Designer Rénee Schwarz and the children from kindergarten through grade three at Notre-Dame de Loretta in La Patrie, Que., had great fun one winter day when they made dozens of pom-pom critters.
For each, you'll need:
Glue gun (for adult use only)
Fine white or red yarn
Matching pipe cleaner
Contrasting red or white felt scraps
2 googly eyes (1 cm/3/8-in in diameter)
Stiff black thread
Lightweight cardboard
Scissors
To make:
1. Trace the actual-size patterns onto cardboard. (Click here for patterns.)
2. From cardboard, cut 2 “doughnuts&" along solid lines. Align doughnut pair and hold together; beginning and ending at slip, wind yarn evenly and thickly around pair, through centre hole, until hole is almost full. Holding yarn in place at centre, slip scissors between the “doughnuts&" and cut yarn around outside edge. Slip a 30 cm length of yarn between doughnuts and around yarn at centre tightly. Slip pipe cleaner between doughnuts; twist pipe cleaner ends together, down length for tail.
3. From felt, cut one large heart, two small hearts, two ears and four ovals.
4. From thread, cut four short whiskers; glue to back of large heart, then glue heart to pom-pom, for nose. Glue eyes to pom-pom above nose. With edges even, glue ovals together in two pairs, then glue pairs to bottom of pom-pom, for feet. Glue one small heart to each remaining (ear) piece, then glue ears to top of pom-pom.
