Handy Crafts

The “Handy Crafts” activity involves participants learning embroidery while hearing about an entrepreneurship journey. Using eco bags provided, participants embroider lavender designs, taking their personalized creations home to continue practicing their newfound skill.

The theme of the “Handy Crafts” activity revolves around creativity, skill-building through embroidery, and entrepreneurship. Participants engage in hands-on learning while hearing about entrepreneurial experiences, combining practical crafting with personal and professional inspiration.

Participants foreseen for the “Handy Crafts” activity range from teenagers to adults with an interest in learning embroidery and entrepreneurship, catering to beginners and those seeking to enhance their crafting skills while exploring entrepreneurial insights.

Skill Acquisition: Participants will learn the basics of embroidery, specifically focusing on lavender embroidery on eco bags.

Inspiration and Motivation: Participants will gain insights into entrepreneurship through another person’s personal journey, fostering inspiration and motivation.

Hands-On Experience: Participants will actively engage in the embroidery process, creating their own embroidered eco bag during the event.

Knowledge Sharing: Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn practical tips about embroidery techniques and entrepreneurial experiences from the facilitator.

Eco Bags: Provide eco-friendly bags made of a suitable material for embroidery, such as cotton or canvas. Ensure they are pre-washed to avoid shrinkage.

Embroidery Hoops: One hoop per participant to keep the fabric taut while embroidering.

Embroidery Needles: Sharp needles suitable for embroidery work.

Embroidery Floss: Various colors of embroidery floss, including shades of lavender or other preferred colors for the design.

Scissors: Small scissors for cutting embroidery floss.

Pens or Markers: Water-soluble fabric markers or pens for drawing or tracing the embroidery pattern onto the eco bags.

Design Patterns: Printed or traced design patterns of lavender or other simple motifs suitable for embroidery. Optionally, provide templates or stencils.

Thread Organizers: Optional but useful for keeping embroidery floss organized and untangled.

1.Prepare Embroidery Kits:

• Pre-cut embroidery floss into appropriate lengths and organize them by color.
• Assemble embroidery hoops and needles for each participant.
• Prepare eco bags by ensuring they are clean and pre-washed.

2.Create or Prepare Design Patterns:

• Print or trace design patterns onto paper or transfer them onto the eco bags using fabric markers.
• Ensure patterns are simple and suitable for beginners to embroider within the workshop time frame.

3.Review and Prepare Your Entrepreneurship Story:

• Outline key points of your entrepreneurship journey that you plan to share with participants.
• Prepare any visual aids or props (such as photos or products) that illustrate your journey.

4.Practice the Embroidery Process:

• Familiarize yourself with the steps of lavender embroidery on eco bags.
• Test the process to anticipate any challenges participants might face and prepare solutions or tips.

5.Organize Logistics:

• Arrange tables and chairs in a conducive layout for embroidery work.
• Ensure good lighting and ventilation in the workshop area.
• Set up a designated area for your presentation and Q&A session.

6.Prepare Facilitation Materials:

• Print out agendas or schedules for participants.

Have notebooks, pens, or whiteboard markers ready for Q&A sessions.

1. Introduction and Welcome

• Welcome participants and introduce yourself.
• Briefly explain the objectives of the workshop: learning embroidery and gaining insights into entrepreneurship through your story.

2. Icebreaker or Introduction Activity

• Conduct a brief icebreaker activity to help participants get to know each other, if applicable.

3. Presentation on Entrepreneurship Journey

• Share your personal entrepreneurship journey, highlighting key milestones, challenges faced, and successes achieved.
• Use visual aids like slides, photos, or props to illustrate your story and engage participants.

4. Overview of Embroidery Process

• Explain the basics of embroidery, focusing on the techniques needed for lavender embroidery on eco bags.
• Show examples or demonstrations of different embroidery stitches that participants will use.

5. Distribute Materials

• Distribute embroidery kits to participants, including eco bags, embroidery hoops, needles, pre-cut embroidery floss, and design patterns.
• Ensure each participant has all necessary materials and tools.

6. Demonstrate and Guide Embroidery

• Step-by-step, demonstrate how to start and execute the lavender embroidery design on the eco bag.
• Provide clear instructions on stitching techniques (e.g., back stitch, satin stitch) and how to follow the design pattern.

7. Hands-On Embroidery Session

• Allow participants time to begin their embroidery work.
• Circulate among participants to provide guidance, answer questions, and offer tips as needed.
• Encourage participants to personalize their designs and express creativity.

8. Facilitate Q&A and Discussion

• After participants have started embroidering, facilitate a Q&A session where participants can ask questions about entrepreneurship or embroidery techniques.
• Share additional tips and insights based on participant questions and interests.

9. Completion and Reflection

• Monitor progress and ensure participants complete their embroidery designs within the allocated time.
• Encourage participants to reflect on their experience and discuss any challenges or successes they encountered.

10. Closing Remarks and Wrap-Up

• Thank participants for their participation and creativity.
• Invite participants to share their embroidered eco bags with the group, if they feel comfortable.

Provide any final instructions or resources for continuing embroidery at home.

11. Collect Feedback

• Distribute feedback forms or conduct a brief verbal feedback session to gather input from participants about their experience.

Use feedback to improve future workshops or activities.

Safety and Comfort:

• Ensure participants are comfortable with seating arrangements and workspace lighting.

Provide ergonomic advice to prevent hand strain during embroidery.

The ideal group size for the “Handy Crafts” embroidery workshop focusing on lavender designs on eco bags is typically 8 to 12 participants, ensuring ample individual attention and effective facilitation of hands-on learning activities.

The complexity level of this activity is 2 which can be explained as; 2. You need more time and material to prepare the activity and you also need more experience in delivering it; e.g. you might need various sport materials, you cannot play it anywhere and the activity is more complex to explain to participants.