I’m currently using this little nest as seasonal center piece (when I can find my table that is). When Evening is a little bit older I plan on letting her have it as a toy to go with a little stuffed bird I’m making for her. For now, though, I know she will spend her day chewing on the stick so we’ll keep it out of reach.
I used yarn to make this nest, which was something of an experiment. I’m already excited to try making one out of natural hemp or twine and incorporating all sorts of twigs and nature-walk finds, more like a real bird would.
To make a nest of your own, you will to gather these supplies:
- yarn scraps (or one ball)
- yarn needle
- balloon
- one cup of flour
- two cups of water
- forked stick
- 2-3 blown-out eggs
- your preferred egg dying tools
First, we will need to make a form for the nest. To do this, I mixed one cup of flour with 2 cups of water to make a papier-maché type paste. Then I soaked several feet of yarn in the paste.
Then, I blew up a balloon, tied it off, and placed it, tie down, into a mug. Then I took my soaking yarn and wrapped it all about the balloon, leaving lots of gaps and holes so I could weave yarn through them later.
making the nest form |
Then, I let the form dry completely (about a full day).
Once it was dry, I popped the balloon and removed any bits that were stuck inside.
Threading my yarn needle with a length of yarn, I started weaving it in and out through all the gaps in my form, and kept it up until the form was completely hidden in soft, soft yarn. You could use one type of yarn only, or you could make a very colourful nest using up scraps from other projects, depending on the look that you think you would like best.
Once my nest was finished, I attached it to the forked stick I collected from the yard by simply sewing the nest to it with my yarn and yarn needle.
sew the nest to the fork in the stick |
This will be such a fun project to make one day with Evening to teach her about birds and how they make their homes (we’ll just call that papier-maché mud…)!
For now, though, it’s nice to have a cheerful reminder that it really is spring even though the snow doesn’t seem to want to let up outside…
Update: I’ve finished the little birdie to go with this nest. Isn’t she fun? She fits this nest so well I wanted to share her with you in case you’d like to make one yourself. She is based on this free pattern posted at Lavender’s Blue.
I'm linking this project up with the linky parties at A Humble Creation and Sew Many Ways - check them out!
Did you find this tutorial helpful or inspiring? Please click here to vote for us!