I am in need of a toy yad for an upcoming quiet book page, but was unable to find one for sale. Real yads are very expensive, so I decided I would have to find a way to make one. I did consider using polymer clay, but when I thought of this beaded idea it stuck. These are so easy to make that your kids can do it!
A yad is a Torah pointer used to read scripture scrolls without damaging the parchment. The Hebrew word 'yad' literally means 'hand'.
Long silver pipe cleaner
Pointing hand silver bead - available from here (not an affiliate link)
Decorative beads - with about a 2mm hole
Bend your pipe cleaner in half and thread on your pointing hand bead. Twist the pipe cleaner together to hold the bead tightly in place. Thread decorative beads over both ends of the pipe cleaner until you get close to the end.
To finish:
1. Use jewelry pliers to roll up the ends of the pipe cleaner to secure... or
2. You could try placing a bead sideways at the end and thread the ends of the pipe cleaner through from either side. Twist to hold in place under the last bead. You can thread a ribbon through the last bead hole if you want a way to secure it to a book or scroll.
Memory Verse: "No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” Genesis 39:9
Materials needed to create The Temptation of Joseph quiet book page:
First cut out your paper dolls, clothes and wigs, cutting off the tabs as you go. Then use your male paper doll to cut out a section of Veltex and double sided iron-on interfacing to the same shape as his torso/legs.
This one is Tahlia's favourite dress
Arrange your pieces onto the background and iron on the Veltex to the background in the correct position using the interfacing. Sew around the edge to hold in place.
Potiphar's wife acting like a 'cougar'... - this one is my Grandma's fav dress
Hot glue the feet of the male doll to the background in place over the Veltex. Cut out his undergarment and finish gluing down his legs. Hot glue the Velcro dot to the back of his undergarment and place in position. Then line up the head and glue the remainder of his body down. Hot glue the woman into position.
To make the wardrobe, trace the pieces using the template onto the back of your pleather using pen - this will avoid puncturing the pleather unnecessarily. Cut them out. For the decorative panel, cut the size to the back piece and then trim down slightly so it doesn't show on the edge of the wardrobe when layered. Using the clear craft glue, glue the decorative panel to the gold/straw felt and allow it to dry. Then glue the gold edging on top and allow to dry. Sew the inner section around the decorative panel.
Glue two sections of gold ribbon on the back to form hinges for the front door of the wardrobe. Then glue some pleather to the back of your felt and allow to dry. Sew around the outside edge of your wardrobe door and then cut it out, making sure not to cut off the hinges.
I found I had to shorten the bottom of the wardrobe base by around 5 mm and overlap the door over the lower section of the wardrobe front slightly to fit it on my page. I didn't change the pattern as you may be using a different size page to me.
Glue the pleather wardrobe base to the background page and insert the hinges from the door underneath on one side and insert a short loop of gold elastic with a jump ring tassel threaded onto it on the other side where you want the latch to be. Allow to dry and sew in place, reinforcing the stitching over the hinges and elastic loop.
Glue the remaining pleather pieces to the gold/straw felt and sew along the top edge of the draw and lower section of wardrobe front. Cut the draw out and sew the lower edge in place over the lower section of the wardrobe front. Then sew the lower section of the wardrobe front down over the base on the bottom and sides to form a pocket. To complete the wardrobe, hand sew your buttons on.
Finished!
Difficulty Level = Hard
It will be easier if you use something other than pleather that stretches! If you use pleather, be sure to use the glue.
"Hey Joseph, want to see my secret garden?"
Key Learning Areas and Skills
Genesis 38 - This page teaches about how we need to be prepared to suffer even when we do the right thing.
Buttoning - Open and close the wardrobe
Tucking - Tuck the wigs into the wardrobe draw
Imaginative Play - dress up Potiphar's wife in all her outfits
Velcro - rip off Joseph's undergarment (and re-position them)
Fine Motor Skills - all quiet books encourage fine motor skill development
Hand-eye Co-ordination - all quiet books encourage hand-eye co-ordination
I admire the way that Jacob brought up Joseph. He was only around 17 when he was sold as a salve and yet His devotion to God is to be greatly admired. It must have been difficult to follow God in the situation he found himself in, and it would have been easy to go along with new cultures and customs and tell himself that God had forgotten him, so he may as well do likewise.
"Hey Joseph, do you want some 'trifle'..."
