Halloween Crafting: Make a Felt Broom Tutorial

This is a mini Halloween Tutorial in which I will show you how you can make a mini Halloween broomstick, with substance, for your flying pig (other flying creatures or plushies will also do). I should point out Calico, the pig, doesn't really need the broom to fly he just thinks it's cool and adds to his outfit.

You will need:

• A pencil, a nice short one will do nicely
• 3 colours of felt - Black, brown and yellow or use whatever you have to hand
• Thread to match the felt being used
• Pair of Sharp Scissors
• A small bit of toy stuffing (not shown)
• A Needle

Step 1

First you will need to cut the felt that will cover the pencil like a tube, the pencil keeps the broom nice and straight). My pencil was 12 cm in length, add a 1 cm of allowance to this and cut out a piece that is 2.5 cm wide by 13 cm in length. My pencil was a standard HB, if you use a thicker pencil you will need to adjust the width.

Step 2 - Making the Handle

Thread up your needle, and take your piece of felt and wrap it slightly round the pencil, it might take you a minute to get a hold a hold of it all. Your pencil needs to be slightly down from the end of the felt, so that later you can cover it over. Your going to over-sew the edges of the felt so that it wraps snuggly round the pencil. Work you way down to the end of the felt, and then do a couple of slip knots near to the end to gather around the pointy end.

Head back to the other end and over-sew the top so you now have a covered pencil, exciting times!

Step 3 - Brush Time

Your now going to cut the felt out for the brush end of the broom. Get two squares that about 8 x 8 cms, you can adjust this so you can have a fat or skinny brush (to suit your mood). Your going to then cut out two identical shapes that  look like pig ears or candle flame, depending on your point of view. Place them together, and then like with the broom handle over-sew the edge, except for the straight bit which will be your opening for the handle. Make the stitches small and neat, and use a thread colour that matches the felt.

Then stuff it. Make it semi-firm, too hard and you'll find it hard to stuff the broom handle into the open end and gather it round neatly.

Step 5

With it stuffed, do a small gathering stitch around the opening, don't pull it yet. Stuff the broom handle (pointy end) into the opening, about 2 cm's will be sufficient. Now pull the gathering thread, so it's tight round the handle. Then using the gathering thread, the bit left over, stitch the brush to the handle, till your sure it's not going to come off.

Step 6 - Final bit

Just for a spot of decorating and to hide the gathering, cut a small strip of felt about 0.5-1 cm in width by 3.5 cm in length. Wrap this round the top of the brush, and then over-sew the narrow end of the strip together. 

Hey presto! You have a broom.