We would like to invite you to get involved in

Woollen Woods at Tiroran Community Forest

We’re looking for contributions of woodland creatures made of wool – knitted,

felted, crocheted, any technique is fine. Please use natural wool if possible as it is

more likely to withstand the elements and be compostable, but all contributions are

welcome. These will be displayed in Tiroran Community Forest next summer in time

for the Get creative festival 11-19th May 2019, although we hope to keep the display

up for several months so you can visit your creatures in the forest. We’ll organise a

celebratory event on 18th May, so look out for details nearer the time.

This pack provides some patterns and inspiration to get you going and celebrate our

woodland biodiversity – from bats to bluebells and toadstools to tawny owls, any

woodland animal, plant, bird, insect or fungi is welcome! If you would like a printed

copy, contact Emily on ewilkins@nts.org.uk or 07717581405.

Deadline for submissions is the end of April 2019, and items can be posted to: Mull

and Iona Ranger Service, c/o Tigh na Rois, Millbrae Cottage, Bunessan, Isle of Mull,

PA67 6DG. If you’re on the island we can also make arrangements to collect. Please

spread the word, as everyone from near and far is welcome to take part, however

please note that we won’t be able to return your creations.

Emily Wilkins and Monica Haddock

Here are some photos of our collection so far, and links to further sources of ideas

and patterns.

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/VolArtsWeek/woollen-woods/

http://www.anneclarkhandmade.co.uk/simple-patterns-for-woollen-woods/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/littlehelli/sets/72157653295149788/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/voluntary_arts/albums/72157654220536889

Needle Felted Mushroom Tutorial Source: http://tinyapartmentcrafts.blogspot.com/2010/12/needle-felted-terrarium-and-mushroom.html

Needle felting is pretty easy; you just loosely form shapes with your wool, rest them on a piece of thick foam (to protect yourself) and stab at it with the needle until it becomes firm and takes shape. I didn't have any instructions for my mushrooms, and sort of came up with a process as I went along.

To form a mushroom, felt a flattish pancake of wool, adding as you go to the top so that it forms a smooth dome, or whatever profile you want your cap to be. Turn it over and punch an inner circle to make an indent. The wool pulls together and firms up as you needle it, so that is how the indent forms. Roll a log of your stem-coloured wool and fold the bottom end over itself; this will make the stem end a little bulbous when you felt it. Leave the very top of your stem unfelted. Tease this out into a flat circle and centre inside your cap. Stab the needle all around the stem into the cap, pushing the "gills" inside the indent. If you are making a polka-dot mushroom, roll tiny balls of wool and attach them to the cap by gently stabbing them with the needle. Be very careful not to stab yourself at that point, the needle is very sharp! I found that when I was finished, there were little stray fluffy hairs that needed to be snipped off with scissors in order to make the surface smooth.

Toy Ant Knitting Pattern Source: http://www.chemknits.com/2010/01/free-patterns-by-chemknits-summary.html

Materials

Knitting Needles: 4 dpn Size 1 (2.5 mm) Yarn: Black KnitPicks Palette yarn Gauge: Not important for the completed project Misc: yarn needle, polly fill stuffing, crochet hook Finished Size: ~3 inches long

Instructions for the Ant Body Cast on 6 stitches. Join to knit in the round. 1. KFB across (12 sts) 2. K across 3. Kfb across (24 sts) Rows 4-6. K across the row. 3 rounds total 7. *K2, K2tog* across the row (18 sts) 8. K across 9. K2tog across the row (9 sts) 10. K across the row 11. Kfb across (18 sts) Rows 12-19. K across the row. 8 rounds total 20. K2tog across the row (9 sts) 21. K across 22. Kfb across (18 sts) 23. K across 24. *K2, Kfb* across the row (24 sts) Rows 25-34. K across the row. 10 rounds total 35. *K2, K2tog* across the row (18 sts) 36. K across 37. *K1, K2tog* across the row (12 sts) 38. K across 39. K2tog across the row (6 sts)

Stuff the body. Cut yarn and pull through remaining stitches. Weave in loose ends.

Construction of the Antenna and Legs

Cut a piece of yarn and thread through the head of the ant

Using a crochet hook, crochet a single chain (starting with a stitch on the side of the head) until the desired length has been reached. Cut the yarn just above the knot. (see below)

One antenna has been cut.

Thread three pieces of yarn through the middle section of ant body.

As with the antenna, crochet single chain for each leg until desired length has been reached. Cut the yarn just above the knot so it will not unravel.

Enjoy your stuffed ant toy!

---------------------------------------

Abbreviations Used in this pattern: Kfb - increase by knitting into the front and back of a single stitch. M1 (Make 1)- increase stitch by picking up yarn between two stitches, twisting and knitting. K - knit P - purl S1 - slip one stitch SSK - decrease by slipping two stitches then knitting them together. Alternatively, you could slip one stitch, knit one stitch and pass slipped stitch over. K2tog - decrease by knitting two stitches together.

This knitting pattern was created by ChemKnits for your personal or charity use. You are not to distribute or reprint this pattern without the permission of ChemKnits. © 2011 ChemKnits

Wool Wrapped Birds

Source: https://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Cute-Yarn-Bird/

Step 1: Materials Needed

To make this bird you will need:

1. Yarn - 3-4 different colours,

2. Scissors,

3. Card,

4. Ruler,

5. Craft glue,

6. Craft wire,

7. Craft pliers,

8. Beads - 2 black, medium size,

9. Needle and black thread.

Step 2: Preparing the Yarns

You will need to cut 3 pieces of card. The width of the cards should be around 4-5 cm. Two cards should be 9 cm and

the other one 12 cm. The measurement will vary depending on the size of the bird.

