how to make mickey mouse ears

How to Make Mickey Mouse Ears.

Mickey Mouse is the worldwide symbol of the Disney empire. He is beloved by children all over the world, so it’s no surprise kids want to wear Mickey Mouse ears while playing or out trick-or-treating on Halloween. You don't have to pay outrageous prices for mouse ears of your own. All you need are a few household supplies and soon you'll have a pair all to yourself.

Part 1 Making the Ears.

1. Gather the material for the ears. You will need black felt and cardboard to fashion your ears. However, if you don't have cardboard, you might be able to use construction paper that is both thick and stiff.

All materials needed for making Mickey Mouse ears can be purchased at a craft or fabric store.

If you don’t have any felt, you can paint or color the cardboard circles black or you can even paste some normal black craftsheet on the cardboard.

You could glue together several pieces of sturdy construction paper if you don’t have cardboard for the ears.

The material you use for the ears should be stiff enough so that the ears don’t flop over after affixed to the headband.

2. Purchase a suitable headband. The headband should be black and at least ½" (1.27 cm) thick. This will form the base for your mouse ears and attach them to your head. A thicker band might give greater stability to your mouse ears.

3. Create two identical circle templates out of paper. You will need to trace two circles, one for each ear. Each circle should be between 3” and 5” (7.6 cm and 12.7 cm) and have a ½” (1.27 cm) tab at the bottom of each circle. The circle template will look somewhat like a globe lamp. The bottom tab on the circle will serve to anchor the ears to your headband.

4. Trace your circle templates onto the felt. Hold the paper template with one hand while you trace four circles onto your black felt. You can trace your circles with a piece of chalk. Later, you can wipe the chalk off with a wet cloth.

5. Trace the circle template onto the cardboard. This cardboard is what will support the fabric of your mouse ears, keeping them looking perky. You will need two cardboard circles, one for the left ear and the other for the right.

You can also use the bottom of a bowl to create the circles you need for the ears.

6. Cut the felt circles. You'll want to use very sharp scissors or fabric scissors, otherwise you might not be able to cut smooth circles in your fabric. Follow your outlines with your scissors and a steady hand. You may need to clean up the edges once you have cut the circles free.

7. Cut the cardboard circles. In the same fashion as the felt circles, but still identical in shape to those circles, you'll need to cut out your cardboard circles. These will be used to reinforce the fabric and make it sturdy.

8. Glue the felt evenly to the cardboard. In most cases, household glue will be good enough to attach the felt to the front and back of each cardboard ear. This will give the ears the internal stability of cardboard, but the color and appearance of mouse ears.

Part 2 Attaching the Mouse Ears to the Headband.

1. Use a hot glue gun if you attach the mouse ears to a plastic headband. The higher quality glue used in a hot glue gun will create a better bond between the flap of the ear and the base of the band. Or, if the headband is made out of more flexible material, you can simply staple the mouse ears to the headband.

2. Fold and glue the tabs to tuck underneath the headband. The circles of your ears should be about 3” (7.62 cm) apart. Use your hot glue gun attach your tabs firmly to your headband. You can achieve the best placement for your ears by marking the position of each ear where you plan on attaching it to the headband.

You may need to fold the ears up and forward to encourage an upright position.

3. Allow sufficient time for glue to dry, if applicable. Staples won't require time to firm up, but if you've glued your mouse ears together, you should allow 30 minutes to an hour for the glue to set. You can improve the bond between your mouse ears and headband by holding the glued parts together while the glue sets for 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Dress up in a Mickey outfit and show off your ears. You might be able to get away with a costume comprised of Mickey's classic yellow shoes and red shorts. Or maybe you'll want to imitate one of Mickey's character roles, such as the robed assistant wizard in Disney's Fantasia.

Tips.

Consider substituting pieces of stiff foam for the cardboard. Glue two pieces of foam back to back and create a tab so you can attach the foam circles to the headband.

The Mickey Mouse ears sold at Disney theme parks are actually ears attached to a black beanie. You can make your ears with a beanie instead of a headband to make yours look more authentic.

