her blog The Magic Onions where you can see the original post, plus other great Easter tutorials and share the "magical journey of childhood with us"

Check out her Etsy shop Fairyfolk where you find beautiful needle felted items, including lots of cute animals, toadstools and acorns.

Easter Nest and Egg Pattern Tutorial

This week's How-To is Easter Nest and Egg Tutorial by Linda, from Mamma4earth here on the Natural Kids Team. This darling little knitted tutorial is just the thing if you like to knit... and I can just imagine all the amazing colour variations if using variegated yarn. Hope you enjoy this weeks Spring and Easter craft tutorial!

Easter Nest and Egg Pattern Tutorial:

Hello wonderful friends, thanks so much for visiting:) Today, I have been working on a pattern for Easter crafting. We will soon be setting up our Easter tree and I wanted to make something special, so I have Knitted a nest in handspun Alpaca yarn, spun by my daughter Jenna. Inside the nest are some rainbow eggs. I have knitted the nest with a textured appearance to give it the look of a true nest. I do hope you enjoy knitting these patterns:)

Materials:

Yarn for the nest, I have used handspun Alpaca

Yarn for eggs, I have used rainbow cotton DK

4.5 mm circular needles

Wool needle for sewing up

Fleece for stuffing the eggs

Pattern:

Nest:

Cast on 10 stitches

Join for knitting in the round (Magic Loop)

Round 1: Knit

Round 2: Increase into each stitch across the round (20 stitches)

Round 3: Knit

Round 4: (Increase into the first stitch, knit 2 stitches, increase into the next stitch, knit 2 stitches) repeat across the round, knit 1 stitch on the end. (26 stitches)

Round 5: Knit

Round 6: Increase into each stitch. (52 stitches)

Round 7: (Knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch) repeat across round.

Round 8: (Purl 1, knit 1) repeat across round.

Round 9: (Knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch) repeat across round.

Round 10: (Purl 1, knit 1) repeat across round.

Rounds 11- 14: Knit

Round 15: (Knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch) repeat across round.

Round 16: (Purl 1, knit 1) repeat across round.

Round 17: (Knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch) repeat across round.

Rounds 18-21: Knit

Rounds 22-23: Purl

Cast off.

Sew in the ends.

Egg Pattern:

Cast on 4 stitches and join for knitting in the round.

Round 1: Knit

Round 2: Increase into each stitch (8 stitches)

Round 3: Knit

Round 4: Increase into each stitch (16 stitches)

Rounds 5-13: Knit

Round 14: (Knit 3 stitches, knit 2 stitches together) repeat across the round, knit 1 stitch on the end.

Round 15: Knit

Round 16: (Knit 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches together) repeat across the round, knit 1 stitch on the end.

Round 17: Knit

Round 18: (Knit 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches together) repeat across the round.

Round 19: Knit

Finishing off:
Break your thread and thread your yarn onto a wool needle and thread your stitches from your circular neeldes onto your wool needle and pull tight to close the opening. I normally fill the egg from this end and make sure the the wide base is firm and then fill the rest of the egg. Close both ends by threading tight in a circle with your thread and pulling tightly closed.

Roll your egg in your hands to get the required egg shape, and there you have an Easter Egg:)

Wishing you all an inspired week.

xo Linda

This tutorial is brought to you by Natalie, of Woolhalla

Please visit Linda at her blog Natural Suburbia where you can see the original post, find a few other wonderful free knitting tutorials, plus other craft life tutorials and more. In her own words Linda is a "homeschooling mother of four little souls from South Africa. I am a knitter, pattern designer, gardener, homesteader and try to be as self sufficient as possible".

Check out her Etsy shop Mamma4earth where you find more wonderful knitted treasures consisting of Waldorf inspired knitted and wooden farm animals, gnomes and toys.

Tutorial: Upcycled Easter Baskets

This week's How-To is Tutorial - Upcycled Easter Baskets by Liz, from The Sitting Tree here on the Natural Kids Team. This great basket tutorial makes a wonderful start of the Spring and Easter themed tutorials I plan to do in the upcoming weeks. It is a perfect size for a child to tote around their natural toys or as a basket for Easter goodies!

Tutorial - Upcycled Easter Baskets:

Looking for an all~natural, eco~friendly alternative to the standard toxic easter baskets you find on the shelves of the big box stores? Make your own this year out of recycled clothing!

Materials::

1 linen skirt/top at least 18" wide (or any thin fabric) for the lining

1 thick wool felted sweater/blanket at least 18" wide for the body

Directions::

1. Cut out a square 18" x 18". Then in each of the 4 corners, cut out a 6" square. You'll end up with an x shape. The middle square will be the bottom of the basket, and the outside pieces will fold up to make the sides!

