I started to compile these photos for the newsletter and was once again so blown away by what these campers created that I realized I needed a whole blog post for all the details!
First off, thank you Mother Nature for giving us such beautiful weather for our Spring Break Camp! Having been born and raised in Upstate New York, I consider spring break and April prime time for freak snow storms, not freak 80 degree weather, so I planned the camp assuming we'd be inside the whole time (even considered some "snow-dyeing". But with warm weather we were able to venture out into the parking lot for the messiest parts and throw open the windows for a lovely breeze during the inside parts!
Screenprinting: The campers learned how to create screenprinting "screens" using sheer curtains, embroidery hoops and fabric mod podge. They sketched out some various ideas and transferred them to the screen fabric. Using small paintbrushes and mod podge they filled in the screens and we hung them up to dry.
On the second day we mixed up our screen printing paint, laid out the drop clothes and got to work. The campers learned all about "directional prints" and how to best lay out their designs for their finished projects. I loved the creativity and thought that everyone put into their designs. Of course their favorite part may have been when they discovered that paint splatter added a nice effect to the finished cloth!
Fabric Dyeing: This lesson was chock full of information including a little chemistry, learning about the color wheel, experimenting with different resist techniques and a heavy dose of mad science! The hardest part was putting the fabric aside until the next day!
The results were well worth it! I couldn't help but hang the fabric all over the studio like a cheery banner to great the campers on the second day!
Sewing: The last two days were devoted to cutting and sewing. Some girls knew how to sew from our afterschool classes or private lessons, but we had one lady who was starting from scratch! The girls learned how and why to finish raw edges, how to cut and piece their fabric so the direction of their prints would line up, and how to attach trim!
I'm so proud of these ladies and all they accomplished in just 4 mornings!
Our Spring Break Camp may be over but we have lots of fun camps planned for the summer! Handcrafts Camp • Quilting Camp • Home Ec Camp (at Elmwood Community Center) • Kids Fashion Camp • Teen Fashion Camp