A sturdy stapler can work in place of a glue gun, if you have no glue gun available.

Warnings.

Avoid using regular glue for joining headband and ears together. It will not likely be strong enough to hold the ears in place for a long duration or throughout heavy play.



Things You’ll Need.

Black felt, Black felt tip marker, black crayon, or paint (optional).

Cardboard, Chalk, Foam (optional), Hot glue gun (and glue), Headband.

Heavy duty stapler (optional), Plain paper, Scissors, Stiff construction paper (optional).

Desember 12, 2019

how to making a toy tomahawk

How to Making a Toy Tomahawk.

Tomahawks were used as tools and weapons by many of the native tribes that inhabited North America prior to its colonization. These general purpose instruments have enjoyed recent popularity in the form of tomahawk throwing competitions and tournaments. Whether you plan on using your tomahawk to learn a precision based skill or displaying it as a decorative piece of historical memorabilia, you can make your own 'hawk much like the Native Americans did so many years ago.





Gather the necessaries. To make your own tomahawk, or to make this as a craft with your kids, you should gather the supplies you'll need before you begin. For this project you will need:

Feathers and beads (optional).

Glue.

Paint (gray and brown suggested).

Pencil (optional).

Scissors.

Scrap paper (brown preferred).

Cardboard.

Twine (optional).



Cut your cardboard in the shape of a tomahawk. You should cut two pieces that are the full outline of a traditional tomahawk, including the ax-head and handle. You might want to consider adding support to the handle to make it more sturdy. You can do this easily by cutting 2 additional separate pieces of the tomahawk handle, which you will use later for support.

To give a 3D appearance to the ax-head of your tomahawk, you can add a couple of pieces of cardboard cut only in the shape of the ax-head. You might want these to be slightly smaller than the full size ax-head. This will give contour and make it even more realistic.



Glue your pieces together. Your ax-head/handle combined pieces should be glued together first, with your supporting handle-only pieces glued on the outside. The same goes for your ax-head; the slightly smaller ax-head-only pieces should be glued on the outside of the ax-head on the ax-head/handle combined pieces.

You should allow your glued together pieces enough time to fully dry before you move on from this stage in the tomahawk making process.



Apply some papier-mâché. To make the adhesive for your papier-mâché, you can dilute some normal all-purpose glue (sometimes called PVA glue) in a small amount of water. Use a paintbrush to apply your glue-water solution to your scrap paper and the surface of your cardboard tomahawk.

For scrap paper, you might use thin brown paper, like the kind used for paper lunch bags or grocery bags. Cover the cardboard of your 'hawk so that it has a uniform appearance.

To give a stone-like effect to your ax-head, you might want to crinkle the paper that you paste to it.

To make the handle of your 'hawk appear wooden, you should try to glue your papier-mâché to the handle as smoothly as possible.



Paint your toy tomahawk. If you are going for the classic appearance, you'll want gray and brown paint for the ax-head and the handle, respectively. Native Americans did not learn ironworking until after the arrival of colonists, so the more authentic 'hawks will have heads made of stone instead of metal.



Add finishing touches. These will depend on your preference, but at this point, you might consider wrapping the head of your 'hawk in twine using a criss-cross pattern that goes around the handle, making it appear as though the head and handle are tied together. You can also.

Give the appearance of wood finish by taping the handle in clear tape.

Glue or tie beads, ribbons, and/or feathers to create a more ceremonial looking 'hawk.





Tips.

Always follow proper safety procedure when using tools.

Allow all glue/epoxy to dry completely before handling your tomahawk.



Warnings.

Exercise caution when using metal cutting or welding equipment. You should always observe proper safety measures when using these kinds of tools.

Be careful when using a grinder or stone cutting saw. These kinds of equipment can cause serious injury if not handled properly.





Things You'll Need.

Making a Toy Tomahawk.

Feathers and beads (optional).

Glue.

Paint (gray and brown suggested).

Pencil (optional).

Scissors.

