Making a Shaggy Dog Out of Yarn

Materials

• 1 4 oz. skein knitting worsted yarn (main color)
• 1 4 oz. skein knitting worsted yarn (secondary color)
• 3 pieces of wire, each 35 inches long (jewelry wire works)
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• Colored felt (red and white)
• Buttons for eyes (or may use felt)
• Ribbon

Equipment

• Scissors
• Cardboard or plastic square, 3x3 inches
• Long-nosed pliers

Instructions

Wrap yarn 30 times around the cardboard or plastic square. Remove the yarn from the square, tie the bunch in the middle and spread out loops to form puff. Wrap 16 puffs of secondary color. Wrap 36 puffs of main color.

Cut three pieces of wire, each 35 inches long, and bend each wire in half. Place one puff on the wire by threading it from the open end to the bend. Twist the wire behind the puff in order to secure the puff on the wire. Continue threading puffs on the wire, twisting the wire behind each puff.

First wire:

• Head: 5 puffs of main color.
• Neck: 4 puffs of secondary color
• Body: 6 puffs of main color.

Second wire (Front Legs):

• Foot: 2 puffs of secondary color.
• Leg: 12 puffs of main color
• Foot: 2 puffs of secondary color.

Third wire (Hind legs):

• Repeat as for second wire.

Clip excess wire and bend the ends into the puffs to avoid possibility of scratching. Separate puffs and place legs in appropriate places over first wire and sew or wind thread to secure in place. Bend wires to shape into dog.

Add eyes, ears, tongue, and ribbon as desired, in keeping with the colors of the dog.

Source: Occupational therapy department

By Harriet Schipper from Lakewood, CA