DIY Easter chicks from pom-poms

I remember making little chicks like these as a child. The idea is simple: make two pom-poms of different sizes, one forming the body and one the head, and sew them together.

Do you recall how to make pom-poms? Cut out two rings from thin cardboard: a big circle (about 8,5 or 3 1/2" Ø) with a smaller circle (1,5 cm or 1/4" Ø) cut out in the middle.

To make it easier for children to wind the yarn around the disk, you can cut out a thin wedge from the ring. Start winding yarn around both the rings, until the entire cardboard rings are covered with a few layers of wool (a 4-year-old child should be able to do this).

Now the tricky part: holding the wool together in the centre (pinch it!), cut the wool in between the two layers of cardboard (sharp scissors help). When done, tie a piece of thread in between the two circles and make a firm knot. If you want to sew the pom-pom to something, leave the ends.

For the chicks, I didn't use thread but pipe cleaner to tie the wool together. I left the ends of the pipe cleaner, they became the legs of the chicks!

Now remove the cardboard, and there's your first pom-pom!

Repeat the exercise with smaller rings (about 5,5 cm or 2 1/4" Ø) to make the heads of the chicks (I used smaller pipe cleaner for the beaks).

You can make the pom-poms extra fluffy by keeping them in hot steam for a second.

Last step is to sew both pom-poms together, and glue on goggle eyes (I used a hot glue gun for this). My kids love their chicks!

xxx Esther

PS Yellow wool would have been more appropriate but I didn't have any around...