The Awesome PaperFX Upcycle Go Create Review
Last Updated on: 10th February 2022, 09:36 pm
PaperFX Upcycle Go Create
With Tilly catching Covid 19 for a second time, we wanted something to occupy her because she couldn’t go out. So I was grateful to receive the PaperFX Upcycle Go Create for her to review and create something. Especially whilst she was confined to her bedroom.
What I immediately liked about the PaperFX Upcycle Go Create was that it encourages our kids to recycle and create something else out of rubbish. They can make something out of old newspapers, magazines, scrap paper. Even old unimportant junk mail and leaflets that come through the door, can be made into something new. You get a booklet with details showing how to weave the paper, then how to create something. Tilly created a pen pot as her first attempt at using PaperFX Upcycle Go Create and she found it quite easy to do.
The PaperFX Upcycle Go Createset comes with everything that you need to make different creations.
- Paper FX Dream Weaver
- Tearer
- Creaser
- Winder
- 3 x Twizzle Sticks
- 12 x Cable Ties
- Project Book
How To Get The Paper Ready To Weave
To get the paper ready to weave, there are a few steps to make it easy. Firstly you need to get it to the right size. But instead of cutting it with scissors, there is a special tearer. You pop the paper in the plastic tearer and close it. Then you rip the paper down the side and it rips in a straight line, and the right size. The ripped edge will be tatty, but don’t worry because it will all be hidden in the weave.
You need to do this with some different design paper too so that when it is weaved it looks good.
How To Crease The Paper
Now you need to crease the paper so that it folds in perfectly to fit in the weaving machine. This is so easy to do with the creasing machine. You feed the paper into the creasing machine and it comes out the other side with three creases in it. Now you need to fold the edges of the paper in and then fold it in half. This is what gives it the strength it needs to make something to use. It is best to crease and fold all of the paper in one go before you start the weave.
You need to glue the paper strips closed to work with the weaving machine better but make sure that you leave two of the strips open for what you are going to make.
How To Weave The Paper
You get the weaver and place your folded paper on it. For the first strip, make sure it is one of the open ones. Put the open side on the outside of the strips. When you have put enough strips on the weaver, you need to finish with another open one. Again make sure that the open strip faces the outside. There is a holder to put the top of the folded paper underneath. This helps to hold it in place. Then there is a second holder that is placed at the bottom to keep the paper more secure.
Then you need to take the different design papers to create the weave design. Weave it through the strips of paper. Make sure that it is pushed up and straight as you go. Weave it for as long as you need for your design.
What We Thought Of PaperFX Upcycle Go Create
The PaperFX Upcycle Go Create is great for getting kids off their devices! It means that they get creative and use their own designs to make things like purses, pencil pots and even placemats. If you make a placemat, you could laminate it to last longer.
Tilly is 11, so she was able to do this herself, but the PaperFX Upcycle Go Create is recommended for children age 7 and up. Tilly enjoyed playing with it, and as a pre-teen, I don’t think she was too old for it. She can design her own things for school. Your child will find a way that works best for them when they use this.
She did design a pencil pot and as we put it together, we realised she had made a mistake and forgotten to put the open sides on either end. It was quickly remedied but do follow the instructions as you do it. To make the bottom of the pencil pot, you use the winder and loads of folded strips of scrap paper. It doesn’t even need to match the pot because it won’t be seen. You glue the strips as you wind them. Then when it is big enough, slot it in the bottom of the pen holder and glue it.
Everything you need comes in the box, except glue and paper. She tried to use a magazine, but it ripped in the creaser. So you need to use expensive magazine paper for it to work. The PaperFX Upcycle Go Create is £23.50 from Amazon and Argos. Which is a good price because that is the only outlay for your child’s new hobby.
I love the tearer because it means smaller children don’t need to use scissors and Parents don’t need to spend time cutting paper. The tearing takes seconds to do and is a real game-changer. It means that kids can use this independently too, giving them a real sense of achievement.
