TSV Tips: Making Keepsake for Chinese New Year!
Today is a Chinese New Year! This year is a year of Snake so I decided to make few keepsakes as good luck charms for 2013. I made snake Father Frost (Russian Santa Clause), Snegurochka (Father Frost’s granddaughter and helper) and snake ballerina (since I wanted to become one as a child). But you can make any character you wish as they are easy and fun to make. You just need to use your imagination and creativity!
You will need following supplies:
- Thick felt (preferably white or bone colour)
- Thin felt (different colours)
- Pencil
- Round cup
- Threads (different colours)
- Needle
- Scissors
- Glue-on wiggle eyes
- Cotton ball
- Other accessories, such as feathers, stones, fabrics
Snegurochka
All snakes are made the same way. You will need thick felt that will give them structure and thin felt and other accessories (sequins, feathers, fabric) to decorate them.
1. Take a piece of thick felt and draw a circle with pencil using a cup or top of some round container.
2. Once you draw and cut out circle, draw a spiral with a small head at the end as shown on photo.
3. Cut the spiral according to the line.
4. Take either round or snow-flake shaped sequins and start sewing them on.
1. Continue sewing sequins, following the spiral all the way to snake’s head.
2. Once you are done sewing sequins, it’s time to decorate snake’s head. For Snegurochka, I stitched a strand of yellow Mouline threads and then braided them into a braid. Top of her head I decorated with a miniature crown made out of a gold sequin.
3. Glue on wiggly eyes. Cut V-shape tongue out of red sequins and stick between the layers of thick felt. Secure with threads matching the colour of felt.
4. Stitch on invisible cord or a small hook to snake’s head to be able to hang it as a decoration.
Father Frost
1. Sew red sequins, following the spiral all the way to snake’s head.
2. Once you are done sewing sequins, it’s time to decorate snake’s head. For Father Frost I cut out red felt in a shape of a Santa Clause’s hat and stitched a strand of white sequins on its bottom to make hat’s brim and a pom-pom.
3. Glue on wiggly eyes. Cut V-shape tongue out of red sequins and stick between the layers of thick felt. Make moustache and beard using a cotton ball. Secure them with white threads.
4. Stitch on invisible cord or a small hook to snake’s head to be able to hang it as a decoration.
Ballerina snake
1. Sew dark blue or other colour sequins, following the spiral all the way to snake’s head.
2. Once you are done sewing sequins, it’s time to decorate snake’s head. For ballerina, I attached a small feather that I pulled out of my down coat!!! Glue on wiggly eyes. Cut V-shape tongue out of red sequins and stick between the layers of thick felt. Secure with threads matching the colour of felt.
3. Make a small tutu using a piece of tulle, gathered with a thread and needle around snake’s ‘waist’.
4. Stitch on invisible cord or a small hook to snake’s head to be able to hang it as a decoration.
Voila, your snakes are ready! Not only they make a festive decoration, but also attract good luck and protect its owners from unwanted guests or news.
Happy Chinese New Year!
