SOAR Registration and other activities

Yes, it was time again for to sign up for the Spin-Off Autumn Retreat this past week (among many other things)... If you are interested go here: SOAR Registration & Information.

Sign up this year was first come first serve, which I think is a good thing. A few benefits... Fewer hard feelings, Spin-off gets its funds earlier, and everyone knows what classes they will be taking much earlier (less stress).

I am going to try my hand at a dye workshop... Crazy Dyes to be exact. I love color it is absolutely mesmerizing.

This week I had the absolute pleasure to do a workshop for an elementary school. 30 3rd - 6th graders came. We did natural dyeing and kool aide dyeing using a variety of shibori techniques on two different scarves (one silk, one cotton).

They were completely well behaved, engaged, and wonderful to work with. The silk scarves they gave to their mothers for Mother's Day and they kept the cotton bandana.

I did not get photos since I was up to my elbows in cochineal, lol. I hope the teacher sends me a few. I was thrilled too, because they had the money to pay me for my work. Money is always good, although I have given almost all my workshops for free since I truly feel that these kids need experiences of these kinds in their lives.

The work of Piaget seems to have been forgotten in favor of a world of paper tests and legislated learning standards. Hopefully, we will come back from this extreme to a more middle way encompassing more than a tunnel vision of what education comprises.

I can link to almost any curriculum a textiles link. Textiles have been part of the human connection for thousands of years. It is not hard to link it to learning.

A little soap box never hurt anyone... ;)