Pioneer crafts

During our Pioneer study in addition to the reading, watching documentaries and cooking pioneer food we have been working on Pioneer crafts.  The kids have either worked together or separately on various crafts over the last several weeks to complete an array of projects giving them a feel for what it was like to be a Pioneer.  Firedrake was not impressed with the girly things she had to do and both kids have decided sewing is not for them!

Firedrake worked on making a peg doll which was small and light enough for young girls to take with them on the wagon trail.  

After drawing a face Fire drake got to work on make clothes for her peg doll

Completed project 

MarioFan worked on making a yarn doll which was very similar to the corn husk doll we made while working on our Indian crafts!

His finished project---after this picture he decided he wanted a  male doll so he braided two legs!

The kids worked together on making a Cross sampler from I kit I found

Kids weren't thrilled with this and declared they hated any project with a sewing needle afterwards...oops lol

The kids worked on making Tin punch ornaments.  Tin was often used during this period behind candles as it reflected light.  Often the tin was decorated using the tin punch method 

A pattern was decided on and either drawn on the tin or on paper taped to the tin piece

Then the pieces were hammered with a nail to punch a hole into the tin 

Finished projects--the kids decided to do their own unique patterns on their tin ornaments

We made Silhouette portraits.  We had seen pictures and read about this in our books.

The kids drew a rough sketch of each others shadow onto paper

then cut out the picture 

They carefully traced the silhouette onto card stock  (the first step possibly could be skipped if you are really good at tracing a shadow but we weren't since I have two wiggle worms who move A LOT!)

Looks something like this 

Then the card stock is carefully cut out

Final silhouette portraits results-- which I love and now have hanging in our school room!

Next we tried two different rug making crafts with similar styles...often they are called rag rugs

First rug required braiding three different colored materials into long strands

It took a couple days to get enough braid strands to get our rug started.  

Once you braid enough long strands you sew the strands together.

The next rug started initially with 3 colored strands and a braid and then a fourth color is added and then the rug is weaved.

We all enjoyed this method much better as it was faster and easier to do, we thought

Completed rag rug weave about the size of a placement.  It is a bit puffy in a few areas but not bad for our first try!

The more traditional method of braided rags and sewn together.

You can find several you tube videos on these two types of rag rug methods!

Next we tried quilting--I have never done quilting before and the directions on this kit was less than helpful :(  So we watched a few you tube videos and tried to make a panel as best we could.  This activity again reminded my kids how much they hate sewing:)

We chose a simple pattern and we each made one square.  

then added it all together to make a single panel

While we won't win in Quilting sewing awards if gave us all an idea of the method.

We have successfully completed our Westward expansion unit and are now moving on to learn about the Civil War.