In the kindergarten, children are taught to be creative. This helps them develop perseverance and develops fine motor skills. The most accessible material for children's creativity is straw. Many crafts are made from this raw material. Their variety can be found in photographs on websites where straw crafts are presented.
There are also various clubs where they conduct master classes on straw crafts for beginners. Such crafts can be attributed to the long tradition of our culture. Straw material has all the necessary properties for use in the manufacture of various crafts.
Wherever cereal plants are grown, you can find crafts made from straw. Forage remains after grain harvesting and is the cheapest raw material for creativity. It was used to make straw paintings, animal figurines and structures.
Such works can be voluminous or flat, large or small in size. Working with such raw materials is suitable for children of any age. It’s so interesting to watch how unusual heroes are made from dried stems, and even with the help of their skillful hands. And although progress today does not stand still, children are still fascinated by creativity made from straw.
Distinctive properties of straw
Straw as a raw material has important characteristics:
- environmental safety;
- cheapness;
- widespread;
- plastic;
- keeps its shape perfectly;
- thoroughness;
- ease of preparation for work.
It must be taken into account that the straw of different grain crops is different. Barley has a yellow stalk, so the straws are also bright yellow and glossy. It is well suited for children's crafts made from straw, as it stands out for its plasticity and ease of processing. Crafts made from barley straw have a rich yellow color.
Rye straw is much darker. The stems of rye crops are more durable, so their straw is more often used when making large structures. Also, rye fodder is needed when making figurines of people and animals, because it holds its shape perfectly.
Forage after wheat is short in length and thick-walled. Has a golden color. It is also suitable for creating three-dimensional compositions.
Oat straw is a universal raw material. The stems are yellow in color and markedly porous. This straw is very flexible, which is why it has a wide range of uses.
When creating interesting paintings or objects, you can combine several types of straw. Thanks to this, it is possible to emphasize certain points and obtain a composition of unusual beauty. You can find interesting ideas for crafts made from straw in specialized literature or on the Internet.
Instructions on how to make a craft from straw
Before you start making crafts, you need to thoroughly plan the entire process. If you are a beginning creator, then choose the simplest composition for your first work. This will help you master the skills of working with straw material.
After drawing up a plan, you need to prepare a place for creativity. It is more convenient to create on a large and flat table surface. You need to place it closer to the window, as well as provide an additional light source. The surface of the table must be covered with oilcloth to protect it from glue or scratches.
Prepare and arrange all the necessary equipment. This could be: various scissors, a stationery knife, tweezers, an awl, an iron, pencils, glue, thread and a needle. The list can be modified, it all depends on the complexity of the selected composition.
The next step is to prepare the base to which we will attach the straw. If the craft is flat, then fabric, plywood, or cardboard can serve as a base. And if you are planning a three-dimensional figure, then you first need to make a frame. It can be constructed from wire or wood.
Let's start processing the straw. To make it softer, you need to pour boiling water over it. Leave for a while and the stems will soften. Afterwards, we take the material out into a wet cloth and, as straws are needed for the craft, dry them with an iron.
Once all these points have been completed, you can proceed directly to the practical production of the craft.
To understand how to properly make crafts from straw with your own hands, let’s carefully analyze one example of such a craft.
Straw doll
Take some straws and fold them in half. To ensure even edges, cut them using scissors. We wrap the base with thread. As a result, we get the body and head of the doll.
To the side we make handles by analogy, marking the elbow bends on them. Using wire or toothpicks, we connect the parts to the body. The making of the doll is completed. In addition, you can make a hat and a fabric scarf, as well as draw a face.
Photos of straw crafts
In the Minecraft game, golems protect residents from zombies and other creatures. In order for any type of golem to form independently, special conditions are needed, which, if necessary, can be recreated independently. There are several types of golem: iron, snow, stone, straw, wood.
Making an iron golem in Minecraft
Iron Golem It protects only from mobs; it is powerless against other sinister creatures. For it to transform automatically, the village must have 16 residents and 21 houses. If you cannot create such conditions yet, then you can make an iron golem yourself. To do this you will need a pumpkin, a torch and four iron blocks.If you can't get blocks, you can make them from 9 iron ingots. Once all the elements are in stock, you can begin creating an iron golem. Place one iron block on the ground, then place a second one on it, attach two more blocks to its sides and place a pumpkin or torch on the block in the middle. After this has been done, the golem will come to life and begin to perform its function. As you can see, there is nothing complicated.
