Make a Flowernote Bouquet with us this afternoon!

Mon, 06/16/2014 - 10:10am by eapearce

Join library staff and elementary-aged kids for a fun flowernote bouquet craft today (Monday, June 16) at Traverwood at 1:00! Children will use flower templates to cut out and fold special flowers that open up to reveal a handwritten note on the inside. Pipe cleaner "stems" and ribbons will also be provided so that the flowers can be constructed into a beautiful bouquet to give to someone special. This program is intended for grades K-5.

Yarn Bomb Zone

Sun, 06/08/2014 - 3:44pm by manz

This past weekend the outdoor garden at the downtown branch was yarn bombed to celebrate International Yarn Bombing Day! Patrons learned how to knit at a library program and took their creations outdoors to create a bit of whimsy. I’m not sure how long the exhibit will stay up, so check it out the next time you’re downtown!

If you’re curious and want to learn more I recommend Yarn bombing: the art of crochet and knit graffiti by Mandy Moore. The book talks about the birth of knit graffiti and all it encompasses. It’s a great read for the crafters out there, whether you knit or not.

Bibliocraft - A Crafter/Library Lover's Dream

Fri, 06/06/2014 - 12:15pm by nicole

An honest question here: Do you love your library? If you're here, on this page, reading this, then I can pretty much guess that you do. I'm not surprised; your library has so much to offer! Books, and games, and science-y things--and now, for all of you library-loving crafters out there, a book that can help you combine your crafting talents and your undying love of all things LIBRARY.

Bibliocraft. How perfect is that? A book that tells its reader all about how to harvest crafting inspiration from the endless potential on the library shelves. It starts you out slow and steady, walking you through some library basics, like how to find what you want in a library catalog and some important points about copyright in library books.

And then it gets real. Part 2: THE CRAFTS.

The rest of the book is a smorgasbord of amazing projects inspired by library resources like, oh, perhaps, the ones you might find here. Historic watermarks transformed into pillows, Japanese family crests turned into coasters, votive holders, pendants made from quilled paper, and, my personal favorite, instructions for making a pocketed kitty-kat apron. With...wait for it...additional instructions for making actual knitted kittens to put in those pockets. Because why not?

You had me at "kitties", Bibliocraft.

And don't forget, along with this biblio-gem, the library has dozens of other awesome craft books and crafting programs, so make sure to check them out! (...see what I did there?)

Geography Crafts for Kids

Tue, 06/03/2014 - 5:33pm by PattySmith

About now most kids are are counting down the days to summer break. However, summer doesn’t have to mean taking a break from learning. AADL has some great books that will have the whole family learning all summer long! The book Geography Crafts for Kids by Joe Rhatigan and Heather Smith offers hands on activities that will have learners of all ages thinking in new and exciting ways about the world we live in. Serve up some plate tectonics with a Pangea Pudding Puzzle or learn the art of cartography by mapping out your neighborhood. This book is filled with over 50 cool projects, along with illustrations and sidebars for parents. Check it out and learn about the world and beyond from your very own home!

DIY LED Origami Light Garlands

Saturday July 19, 2014: 2:00pm to 3:30pm
Pittsfield Branch: Program Room
Adults And Teens Grade 6 And Up

Hinamatsuri Paper Craft

Tuesday March 3, 2015: 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Traverwood Branch: Program Room
Grades 3 - 8

Unbored: The Essential Field Guide to Serious Fun

Fri, 05/16/2014 - 3:05pm by manz

Summer and no school is just around the corner, and this giant book is full of ways to keep you busy with a variety of subjects. While the book features "serious fun," it's written more on the funny side. It has a great cover and great illustrations, which totally nudge me to like certain books more.

Unbored gives you big ideas and how to start them, including how to grow a science garden, make your own games, zines, and LED graffiti You can also learn how to perform kitchen experiments, blog, fix your bike, and lots more.

The book also features some fun lists! Including a list of banned books you should read, secret history of young adult novels, best ever sports movies, best ever stop-action movies, best ever animal movies, best ever DIY fiction, and the best ever clean hip hop songs.

There’s also informational bits thrown into the book. Learn some weird facts about condiments, or browse a list of kitchen cures, and learn how to train your grownup to be a ninja.

UNBORED! That’s what you’ll be at the end of the book. Be sure to check out the book preview to see examples of what's inside. And check out the awesome website for the book! There is a TON of great stuff to look at.

Amigurumi Crochet Happy Fun!

Tuesday July 29, 2014: 6:00pm to 8:45pm
Pittsfield Branch: Program Room
Adults And Teens Grade 6 And Up

Geometric Origami 101

Tuesday August 5, 2014: 7:00pm to 8:45pm
Pittsfield Branch: Program Room
Grade 4 To Adult

Beginning Crochet Class

Tuesday July 15, 2014: 6:00pm to 8:45pm
Malletts Creek Branch: Program Room
Adults And Teens Grades 6 And Up