And so by laying some much needed foundations, Carole Miles, Project leader has organised for the first session of "Threads and Chatter" for the "View From Here" project to be held this week at the Kettering Buccleuch Academy.
The thing I love about doing workshops is you are never quite certain who will turn up and what personalities your will meet. I think for this session I was expecting mainly adults. However, the reality was a cacophony of sound from a band of excited young children supported by very few parents.
This always creates a challenge as, cutting through the excitement you are left with questions, "What skills do this group already have?" And when I mean skills I am not just talking about creative skills, I am talking about interpersonal skills. Can they work together? Are they able to follow instructions? Will they be patient enough to allow me to get around the group.
All the children were keen to get started. I brought a goodly scoop from my button collection and a selection of colourful chinese silk cords. It's always good to offer choice. Buttons quite often become a bonding agent. The adults in the group perhaps would remember grandma's tin of buttons, the children not so much, but oh, the fascination of buttons, the colour, the shape and the feel as you emerse your hand in the depths of a button tin.
Getting them to choose a selection of buttons kept them engrossed whilst I wandered round the room engaging with each child and adult allowing them to choose which colour of cord they favoured.
I noticed that a few of the children greatly relied on Mum to do the task in hand for them, giving up after a few minutes. Then good old Mum or Grandma stepped up to the bar even though this also was a new thing to her. Was this lack of confidence perhaps or the fear of the unknown on
the part of the child?
This was soon resolved when the group soon discovered that they could move on from making a bracelet to
creating a necklace. Through careful negotiations I was able to steer these reliant children into becoming independent makers, thus allowing Mum to be able to access her own creativity.
As the session developed I noticed that almost by magic the group started to help each other and realise that they were no longer in competition with each other. Lots of colourful buttons and cords available for everyone.
This was a lovely first session, and it was captured beautifully by Carole on her camera, who is a whizz at documenting the moment. We even got some lovely feedback from Rob Walker who is our school contact,
"It was great to see children, parents and grandparents learning and having fun together!"
If you have enjoyed this blog post about the View from Here, more can be read over at
Back to Books which is where Carole Miles documents all the projects she is involved with.
View From Here Project : Taking Threads and Chatter to the Green Patch
View From Here Project: Threads and Chatter wrapping threads at the Green Patch
View From Here Project: Threads and Chatter wrapping threads at KBA
View From Here Project: Threads and Chatter threaded Mandalas at KBA
View From Here Project: Threads and Chatter gathering papers stitching handmade books
View From Here Project: Preparing for World Book Night at KBA and The Green Patch
View From Here Project: Threads and Chatter presents sewing a bookmark
This is a lively bunch of children, as you would expect from youngsters who enjoy the outdoors so getting them to sit and create indoors was always going to be a challenge.
