Apr 13, 202110 min read
The Story Of Dyeing
There have been a lot of big changes in my world lately - perhaps that is why I have been so drawn to this craft that is all about change....
Nov 1, 20203 min read
Too Much Handwork?
People often ask me how I manage the amount of time children spend doing handwork in my classroom. They worry that if they make all these...
Oct 8, 20203 min read
Making Beeswax Candles
We made beeswax candles on our Fundamental Human Needs Camp earlier this year and it was a huge hit. As we try to obtain all of our materia
Aug 23, 20205 min read
Guatemalan Worry Dolls
If you haven't already heard all the chatter on social media about the huge online event planned in celebration of Dr. Montessori's 150th...
Jul 12, 20204 min read
Removing Weaving from a Cardboard Loom
Since posting my lesson on Making and Using a Cardboard Loom I have had several requests for the next stage: removing weaving from the loom
Jun 14, 20202 min read
Wet Felting Webinar Round Up
I threw quite a lot of information at you in the webinar so I thought I'd collect some of it together here for easier reference.
May 6, 20206 min read
Making Cardboard Looms
I have tried to find activities that can be presented to children without very much expert input and with materials they might already have
Mar 11, 20203 min read
Making Charcoal the Early Human Way
Last week we took our three 9-12 classes on our annual Fundamental Human Needs Camp and it was EPIC! As our school year begins at the end...
Jan 20, 20203 min read
Sip'n'Stitch Community Mending Cafe
As we slide into the New Year and start to look at fresh ideas and new things, I’d like to tell you about a way my students have...
Oct 1, 20193 min read
Gardening and Gratitude
Spring has most definitely sprung down here in the Southern Hemisphere and all our attention has turned to the garden. We use the produce...
Sep 3, 20195 min read
Indigo Dyeing - like magic, but science!
I have a new love in my life. Indigo is one of nature's most incredible dyes. it is also one of humanity's oldest dyes and one of only...
Jul 28, 20192 min read
Pareu Printing
Wherever we go, we take out love of textiles with us, so it didn't take us long to notice that many of the fabrics in the markets were print
Jun 30, 20193 min read
A Story of Wool as a Shelter
It's been a couple of months since our students built their own shelters to sleep in on our school camp, but this week something caused...
Jun 2, 20193 min read
Discovering Natural Dyes – The Teacup Test
But nature can be a bit of a trickster. Sometimes we find a flower or leaf that is full of beautiful colour but we just can’t get the colour
May 19, 20194 min read
Natural Dyeing - Going Green!
Over the last few months my class has be really into dyeing. We have mostly been working with natural dyes, like the turmeric we used for...
May 3, 20193 min read
Whittling Knife Safety Rules
My students use sharp knives a lot. They have been chopping food since the casa and as we cook community lunch every week, they are very...
Apr 19, 20193 min read
Making Natural Remedies
Last week we went on our 9-12 community camp. Our camp is a huge deal to us as, for one week each year, we try to meet all of our own...
Apr 4, 20193 min read
Making Beeswax Wraps
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of emotions for me and everyone around me. I have not managed to post for a while as a parent in...
Feb 23, 20193 min read
Keeping It Real
Recently I had a student teacher observing in my class. We had a hectic day and the clean up at the end did not go well at all. When...
Feb 22, 20193 min read
Keeping It Real
Recently I had a student teacher observing in my class. We had a hectic day and the clean up at the end did not go well at all. When...
Feb 9, 20195 min read
A Story of The Beaker People
One of that many wonderful things about the Montessori method is that it celebrates the interconnections of life, nature and the universe....
Jan 25, 20193 min read
A Story of Shearing
I'm getting ready to start the new school year and will be telling The Story of the History of Wool to my new children next week. The...
Jan 12, 20192 min read
A visit to The Wool Shed
It's still the summer holidays down here in New Zealand. It's been a scorcher and I have been off enjoying life with my family and...
Dec 9, 20182 min read
Making Quills
One of my students is working on a project on the history of writing implements. She plans to write up each piece of research using the...
Nov 17, 20184 min read
Felt Layers of the Earth Lesson
There is so much curriculum-centred handwork going on in my class at the moment, it feels like there has been some kind of explosion! ...
Nov 2, 20183 min read
Making Soap
We made soap! This has caused great excitement in our class this week. Soap is one of those things that we rarely stop to think about...
