Students will create a fur pom pom to tie into a tuque or other hat, or wear on their wrist, hair, instrument or backpack. For elementary students, the fur will be pre-cut. Students will measure and cut other materials and sew the pom poms together following the instructions. Each student will complete a pom pom (high school students can do 2 in 1.5-2hrs).
Learning outcomes for students:
• Learn about trapping in the Yukon • different uses for different types of fur • practice measuring (elementary kids copy a pre-cut sample, high school students measure with a ruler) • working in ordered steps to achieve the final piece • sewing by hand: hand/eye coordination, estimating distance, problem solving, dealing with frustration, visualizing the final result, staying focused to finish.
| Grade Suitability | Grade 4 and up |
| Maximum Class Size | 25 |
| Time Required | 1-2 hours + 1-2 hours of prep |
| Material Required | All materials supplied by the artist |
| Material Cost | $10 per pom pom |
| Language of Instruction | English |
| Communities | Whitehorse, Haines Junction |
Lisa Preto started trapping about 10 years ago. She started making ruffs and mitts with the fur for family and friends, and quickly grew a small business sewing fur products made for the north.
She was one of the main organizers of “Unfurled” in 2017, and is part of the team working on building a social enterprise sewing local furs with funding from the Yukon Innovation Prize.
Lisa has taught both 2-4 hour and “intensive” workshops (3-5 days) in Whitehorse, Haines Junction, Old Crow and Mayo in the last 2 years. She has also done pom pom workshops in the school as part of Senior REM (Rural Experiential Model), for the City of Whitehorse and at Yukonstruct. Lisa has taught kids pom pom workshops for Adaka and Fiddleheads. In 2018, Lisa organized the AWG pom pom initiative, and will spearhead the volunteer project again for the 2020 Arctic Winter Games.