Wine Cork Keyring

Supplies:
· Wine Bottle Cork
· 2-Eye Hooks
· Buttons or Beads
· Stretchy Cord
· Ribbon for Decorating
· Key Ring

Directions:
1. Screw an eye hook in each end of the cork.
2. Put a key ring on one of the eye hooks.
3. Cut a 7” piece of stretchy cord. (I have used jewelry wire with older children. Crimping beads were used to keep the beads or buttons secure.)
4. Tie a knot on one end of the stretchy cord and start beading. Make sure to leave at least an inch of stretchy cord to tie around the eye hook.
5. Tie the beaded stretchy cord to the eye hook. Repeat as many times as you would like.
6. Tie a piece of ribbon around the eye hook for more decoration.
7. You did it! Great Job!
The beads and ribbon I used were from past craft projects that were broken. I saved the ribbon and beads and found great new projects for them. Reuse!!!

Caterpillar

Supplies:
· Wool Sweater
· 8” piece of yarn
· Embroidery Thread (black)
· Poly-Fil
· Thread to match the color of the wool sweater
· Yarn Needle
· Needle
· Scissors
· Tape Measure

Directions:
1. Felt the wool sweater by washing it in the washing machine. The agitation will felt the wool together. If you want the felting to be tighter, dry it in the dryer.
2. Cut out a piece of felted wool 3” x 8”.
3. Fold the 3” x 8” piece of wool in half so it measures 1 ½” x 8”. Make sure that the right side of the wool is facing inward. With your matching thread and needle, sew along the bottom edge of the wool in straight stitch.
4. Turn the wool right side out. Sew one end closed by straight stitching around the edges and pull tightly. Knot to secure the sewing.
5. Put about a golf ball size of poly-fil inside the tube of wool. Push it to the end with your scissors.
6. Knot the end of the matching thread and pull through the bottom of the caterpillar to secure. Then wrap the thread around the wool where the poly-fil ends. Secure with a knot and repeat five more times.
7. Finish off the end by straight stitching around the edges and pull tightly. Knot to secure the sewing. Push the edges of the wool inside the caterpillar.
8. Use the embroidery thread and needle to make two eyes with a French knot. (For older children I have used black beads for the eyes.)
9. Use the yarn needle and yarn to make the antennas. Pull the yarn through the top of the caterpillars’ head. Knot the yarn on the ends and where it meets the wool. (For older children I have used wire and beads for the antennas.
10. You are done! Have fun playing with your caterpillar.

Wool Coasters

Supplies:
· Wool Sweaters
· Embroidery Floss
· Needle
· Scissors
· Hoop
· Washing Machine
· Paper
· Painters Tape or Masking Tape
Directions:
1. Wash the wool sweaters in hot water with laundry detergent. The agitation of the washing machine will felt the wool together. Lay out to dry or if you would like the felting to be tighter dry the sweaters in the dryer.
2. Cut a sleeve off of each sweater and cut along the seams to open up the arm. Place the hoop onto the sweater that you are going to embroidery on.
3. Cut a piece of tape 3” long and mark the middle (1 ½”) with a black pen. Place the tape onto the sweater in the hoop.
4. Use the tape as a measuring tool and straight edge and embroidery back stitch from end to end of the tape. You will have a straight line that is 3” long. Add a V at the ends of the 3”stitching. http://www.craftown.com/instruction/embroidery.htm
5. Turn the tape 45 degrees (Make sure the black mark is in the middle of the other 3” stitching.) and repeat step 4 three more times. (I added an extra V on every other 3” stitch.)
6. Cut a template out of the paper. (My coasters are 3 ¾” circles.)
7. TOP COASTER: Hold or pin the template on the area that you embroidered on and cut around the template.
8. BOTTOM COASTER: Cut another piece of wool from your template.
9. Blanket stitch around the bottom and top of the coaster. http://primrosedesign.blogspot.com/2006/11/stitch-school-blanket-stitch.html
10. You are finished! Great job! Try other embroidery patterns.

Easter Tree

Supplies:
· Glass Jar
· Sand
· Sticks
· Play Doh
· Cookie Cutters
· Small Decorative Eggs
· 1” Ribbon
· Thread
Directions:
1. Peel the label off of the glass jar and tie a ribbon around the jar to cover any label that didn’t come off.
2. Fill the jar with sand 1” from the top.
3. Poke and arrange the sticks in the sand.
4. Hang small decorative eggs on the sticks.
5. Roll out the play doh and use the cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Add a hole in the shapes and let dry over night. Thread a piece of thread through the hole and tie. Hang on the sticks. (I used play doh that was drying out and becoming stiff.)
6. Have fun!