How to make a snow golem?
Role snow golem is very important in Minecraft because thanks to it you can lure the evil villagers into a trap. To build a snow golem, you will need two snow blocks, a pumpkin or a torch. Once all the components are assembled, you can begin construction. Place the snow slabs one on top, attach a pumpkin or a torch on top - you're done, the good mob is all at your disposal.
Making a stone golem
This friendly mob protects the player from zombies and other unpleasant characters in the game very effectively. In order to build it, you will need four stone blocks, a pumpkin or a lantern. Once you have collected all the elements, you can begin construction. First place one stone block, then place another one on top of it, then attach two blocks on the sides, you will get the letter “t”. Place a pumpkin or lantern on top in the middle, now you know how to make a golem in minecraft.
How to make a straw golem in Minecraft?
To prevent the player from remaining hungry, it is necessary to build straw golem, he harvests crops and can find them within a radius of 10 blocks. To create it, just right-click on any of the blocks.
Making a wooden golem
Wood Golem He is also a good helper around the house, he collects everything he needs that is around him. To do it, you need to right-click on the chest.
Minecraft is a kind of sandbox for creative people, where you can imagine and build whatever you like.
A modern person, when building his own home, has a huge selection of roofing materials that differ in weight, material and appearance. And in the old days, even before people learned how to skillfully process metal and it became generally available, everyone used straw to cover the roofs of their homes.
A house with a thatched roof provided excellent protection from rain, snow, wind and cold, and plant materials grew everywhere, and therefore cost practically nothing. Nowadays, straw roofing technology is used more as a decorative architectural solution in the design of cafes, restaurants, gazebos and terraces.
Thatched roof is a term that combines all types of roofing for the construction of which plant materials are used. Traditionally, reeds, straw, and reeds were used to cover houses, that is, plants that grow abundantly in the construction area. They used freshly harvested long, straight stems of healthy plants, which were tied into sheaves and then placed tightly in several layers on the crate. The advantages of such a roof are considered:
Pay attention! When talking about thatched roofing, one cannot fail to note the original, aesthetic appearance of this structure. Houses, gazebos and other structures with a roof made of plant material immediately take on a cozy, homely, cute look, so this traditional technology is often used in the design of themed restaurants, cafes and other recreational places.
Disadvantages of technology
Before you make a thatched roof, you need to understand all the features and subtleties of this traditional technology. Many are interested in how this ancient and most primitive roofing material can compete with modern technological coatings. Indeed, the technology of constructing a roof using natural plant material has its drawbacks:
- Highly flammable. Straw, reeds and reeds dried in the sun are easily ignited by the slightest spark. This property of plant material often causes fires during summer drought or thunderstorms.
- Restrictions on the roof structure. Due to the peculiarities of the technology for laying plant roofing material, a thatched roof must have a slope of at least 37-39 degrees.
- Difficulty in installation. It is a rare craftsman who can make a beautiful, even, neat straw roof. The task is complicated by the fact that the technology of covering with plant raw materials has been practically forgotten and is used quite rarely.
- High price. Many people have the false impression that thatch roofing is a cheap solution for the poor. In fact, erecting a thatched roof in compliance with all stages of technology is sometimes more expensive than using modern roofing materials, including due to the high cost of high-quality plant material.
Important! Experienced roofers claim that modern technologies can eliminate or minimize the disadvantages of thatched roofing. For example, the easy flammability of dry plant material can be eliminated by treatment with a fire retardant compound. However, over time, the protective composition is washed off by rain, so treatment must be done once every 5-10 years.
Roofing pie
Dry straw roofing is considered quite durable if all installation technology requirements are followed during installation. From the point of view of installation, the roofing pie of a thatched roof is practically no different from the traditional one, only the roofing covering replaces plant material. It consists of the following components:
- Rafter frame. The roof frame is assembled from boards and bars; it usually consists of a mauerlat, vertical posts, ridge beams and rafter legs. It should be strong enough, but light. The minimum acceptable slope angle for a thatched roof is 35 degrees, and the optimal slope is 45 degrees.
