American Girl class: Julie Week 5

American Girl class this week was to dye for! In the two-and-a-half years that I have been teaching this class, we have never decorated t-shirts until this week!

After we reviewed the book Julie's Journey (book five in the series), we discussed America's Bicentennial Celebration. I brought a bicentennial quarter to show the girls, and we talked about what the word 'bicentennial' means. I decided to wear a patriotic shirt this week since the story was about the 4th of July. I was happy when I found one that had a '76' on it-- perfect! We also discussed horse-back riding a little bit, since Julie had done that in our book. Most of the girls had ridden a horse before!

In preparation for our Craft this week, I bought one t-shirt and pre-washed them for each of the girls. I emailed the moms two-three weeks ahead of time to get the sizes. I found the best deals and packages on boys white t-shirts at Target. I bought the Tulip one-step kit for tie-dye in bright colors at Hobby Lobby. I bought a kit that had enough to decorate twenty shirts or pieces. The kit came with five bottles of dye, four pairs of plastic gloves and lots of rubber-bands. I just had to add water to the dye to activate it.

We had paper towels on hand and put tablecloths on the tables in the gym. Usually we meet in a classroom, but  I didn't want to get dye on the carpet! I was thankful that I brought aprons for myself and the girls, and told the girls to wear grubby clothes. It wasn't as messy as I imagined it to be, but I should have had the girls bring aprons.

If I did this again, I would purchase more gloves for the girls. I did bring ziploc and plastic bags to put the shirts into, but I would also buy a package of 25, one for each of the girls. We did run out of the ziploc bags. I also used a spray bottle to dampen the shirts, since I didn't do that beforehand. The girls gathered the shirts together into a swirl with rubber bands, applied the dye using the dye bottles, and even used their shirts to clean extra dye off the tables! :-D

Overall it was a fun craft which most of the girls had never done before. I rinsed and washed them at home, and will give them to the girls in class next week. I have quite a pile of bright shirts for the girls! NOTE: THE SHIRTS MUST BE WASHED SEPARATELY FOR THE FIRST FEW WASHES!

For Snack we had Ants on a log (celery with PB & Raisins) and Kool-aid. More dye in the red kool-aid we had! The girls loved it and drank lots!

Of course, as class started my camera battery was dead. I didn't get many pics, but one of my faithful mom helpers loaned me her camera phone for the class. Thanks!

I also took pics of my daughter in her shirt and my hands at home...

She really liked her blues and purples! She found some bright stripedy pants to wear too!

It looks all bruised, but it's really not... it's dye! Must remember thicker rubber gloves next time... since the plastic ones got a hole... It was worth it, I dyed a colorful shirt for me too! More pics of that next week.

Exodus 26:14
Make for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of the other durable leather.

Exodus 35:23
Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or the other durable leather brought them.

Proverbs 6:6
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!