So totally thrilling!

For our activity today we stayed home. Boring, you might say. Well, we were lucky enough to have a full blood Carib woman come to our home and teach us how to weave! I'm not kidding! You know those little round baskets that they sell? Well, my kids and I know how to make them. Yes, I said my kids! They were all over it and so determined to make their own, no matter how hard they thought it was and how bad they wanted help. Quinn arrived at 9:45 this morning, and started by tell us about where they get the stalks and what they have to do to them to dry them and get them ready. Then we all got to strip them into smaller pieces and cut off the inside material to make it thin. Once we had enough to work with she showed us how to get started with the bottom of the basket. 8 sticks, matched up in pairs. Then you start weaving. I will say that is my favorite part, and the kids would agree with me. She brought some black strips that we could use as well so we could have different colors. The kids all made different patterns on their baskets so it is really neat to look at them all. If you thought making a basket was enough for my kids, then you're wrong. Once they finished their basket they said, "Can you help me make a lid too?" Ben is the only one who finished his today but we have the stuff to finish everyone elses so I'm sure they'll ask me 100 times tomorrow. She didn't leave until 6:15 p.m. so it was a full day of weaving and my kids were still wanting to work on their covers (her word for our lids) when she left. She told me she has taught older kids before but mine were the most focused and committed she has seen. It was awesome to watch them work, create and just keep going, even when it was tough and they kept messing up which meant they had to take it out a bit and fix it. The only down side is that my right thumb has at least 5 cuts on it and the nail hurts because it got pulled up and poked a bit underneath. I will say a little pain is worth it because I know how to weave, Carib style! Maybe we could have her come back next month and teach us how to make hats or fans. Oh the possibilities are endless! (My husband said no so I guess we are done making Carib products.)

Benjamin's is all the way on the left, then Marissa's and Emily's in the middle. Mine is on the far right and Quinn's is left of mine - she made it for Xiomara. I just have to finish the lids and make mine - if I want to remember how to do it I need to do it again. Ben has the most colorful basket because he used both sides of the two strips we were using to weave so he ended up with the darker brown, light brown, black and gray. Marissa weaved two pieces at one time so she has an alternating pattern. Emily has a large band of black. Quinn weaved an alternating pattern for Xiomara. I weaved with three strips at once so I have two rows of light brown and one row of black. It was neat to see all the different things that could be done with the same materials.