|
|
 Stitch a Handmade Book
Make your own one-of a kind bestseller: You don’t need a publisher and an editor to start you writing career! Hand stitch this homemade masterpiece and fill it with your own story, illustrations and Bay memories.
First get:
- 2-4 sheets of paper for your pages. 81&Mac218;2x11 (notebook size paper) works well. Printer paper might be just the thing.
- 1 heavier, larger sheet for your cover. A big sheet of construction paper will be just the right weight.
- About 21&Mac218;2 feet of thread, string, or yarn.
- A sewing needle large enough for your string.
- A ruler, a pencil
 Lay your big cover sheet horizontally underneath one of your inside sheets, and trace the edges lightly with a pencil. Now trim the cover sheet so that it sticks out about 1&Mac218;4-inch higher and two or three inches wider on each side.
Fold each sheet of paper horizontally, making a neat, tight crease with your fingers. Put all the pieces together with the cover on the outside. Use the needle to punch three evenly spaced holes down the crease through the pages and the cover. Be sure that the holes in each of your pages all line up.
 Thread your needle and knot one end. Now sew, first pushing your needle through the middle hole. Start on the outside, pushing through to the inside. Next, sew through the top hole. Then bring your needle and thread all the way down through the bottom hole so that it comes through the inside of the book. Finally, go through the middle hole once more. Tie the two ends into a knot or bow on the outside of your book.
Fold the ends of the cover so that it matches up with the indside sheets. This will make the cover a little heavier so the book will stay shut.
Meet Some Talented Maryland Writers:
Many Maryland kids’ authors live on and write about Chesapeake Bay. Snap up one of these for a rewarding read! (J is for juvenile fiction; YA is for young adult fiction)
Gayle Gillerlain - Reverend Thomas’s False Teeth - J
Priscilla Cummings - Chadwick the Crab - J, A Face First - YA
Mick Blackistone - The Day They Left the Bay - J
Carolyn Stearns - Where Did All the Water Go? - J
Jennifer Keats Curtis - Oshus and Shelly Save the Bay (1999) - J
Katherine Paterson - Jacob Have I Loved (1980)- YA
Margaret Meacham - Oyster Moon - YA
Kids Calandar
Man- Eating Plants! - Sun. July 8 (1pm)–Snack on edible plants and learn tasty new recipes along the way as you explore the outdoors at “Nature’s Treats” with Ranger Brian Campbell. Kinder Farm Park: 410/222-6115.
Get Hooked! (on Fishing, Not Drugs) - July 9-13 & other dates througout the summer – County and state DARE officers team with State Natural Rescources Police to show how fishing is more fun than taking drugs. Kids ages 7-16 learn all about marine life, water safety and, most importantly, fishing at this free clinic. Patapsco Valley State Park. rsvp: 410/260-8890.
Bunk With A Skunk - July 13-14 (6:30 pm)–Who knows what might snuggle up to you at the Baltimore Zoo’s overnight camping adventure for families? You bring your tent and sleeping bag; they’ll supply the food, fun and furry, scaly and feathered friends. Waterfowl Lake Pavilion, Baltimore Zoo. $40 each: rsvp 410/396-7102; www.baltimorezoo.org.
Just Dyeing for Some Color? - Sat. July 7 (2-3:30)–Long before chemical pigments and paints were created, people collected natural dyestuffs to brighten up their world. Come do it the old-fashioned way; gather materials, learn about the dyeing process and make a little color of your own. Battle Creek Cypress Swamp. $4 w/discounts. rsvp: 410/535-5327.
Storytimes for the Little Ones (Ages 3-5) - Sun. July 8 (2-2:30 pm)–Nature stories with Sherri explore the moon and stars. Battle Creek Cypress Swamp. $3 w/discounts. rsvp: 410/535-5327.
Make Music - Tues. July 10 (10:30 am) Kindermusik with teacher Gail Trafelet. Borders Books and Music, Bowie: 301/352-5560.
Copyright 2001
Bay Weekly
|
