In the Schoolroom: Butterflies for Summer

Would it even be summer without a cute little craft to welcome the season? I think not, so let’s make some butterflies.

This is one of those crafts that takes longer to write out than it does to accomplish, so you might find yourself surrounded by yarn butterflies quickly, which is a good thing.

When finished, use some yarn as a hanger and hang your butterflies in a sunny window for a pretty summertime decoration.

You will need:

• Craft sticks – two per butterfly
• Yarn in more than one color
• Pipe cleaners – one per butterfly
• Beads – three per butterfly, two small and one larger
• Small rubber band or a bread tie – one per butterfly
• White glue (optional)

1. Place craft sticks in an uneven X shape and secure them in the middle with rubber bands or bread ties, not too tight.

2. Wrap your first color of yarn to cover the tie in the middle. Begin the next color by tying the thread to the first color.

3. As the gap between the sticks widens, start threading the yarn in and out and around the sticks in a figure eight.

4. Add a color or continue with one. Three is a good number of colors you can use. Leave a little of the sticks bare.

5. When you finish one end, snip your yarn, dip the end in a drop of white glue, and tuck it in. Repeat on the other side.

6. Fold your pipe cleaner in half. On the folded end, thread your two smaller beads. This end will be the butterfly tail.

7. After the beads are threaded, open the ends and twist the middle of the pipe cleaners around the middle of your butterfly.

8. Bring the two ends together, thread the big bead, to make the head. Curl the ends of the pipe cleaners for antennae. All done!