Introduction: Creepy Hairy Eyeballs (Felted)

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Disembodied bloodshot eyeballs! Another great idea for Halloween decorations or a haunted house. These are quick and easy to make; with the right tools and materials, they take about 20 minutes from start to finish.

If you are interested in another Halloween-related felted project, see https://www.instructables.com/id/Felted-Pumpkin-With-Personality/.

Step 1: Materials and Supplies

You will need:
  • Felting needle
  • Foam or felting brush
  • Yarn needle
  • Roving in white, off-white, desired pupil color, red, and black
  • Black yarn

Step 2: White Eyeball Base

Start with two pieces of white roving about 3-4 inches long each.

Roll one into a cylinder and lightly needle it closed.

Roll the other piece around the cylinder perpendicularly and needle it closed.

Needle the whole thing into a firm, round ball. Not too hard, just firm and springy.

Step 3: Bloodshot Eyes

Take a small bit of red roving and pull it apart into a kind of web. Lay it over the top half of the eyeball.

Needle it lightly in so it appears to form bloodshot veins.

Step 4: Iris and Pupil

Take about an inch of colored roving for the eyeballs. I chose to mix two colors together, which you do by laying one over the other, pulling them apart, putting the new pieces on top of each other, pulling them apart, etc. I didn't do it too much to add variegated interest to the color.

Needle them into a circle in the center of the bloodshot part.

Take a small bit of black roving and needle it into the center of the iris to form a pupil.

Step 5: Eyelids

Take about three inches of off-white roving (I used pinkish; you can use what you like) and wrap it loosely around the eyeball. It should cover the sides and back, leaving the front uncovered. Lightly needle the two ends together into the bottom.

Then needle it gently around the back and sides, but not around the front. That will come next.

Cut four small (~2") pieces of black yarn and one long (6-10", or longer, depending on how long you want to hang it) piece.

With the yarn needle, pull a small piece of yarn carefully underneath the edge of the eyelid. Release the yarn before pulling it all the way through. That means, the needle comes out without the thread, leaving about 1" of the thread below the off-white yarn, and another 1" or so sticking out to form the eyelash.

Repeat this with the four small pieces of yarn, leaving a small gap between the two pairs.

For the fifth piece, thread it on the needle, but this time, bring the needle up about halfway between the front and back of the eyelid and pull the yarn through to form a hanging thread. Leave the same amount hanging out the front to from the eyelash.

Trim the eyelashes if needed.

Step 6: Finishing the Eyeball

Felt around the whole eyelid firmly. This will lock the eyelashes and the hanger in place.

Now do something creative with your eyeballs! Mine are hung as a creepy Halloween decoration among my other soft Halloween creatures. I Photoshopped them into a pumpkin to show how you can make an even creepier pumpkin. The eyes are the limit!

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