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  6. / Kid Made Modern Steam Hand Model
Time Required :
About an hour
Intermediate
Intermediate
You're somewhat experienced with the skills necessary to complete this project, but you haven't mastered all the elements, yet.

kid made modern steam hand model

This project is intended for kids ages 8+. Learn about the anatomy of your hands while crafting this fun moveable hand model. It is a great representation of how the muscles and bones in our hands work together to move! The muscles that make your fingers bend aren’t actually in your hand, they’re in your arm! Long tendons stretch from these muscles up to the tips of your fingers. Tunnels called tendon sheaths help guide the tendons and keep them in place. When the muscles contract, they pull on the tendons and make your fingers bend. In our model, the strings represent these tendons and the straws represent the tendon sheaths!
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Print Project

Step 1

Lay your hand flat on top of your thin cardboard with your fingers spread open. Trace around the outside of your hand and down past your wrist. Cut out the shape of your hand with scissors.

Step 2

Cut your paper straws so you have a total of eleven 1" [2.5 cm] pieces and six 3" [7.6 cm] pieces.

Step 3

ADULT: Use the hot glue gun to attach the straw pieces to the cardboard hand. Using the image as guide, glue the smaller paper straw pieces onto the fingers and thumb (two pieces per finger and thumb leaving a small gap between straw pieces). For below the fingers, glue your four longer straw pieces onto the palm portion. Each straw piece should line up under the glued straw pieces of each finger. Use the remaining small piece of straw to glue below the thumb to finish the tendon sheaths of the hand.

Step 4

Gently bend the cardboard back and forth in between each piece of straw on the fingers. This will help the fingers move at the end.

Step 5

Paint the top portion of the hand, including the straws. Set aside to dry completely.

Step 6

Cut five long pieces of floss from your Arts & Crafts Library (needs to be about twice the length of your traced hand). Tie a large bead (larger than the straw opening) to one end of each piece of string. Starting at the top, thread each piece of string through the straws in each finger and through the straw on the palm underneath each finger. The bead should be at the top when you finish.
TIP: Use the needle in the Arts & Crafts Library to help if you need it! Once all five strings are threaded through, you can tie them together in a knot at the bottom, if you like.

Step 7

To use your articulated hand, gently pull on the bottoms of the strings and watch the fingers bend! You will see the fingers bend along each of the creases that you made between straws.

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Supplies
Materials
Materials
 
  • img
    You’ll Need: 1

    Mini Dual Temperature Glue Sticks by Ashland®

    Item # 10228076 
    Save 40% off One Regular Price Item with code 7242440- Exclusions apply See Details See Details
    Limit one coupon per product. Limit one coupon of each type per day. Limited to stock on hand. Void where prohibited. Valid only in Canada. EXCLUSIONS: Everyday Value program, clearance; buy & get items; custom framing; beverages & candy; books & magazines; classes; gift cards; craft technology machines; Cricut, Silhouette; Elf On The Shelf Storybook Sets; Lemax. Exclusions subject to change. See Team Member for details.
    $7.99
  • img
    You’ll Need: 1

    Paint Brushes by Creatology®

    Item # 10419191 
    Buy 2 Get 1 Free - Add 3 items to qualify See Details See Details
    Buy two items at regular price & get the third of equal or lesser value free. Excludes clearance.
    $11.99
 
Tools
Tools
 
  • img
    You’ll Need: 1

    Creatology™ Taklon Bristle Paintbrushes, 6pc

    Item # 10268871 
    Buy 2 Get 1 Free - Add 3 items to qualify See Details See Details
    Buy two items at regular price & get the third of equal or lesser value free. Excludes clearance.
    $5.49
 
You’ll Also Need
  • Thin Cardboard
  • Ruler
Instructions
Step 1

Lay your hand flat on top of your thin cardboard with your fingers spread open. Trace around the outside of your hand and down past your wrist. Cut out the shape of your hand with scissors.

Step 2

Cut your paper straws so you have a total of eleven 1" [2.5 cm] pieces and six 3" [7.6 cm] pieces.

Step 3

ADULT: Use the hot glue gun to attach the straw pieces to the cardboard hand. Using the image as guide, glue the smaller paper straw pieces onto the fingers and thumb (two pieces per finger and thumb leaving a small gap between straw pieces). For below the fingers, glue your four longer straw pieces onto the palm portion. Each straw piece should line up under the glued straw pieces of each finger. Use the remaining small piece of straw to glue below the thumb to finish the tendon sheaths of the hand.

Step 4

Gently bend the cardboard back and forth in between each piece of straw on the fingers. This will help the fingers move at the end.

Step 5

Paint the top portion of the hand, including the straws. Set aside to dry completely.

Step 6

Cut five long pieces of floss from your Arts & Crafts Library (needs to be about twice the length of your traced hand). Tie a large bead (larger than the straw opening) to one end of each piece of string. Starting at the top, thread each piece of string through the straws in each finger and through the straw on the palm underneath each finger. The bead should be at the top when you finish.
TIP: Use the needle in the Arts & Crafts Library to help if you need it! Once all five strings are threaded through, you can tie them together in a knot at the bottom, if you like.

Step 7

To use your articulated hand, gently pull on the bottoms of the strings and watch the fingers bend! You will see the fingers bend along each of the creases that you made between straws.

Share your project photos with #MakeItWithMichaels

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