Men's Tie Snakes

So, last year Stephen brought a stuffed animal snake home from preschool, and Brady was sooo jealous.  I told him I would make one for him, but never did.  I did buy a tie for it at Goodwill, but never got around to actually doing it.  Well, a year and a half later, tada!! One tie snake buddy.

They are pretty self-explanitory, but here's what you need to make one:

   a tie- mine is from Goodwill, you could also use an old one from Dad

   two googlie eyes

   a red tounge piece- either a piece of ribbon, or a strip of felt

   batting or another kind of stuffing

   a long dowel for shoving the batting in

   a glue gun and glue sticks

   needle and thread

The lining on the skinny end of my tie was sewn closed, so I separated that with my seam ripper.

Open up one end of the tie and fold it back to make it easier to stuff. 

Stick some batting in there and shove it about to the middle of the tie with your dowel.  Only use about a handful of batting at a time.  This gives the snake a nice lumpy look, or you could smooth it out if you want it more even.  

When you get to the end, open up the lining a stick some batting in the pointy end as well.  Stuff the lining back in, and hand stitch the tie closed, catching the lining in a few stitches to keep it in place.

Repeat the same process for the other side.  Stuff it, and sew it closed.

Cut a V shape in one end of your tounge piece.  If you are using ribbon, melt both ends or use a fray blocker to keep it from unraveling.  Use some hot glue on the back end of the tounge.

Then stick it on the under side of the large end of the snake.

Decide where you want the eyes, and hot glue them into place.

That's it.  Pretty simple, but tons of fun for my three year old!