Happy 60th birthday, Kermit

This week, Kermit the Frog celebrates his 60th birthday (yaaaaaaay!)

Kermit made his first appearance on 9th May 1955 in a show called 'Sam & Friends'.  He was originally made from Jim Henson's mothers (discarded) green wool coat.  

Kermit went where Jim went; next to pre-schoolers educational show, Sesame Street where he appeared as a roving television news reporter. It was around this time that a harlequin style frill was added around Kermit's neck to make him more frog-like. The collar was functional as well: it covered the joint where the Muppet's neck and body met. 

I grew up watching Sesame Street  & it still holds a warm place in my heart

After Sesame street, Jim struggled to have his next project, the Muppet Show commissioned on US TV as he was associated with producing material for children.  It was actually Lew Grade from ITV who commissioned the show to be made, for British Audiences (thank-you Lew!)

Kermit was widely recognised as being an alter ego for Jim Henson.  A fact that Henson himself acknowledged.  Kermits role on the Muppet show was often compared by his co-workers to Henson's role, though he thought that Kermit was bolder than he; he once said of the character, "He can say things I hold back"

I love Jim Henson - he features high on my list of superheroes.  What I love most is his gentle quirky humour and great imagination & creativity.  He could make something profound from something very simple and his work never fails to make me laugh out loud

Here Jim Henson talks to us about Kermit in a very gentle and revealing interview

Lovely clip in which Jim Henson tells us how to make & work a simple puppet - a lovely film to introduce kids to puppetry and making

superhero cape workshop Ottie & the Bea

On Saturday I held a workshop at my favourite children's shop ottieandthebea

In just two hours five 5 year old budding superheroes (and one four and a half year old) produced brilliant designs & translated them into fabric to create their own superhero character cape (fave superhero name of the day "super bad guy boy" a goodie AND a baddie rolled into one!)

When Im working in fabric with kids, we always start by designing or working out ideas on paper.  I find that this allows thinking time & children always produce more interesting work if they have time to explore their ideas first.  Sometimes the work is translated fairly literally onto fabric whilst other times the kids become absorbed in process - painting, appliqué, stitch; and the results take a different route, but the expression of the original idea is usually retained and this does make for really interesting results!

Here's some of what we made....

Big thank you to the wonderful Julia and to Cat for her help!