Kunin Felt Classroom: Crafting with Kids: Shopkins Party Headbands

DQ-KFC-Crafting-with-Kids-Shopkins-Party-Banner-1x

Welcome back to the Kunin Felt Classroom. We are Crafting with the Kids. One of my Grandlittles had her sixth birthday party and wanted a Shopkins themed party. She along with all her friends love Shopkins, the collection of miniature, cutesy versions of everyday shopping items like shampoo bottles, jam jars and vegetables. They have adorable large eyes and tiny features. They are very cute!

As the birthday party was at a special venue where the girls went swimming and then back to the party room to have their lunch and cake, a sit down activity was needed to do at the table. Headband making at baby showers and girl parties is very popular and Maya thought her little friends would enjoy crafting a Shopkins headband to wear home. She was so excited for weeks and weeks before.

DQ Shopkins Headband Teaching P2

You will need: (6 Headbands)

  • 9’ x 12” craft cut Kunin Eco-Fi™ Glitterfelt™, 3 White
  • 2 yards Crochet Headband from Expo International www.expointl.com
  • Fabri-tac and Felt Glue by Beacon www.beaconadhesives.com
  • Cupcake Die by Laura Kelly for Sizzix www.sizzix.com
  • Assorted small buttons, 10-15 per headband
  • 12 Wiggly eyes
  • Black, Pink Fabric Markers by www.ilovetocreate.com
  • Pencil, ruler, scissors, Big Shot (if not available, cupcake templates can be found online)

DQ Shopkins Headband Teaching P3

  1. Measure your child’s head. (The crochet trim is very soft and has a large stretch so it will fit a variety of head sizes. Use your child’s size as a guide.) Cut six headband pieces.
  2. Cut felt pieces in half, die cut six cupcakes. From felt scraps cut twelve 2” by 2.5” pieces.
  3. Join the ends of each headband piece gluing a small piece of felt at the join on the inside.
  4. Place another small piece of felt on the opposite upper side of headband. Gluing on the inside of headband. This will be the place to glue the cupcake once it is decorated.

The next step is decorating the cupcake for the headband. This is the fun part and the girls spent lots of time gluing buttons with the felt glue and drawing features. Once they were finished with some of the Moms helping, the cupcakes were glued with the Fabri-tac to the headband.

DQ Shopkins Headband 123 P4

Tips for Crafting with Kids

1. No matter what the size or age level of group being prepared is key to a fun and successful experience. Make sure to bring at least two or three extra kits in case of accidents or extra kids arriving. Have several of the items to share like glue, scissors available between two to three children.

2. When planning a project think about what is the most fun or what will engage the children the most. Allow for lots of time for each step. Some of the little girls outlined their cupcakes with marker, made button mouths and drew many features like eyelashes, lips, name.

3. In this project the actual assembling of the headband itself would not be that interesting and could be a little frustrating to some as the glue goes through the crochet trim.

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4. Also putting everything together in kit form for each child is the easiest way to work with a group. Everyone received a bag decorated with a Shopkins sticker and pretty ribbon. Inside were eyes, buttons and a felt cupcake.

5. Have a completed project to show them and a few variations just to give ideas. Take a group and individual photos after the project is completed

DQ Shopkins Closeup P6

When shopping for felt make sure to read the labels on the craft cuts and bolts. Imported craft felt is not of the same quality or weight at 2-3 oz. compared to the 5-8 oz. of our Kunin felt products and could lead to disappointing results. Glue can bleed through thinner products leaving hard white patchy spots.

DQ Shopkins Closeup P7

You can now find an expanded color line of Kunin Eco-fi Classicfelt; Eco-fiPlus™ Premiumfelt and ShaggiChic non-wovens fabrics in cut by the yard at your local Walmart; please inquire as to what is available in your area.

Thank you for stopping by, have any questions, please inquire in a comment or on our Facebook page. We will be sharing the Classroom series weekly.

Debra