Take different coloured yarn and wrap them around the cards lengthwise. Keep wrapping them until they are thick

enough (1cm thick in each side).

Hold the yarns on the cards firmly and cut any one side. You will get a group of yarn strands.

Tips:

For the 12 cm card piece use dark coloured yarn, this will be the upper part of the bird,

For one of the 9 cm card pieces use light coloured yarn, this will be the lower part of the bird,

For the other 9 cm card piece mix 2 colours together, we'll create the wings with this group of yarns.

Step 3: Joining the Upper and Lower Part

Take the 12 cm long yarn group (dark coloured) and place it on a flat surface horizontally. Take the light coloured

group of yarns and place it on the longer group of yarns vertically, right in the middle, creating a cross.

Fold the dark coloured yarns into half, wrapping the light coloured yarn group.

Next take a small piece of dark coloured yarn and tie it around the half folded yarn group tightly.

Now fold the light coloured yarn group into half, take a small piece of light coloured yarn and tie it around the half

folded yarn group tightly.

Make sure that the edges of both half folded yarn groups are leveled.

Step 4: Joining the Wings

Take the mixed yarn group and place it below the tied yarns from the previous step. The dark coloured yarn group’s

knot should be facing up.

Take a small piece of paper (half of A4 sized paper). Crumple the piece of paper and squeeze it to make it small. The

size of the bird’s body depends on the crumpled paper size. Place the crumpled paper in between the 3 group of

yarns as shown in the 2nd picture of this step.

Hold the open ends of the yarn groups together tightly. Take small piece of any coloured strand and tightly tie it

around that end to join all the yarn groups together.

Trim the end of the yarn groups to level them.

Step 5: Attaching Other Features

Make a small cone from orange coloured felt for the beak.

Use craft wire to make the legs. Attach the legs by bending the open ends of

the legs and inserting it through the yarns of the lower part.

Simply attach 2 black beads on both sides of the bird’s head using needle and

matching thread.

And finally Glue the beak to complete the bird. Done!

Spring Daffodils Source: https://www.happyberry.co.uk/

Suggested Materials

- 3.5mm crochet hook

- DK/Light worsted weight in yellow (or aran/worsted)

- Chunky/Bulky weight yarn in green for stem

- Yarn needle and scissors

- Florist tape

- Florist wire (19pprox.. 12” length)

Finished Sizes

Accurate to real daffodils

Additional Notes

This pattern is in US terminology. Why not try the daffodil in two different shades of

yellow, or even in orange and yellow.

Stitch Library

ch = chain

sl st = slip stitch

sc = single crochet

hdc = half double crochet

dc = double crochet

tr = treble crochet stitch

** = repeat instructions between asterisks for as long as stated

() = total stitches

Written Pattern

Y = yellow

G = green

Round 1 – Starting with the trumpet

Using Y and a 3.5mm crochet hook, work 6sc into a magic circle, pull to tighten, sl st to join

– (6)

You can watch a tutorial on how to work the magic circle here:

http://youtu.be/0m0952XQjbA

Alternatively you can ch4, sl st in 1st ch to form a loop and crochet 6sc into loop, sl st to join

Round 2

2sc in next st and in ea st around, sl st in 1st sc to join – (12)

Round 3

In front loops only ch1, 1sc in same st as previous sl st (below ch1), 1sc in next st and in ea

st around, sk ch1, sl st in 1st sc to join – (12)

Round 4

Ch1, 1sc in same st as previous sl st, 1sc in next st and in ea st around, sk ch1, sl st in 1st sc

to join – (12)

Round 5

Ch1, 1sc in same st as previous sl st, 2sc in next st, *1sc in next st, 2sc in next st* repeat

from * to * until end, sk ch1, sl st in 1st sc to join – (18)

Round 6

Repeat round 4 – (18)

Round 7

Ch1, 1sc in same st as previous sl st, 1sc in next st, 2sc in next st, *1sc in next 2 sts, 2sc in

next st* repeat from * to * until end, sk ch1, sl st in 1st sc to join – (24)

Round 8

Repeat round 4 – (24)

Round 9 – Picot edge

Ch3, sl st in same st as previous sl st, sl st in next 2 sts, *ch3, sl st in same st as previous sl

st, sl st in next 2 sts* repeat from * to * until end, fasten off and tie in all tails.

Round 10 – Now to create the petals

In back loops only *[ch8, 1sc in 2nd st from hook, 1hdc in next ch, 1dc in next ch, 1tr in next

2 chs, 1dc in next ch, 1hdc in last ch], sl st in next 2 sts on main flower* repeat from * to *

until end – (6 half petals)

Round 11

Now crochet into chs again on petals to create other side of petal with; *[1hdc in 1st ch,

1dc in next ch, 1tr in next 2 chs, 1dc in next ch, 1hdc in next ch, 1sc in last ch] sl st in next

sc at top of petal, ch1, sl st in same st as previous sl st, sl st in ea st down edge of petal

back to main flower* repeat from * to * until end, sl st in main flower to finish – (6

complete petals). Fasten off and tie in all tails.

Finally the stem

• Take one 12” length of florist wire and fold the end over twice to create a loop

• Take 2 lengths of G yarn, double the length of your wire, and feed through the loop

• Cover looped end with florist tape and feed end through centre of flower

• Fold into place to secure and sew some Y yarn over stem if desired, to hide

• Cover rest of stem with florist tape

• Bend into shape to finish