Crafting With a Purpose
Chapter 15
Crafts and Creative Media in Therapy
Heather Strickland
Pitt Community College
OTA-120
April 7, 2020
3 Categories of Functional
Crafts in This Chapter:
Home Decorating
Gift-Giving
Charity-Giving
Chapter 15
Crafting With
a Purpose
Objectives:
● List several examples of projects
appropriate for use in therapy from
the categories of home decorating,
gifts, and charitable contributions
● Articulate evidence of the benefits of
being able to give to others
● Identify charitable organizations that
solicit handmade items
(Tubbs & Drake, 2017, pp. 247 -
Home Decorating Projects:
● Client should choose the project
● Wide array of activities to
choose from
● Can be smaller/simpler or
larger/more detailed activities
● Many home decor projects are
fairly quick & inexpensive
● Allow client to practice problem
solving and gross motor skills in
addition to many others
● Therapist provides
guidance/suggestion based on
client’s abilities/goals &
availability of supplies/time
● Therapist should make sure the
project demands are practical &
achievable based on client’s
intervention goals
Examples of home decorating project
ideas:
Picture:https://www.apieceofrainbow.com/wpcontent/uploads/2014/04/DIY-switchplates-apieceofrainbow.jpg
Decorated light switches & ceiling fan pulls
from
https://www.apieceofrainbow.com & oodclaymates.blogspot.comhttps://2g
Picture:https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4hv6aUxCsec/TYjMvhp3u
6I/AAAAAAAAGtU/Ha3Q6vytV90/s200/100_1525.jpg
Examples of home decorating project
ideas on Youtube:
https://youtu.be/mlQd9FqzM1A
https://youtu.be/Vf657A2uST0
https://youtu.be/aaPrX4Dyea0
Gift-Giving Projects:
● Not for a cause, just because
● For ANY reason (special occasion)
or NO reason
● More thoughtful of a gift than one for
charity (tend to be more helpful)
● Usually on a personal basis = more
individualized/specialized
● Provide/restore to the client an
opportunity to play the role of
giver rather than receiver
● Doing for others can be selfsatisfying/rewarding because
people find value in doing
selfless acts
Gift-Giving
Project Examples:
● Spice scented sachet bags
● Decorated mirror/clock/picture frame
● Customized dish/cup/glass
● Potholder/coaster
● Ornaments
Picture credit:
https://mk0diycozyhomerv68ju.kinstacdn.com/wpcontent/uploads/2015/12/dipmix-ornament-set.jpg
Gift-Giving Projects:
https://youtu.be/DURctMEeX1A
Eyeglass Neck Chain
https://www.readers.com/blog/wpcontent/uploads/2013/03/IMG_9491_2.jpg
Charity-Giving Projects:
● For a cause usually to help those in
need (sick, poor, helpless)
● More helpful gift than thoughtful one
● Many different populations served by
different charities
● Most likely to be an organization
Charity-giving project ideas:
https://www.favecrafts.com/CraftCharities/Crafts-for-Charity
https://www.parents.com/fun/artscrafts/kid/crafts-kids-can-make-for-agood-cause
______________________________
The hand-knitted hats pictured to the left here
are my personal ones that I have been given.
3 of them through a charity program at the VA
and the other 1 from a lady that makes them
with her sewing club as donations to cancer
patients.
“Knitted Knockers” for breast cancer patients video: https://youtu.be/sY-3zZJbNuw
Picture: https://www.knittedknockers.org
Grading and Adapting Any of These Projects:
Any of these categories of projects could easily be graded or
adapted due to the different types of project possibilities, the
variety of materials that could be used, and the option of tools
that could be worked with. The possibilities are endless.
https://www.apieceofrainbow.com/diy-make-your-own-designer-switchplates
https://www.apieceofrainbow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/DIY-switchplates-apieceofrainbow.jpg
https://diycozyhome.com/diy-gift-ideas
https://www.favecrafts.com/Craft-Charities/Crafts-for-Charity
https://www.knittedknockers.org
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4hv6aUxCsec/TYjMvhp3u6I/AAAAAAAAGtU/Ha3Q6vytV90/s200/100_1525.jpg
https://mk0diycozyhomerv68ju.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/dipmix-ornament-set.jpg
https://www.parents.com/fun/arts-crafts/kid/crafts-kids-can-make-for-a-good-cause
https://www.readers.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_9491_2.jpg
https://youtu.be/aaPrX4Dyea0
https://youtu.be/DURctMEeX1A
https://youtu.be/mlQd9FqzM1A
https://youtu.be/sY-3zZJbNuw
https://youtu.be/Vf657A2uST0
https://2goodclaymates.blogspot.com
Tubbs, C. C. & Drake, M. (2017). Crafts and Creative Media in Therapy (5th ed.). Thorofare, NJ:SLACK Inc.