1. Following steps 2–6 for Making Pompoms by Hand on

pages 19–21, make a 2 1⁄2-inch (6.4 cm) fat, egg-shaped pompom

from gray yarn for the head. I used approximately 1⁄3 skein of

Patons medium-weight Classic Wool, which is approximately

69 yards (63 m).

2. On the narrow end of the egg shape, locate where you want the

nose to be. Make a small part into the pile of the yarn, place a small

drop of glue in the part, and insert the pink seed bead. Gently pinch

the fibers around the glue and the bead to secure it. Let dry.

3. Using the inverted triangle layout (see Positioning the Nose and

Eyes on page 22), decide where you want the eyes to be. Make a

part in the yarn, carefully squeeze in a pea-size drop of glue for

each eye, and gently insert the wire end of each glass eye into the

pompom. Let the glue dry.

4. Using the template on page 121, cut two ears out of the wool

felt, rub the inside of each ear with a bit of pink chalk, and blend it

in with your finger. Squeeze a dollop of glue onto the bottom flat

part of each ear shape and pinch the lower edge together, with pink

inside, to give it dimension. Repeat this for the second ear. Use

clothespins or hemostats to hold the ear bases together as they dry.

5. After the ears have dried, make a small part on top of the head

over each eye, squeeze a bit of glue into the pile, and insert the

ears. Pinch the fibers around the ears to secure them and let dry.

6. Make another slightly larger pompom from gray yarn and trim it

into a pear-shaped pompom for the body, about 4 inches (10.2 cm)

tall. I used approximately 1⁄2 skein of medium-weight Patons Classic

Wool, which is approximately 105 yards (96 m). The narrow top will

be the Squirrel’s neck, and the heavier, rounded end will be the

bottom of the Squirrel sitting upright. To create the illusion of the

Squirrel’s haunches and tummy, trim out a V shape from the front

center bottom of the belly area.

7. Glue the pipe cleaner into the top half of the pompom body.

Simply make a horizontal part deep into the wool at the top,

squeeze in a dime-size dollop of glue, and place the pipe cleaner

snugly down into it; pinch the fibers of the wool yarn around the

pipe cleaner to secure it. This will become the frame for the arms of

the Squirrel, which you will needle felt. (See Creating Appendages

on page 24.) Let the glue dry.

SquirrelSquirrels pair curiosity and cuteness to perfection: this chap’s bushy tail and inquisitive look complete his lively expression. Give him a pal or two to keep him company up in the trees by making the Bluebird or Raccoon. Basic Pompom Toolbox

(page 12)

100% wool yarn: gray

100% wool felt: gray

100% wool roving: gray

100% wool roving yarn: gray

Pink seed bead

2 black glass eyes, 10 or 12 mm

Template: ears (page 121)

Pink chalk

6-inch (15.2 cm) gray pipe cleaner

Needle felting supplies (page 16)

Ribbons

Piece of a tree branch, limb, or trunk, 3 inches (7.6 cm) in diameter, for the base

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

5 1⁄2 inches (14 cm) tall (without the wooden base)

YOU WILL NEED

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Squirrel

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8. Glue the finished head onto the body. To create a cute,

inquisitive expression, tilt the head to one side. Squeeze a

nickel-size dollop of glue at the top of the body pompom and

position the head as desired. You will need to let the glue set up

and dry, which can take a few hours. To keep the head from falling

off before the glue sets up, use a long floral pin to hold it in place.

Remove the pin after the glue has set up.

9. After the glue has fully dried, bend the pipe cleaner into the

desired position and trim each arm to approximately 2 1⁄2 inches

(6.4 cm). Bend down and crimp the sharp ends of the pipe

cleaners because they will poke through the needle-felted paws.

10. Needle felt the Squirrel’s feet by rolling a golf ball–size bit

of wool roving into a cigarlike shape and needle felting to compact

it down. Once it is a tight, dense 3-inch (7.6 cm) cigar shape, cut it

evenly in half to make the two little feet.

11. At the bottom of the pear shape make two separate parts into

the wool “fur” and glue and insert the feet into the body. Let it dry

standing upright.

12. After the pipe cleaner and glue have set up, wrap a thick

bacon-size strip of roving tightly around the pipe cleaner

armatures from top to bottom. Use more roving near the upper

arm and shoulder area and taper it toward the end to form a tiny

paw. Needle felt the roving tightly to compact it around the pipe

cleaner so it will not unravel. Bend down at the wrist to create the

illusion of paws.

13. For the tail, make another pompom from wool roving yarn. I

used approximately 1⁄3 skein of Patons bulky-weight Classic Wool

Roving yarn, which is approximately 40 yards (36 m). The

Squirrel’s tail looks like a rounded arc with longer, fluffier roving

yarn at the end, and shorter, denser roving yarn at the base. The

knotted waxed twine will be located in the center of the tail’s

curved arc. Begin shaping the pompom by trimming the fibers on

one side of the waxed twine shorter than the other side, as the

shorter, denser part of the tail will be attached to the Squirrel’s

body. On the other side of the twine, trim the roving yarn fibers so

they’re slightly longer and fluffier. The longer fibers will naturally

tend to droop a bit, which will create the curve of the tail. Comb

the fibers with your fingers as you gradually sculpt the curved tail

to approximately 6 to 7 inches (15.2 to 17.8 cm) long.

14. Make a large part in the back of the Squirrel’s body and

squeeze in a big dollop of glue both in the part and on the lower

portion of one side of the tail; snugly insert the glued pompom tail

into the part. To hold the tail in place as the glue sets up, tie a

ribbon or a pipe cleaner around the tail and the body; remove it

when the glue is dry. Please note that the tail often makes the

Squirrel heavy in the back, so your Squirrel may tip. Gluing the

Squirrel onto a simple base (like the tree section shown) will keep

this from happening.

15. Tie a ribbon or two around your Squirrel’s neck.

NOTE: Want to make additional embellishments for your Squirrel? Needle felt an acorn, which the Squirrel can hold in its front paws. Tiny woven baskets found in miniature shops and filled with millinery flowers, berries, or pinecones are another cute object for your Squirrel to hold.

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Squirrel

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Squirrel