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Join us for National Craft Month. Whether you're a seasoned artist or a beginner, National Craft Month is the perfect time to explore your artistic side, learn new skills, and connect with others who share your love of crafting. From knitting to woodworking to jewelry-making and beyond, the possibilities for creative expression are endless. Join us as we celebrate the excitement of making something by hand and the joy of crafting!
Programs
Drop-In Watercolor Painting
Come to East Library to experiment with watercolors at this fun and informal drop-in session! No registration necessary and all skill levels welcome. We'll supply the brushes, paint, and paper; just bring yourself! A volunteer will be on hand to help and inspire. Ages 9 and up. Ages 9-11 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Tue., March 7 at 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., East Library - Community Room. Ages 9+. No registration required
- Tue., March 21 at 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., East Library - Community Room. Ages 9+. No registration required
Yarnettes Fiber Group
Join this fun group of fiber friends for a couple of hours of working on your own projects.
- Fri., March 10 at 10 a.m. – noon, Library 21c – Make. Adults, Seniors. No registration required.
- Fri., March 24 at 10 a.m. – noon, Library 21c – Make. Adults, Seniors. No registration required.
Bleach Textile Art
Get into the Winter Adult Reading Program spirit with this thematic art project. Using bleach on either a 100% cotton fabric you bring or one of our small cotton washcloths, we will learn how to make a unique work of art. For ages 18+. Registration required.
Whimsical Faerie House
Get ready for spring by making a whimsical faerie house. You'll leave with a decorated pot that can be filled with soil and seed later. For ages 18+. Registration required.
STEAM Take & Make: Rainbow Gravity Spinner (ages 5-12 at all locations)
Explore Newton’s Third Law of Motion by creating a spinner and letting it fly! For ages 5-12.
Resources
- Try It! – A regularly updated collection of fun crafts and activities to try out! – Ages 5-12
- Creative Projects at Home LibGuide
Browse through this guide to find information about how you can get started on creative projects from the comfort of home. - PPLD’s Makerspace LibGuides
PPLD’s makerspaces offer access to tools, materials, and machines to help bring your creative vision to life. Offerings include die cutters, 3D printers, sewing machines, and more. Click on a guide's title to discover a comprehensive overview of that topic and start crafting today.
Recommended Websites
- CraftLab – A collection of unique crafts and activities! – Ages 0-12
- Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center
This database offers detailed "how-to" instructions and creative ideas to meet the interests of virtually every hobby enthusiast. Full text is provided from leading hobby and craft magazines.
Materials for this Take and Make will be available at area PPLD libraries, beginning Feb. 10, 2023.
Supplies and Directions:
For additional pictures of this project, click on the pdf file link below.)
Jumbo craft sticks (2)
A wide rubberband
Two smaller rubber bands
A straw
You provide the scissors.
1. Cut two pieces of straw that are 1 – 1 .5 inches long.
2. Stretch the thick rubber band around one of the craft sticks. Place one of the straws under the rubber band.
3. Put the other craft stick on top and attach them with one of the small rubberband on the same end as the straw.
4. Stick the other piece of straw at the other end of the harmonica, but this time place it on top of the wide rubber band. Secure the end with the second small rubber band.
5. To play the harmonica, all you have to do is blow. Our younger kids were wanting to hum into it at first, but then they got the hang of it.
It makes a really cool noise! When you blow, the wide rubber band vibrates and makes a sound.
To change the pitch, slide the straws closer together or farther apart. When you slide them closer together, the section of rubber band that is vibrating is shorter, so it makes a higher sound. Slide the straws all the way to the edges to get the lowest possible sound (which is still pretty high, but lower).
Make it an experiment!
Does the thickness or the tension of the wide rubber band affect the pitch? Try different ones.
Can you change the pitch by blowing harder or softer? Does the shape of your mouth affect the pitch? (Yes, it does! One of my boys figured out how to play a song by blowing different ways.)
We are excited to announce the relaunch of our Discovery Kits this month! These interactive kits allow you to explore new hobbies and interests from home. We have kits for all ages. Explore robotics and wiring, weaving on a loom, Lego Mindstorm builds, blanket forts, and more.
Children will have a fun introduction to coding basics using the Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set, which comes with a programmable robot mouse. Using plastic track pieces, they can build a maze the mouse must travel through for a piece of cheese at the end. They can also lay out directional cards to help visualize what they need to program into the mouse so it can reach the goal.
Get hands-on science learning with the Survive the Quake Engineering Kit. Use interlocking blocks resembling buildings to experiment with different architectural designs on a plate that simulates seismic activity. Turn it on to see how your facility would fair in an earthquake.
Tinker with the Electronic Playground and have fun experimenting with circuitry and electronics. Find out what happens when you connect wires to transformers, resistors, switches, and other parts of the switchboard.
Discovery Kits can be reserved for checkout for a maximum of seven days. Learn more about the kits we have available here.