Scrap paper (brown preferred).

Cardboard.

Twine (optional)

November 20, 2019

how to make a sock monkey

How to Make a Sock Monkey.

This classic, goofy sock toy has been a favorite of children and adults for years. Making something this popular may sound like a daunting task, but it is actually quite easy. To make a sock monkey of your own, follow these steps.



Making the Legs.



Find two clean socks. The best ones will be ones with heels and toes in contrasting colors to the rest of the sock. One sock will be used to make the body, legs, and head, and the other will used to make the arms, tail, face, and ears.

These monkeys were traditionally made with “Rockford Red Heel Socks.” If you have striped socks, those work well, too. If your socks have cuffs, be sure to undo the seam carefully; the cuff length is needed for the length of the monkey.



Turn both socks inside-out.



Lay one sock with the heel flat down. You may have to flatten the sock against its natural crease to make this happen. If it's not cooperating, grab an iron and give it a quick once-over



Draw a center line on the sock from the toe to approximately one inch from the colored heel. This will become the split in the monkey’s legs. Again, note that the heel is actually hidden beneath the sock at this point, so you may have to flip it over briefly to double-check your positioning.

Erasable fabric marker works best for drawing. Make sure before you cut that your line is indeed on the halfway mark -- a monkey with one fat leg and one skinny leg is not a happy monkey.



With the sock still folded flat, sew up one side of your marked line and back down the other. Leave approximately 1/4 inch (.6 cm) between the line and each of your seams.

You can either use a sewing machine or sew by hand. If you're using a sewing machine, use your walking foot.



Cut along the line between your two seams. The monkey’s legs and colored feet will now be clearly visible.



Making the Body and Head



Turn the sock right-side out and stuff the entire thing. Polyfill stuffing is available at all craft supply stores. The upper half of the sock will become the torso and head.

The amount of stuffing is up to you. How firm do you want your monkey? If the sock is thin, you may want to err on the side of under stuffing, as overstuffing it may cause it to stretch.



Sew the head and/or hat. If your sock opening is the same color as the body of the sock, just make a nice rounded head and stitch it shut. If it is a contrasting color, you will need to decide if you want to cut it off (making a shorter body for the monkey) and make the head as usual or use the excess coloring as a "hat" by not stuffing the last inch or two and cinching the opening into a cone shape.

To make the head: Stitch around the neck with quarter inch stitches. Use sturdy thread such as embroidery floss. Pull the stitches snugly until you get the size neck you want and knot the ends. Round out the head area with stuffing as desired and stitch the top opening shut.



If you are making a hat, start working with the cuff. Gather the tip with large stitches and snug/cinch them closed. Fold the raw edges to the center and tuck inside. Then, stitch the opening closed. Winter ready!



Making the Arms, Tail, and Ears



Cut the second sock into sections as shown. Though the pattern is only drawn on the top, make sure to cut through both layers.



Fold both arm pieces in half lengthwise. Then sew up the open side in a gentle arc around the dark ends; the dark ends will become the paws and the opposites (open ends) are where the arm will be stuffed and then attached to the body.

Keep all of these sections open-ended. Make sure they're turned inside-out as you work! If they're not, all your seams will be very, very rough.



Fold the tailpiece in half lengthwise. Then sew up the open side and in a gentle arc around the dark end as you did with the arms; the dark end will become the tip of the tail and the opposite, open end is where the tail will be stuffed and attached to the body.



Fold each ear in half and cut across the crease. Then, sew in a gentle arc following the rounded sides, leaving the flat side open. The opening is where you will stuff each ear and then attach it to the body. Noticing a pattern?

If you'd like, you can then fold the ears again, forming a vertical line down the middle of the ear (giving it depth like a real ear has). Basically, pinch the edge you just sewed in and bring the two points together. Slip stitch the two sides together.



For now, do nothing with the muzzle (formerly the heel). That part's saved for later.



Flip the sewn pieces right-side out and stuff them. You should now have two arms, two ears, a tail, and an unsewn, unstuffed nose.