2. Now bring your neighboring corners together. Pin and sew all four edges together.

Repeat these steps again with the thick wool fabric.

3. Cut out two pieces of linen 2.5" x 5" for the handles. Press each edge to

the middle and then press the whole thing in half again. Sew them closed.

4. With right sides together, match up the corners and pin lining to the body.

Pin the handles upside down, in between the two fabrics. Do the same thing on the opposite side. Sew along the edge of THREE SIDES ONLY {Make sure to include both handled edges in three sides ~ I didn't of course!}

Next, take out all your pins and turn the basket right side out. Press your top seam flat and adjust the lining. Hand sew the opening closed and you're done! {My wool was so thick that the top seam didn't want to stay flat so I stitched along the top again to hold it down}

Not just for Spring, these upcycled baskets are great for home organizing and storage too! Fill them with toys, food, or {gasp} yarn!!

Need a few non~toxic, all~natural items to compliment your new basket?? I've added several new Spring items to my shop this week ~ Bunnies, eggs, and a seriously sweet pinafore!

This tutorial is brought to you by Natalie, of Woolhalla

Please visit Liz at her blog The Sitting Tree where you can see her original post and get to know her better and "for stories about my life as a wife to my best friend, proud mama of three homeschooled boys, obsessed knitter and lover of Mother Earth"

Visit her Etsy shop at The Sitting Tree "handmade, free spirited design".

Making Egg Candles for Easter.

Hi, I'm Donni. My shop is called Fairyfolk. My blog is called The Magic Onions.

Making sweet Easter candles has become an Easter tradition in our family. We make a few variations and save them all to put on our Easter table. It is a treat for the kids when they are, at last, allowed to light them... each child taking turns with the taper. The anticipation of having saved them through the Easter season shines from their excited eyes... it's too delightful.

Today, we made colorful Easter Egg candles.

We needed:

* empty egg shells (here is a tutorial on how to clean out eggs)

* beeswax

* colored crayons

* candle wick (found at craft stores)

* sticky tape

* an recycled egg cup

* scissors

Prepare the eggshells for the melted wax by sticking a little sticky tape over the small hole on the egg shell. Make sure the tape is stuck fast to seal the shell well.Turn the eggshell upside down and place it in the egg cup so that it is secured.
Cut a length of wick. Tie it around a stick and balance it in the middle of the egg shell. Your shell is now ready for the melted wax.
I use a recycled jar to make a bain-marie to melt the beeswax (here is a step-by-step tutorial on how to safely melt wax).

We adore the wonderful golden color of melted beeswax and breath deeply of the honey aroma. My house always smells so sweet on beeswax craft days.

When I am doing a craft using melted beeswax with the children, we are very careful. Melted wax is extremely hot and would cause a horrid burn. As a precaution, I always work with a bowl of iced water nearby and my children know to put their hand into the cold water if they do get burned.

To color the beeswax, add a little colored crayon to the melted wax and stir until the color blends evenly into the beeswax.

Then carefully pour the melted wax into the eggshell and allow it to cool.

Cut the wick to the desired length and... Voila! Beautifully colored Easter candles.
Blessings and magic for your Easter preparations!

Easter/Spring NaturalKids Team Blog-A-Thon

The NaturalKids Team was started by woodmouse in 2007. Early members included faerierebecca, fairiesnest, cozycottage. It was a small group, with a small presence on etsy. Since that time members have come and gone but our mission has stayed the same. To be a group of sellers dedicated to creating natural products for children. We are a diverse group of artisans who make natural toys, utensils, clothing and accessories for kids. Our sellers work with materials from the Earth, such as wool, cotton, silk and wood. Our goal is to support, promote and have fun together while building our businesses. 

One of our 1st Team Blog Post read as below and it is still true today....

We are a diverse bunch from all over the globe who have at least one thing in common:  we all work with natural materials in our products for children.  Oh yeah, and we're all pretty darn crafty & talented too!  Wool, wood, cotton...just simple materials direct from the Earth.  

So who are we?  

Some of us are mothers of small children.

Some of us are mothers of grown children.

Some of us make dolls, some of us make hats, some of us make toys.

Some of us have been selling our wares for many years.

Some of us are just starting to discover our talents and start selling.

Some of us work with natural materials for environmental reasons.

Some of us work with natural materials as part of the Waldorf educational philosophy.

Some of us work with natural materials because we believe they are healthier and safer.

