This project comes from a warm, wonderful, old-fashioned book called The Children’s Year (Hawthorn Press). It’s a sweet project for kids who are old enough to handle small objects (otherwise it’s a choking hazard) and old enough to appreciate the charm of a magic yarn ball. It’s especially fun for those who knit, crochet, or do other yarny crafts.
And it’s so simple, it’s brilliant. Basically, a child (or adult) wraps cool little treasures up in a ball of yarn, and gives it as a gift. As the recipient crafts with the yarn the treasures fall out one by one, and they discover the fun as they knit or crochet.
This project is perfect for swaps. In fact, I made one to swap with my six-year-old friend Sophia. Here’s how I made mine.
Start with something round-ish for the center, and begin wrapping one end of your yarn around the object. I used a superball, but a stone, nut, large bead, or bottlecap pincushion would also do nicely.
Keep wrapping and adding objects. I added squirrel and sushi stickers, thrifted quilting poms, pieces of ribbon and vintage eyelet trim, and a few large beads. Children might also want to include temporary tattoos, tiny bits of crayons, special leaves or rocks, or small crafting tools. For example a knitter might appreciate a plastic tapestry needle, a few point protectors, or a special stitch marker.
At the end of the ball, finish with a few lovely objects that will show, and secure the yarn end. On Sophia’s, I added a ribbon rose that I bought at a stationery shop, which had a handy piece of floral wire in it to add to the yarn end’s security.
Now I want to make adult versions for other knitters and sewists. Anybody up for a swap?
{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
What a nice idea!!! I love this! As a – wannabe crafter/been trying to teach myself to crochet for years/am thinking about ambitious sewing projects like quilts – person I would definitely be up for a swap!!
i love this book, too- and thought this was a brilliant idea! yours looks lovely. what a fun idea for a swap!
That is really neat! I think a swap like that would be cool too. Way less expensive than something like Secret Pal.
What a fabulous idea for a gift and a swap! Love it!
love, love, love, this idea!!! i would DEFINATELY be up for a swap!!!
oooh, fun!
i’d be up for it
That would be brilliant for a long journey. Everytime there saw a red car, they could unravel the wool to the next surprise!!!
What a great swap idea !
great idea for a swap !
Blog: http://suebthreads.blogspot.com/
I was so excited seeing this and thinking it would be a perfect idea for my swap partner, but that’s YOU! Aaaargh.
How much fun would this swap be?! I’d love to join!
Sounds like a fun swap idea!
I’d do a swap for this. What a great idea.
i’m definitely in for a swap – let me know!!
Looks like fun …count me in!
Fun! And prefect for all the funny buttons I’ve collected over time. Swappetyswap!
What a great idea! It reminds me of the Xmas thingy we did for my dad one year when we were pretty broke. We tied a lot of small gifts together with twine, and buried them in a box with lots of paper. As you pulled each one out, the next one would work its way up. We put the biggest one at the bottom as a surprise.
Not too many swaps interest me, but I’d enjoy this one.
How fun! I did this with crepe paper and little toys, stickers and candies for my daughter’s birthday party last year. The kids had so much fun tearing away at the crepe paper and finding the treasures. I never thought to do it with yarn though!
This reminds me of pass the parcel, which is a load of fun.
Oooo.. me, me, me! I’d love to be in a swap like this!
thanks for the post — i love that book…and you picked a great project to highlight. i’d also be interested in a swap.
I love this idea for my toddler, just because she likes to unroll the toilet paper and pull the kleenex out of the box. I’m sure she’d love to unwind a ball of yarn and find treats inside it (with supervision, of course). Thanks for the idea!
amazing!
i would love to swap for sure!
:)
my parents used to make these for us out of crêpe paper. we would get them when a sibling was born.
Great idea! I have actually never seen anyhting like it, but I would LOVE to participate in a Magic Yarn Ball Swap.
What a sweet, touching gift – loads of fun to make and a double gift for the recipient. Thanks for flagging it up.
anxiously awaiting….. is this swap a go?
My friend just gave me one of these, so if there is a swap I would love to be involved, as i’m sure my friend would be as well!
Cool beans! This is a very neat idea, and one i had never heard of before. Thanks for the pictures/how to/ideas!
lovely! signed up :) and swap-bot is the coolest!
I wanna sign up also.
Ohhh!! How fun I would love to sign up also. Will we be notified one the swap is organized
This is SO clever!! I would love to join this if it isn’t too late. If so, will there be another one coming soon?
Thanks for sharing this creative idea!
:)
When I was a kid and had just learned to knit my aunt and cousins gave me a giant yarn ball like this, into which they had wrapped candy. Then they got a sweater started on the needles. I think the project was a little too ambitious, but it was a very fun present.
Wonderful idea! Thanks for sharing.
I personally love vintage toys. It’s fun finding the toys you had as a kid, or the ones you always wanted.
Was wondering if anyone knows the title of an old children’s book where a girl gets a ball of yarn as a gift and as she knits the gifts and candy fall out. I think there was a necklace in the center as the last gift. It is a favorite book of mine and my sisters but we cannot remember the title! Any ideas would be appreciated.
I am participating in my first yarn ball swap this month. It should be exciting to see what all the participants come up with. Thanks for sharing this fab idea.
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