How to make a mr and mr crab holiday home
Only the best for John and Nigel! After spending time watching Hey Duggee with her granddaughter, Alison decided to make this brilliant crab holiday home. Find out more about the craft and get some handy tips below to make this for your little Squirrels.
What’s your favourite thing about Hey Duggee?
I’ve watched the show with my granddaughter and am delighted by its inclusivity.
When did you begin crafting?
I grew up in a household where everyone made things.
What inspired or motivated you to make the craft?
Somebody my age, who grew up without inclusive TV, said something unkind to a friend. I think and hope little Squirrels will grow up more sensible than that.
How long did it take to make the craft?
The first one took ages because I was making it up as I went along and I’m very indecisive. The second was quick because I’d planned it out beforehand.
How did you bring the holiday home to life and do you have any tips we can share with other Hey Duggee fans who’d like to try making this themselves?
I wanted to make one that anyone could make without a fabric stash or sewing machine. This one is made from worn out blue clothes, 3 squares of new felt, some trimming, and hand sewing. Below are some instructions for anyone that would like to try making it too.
For Mr and Mr Crab
- Paint or sew eyes onto the pink and orange felt. It’s easier to do this before you cut them out.
- Draw a crab shape with legs for the front and a crab shape without legs for the back. Draw a long rectangle with claws at the end for the arms.
- Fold the arms along the centre line to make the claws bend together, sew along the middle to hold the shape.
- Sew around the crab shapes, tucking the arms in halfway up, leaving the bottom edge open.
- Stuff with scraps of felt. Sew up the bottom edge.
For the castle
- Cut 5cm squares from the corners of a yellow felt ‘square’ (around A4 size) and 1 cm squares at intervals along the edges.
- Sew up the sides of the corners to make a shallow tray and cut windows and a door into the sides. Sew ric rac, ribbon or wool lines to mark out the rooms.
- Use felt or fabric scraps to make the shapes of furniture and sew them in place.
For the sea bag
- Cut 2 rectangles of the plainest fabric about the size of your original yellow felt square.
- Cut rectangles of 2 other fabrics but slice their tops off at angles so they will layer up a bit like waves.
- Bring one of the plain rectangles to the front and sew running stitch down one side, across the bottom, and up the other side. Make sure your sewing goes through all the layers. Turn the bag so that the sewing is on the inside and the sliced pieces make pockets at the front.
- You could add a drawstring at the top edge. You could also add fish shapes and wavy lines.
What did your granddaughter think of your creation?
She likes the suitcase best, and saying the word ‘sandcastle’. She plays with it like a bouncy castle for crabs.