What do you do with your socks when they are too small? Cute-as sock monkeys are appearing around the school from one of the Kete Wana classes.

With the change to Kete Wana textiles classes this year, students have been busy looking at creative, sustainable use of fabrics and textile articles.

Term 1 had a link to the ANZACs and Poppy Friday. Scrap materials used to make the iconic ANZAC Poppies were given to the school and then combined with used coffee sacks and scrap fabrics to make a range of bags and dolls' clothes. Students were recognised by the RSA with certificates congratulating them for making sustainable use of materials.

After recycling soft cuddly socks into cute monkeys, the current Kete Wana class has been off to the Op Shop sourcing curtains, tablecloths, duvet covers and a wide variety of clothing items with visions to deconstruct these into different, fun and functional textiles items. Student creativity is to the forefront. They were ruthless shoppers at the Op Shop, getting the best bargain for minimal cost, helping each other with choices and sharing ideas of what could be created. Keep an eye out for photos of the creative outcomes over the next few weeks.

Back to those cute-as sock monkeys - the extra monkeys we have made will be taken over to the Christchurch Hospital for children who are sick or visiting patients. We have had to learn about how to make safe toys suitable for young children that are easy to wash and care for while having fun personalising each monkey.

Want to make one for yourself? Join us at the Textiles Tutorial in H2 Friday lunchtime.