- Lathing. To lay the straw, a continuous sheathing or slatted structure with a pitch width of 30-35 cm is installed. This requirement is due to the technology of laying and fixing vegetation on the roof slope.
- Plant material. Dried, fresh plant material, tied into sheaves, is laid in tiers in a dense layer at a distance of 30 cm. The sheaves are fixed using stainless steel wire or hemp rope.
Please note that professional roofers claim that additional waterproofing and thermal insulation will only worsen the performance of a thatched roof. Due to the use of airtight materials for insulation, the roofing cake begins to rot, darken, losing its original appearance, and the rafter frame begins to rot.
Laying technology
A do-it-yourself thatched roof is a practical design solution that will decorate the appearance of a country house, gazebo or terrace. Typically, work on laying roofs from plant material is carried out at the end of summer in dry weather, when there is plenty of dry straw and reeds in the area. The technology for constructing a thatched roof consists of the following steps:
Remember that fitting and lining a thatched roof is a real art, so not only the appearance, but also the functionality of the structure depends on the skill of the roofer when laying plant material.
Video instructions
Recently, the trend of building environmentally friendly houses has become increasingly popular. If you also want to follow fashion trends, then a thatched roof can complement your home.
Description
Just a few years ago it would have been surprising to see thatched roofs on luxury buildings, but today it is no longer uncommon. This choice of many consumers is due to environmental friendliness, excellent thermal insulation and lightness of the material. In houses with thatched roofs, a comfortable atmosphere is always maintained and dust does not accumulate. The material is able to retain heat well and is no worse than modern roofing coverings.
Despite the fact that the thatched roof has a fairly impressive thickness, reaching 30 centimeters, it weighs little. There are only 40 kilograms per square meter. After completion of the work, the under-roof space is reliably protected from meteorological conditions. In order to increase the moisture resistance of the structure, the material is impregnated with water-repellent compounds before installation. Craftsmen will not have to install hydro- and vapor barrier layers, since straw is characterized by excellent hygroscopic properties.
Review of positive characteristics
Before you start building a house and laying thatched roofing, you need to become more familiar with its features. Among the positive ones, one can note the low cost, which makes straw so popular among consumers. Thanks to the fairly significant slope of the roof, which is 50 degrees, water and other natural precipitation do not linger on the surface. This prevents them from getting inside. The service life of such coatings is quite long; the roof can be used for up to 30 years or more, and it will not require repairs.
Review of disadvantages
A thatched roof also has some disadvantages, among them it is worth paying attention to the fire hazard. In order to eliminate the possibility of accidental fire, the material is treated with fire retardants before installation. Those craftsmen who have already been involved in installation work where the described material was involved note the high labor intensity. Among other things, if you are used to changing the shape and color of your roof from time to time, then straw will not be the best option.
Consumer Reviews
According to users, the thatched roof was originally made from rye straw. Today you can find structures made from wild grasses, namely fescue, bromegrass, timothy, reed grass, leaftail and the like. Roofs made of reeds are quite common, which, according to consumers, is used quite often due to the long length of the stems and their flexibility.
Home craftsmen are advised to remember that the complexity of installation work will be complemented by the need to independently prepare the material. To do this, plants are cut with a sickle, and if you can’t find a tool, you can use a fairly sharp knife. In order to give the canvas the necessary bend, it should be processed with a sharpener. Some are good at beating the blades, which allows you to get jagged edges that help you cut down the stem. If you want to build a house under a thatched roof, then the preparation of roofing material must be done in dry weather in mid-summer. When you plan to use reeds, you can prepare meadow grasses along with them, which can be used as an auxiliary roofing material.
Schemes for fixing sheaves to the base
The thatched roof of a hut can be installed according to several schemes, one of which involves the use of wire stitching technology. The second involves the additional use of screws. The following techniques are accompanied by the use of nails or constrictions. In the first case, you should use a special needle into which the wire is threaded. If the sheaves will serve as a ceiling and roof, then manipulations must be carried out with the help of a second person. One craftsman will guide the needle from the inside, while the second will stitch from the outside. If the structure has a ceiling, the method may be more labor-intensive. Access to the roof from the inside will be excluded, so you can use a rounded type of needle that has special rings. The wire is fixed to the latter.
