Fledgling Friends

Total Time Needed:: 1-2 Hours

Using a simple yarn-wrapping technique, some Styrofoam balls, and a few other craft-supply basics, you can hatch these avian cuties in no time. Wrapped twigs provide the perfect perch.

Materials

Small Styrofoam balls in two sizes
Toothpicks
Tacky glue
Yarn
Scissors

Brown pipe cleaner
Colored feathers
Orange felt
Black ball-head straight pins

Instructions

Spear the smaller ball on a toothpick, then drizzle glue over it. Press the end of the yarn into the glue at the top of the ball and spiral the yarn around the ball until you reach its widest point. Cut the yarn. Move the toothpick to the other end, then wrap the uncovered half of the ball, working toward the middle. Repeat this process to cover the larger ball.
To assemble the bird, push a glue-tipped toothpick into the top of the small ball. Put a drop of glue on the toothpick's other end and push it into the large ball.
Use toothpicks to poke 4 holes (2 for legs and 2 for wings) into the large ball.
For each pipe cleaner leg, first bend 3 zigzags for the foot as shown, then trim the leg to size -- approximately 1 1/2 inches for a standing bird, 1 inch for a perched bird. Dab glue on the end of each leg and insert it into its hole. Do the same for the feather wings. For the beak, cut a triangle from a piece of folded orange felt. Crease it, then bead glue along the outside of the crease. Press the beak in place. Angle the ball-head pins into the small ball for eyes. To display the bird, set it on a yarn-wrapped twig and glue its toes around the branch, propping it up until the glue dries.