Make Lollipops

Given that it is just after Halloween, my timing is a bit off 
to be introducing more candy now, but these are calorie-free 
and remind me more of Christmas than any other season. 

Here's a tutorial on how to make those fleece lollipops 
from the Little Blue Candy Store : 

What you need:

• Scrap fleece
• Scissors or rotary cutter
• Needle and thread
• Pair of small pointy scissors or cutter
• Craft glue
• Short dowels (mine were about 1 / 4 "and 7" long)

Step 1

Cut strips of fleece. I considered using felt but it might get hard to curl into a spiral. The actual length or width does not matter - they will just give a different pattern and / or different size lollipop. Mine were about 1.5 "x 13".

Step 2

Sew them together along their long edges to make a piece of striped fabric as in the picture above. Again, the actual size of the piece of fabric does not matter.

Step 3

Cut fabric at a slant into strips of about 2 "-2.5" wide. It does not have to be a perfect diagonal.

Step 4

Join up the ends as if you were making bias tape, to make a long strip about 2 feet (24 "long). Again, this is approximate. In the picture below, the top strip is flipped so you can see the seams at the back. Each strip makes one lollipop.

Or you can find printed fleece that looks like this and just cut a strip of that.

Step 5

Thread a needle (I used a single strand of thread), knot the thread and begin tightly rolling the strip along its length to make a roll like a snake. Starting at one end, sew down the overlapping edge with a simple whip stitch or any stitch, really.

These stitches will be hidden later so don't try too hard to make them beautiful. Continue rolling and stitching. When you reach the other end, knot off and cut the thread off.

Step 6

Thread the needle (I used a double strand this time for strength), knot the thread, and start making the spiral. Curl one end tightly on itself and stitch through the curl to secure it. Keeping the seam underneath so it is hidden, continue curling and stitching through the spiral as long as it is small enough for your needle to go all the way through.

As the spiral grows too large for the needle to go all the way through, start stitching only through the layers just underneath.

Step 7

When you come to the end of the spiral, fold the raw edge of the end and stitch it down. Knot and cut off the thread.

If your spiral is very large and wobbly, you can push the needle through a few layers at various points to further reinforce your earlier stitching.


Step 8

Make a cut next to the end of the spiral and gently cut through as many layers as you can, keeping the hole / cut just large enough to insert the dowel. A hole about an inch deep will give stability to the dowel.

Step 9

Push the dowel into the hole, twisting to insert it as far as possible to enlarge the hole. Remove the dowel, apply glue to the tip and re-insert it.

All done! 

Note: No tutorial for the candy cane, sorry. I just cut two candy cane shapes out of white felt, sewed them together, leaving an opening for turning out. Then I turned it right side out, stuffed it, sewed up the opening and glued red ribbon around it.

Pick up here: ikatbag.com