Baseball Buddies

Why wait until the big game? Bend some pipe-cleaners into pitchers or batters, then thread them with beads and add a ball or a bat. When they're finished, they're flexible — you can sit them down, stand them up or make them run. And when play's over, you can fold them up and put them in your pocket.

You need:

•Chenille-stem pipe cleaners, 30 cm long:
2 in team colour, for body
1 in brown, for bat (optional)
• 20 mm round wooden bead, for head
• 8 pony beads, 9 mm in diameter, for jersey
• 6 spaghetti beads, 19 mm long, for legs and shoes
• 4 spaghetti beads, 19 mm long, for arms
• 1 round white bead, 12 mm, in diameter for baseball (optional)
•Small scrap of felt, for hat
•Black fine-tip permanent marker
•White craft glue

To make:

1. From pipe cleaners in team colour: Cut piece 25 cm (9-7/8 in) long; fold in half tightly, for body. Apply dab of glue to folded end; push into head. Cut piece 15 cm (6 in) long; centre across body below head. Join with a twist, for arms.

2. Holding cut ends of body together, thread 4 pony beads. Separate ends; over each, thread 2 spaghetti beads for thigh, then thread 1 spaghetti bead at end for shoe.

3. Over each arm, thread 2 pony beads, then 2 spaghetti beads. For batter: From brown pipe cleaner, cut piece 15 cm long; fold in half loosely, for bat. Twist each arm end around both cut ends of bat approx 6 mm (1/4 in) from bottom. For pitcher: Thread 1 arm end through round bead, then join to other arm end with a twist.

4. From felt, cut oval hat as shown. Glue, where indicated by blue circle, to head. With black marker, draw face.