Easter Pull Toy

Nothing is cuter than a pile of baby animals! This pull toy, perfect for a toddler this Easter, features a lamb, bunny and chick enjoying the ride.

Materials:

• STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam:
  • Balls: 1-1/2"; 1"
  • Block, 10" x 4" x 1"
  • Eggs: 3"; 2-1/2"; 2"
• Wool felt, 9" x 12" sheets: blue; brown; green
• Wool fiber (roving): 1/4 oz. each brown and natural; 1/8 oz. each yellow and pink
• Dark brown acrylic paint
• Wooden items: flat 2" circles, four; dowel, 1/4" x 5" length
• Cotton ball
• Serrated knife
• Candle stub or paraffin
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Medium flat paintbrush
• Disposable palette
• Water basin
• Paper towels
• Wooden toothpicks
• Scissors
• Needlefelting tool
• Embroidery needle and floss, 1 yd. each: brown; ivory
• Low-temp glue gun and glue sticks
• Thick, white craft glue

For pattern, click here. (pdf)

Steps:

Note: Felting needles are extremely sharp; use caution. The higher the needle number, the finer the needle and the smaller the hole left in the project. Follow manufacturer's instructions.

1. Wax serrated knife with candle stub or paraffin. Cut thin slice from one side of each foam ball for bunny and chick heads. Cut 3-1/2" x 5-1/2" piece from foam block for wagon; reserve scrap for felting pad.
    
2. Flatten ends and opposite long sides of two largest foam eggs for bunny and sheep bodies.
    
3. Flatten small egg for chick body along one long side; flatten and angle narrow end of egg into curved point for tail end. Glue chick and bunny heads to body in position shown.
    
4. Place small amount of yellow wool fiber against chick, thick enough to cover foam with overlap at bottom edge. Attach fiber to surface using felting needle, beginning at bottom; follow manufacturer instructions to ensure safety. Continue felting fiber to foam until completely covered.
    
5. Using wing pattern guide, pull enough yellow wool fiber together to create a rough shape one-third larger than wing guide. Place fiber over scrap foam and begin needlefelting, leaving top of each wing slightly loose and flipping often. Needlefelt wings to body.
    
6. Repeat Step 5 to form yellow beak; leave center of beak slightly loose. Fold beak in half and needlefelt to head. Beginning at bottom of body, use three strands brown floss to embroider French knot eyes above beak.
    
7. Needlefelt brown wool fiber to bunny head/body in same way as chick. Using brown fiber, create ears, two paws and two feet in same way as chick wings and beak. Leave center of ear piece and tops of paws and feet slightly loose, flipping often. Fold ears in half and needlefelt to head. Embroider French knot eyes in same way as chick. Needlefelt paws to body sides and feet to bottom of body, angled slightly outward. Roll small 1" ball of brown wool fiber and needlefelt loosely to bunny for tail.
    
8. Cut pattern pieces as indicated; cut bunny nose from brown felt and glue under eyes. In addition, cut 3/8" x 9" strip from green felt; tie into bow around neck. Cut four 3/4" x 6" strips from brown felt for sheep legs; roll each strip into a tight cylinder and glue to secure. Fold sheep head on line indicated, stuff with cotton ball, and glue shut along edge.
    
9. Needlefelt natural wool fiber to sheep body. To create curls over top and sides, roll 5" strips of fiber into loose spirals. Needlefelt loosely side-by-side all over body. Glue legs to bottom of body. Glue face and ears to body as shown. Roll 6" strip of pink fiber into loose ball and needlefelt to center of leaves for rose; needlefelt to sheep body.
    
10. Paint dowel and wooden circles brown; let dry. Lightly sand edges of wheels. Drill two holes in each wheel; tie ivory floss through holes, knotting at front.
     
11. Cover foam wagon with blue felt, wrapping like a gift. Needlefelt thin strip of yellow fiber along sides of wagon. Glue wheels and dowel handle to wagon as shown, poking hole for dowel before inserting it. Stack and glue animals to wagon as shown.

®™ Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow. For more project ideas, please see styrofoamstyle.com.