How To Make a Button Caterpillar

• Tuesday, July 3rd 2012

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  Buttons are one of those crafty items that seem to appear in every household or classroom. Here at Baker Ross HQ we’re no exception; the office shelves are lined with endless jars of buttons in all different shapes, sizes and colours. The fact that there’s such a choice available makes them really versatile when it comes to creative projects, and great fun to experiment with too. We thought it was high time we made up some ideas with our current stash, and our first design is this cute little caterpillar.
  
  To make him up you’ll need two pipe cleaners, a selection of round buttons in assorted colours in a variety of different sizes, beads wide enough for your pipe cleaners to fit through, coloured card or paper, scissors, a black pen and a set of self-adhesive wiggle eyes.
  
  
  
   
  Before you start, arrange the buttons in groups according to size – this will make it easier for the children to assemble the caterpillar. Take one of the pipe cleaners, measure 18cm along and cut off the excess. Bend one of the ends into a right-angle – this will stop the buttons coming off. Starting with the smallest buttons, start feeding them onto the pipe cleaner, pushing them gently up to the bend. Add more buttons, gradually adding those larger in size, to form the caterpillar’s body. Keep adding buttons until the there is approx 3cm left of the pipe cleaner.
   
  
   
   
   Take the second pipe cleaner and loop it around the first, in front of the last button, to create the antennae.
   
  
   
  Then add a final large button and feed the end of the main pipe cleaner through the holes, twisting it behind the button to secure it in place.
   
  
   
  Push the second pipe cleaner through the holes of the last button too, trim the antennae to size. Add a dab of glue to the centre of two beads then fix one on each antenna. Cut a circle of paper to fit the last button, stick on googly eyes and draw on a mouth. Fix to the button with adhesive, pressing firmly to secure.
   
  
  
  To finish your creepy crawly pal, carefully straighten out the bent end of the pipe cleaner, add a dab of glue to the centre of the remaining bead and push it on, flush to the end button. Trim off the end with scissors and you’re done!
  
  
   If you liked this post, why not check out some of our other project ideas using buttons:
  How to make a button flower card
  How to make a button bracelet
  How to decorate a canvas with buttons

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  • How-to
• • Tags
  • buttons, pipe cleaners, quick crafts, rainy day crafts
• Written by Kate

• • I just love this, such a simple idea but really effective! I've got loads of buttons - so might just give this a go. Perfect activity for yet another rainy day!
  • Commented by Marie