The popularity of Disney's Alice in Wonderland spawned a new love for Lewis Carroll's traditional characters, including the droll and colorful caterpillar. Kids can design a creative furry caterpillar of their own for a school project, afternoon craft, or as a holiday ornament. The simple technique behind the project makes it easy for young crafters to make a basic caterpillar toy in a few short steps.
Choose colorful pom poms to enhance the design, including multicolored or metallic varieties. Handmade pom poms from traditional patterns can also be used when crafted in small, closely-bound versions, but pre-purchased varieties tend to work better and offer more diversity in color and pattern.
Materials Needed:
- one bag of colored craft pom poms, small and medium-sized
- needle
- thread
- scissors
- glue
- black felt
- seed beads or mini "google" eyes
Making the Caterpillar Body
Choose the size and colors desired for the caterpillar's body, either with a tapering tail or equal-sized pom poms to form the caterpillar's shape. The more pom poms chosen, the longer the caterpillar's body, which crafters should keep in mind when laying out the toy's general shape.
Thread a needle and draw it through the pom poms, sewing them together into a long caterpillar shape. The body will be soft and flexible, meaning the caterpillar can be wrapped around fingers, draped over objects for display, or even transformed into a bracelet by its crafter.
Decorating the Caterpillar
Create the caterpillar's legs by cutting small slivers of black felt from a sheet. Miniature triangles create the general appearance of the caterpillar's many legs. Secure them to the ornament's sides using a daub of glue applied to the back of each one. Space them evenly apart to create the uniform appearance of real-life caterpillars.
Add tiny seed beads or miniature craft eyes to the caterpillar's head. Glue them securely in place or use pre-applied adhesive backing if available. Use small pieces of felt to create eyebrows, lips, noses, or any other features desired for the caterpillar's face.
Additional Tips and Techniques
Instead of felt, use small pieces of craft pipe cleaner to create antennae, mini legs, or other features if preferred. The material is easy to cut apart and apply with sturdy craft paint. Apply pieces of yarn for eyebrows or caterpillar smiles, if preferred. Use metallic paint, sequins, and other craft supplies to decorate the caterpillar's body, adding spots, patterns, and other colorful details.
Experienced crafters may wish to substitute a lightweight, flexible craft wire for the needle and thread, piercing a row of pom poms to form a flexible caterpillar easily posed. As always, use caution when sharp-ended wires are involved; take care to hide the wire's ends with a small, tight loop at either end.
Wind a finished caterpillar around a gift as a bonus surprise or hand them out as party favors at a family event or holiday gathering. The simple design and quick construction makes them a good choice for large-scale craft projects and group activities.
Sarah Briggs - For the last two years, I have designed primitive dolls and folk art sculptures (such as Edwin Drood and the Ghost of Marley) for Cordwood ...
Join the Conversation