Introduction: Interdependent Web of All Existence

About: During the COVID-19 crisis, all of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship's religious services moved into an online-only format. I generally organize Sunday school activities for the children of the Fellowship …

Let's make a craft that symbolizes our Unitarian Universalist 7th Principle, the interdependent web of all existence, of which we are all a part.

Supplies

-embroidery hoop

-yarn

-scissors

-small natural items

-small animal figures

Step 1: Separate Your Embroidery Hoop

Pull apart the two layers of the embroidery hoop. Set the outer layer aside for now.

Step 2: Cut Four Lengths of Yarn

Cut four length of yarn, all about the same length. You'll want them to be long enough to wrap around the inner part of the embroidery hoop, with a little bit extra.

Step 3: Wrap Your First Piece of Yarn

Take one of the lengths of yarn, wrap it tightly around the center of the hoop, and tie a double knot. Snip off the excess yarn and set it aside. You'll use some of the yarn scraps later!

Step 4: Wrap the Three Remaining Pieces of Yarn

Repeat this process until all four pieces of yarn are wrapped around the inner hoop and tied off. It should look like a pie with eight slices!

Step 5: Replace the Outer Hoop

Snap the outer hoop back on. This will protect the knots and hold everything together!

Step 6: Start Your Web

Take the end of your yarn and tie it to one of the yarn loops. You'll want to double knot it around both strands. Snip off the excess and lay it aside. Then, pull a long length of yarn off your large skein. You'll want enough to wrap around the web several times! Snip off the end and then roll it into a ball to make it easier to handle.

Step 7: Weave Your Web

Loop your yarn ball around the next "pie slice" and pull it tight. Keep going around the web, weaving the yarn ball around each of the yarn spokes in a circle. Keep the yarn pulled tight. Once you've got a web that you like, tie it off and snip off the end.

Step 8: Tie on Your Plants and Animals

Remember the yarn scraps we set aside? Grab them now, as well as up to eight pieces of natural material or small animal figures. You can go outside and find small twigs or leaves or pinecones, like I did! Using the yarn scraps, tie the things to the outer strands of the web.

Step 9: Enjoy Your Interdependent Web!

Now you have a web that symbolizes how we are all connected to all living things on the Earth! You can hang it up somewhere.