Christmas Crafts

You will need: four strips of plain white paper towels (each strip three sections long), crayons, tape, length of ribbon 1″ x 72″, needle, and thread.

Decorate paper towels with crayons. Hold one of the towel strips, the long way, up to your waist and make small tucks to fit waist. Then stack three remaining strips (taking matching tucks) and secure tucks on both sides with tape.

To make the waistband, fold and press ribbon in half lengthwise. Place stacked towels in fold of ribbon and sew through both sides.

When top layer of apron is soiled, tear off to next layer.

1. Carefully dust animal cracker and remove excess crumbs and loose material.

2. Shellac cracker on both sides, let dry, and repeat until cracker is shiny.

3. After shellac is completely dry, begin painting with a fine paintbrush. Outline with paint (not water soluble) and color in features.

4. When paint has dried, shellac cracker again.

5. Glue safety pin or jewelry pin fastener on back, dry, then shellac back to hold pin securely in place.

Cast on 14 stitches of 4-ply worsted yarn on size 8 needle.

1ST ROW - knit 10 purl 4

2ND ROW - knit 14

Repeat these same rows eleven times. Bind off and sew sides together forming a tube. Gather at top leaving ridge at bottom. Make a yarn loop to hang bell.

Larger bells can be made by using larger knitting needles, smaller ones with smaller needles. You might also vary the size and appearance of bells by using different kinds of yarn.

Cut a piece of burlap the size and shape of desired place mat. Cover with clear contact paper on one side, wrapping over edges to other side. Place your favorite Christmas card or Christmas picture on the uncovered side. Cover with contact paper. Trim edges.

By Roberta Fairall

Use illustration for pattern, trace on white paper, and color. Glue to heavier paper if necessary and cut out. Bend cutout down along dashed lines, up on dotted lines. Slip side tab into slot, and glue tab of one hand under other hand. Now, let your candy-cane man swing from a branch on the tree.