Before making a thatched roof, you must decide what laying pattern will be used. It may involve the use of wire screws. This technology is not only simple, but also fast. The sheaves should be fixed to the sheathing or beams using screws. In this case, you can get rid of the strapping under the roof, since it will not be needed. The wire must be attached to the screws in advance, which will ensure the required length of the material. If you do not have the opportunity to use the help of a second master, then you should choose this method, since fastening can be done alone.
Method of stitching with nails or constrictions
Houses with thatched roofs are often nailed in the roof area. This method can only be used on those systems that are equipped with durable sheathing. It must withstand the additional weight of the fasteners, so the requirements for it are particularly stringent. For work, you should prepare three types of nails, the first should be 300 millimeters long; it should be used to secure sheaves from the middle of the roof. The second type of nails is 250 millimeters long and is attached to the middle. The third type is the smallest, its length is 200 millimeters; these fasteners should be used for cornices.
The nails are selected in such a way that the shape is the same for all sizes; one end of the element should be pointed, while the other should be made in the form of a hook. As a decorative decoration for the roof, the most commonly used pattern is stitching with constrictions. This work must be carried out using small pieces of wire, wood or bamboo stems.
Technology overview
When setting up straw work, you should start with preparing the sheaves. They are knitted using strands of straw, which are called “svyaslo”. These elements carry out dressing of the prepared material. In order for the coating to be aesthetically pleasing and neat, the sheaves should be made of the same size. They are measured in handfuls; about 8 guests will be needed to cover the roof of the house. If the gazebo or veranda is blocked, then the number should be reduced by 2 times. Prepared and well-measured bundles of straw should be laid out on a flat surface and then tied with a damp bundle. It is recommended to start in calm weather. To simplify the task, the material can be sprinkled with water. You need to start laying from the first row; single sheaves are placed in it, but you can tie elements together in twos. They will differ in density and strength. The fit to the roof is quite strong and aesthetically pleasing.
Work methodology
A gazebo can also be covered in this way; the thatched roof will be just as durable and waterproof. Before attaching the material to the roof, it is prepared. To do this, each sheaf must be placed on a solid base so that the butt part extends beyond the edge. Next, the material needs to be combed using a board with nails packed into it. During these manipulations, it will be possible to remove broken straws and all kinds of branches, as well as other debris, from the sheaf. Using a special spatula, the sheaf should be tapped at the ends and leveled. Only after this can it be lifted onto the roof.
Nuances of laying the material
Experienced builders claim that it will not be possible to cover such a roof without using outside help. One master must feed the sheaves from below, and the rest fix them on the roof. The material should be laid as tightly as possible, the row along which the rest will be oriented should be very even. In order to eliminate mistakes, you can mark the roof or pull a rope. The number of sheaves that will be needed for laying on the roof can be easily calculated. To do this, a meter is measured on the ground, sheaves are laid out on it, which will allow you to count how many elements come out. Once you measure the length of the roof, you will be able to determine the required amount of material.
In all subsequent rows, unconnected bundles should be laid, which are pressed with pressure slats. You can fix them to the base using ropes or. In some cases, soft ropes are used. To give the system special strength and reliability, meadow grasses can be laid under a layer of reeds.
Conclusion
The finished roof should look uneven as each row creates a small step. Some homeowners leave the roof this way, believing that it adds curb appeal to the house. But traditionally, steps can be leveled using a special comb, which is made from boards with cutouts on one side and nails on the other. Before starting work, many craftsmen wonder what a thatched roof is called. In different areas there are different names, namely: knitting, svyaslo or sling.
Only straw harvested by hand is suitable for weaving, and it must be harvested at different times - then it will be of different shades: from green to bright yellow. The stems are cut close to the ground and immediately tied into sheaves.
If the harvested straw is green, it must be dried in a closed, ventilated area. If such straw is dried in the sun, the golden hue will intensify. After drying, the straw must be cleaned. First, remove the nodes; the leaves can be useful. Cut and peeled straws are sorted by length and thickness and tied into bundles. Some of the straw is left uncut - it will be needed when making a sculpture or for spiral weaving.