Some of us just like working with natural materials.

Some of us sell our wares for a living.

Some of us sell our wares as a hobby.

Since that time, some of us are fathers.

To see more items from The NaturalKids Team go here!

Thank you for reading and now join in the fun to take a trip to see what you may find at these NaturalKids Team Members Blogs! Happy Spring!!!

Visit these Blogs:

http://thereluctantcitydweller.blogspot.com
http://thefairiesnest.blogspot.com
http://SewnNaturalstudio.blogspot.com

http://www.tribaltimes.blogspot.com/

http://www.katsinthebelfry.blogspot.com 

http://www.polarbearcreations.blogspot.com

http://fairtradefamily.blogspot.com/

http://germandolls.blogspot.com 

http://www.curlymonkeyandco2.blogspot.com

http://www.bananabottoms.blogspot.com

http://woolies-woolies.blogspot.com

http://birchleafdesigns.blogspot.com 

http://pinpon-dayanara.blogspot.com
http://sqrlbee.blogspot.com/

http://www.thesittingtree.net

http://www.themuddyfoot.blogspot.com

http://harvestmoonbyhand.blogspot.com

http://viltalakim.blogspot.com  

 

Make Wet-Felted Rainbow Eggs

Wet Felted Rainbow Cracked Egg tutorial by Jen from SewnNatural

Spring brings new babies throughout nature, and the magical, enchanting process of watching wee ones hatch from eggs. There's a turtle sanctuary on an island near where we live, and my daughter loves discovering the beautiful white eggshells left behind. Here's how to make a wet felted, rainbow wool egg for gentle play, your nature table and even spring celebrations like Easter and Passover.

You'll need:
• an egg to wet felt around (we use old marble eggs we have around, you can also use a plastic egg shape, or even a real egg, but I've never tried it with a real egg)

• wool roving and various bits of colored feltable wool (Corriedale is one of our favorites, but Merino and others work too)

• organic, non toxic soap

• 2 big bowls of water, or 1 bowl + kitchen sink

• towels to mop up the inevitable spills and to dry the egg afterwards

• a little elbow grease



My daughter says the most enjoyable part of the process is actually choosing the colors for her egg.



Next take your egg shape (we use a small-sized one for the kid projects) and wrap wool roving around it, placing narrow pieces of wool in different directions, wrapping it neither super tighthly, nor super loosely.



It's far from an exact science, and the felting process will make the apparent "messiness" of the wrapping disappear.



The thicker the wool coat on the egg, the thicker and sturdier your final rainbow egg will be. You should not be able see the egg clearly through the wool (that would mean it's best to add more wool).



Now hold the wrapped egg in one hand, and have your child (or your other hand) pour some liquid soap right onto it, turning the egg as the soap is applied. I've found this to be an easier method to felt the eggs.



I have yet to use too much soap in felting!



Now quickly immerse the egg in hot, hot water. Gently squeeze the soap egg, turning it in your hands (or your child's hands). Keep the wooly coat on the egg warm by dipping it into the hot water every so often (the warm/hot water relaxes the fibres of the wool which allows for easier felting).



Keep gently squeezing and patting the wool, and as you work and the wool begins to felt you can work it more vigorously. This process take a little bit of time, but the results are well worth it!



Once you begin to feel the fibres felting around the egg, and solidifying somewhat, it's time to add the "rainbow". Your child can gently rip off small pieces of colored wool, and place them onto the egg in varying directions.



The wispier and more spread out the wool bits, the better (the more easily they will felt to the woolen egg).



Then pour some soap onto the egg, immerse gently in hot water, and gently squeeze the soapy egg to help felt the rainbow wisps together to the wool roving.



Keep squeezing and rubbing it vigorously in your hands.



You can also use something with texture to help felt the fibers of the wool. I use an old wire rack for this, and roll the egg around on the rack for a few minutes. Then I take it back into my hands, warming up the wool in hot water, and squeeze it some more.



Once you're done, you can dip it into cold water to help strengthen the felting. The shock of the cold water tightens the fibres.





I wrap the egg in a dishcloth to remove some excess water, and place it near a vent to dry.



Once it's dry (anywhere from a few hours to a day or so), you or your child can carefully cut the egg open, either in a straight line across the long part of the egg, or a cracked jagged line.



The cut need not extend the length of the egg, just enough to "birth" the egg from it's woolen coat, so to speak.




You may also choose to blanket stitch the edge of the cracked part of the egg with embroidery thread, but my daughter prefers her "au naturel."



You can find more how-to's and eco living articles on our blog, the SewnNaturalstudio.