DIY Soot Sprite

This tutorial is loosely based on the beautiful Japanese pom pom crafting that I learned several years ago. You can adapt the instructions to make any color pom poms, but watch out because they are addictive and fun. I am a huge Miyazaki fan, and I especially adore Totoro so I wanted to share this fun Totoro-themed craft with other fans. Enjoy!

1. Black yarn

2. Tiny bit of white yarn

3. Cardboard

4. Clips or tabs

5. Marker

6. sharp scissors

Fold your cardboard in half. Draw half of a circle. Draw a smaller arch within the first arch.

Cut out the arches and cut between the two halves. Then do the same thing with your other piece of cardboard. You should have four cardboard letter C's.

Begin by wrapping your white yarn (the eyes) around the center of two cardboard C's held together.

Now wrap your black yarn around both sets of cardboard arches a zillion times.

Place the two sets of arches together to form an alarmingly large oddly shaped circle. Look at it doubtfully. Then bend the little ends of each arch back so that you can clip them together with the bent edges of the other arch.

Convince yourself that you will understand better after you are done. Proceed to shove your scissors between the cardboard arches and cut alllll the way around while simultaneously praying that the yarn won't fall out of the center. It helps if you hold it in place.

Thread a length of yarn between the sides of cardboard all the way around and tighten it into a knot. once you remove your clips the cardboard pieces should pull out pretty easily, leaving a messy black sooty ball.

Are you sure the string is as tight as you can get it? Then begin obsessively trimming your soot sprite until he or she looks nice and poofy. You should see a few strands of white that allow the soot sprite to see and this makes sure they can escape brooms, dust pans and any cleaning efforts.