Before starting work, straws 10–30 cm long are poured with boiling water and kept for a while until they become soft and elastic. Do not soak more than the daily amount of material. If straw remains at the end of the work, it must be dried. The soaked straw is wrapped in cellophane or thick, damp cloth.
In order for the straw to acquire a silvery tint or a brighter and purer color, as well as better coloring, it must be bleached. But you should pay attention to safety rules when working with bleach solution. First of all, make sure that the solution does not get into your eyes; wear rubber gloves to protect your hands.
For bleaching, you can use hydropyrite tablets (6 tablets per 1 liter of water) or hydrogen peroxide with ammonia (150 g of 15% hydrogen peroxide and 20 g of ammonia (or ammonia) per 1 liter of water). The straw intended for bleaching is placed on the bottom of an enamel or glassware, pour the solution and press on top. After 6 hours, wash the straw several times with clean water to remove all bleach particles.
Bleached straw becomes softer and evenly colored. But if you bleach it to white, its softness and decorativeness, on the contrary, will be lost.
In order to increase the color palette of the material, straw is dyed using natural, aniline dyes, or by calcining it.
Brown and dark brown shades of straw are obtained as a result of fairly long aging of straw ribbons under a hot iron. This is done as follows: straw ribbons are laid out on a large stack of newspapers, and a hot iron is placed on them (or you can take thick cardboard, put a straw ribbon on it and simply iron it with an iron). The saturation of the shades depends on the heating temperature of the iron and on how long the straw ribbons are heated in this way. You can also heat the straw in a stove or oven, but you must be careful to ensure that it does not come into contact with the fire and does not catch fire.
The silvery-white hue of straw is obtained by dipping it in bleach (hydrogen peroxide or persalt). Persalt solution can be boiled. Boiling straw in a solution of baking soda will give it a yellow-golden color, and in potassium permanganate it will give it a pinkish tint. To give the straw a golden brown color, it needs to be boiled in a decoction of onion scales; Beetroot broth will give it a burgundy color. You can give the straws brown, burgundy, red or another color. A decoction of rhubarb will give it a brown-green color, and bedstraw will give it a red-burgundy color. Although vegetable paints have soft, muted tones, they are distinguished by their natural beauty and high light fastness.
When dyeing straws, you can also use aniline dyes intended for fabrics. The straws painted with them have a bright, rich color that enhances the shine of the natural material. But unlike vegetable dyes, aniline dyes fade strongly in the open rays of the sun, so products dyed with aniline cannot be placed in a place exposed to direct rays of the sun.
After dyeing, the straws are thoroughly washed with cold water and dried.
Beautiful dark golden and brown shades of straw can be obtained by calcining it in a stove or oven. The straws, spread out into a ribbon, just need to be heated with a hot iron.
Tools for working with straws
For crafts with straw you will need the following tools and equipment:
1. PVA glue or wallpaper glue for gluing parts.
2. A brush for gluing large parts, a thin plastic stick (no more than a millimeter in diameter) or a knitting needle for applying a small amount of glue.
3. A simple pencil and felt-tip pens.
4. Aniline dyes.
5. Plasticine.
6. Thread and needle, fishing line, ribbons.
7. Scissors of different types: not tight and with straight ends, semicircular.
8. A knife with a short, angled blade.
9. Two rags. One is completely dry, and the other is slightly damp.
10. Tracing paper for gluing straw ribbons.
11. Cones and seeds.
12. Tweezers for picking up and holding small parts.
13. Buttons.
14. Wire for making a frame.
15. Press for leveling products.
When working with straws, you must adhere to the following simple rules: rules:
1. It is best to work at a low table (at knee level), since most of the work is carried out in weight.
2. The workplace should be clean and well lit.
3. The workplace can be equipped with shelves or boxes for storing tools, materials, and workpieces.
4. Only the essentials should be on the table: on the left - a box with straws, a block, drawings, templates; on the right - a scalpel, a knife, brushes, a jar of varnish, a bath with a sponge soaked in water, a pencil, a ruler, a square, a compass, a surface planer.
The light at work should fall from the left side.