A hedgehog is a small porcupine-like creature with spikes on its back. It is often kept as a pet and is a very popular subject for Christmas decorations. Teasel, a self-propagating wild plant found around virgin areas, has a pointed inflorescence. Its spiny oval shape closely resembles the body of a hedgehog. Therefore, it forms an ideal base to create a decorative piece. However, this craft is complicated and is best handled by adults or adult children under supervision. It is advisable to hold the thistle with a folded thick cloth while working on it, to avoid punctures. Following systematic instructions will help you create your own thistle hedgehog for this Christmas.

Raw Materials

• Thistle
• Painting
• Craft scissors
• Kitchen knife
• Pins with large rounded heads (to be used as eyes)
• Wooden base (optional)
• Towel or thick folded cloth
• Glue
• Velvet or other decorative fabric
• Creative laces, ribbons and badges

Steps to make Christmas Teasel Hedgehog:

• Card wrap: Wrap the card in a thick cloth, leaving the stem side exposed. This is just to fasten it so keep it untied.
• Shaping: Use a kitchen knife to shape the end of the stem as the protruding snout of the animal. If necessary, trim part of the spiked portion as well. The oval shape of the inflorescence takes care of the natural shape of the animal’s body. However, the underside must be prepared by removing the spines from the underside. This also prevents the part from tipping over.
• Base – This step is optional. Glue a suitable size wooden base to the previously prepared underside.
• Paint: paint the entire structure. You have several options here. You can use a color scheme that resembles the natural color of a hedgehog. However, the natural hues may not go very well with the bright and colorful holiday theme. Alternatively, you can use gold or copper tones.
• Facial Features: Paint the heads of three large pins black. If you’ve already handled black colored pinheads, immediately place them on the hedgehog’s ‘face’ as two eyes and a nose.
• Accessories: To add a festive touch to your animal, create a necklace-shaped ornament made of velvet, ribbons, lace, decorative badges, and more.