The tail may prove to be a bit of a problem. You could try to stuff it using regular polyfill stuffing and a pencil to poke it through, or you could use batting or part of an aquarium filter. Both the batting and the filter are a bit firmer and will create a more uniform-looking tail in the long run.



Attach the tail to the rump. Position it carefully and slip stitch it all the way around.



Attach the arms to either side of the body. You may want them a little higher than your natural inclination says; this will give your sock a more monkey-like posture.



Assembling the Face and Ears



Trim away the edges of the heel piece if necessary. Since this will form the muzzle, try to make sure the piece of fabric is uniform in color. Note that, since the outermost edges will be covered, you do not have to make them perfect.



Fold the bottom of the muzzle under and sew it to the bottom of the monkey's chin. Make sure no raw edges are visible along the bottom, but leave the top open for now.



Add stuffing to make the muzzle puff out. You may want to refer to existing images of sock monkeys as to how this should look. The best sock monkeys seem to have a muzzle that puffs out at nearly a 90º angle.



Fold the raw edge under and stitch the top edge to the face. The muzzle should take up a large amount of the area for the head -- don't worry about needing space for the rest of his features.

Go ahead, give your monkey a mouth! Along the toe line of the muzzle (which should be dead center) branch stitch in a contrasting color of thread.

If you'd like nostrils, simply embroider two small rectangles above the mouth about 1" (2.5 cm) apart.



Fold the raw edges of each ear to the inside and stitch them closed. Stitch the completed ears to the sides of the head. They should be in line with where the eyes will be, just above the muzzle. Make sure they stick out from the front!



Add button eyes. To give your monkey whites on the outside of his eyes, glue or sew the buttons onto a bit of white felt. Then, with thread of a contrasting color, sew on the felt just above the muzzle. You now have an adorable sock monkey!

For a non-demonic looking monkey, stick to black buttons. The size you need depends on the size of your monkey. And if you're giving it to a child, either avoid the buttons entirely or make sure they're sewn on really well !







Tips.

Important: when stuffing the sock monkey, use small pieces of stuffing. Using bigger pieces may be quicker, but the results aren't satisfying at all. The project will come out lumpy and, well, ugly. Smaller pieces leave a smooth finish. It may help to use the eraser end of a pencil to gently push stuffing into place.

To add personality to your monkey you can cut out a red heart and put it in your monkey's chest before you sew it up.

You can use fabric glue to add the eyes instead of sewing them on.



Further ideas.

Sew a tiny red vest for the monkey with buttons down the front to make him/her look like an organ grinder's monkey.

Embroider a mouth line on the nose or eyebrows for added expression.

Cinch elbows, knees, wrists and ankles for the monkey using the same technique as for the neck.

Add a pom pom to the hat for a winter monkey, or a flower to the hat for a spring monkey, etc.

Sew a fabric banana into the monkey's hand.

Sew a tiny red heart on the monkey's chest.

Knit a scarf for more winter fun.

If you don't have stuffing, you can use old pieces of t-shirts, crushed and dried flower petal, used dryer sheets, tissue paper, yarn, grass or rice.

If you don't have any buttons, you could use googly eyes instead.

Bright colored socks work well. Also spots and stripes are great.

Eyes can also be drawn onto your monkey. Embroidery is another option.



Warnings.

If you're giving the sock monkey to a child under three years old, don't use buttons for the eyes. If they come loose, they could end up in the child's mouth. Instead, embroider the eyes on, use child-safe doll/cat eyes, or use nontoxic fabric paint or markers to draw the eyes or use felt eyes.

Use only socks you have permission to cut up.

Scissors and needles are sharp. Be careful when using them.



Things You'll Need.

One pair of socks with contrasting colored heels and toes.

Stuffing.

Embroidery floss or yarn to match your sock.

Sewing supplies: needles, sewing machine, scissors, etc.

A bright pen/marker to copy the pattern onto the socks.

Two buttons for eyes (optional).

Extra fabric for additional details (optional).

Iron (if necessary)

November 07, 2019