Yarn Octopus

So, As I promised... pictures of one of the Christmas gifts I made for A....and step by step instructions :)

This is the yarn Octopus. I am including with this gift a read and find out science book on octopus :)

What you will need.... A skein of yarn, plastic grocery bags, felt, scissors, a thin workbook or piece of cardboard....and googlie eyes if you want.

First...take several plastic grocery bags (a great recycling idea for those you have lying around from when you forget to take your reusable bags LOL) Crunch plastic bags into a tight ball. I used 2. Place ball in the middle of a rectangle of felt. Any color will do

Gather felt around plastic bag call and hold tight.
Tie tightly with a piece of yarn.
Take skein of yarn and wrap around a thin workbook. I guess you could also use a piece of cardboard as well.
End piece at the same end of the book as your starting piece is at. So both starting piece and end piece should be either at the top or bottom.
Then take piece of yarn and slip under yarn as shown in picture below and tie tight...... Then Cut along the opposite end of this tie. IE...you tied at top of book, now go cut at the yarn at bottom of the book.

Drape yarn over the felt covered ball. The tied part will be centered with the loose ends falling over the ball. Spread yarn around until ball is covered.
Tie with another piece of yarn tightly under the ball as in the picture below.
Now divide yarn into 8 sections, gathering each section in a rubber band to hold until ready. Then begin to braid each section. Tie braid off with another piece of yarn.

Continue to braid until you have 8 braided tentacles. Your octopus is finished....or you can add googlie eyes. Which I later did but didn't take a picture of. Also to finish off your octopus, turn him over and trim felt as close as you can to the yarn. so that he will sit flat. The pink underside made an interesting mouth since octopuses mouths are under their bodies :)
Hope you enjoyed!










Comments

Ashley said…
How cute is that? Very creative and easy enough someone not too crafty (me) could do it!