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PROJECTS
"I Made It" Mortarboard Centerpiece
Designed By: Debi Schmitz
Typical Project Completion Time: 1-2 hours
(does not include drying time)
| MATERIALS NEEDED: |
STYROFOAM* Brand Products:
1 Sheet, 1" x 12" x 36"
1 Cone, 12"
1 Egg, 3"
2 Balls, 1"
Other Materials:
Felt:
1 yd. school color (model used green)
2- 9 1/2" x 12" sheets apricot
Doll hair, light brown (color of graduate's hair)
Wooden shapes: 1- 1 1/2" square; 3- 1" circles; 1- 3/4" circle
1- 8mm Wiggle eyes, pair
Rayon thread, 1 skein each school colors
Permanent fineline marker, black
Blush
Acrylic craft paint, school color to match felt
Fabric paint: gold glitter, shiny black
Scissors
Paintbrush, small flat
Low temperature glue gun and glue sticks |
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Download pattern (12K pdf)
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| INSTRUCTIONS: |
1. Using serrated knife, cut the foam pieces as follows (hint: for smoother cuts, wax the knife blade with an old candle):
a. One 9" x 9" x 1" square (mortarboard)
b. Cone, as in Diagram 1 (base of hat)
c. Egg, in half lengthwise |
| 2. Mortarboard: Place the 9" foam square in center of a 14" square green felt; wrap the square like a package, pulling felt around sides and gluing to the back. Glue an 11" square of green felt to the back; trim off excess. |
| 3. Base: Center the base of the cut cone on a 12" square of green felt. Stretch and pull the felt up the sides to the slanted top; poke a hole in the center of the top, add glue, and push excess felt into hole, pulling tightly (see Diagram 2). |
| 4. Glue mortarboard to the base, with one corner positioned pointing down. |
| 5. Head: Place half-egg, rounded side down, in center of 6" square apricot felt. Pull felt tightly to the back of egg; poke a hole in center back of egg, add glue and push felt into head. Glue 4" square of apricot felt to the back; trim excess. |
| 6. Hands: Flatten one side of each 1" ball by pressing against tabletop. Cover each ball with felt as in Step 5, but don't cover back with another piece of felt. |
| 7. Head: The round side of head is face. Make a small wig from hair; glue to head, covering flat side of head and arranging hair around the front. Glue eyes in place; blush cheeks. Make a few freckles with marker. Paint mouth and nose with shiny black paint (see Diagram 3). |
| 8. Glue head and hands to mortarboard as shown in photo. |
| 9. Paint wood pieces green; let dry. Stack and glue together 1" circles; glue square on top of 1" circles. |
| 10. Make a tiny tassel: Wrap both colors of rayon thread four times around two fingers; wrap a 6" green thread several times around one end, 1/4" from end (see Diagram 4). Knot thread and cut off excess; cut thread loops and fluff. Glue to center of wood square. |
| 11. Make large tassel: Wrap both colors of rayon thread around your entire hand, wrapping many, many times. Wrap the top of the tassel with the green thread, again wrapping many, many times before tying off. Cut thread loops and fluff. |
| 12. Using gold glitter paint, carefully paint school initials and year on mortarboad (see photo). |
| 13. Glue the hanger for large tassel to the center of the mortarboard. Glue small wood circle over thread end. |
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