Oct 19, 20183 min read
The Science of Wool
Whenever I am working with a new fibre with my students, I get them to think about the science and history that goes with it. Wool holds...
Oct 5, 20183 min read
Selling Our Handicrafts - and making a profit!
As children move into the third plane of development - usually around the age of twelve - they begin to show an interest in participating...
Sep 23, 20182 min read
The Workings of a Work of Wool Workshop!
'The Workings of a Work of Wool workshop'. My inner grammarian is a little bit excited about managing to include the same root word three...
Sep 8, 20186 min read
A Story of Clay
Over the last week or so, my class have been going crazy for clay. I introduced the work with a story, showed them how to make pinch...
Aug 24, 20185 min read
Spindle Making Lesson
When I introduce children to a new craft, I like to begin by showing how to make their own tools. We begin by exploring the tools others...
Aug 10, 20184 min read
A Story of Tooth Traditions
On my recent trip to Colorado I had the pleasure of visiting a few Montessori Schools and meeting many awesome Montessori teachers. It...
Jul 28, 20184 min read
AMI EAA Summer Conference
Something amazing is happening in the Montessori movement! More and more teachers are coming to recognise the importance of handwork and...
Jul 13, 20184 min read
Stick Weaving Lesson
Stick weaving is a fun addition to the Handwork toolbox and is a productive alternative to the endless finger knitting of the lower...
Jun 30, 20183 min read
Official Book Launch - Yippee!!!
Yesterday saw not one, but two monumental events for Montessori Handwork. The first was a legal requirement, the second was a...
Jun 15, 20183 min read
Handwork Album Available to Order Now!!!
Ladies and gentlemen - We have LIFT OFF!!! Everything has fallen into place. I now have the first run of The Work of Wool - A...
Jun 1, 20183 min read
The Story of Shrek the Sheep
We all know that 6 -12 year old children love to hero-worship. Our job is to introduce them to a range of worthy contenders for this...
May 18, 20183 min read
Creating a Culture of Handwork in a Montessori Environment
Because I have been working on my Handwork Album for the last few years, I am constantly trying out new crafts. I often share them with...
May 5, 20184 min read
How to Fit Handwork in to the Montessori Environment
Sometimes simple questions spark a great deal of thought and not so simple answers. My dear friend Jess, a wonderful Montessori guide...
Apr 21, 20183 min read
Handwork Album Ready to GO!
Guess what???!!!! I’ve finished writing my Handwork Album!!!!! I really have!!! Here is a sneak preview of the cover. For me, and my...
Apr 6, 20183 min read
Rediscovering Ancient Inks
It’s walnut season here in New Zealand so my students have been visiting our walnut tree every morning to collect its fallen bounty and...
Mar 24, 20183 min read
A Story of the History of Pompoms
My class have pompoms on the brain at the moment, I don't really know where the craze has come from, but I have a group of children who...
Mar 9, 20183 min read
Meeting Our Own Fundamental Human Needs (Part 2)
In a post last December I wrote about our plans to produce all of our own food for this years school camp from scratch. Properly from...
Feb 23, 20184 min read
Measuring Your Treasure
Often in schools we are given odd balls of yarn with no labels, and we therefore don't know what size it is or what fibre it is made...
Feb 9, 20184 min read
A Story of The History of Felt
As promised in the Felt Balls Lesson post, here is the story I tell when introducing felt to children for the first time. I like to give...
Jan 26, 20183 min read
Intention Hearts for a New Year
The New Zealand school year is just about to begin and as I was wondering what activities I should offer the children to keep them going...
Jan 13, 20182 min read
Pottery Heaven
It probably feels hard for those of you battling heavy snow and mega storms to believe, but down here in New Zealand we are still on...
Dec 29, 20173 min read
The Story of Peggy Squares
Once my students have grasped the basics of knitting, I encourage them to think about ways they can use their new skill to help others. ...
Dec 15, 20172 min read
Workshops Scheduled!!!
Ladies and gentlemen, I have, what is for me, and hopefully for some of you, some very exciting news: I have my first two Montessori...
Dec 1, 20173 min read
Using Our Hands, Hearts And Minds To Satisfy Our Fundamental Human Needs.
Handwork fulfills any number of roles as a part of Cosmic Education. In the Elementary, one of these roles is to pick up where Practical...
