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Table of Contents

Felt mats and slats

Demonstration cards and diagrams

The principles of weaving are very easily learned with felt mats and slats. One-half a yard of felt two yards wide will make thirty-six mats six inches square. These are very durable, and can be used year after year, if protected from moth during the summer. Some prefer leather or oil-cloth mats, backed with heavy unbleached muslin, but they are more expensive, and not so pleasant to work with as the soft wool. The slats, which should be at least one-half an inch wide, can be obtained at any kindergarten supply store. Buy the uncolored slats and dye them yourself. Dark green mats, woven with deep red slats, are pretty. The slats are easier to handle if they are soaked and cut the required length before dyeing. When the six-inch mats are cut, allow a three-quarter-inch margin on all sides. Measure the mat for one-half-inch strips, of which there will be nine, and mark by snapping a chalked string upon the mat. Double it with chalked lines outside and commence to cut from the center; then open and finish cutting to the margin. It would be better for very little children if the strips and slats could be one inch wide. In this case the mats would, of course, be larger, and it might be necessary to have the slats made to order. The slats should be kept in little bundles containing the required number, and secured by rubber bands. If one could have plenty of time and material it would be a good plan to have several sets of mats of different sizes, so that the children would not always be confined to one number and its combinations in a certain set of patterns—in this case, nine—but have the pleasure which comes from variety. Demonstration cards and diagrams for weaving can be obtained at the kindergarten and school-supply stores. An illustration of an excellent demonstration frame can be seen in the "Kindergarten Guide," by Lois Bates. Sample mats can be woven by the older children from the designs in any of the "Guides," and given to the smaller children to copy.

Purpose of practice mats

Do not deceive the child

When the purpose of these practice mats is understood there can be no objection to them on the ground that the work is destroyed by pulling out the slats each time. It is not an unusual thing to see in schools, and even in kindergartens, faithful and conscientious teachers remaining after hours to pull out the slats, on the principle, perhaps, that what the children do not see will not affect their development, and the innocent little bundles are given out again on the morrow, only to undergo the same experience at night. One wonders sometimes if this is possibly within the definition of deception. "We mount to the summit, round by round," and when the children understand that in doing the work with the slats well, they are only learning how, and that each successful attempt brings the delightful day nearer when they may have a loom to work upon, they are perfectly satisfied.

Long slat weaving

When the children have learned to weave the small mats, further practice can be had by weaving long slats into a warp of cord on the loom. It is better to conquer the mystery of "over and under" in this way than to undo the work and wear out the material after making a mistake.