Material Description:
The frame has two flaps nearly meeting and facing each other. They should be made of leather or cloth with leather facing. Both flaps have a series of holes with metal eyes. The laces should be cylindrical, not flat, half the laces should be of a different colour, with the other and have tips to match, they should be joined together invisibly at the top back of the frame. The length of the laces should be long enough so that when fastened they hang half a frame down.
Note
Other frames with different patterns of lacing, such as cross pattern and horizontal lacing should be available and shown once this has been mastered.
Display:
- Keep it after the ribbon frame on the far right
Rules for lacing:
- The lace should be handled by the hand on the opposite side to the flap it will be inserted into
- The flaps are held with the corresponding hands
- Cross the lace with one hand only
- Nothing should obstruct the hole
- To insert/remove laces hold the flap vertically and insert/remove the tips horizontally
- When you insert/remove the lace do it in small stages
- When crossing one lace should always overlap the other
- When untying the lace begin with the lace which overlaps
- When tying the lace insert the lace beneath, so that it doesn’t overlap
Presentation:
- To open the laces
- Untie the bow as usual and keep the laces on the corresponding flaps
- Hold the flaps and laces with corresponding hands
- Take out the first lace which is on top of the cross, slowing down when the tip is about to reach the hole and take the tip out of the hole without touching the eyelet
- After the lace is out of all the holes, take the tips in your right hand; make the lace usual part by part into half
- Place the folded lace at the right side of the frame
- Open the flaps as usual
- To close the laces, bring the flaps together
- Keep the lace folded into half in the middle of the frame vertically with both ends a little apart
- Hold the left flap vertically with the left hand and with the right hand hold the left tip and insert it from the inside out of the left hole
- When the tip is completely out at the left side, release your right hand. Lower the flap a little and hold the tip again with your right hand on top
- The pull the lace out with your right hand towards the left bit by bit till the centre where it is joined
- Then release both hands a t a time
- Insert the other end of the lace into the top right hole n the same manner
- Holding the tips of the lace with your right hand make the lace part equal with your left hand
- Put both the laces with your right hand on their corresponding flaps at the lower corner curled up
- Cross the laces with the right hand. When you first put the lace, keep it below and parallel to the second lace. Then bring the second lace over the first one. Always cross in the same manner
- Insert the lace which is under the cross as before from inside out and the do the other lace. Always hold the flaps and laces with the corresponding hands
- Put the left thumb and index just over the two corresponding holes and tighten both laces with the right hand gently pulling downward (not too hard)
- Go on lacing in this manner till the laces have gone through all the holes
- When they come out from the pair of the last holes, tie a bow or invite the child to do so
- Insert the bow under the flaps
Points of Interest:
- The lace comes out of the hole smoothly
Purpose:
- Co-ordination of Movement
- Independence
- Concentration
- Social Adaptation
Age at Presentation:
Three and a half to four years
Footnote:
- The bow is inserted under the flap because this makes it look tidy and it is clear that the lace is fastened
- A second knot can be made with the two loops of the tied bow to prevent it loosening or becoming untied if stepped on