Ferrets

For a while I was doing bean bag ferrets, using unpopped popcorn as the body filler so they could bend and be posed somewhat.  I didn't like how it could attract bugs though.  The plastic pellets for dolls could have been used, however a small bag was $4 and it would need three bags to fill the body which made the cost shoot sky high. 

 

I stuffed the front feet and the head/neck area, but the rest was an empty section for the bean bag part.  I needed to keep the back legs open like that so pellets/popcorn would weigh down the but, for posing.

 

The pattern was actually pretty easy, and the three colors of fake fur were readily available up to about 4 years ago. Since then the tan has been dropped by most stores and the quality of the white 'cuddle fur' has gone significantly downhill, you can see through it to the backing. 

 

Eyes were 10 or 12mm black wood beads.  The ears were  white velour or polar fleece, and the nose was black velour.  They were very popular, being life sized and all, but heavy to send by mail.  They moved very well at the science fiction conventions and the two ferret shows I attended (Chicago has a large ferret show every year). 

 

If these were to be made as microwaveable neck warmers, I'd leave the bead eyes off them. Last thing a person needs is to be 'branded' by a red hot set of beads on the neck.  LOL