How to create a simple Fleece Bird

We  had our final 'cafe market day' at the school last week.

I had a little stall and decided to bring a little Spring colour onto it by decorating with flowers and colourful fleece birds.

We were taught to make fleece angels at craft group a few weeks ago. Ready for Christmas.

I was inspired to use the basic principle of making a knot for the head and leaving the remainder flowing. On some level I wondered 'what else has wings', 'what else floats through the air'. And came up with a bird. 

They only take me about 10mins to make and are so simple, my 3 year old -Little Pipkin-almost completely made his own (I tied his knot and pushed the beak in for him).

Pull of a long piece of fleece (twice the length of your final bird).
Tie a knot in the centre.

Fold the length in half, and look at the knot
to decide which way looks best for a head.

Wind one half of the length around the other (below the knot),
and needle into place, to form the body.

Add a little more fleece, balled up, if you would like a prominent belly.

Take two even, wispy pieces of fleece for wings.

Pinch them at the top to form a triangle shape
(one at a time)

Needle each wing into place. At an angle to the body.

As an alternative, a single piece of fleece across
the body can make great wings too (Little Pipkin
made his wings this way)

Ball up a tiny piece of fleece and use the needle, to create a beak.
Mr Pipkin is being very slow and careful here.
(These needles hurt much more than sewing needles if you prick yourself)

Push your beak into place with the felting needle.

Add a line/wire/string/cord through the back, to hang your bird.
I tie a knot, to make a long loop and hide the knot within
the body of the bird.

  We have hung a couple on our Spring Season's tree on our Nature Table. They truly are sweet.

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