Yes, we’re all “four” the theme of fours here at Shredded-Paper.co.uk! So, we decided that as 2024’s Pride Month approaches in June, we would put the spotlight on just four excellent ways to celebrate LGBT people that also happen to be artsy and craftsy.
So, let’s jump right in with the paper, scissors, possibly some shredded craft tissue from our range, and whatever else you might require for these Pride-focused projects.
A rainbow table runner
Adding Pride colours to your table could be just the thing for infusing your party venue with a sense of fun before the celebrations have even started.
You can create a rainbow table runner by selecting, measuring, and cutting out fabrics that each represent one “stripe” of the rainbow, before sewing the strips together in rainbow “order”. Don’t forget to allow a 0.5cm seam allowance as you finish by sewing all the way around the edge.
A tie-dyed t-shirt… or several
That plain-white tee or uninspiring tote bag could soon be looking vibrantly Pride-ready when you apply a rainbow-arch tie-dye design to it.
This can be done by using a washable marker to draw the top and bottom of the rainbow arch onto dry fabric, before gently fan-folding the fabric along each of the two lines, so that each drawn-on line starts to appear straight on the top surface of the folds.
Once you have banded the fabric on each of the lines, and you have multiple banded sections, apply a different colour to each section in rainbow order. This can then be followed by setting the dye, and your newly tie-dyed shirt being rinsed and washed in readiness for use.
A painted stone or rock… or an entire collection of them
The collection and subsequent painting of rocks and stones with all manner of Pride and rainbow themes – often incorporating inspiring messages such as “just be you” or “love is love” – is another fun, creative practice that has been adopted by many LGBT people (and their allies) down the years.
Acrylic paints, applied with a thin brush, are ideal for this activity, as they dry quickly enough for a further coat to be applied to the previous one after just a few minutes.
A paper mâché bowl
A lot of us associate paper mâché crafts with covering a balloon. Sure enough, this can be a great way to create a Pride-themed bowl, provided that you inflate the balloon to the desired bowl size before you start creating your masterpiece.
There are two main ways to create paper mâché: using soaked and shredded craft tissue and glue to create a paper pulp, or layering paper strips over a mould, with glue to hold everything in place. The latter is the quicker and less complicated method of the two.
Either way, our own Pride Mix shredded paper – or all manner of other shredded craft tissue options from our range – could greatly help you make that LGBT bowl a reality!