There are a few boundaries Joseph put in place to reduce the chances of finding himself in less than ideal circumstances. You can read about Joseph's 5 Steps to Avoid Temptation: Genesis 39:6-23 on the God Running blog. He had resolved to keep himself from "strange" women (those who did not follow God) as told in the story of Joseph and Asenath, translated by H. F. D. Sparks. He must have envisaged a celibate life, exiled in the land of Egypt. And not only exiled, but imprisoned. Nevertheless, as stated at the end of the blog post mentioned above, God preserved his life in that the punishment due Joseph was death. I noticed that Joseph was sold to Potiphar the Captain of the Guard (Genesis 37:36) - and the same titled person is in charge of the prison. It looks like Potiphar realises that Joseph is innocent because instead of putting Joseph to death, he saves face by putting him in his prison, but eventually puts him in charge of it just as he had done with his household (Genesis 40:3-4). Despite his circumstances, Joseph sticks to his values and God rewards him with freedom, power, and a beautiful convert, Asenath.
There are so many parallels between the story of Joseph and Jesus in the Bible, and I can only see more told through the love story of Joseph and Asenath.
First cut your template pieces out and tape them onto your black stiffened felt. This is so that you don't puncture the felt with pins and so you can see where to cut as it is difficult to draw on felt in that much detail.
The next step depends on whether you have a second piece of tie dye felt or not (I didn't). If you do, you can eliminate some of the following - I'm sure you can work out which bits ;)
I sewed my peace sign down onto the middle of my tie dye sheet by the inside sections only. Do not sew the outside circle yet. This enabled me to cut out the peace sign and fill in the background space with black soft felt. I also sewed the peace sign to black soft felt around the outside edge and cut it out again. Now simply sew your peace sign back over the hole you cut it out from around the bottom half leaving the top half open to form a pocket.
Cut your velcro dots in half and hot glue the soft side to the outside rim of the peace sign in the middle of each quarter. Glue the scratchy half to each puzzle piece.
Finished!
Difficulty Level = Intermediate
It will be easier if you have two sheets of the tie dye felt rather than trying to use one. I only had one and had no way of getting more.
The hardest part is getting motivation to cut out the menorah!
Be careful to glue the velcro dots on the correct side - unlike me who had to try to pull one off and re-glue it...
Key Learning Areas and Skills
Psalm 122 - This page teaches about the map of the Old City of Jerusalem in modern times and about how we are all connected to each other - when we harm others we harm ourselves
Puzzle Pieces - connect the puzzle pieces together
Fine Motor Skills - all quiet books encourage fine motor skill development
Hand-eye Co-ordination - all quiet books encourage hand-eye co-ordination
Neverlesless, we are all connected to each other, and when we harm others, we harm ourselves. It is for his own family's sake that the Psalmist wishes for peace.
I imagine Jerusalem will never achieve peace before the Second Coming, nevertheless it does need our prayers. But perhaps this verse is asking us to pray for the Kingdom. Perhaps we are asked to pray that the peace of Jerusalem to come will be present in our lives regardless of our circumstances. May the Prince of Peace bring comfort, hope and joy to your soul as He has done for so many others already. I pray this peace for you.
I asked the creators - here are the reasons why quiet books are experiencing revival...
"What I like best about my story quiet books is that you can tell stories, make up stories together and play (in whatever language you are most comfortable)."
"What I like about the quiet books is that they help children to develop their fine motor skills and imagination... and of course to keep the kids away from gadgets for some time ..."
The best things about quiet books are "Colorful pages with lively activities helping little fingers to weave; button; zip; buckle; lace and learn too!! And yes all these with loads & loads of fun 😊😊 Crafters love to get back to childhood get into little one’s shoes to see their world !!"
"Books are great for children’s development and learning, perfect toy for home and places when child has to be quiet, like in an airplane, traveling by car, at the doctor’s office."
"Hi! The thing I love 'bout quiet books is that it's so interactive that it creates a natural interest in little ones towards getting started with books"
"I’m in love with quiet books about 3 years already. I like to create pages, making patterns, sewing. It is perfect developing toy which helps kid to know new things. And the main reason I love them, fabric book is not electronic device and can not be connected to internet. For now it is very important for kids to be busy without involvement web information."
"Really, I think I love all material, activity, play and learn...my son loves books made by Mum ...and it is an evolving toy, I make new books as he develops 😉"
