Eyeball Crafts

I love creepy things and to start the season off, I wanted to share one of my new creepy fascinations...eyeballs. They are the 1 organ that doesn't change in overall size from birth to adulthood. They fascinate me. Here are a few eyeball inspired crafts using plastic, fabric, yarn and fibers to create the different styles.

Plastic

A few weeks ago, I found one of the bouncy eyeballs (a small toy ball) that I had bought years ago to put in the Halloween candy. I had already turned the glow in the dark bugs, that were stashed in that same candy, into hair barrettes (more on that in a different post). I thought the balls deserved a redo too. However, the balls are dense, like most small toy balls, so they could shift while wearing them. I don't want lopsided hair accessories. They need to be light enough so they will stay where I put them. The other day, we went to Premiere Costumes in Carytown to get to some stage make up for my Skull Make-Up. I noticed these plastic eyeballs that I knew would be perfect for hair accessories.

To make one you need:

• A plastic eyeball - These can be found at Halloween stores, some costume shops and some novelty shops. As always, save yourself some gas and time by calling your local ones to check for them before going. Or make your life simple and buy them on Ebay
• Baby Alligator Clip - To get specific, they are 20 mm. They are sturdy and small enough to easily hide under the eyeball. You can buy them on ETSY.
• E6000 Industrial Glue - This is very handy for many projects. You can buy it at an home improvement store and craft stores. Hobby shops might have it too, but the 1st two are a definite
• Crumpled up paper or an empty egg carton - This is to make a holder for your eyeball(s) while they are drying

Instructions

1. If you are using the crumpled paper as your drying container, make a little well for the eyeball to sit. If you are using an empty egg carton, that is already done for you.
2. Decided how you want your eyeball to be in your hair. Do you want it so the iris and pupil will face up or sideways. This will probably be determined by where you want it to be in your hair.
3. Apply a small amount of industrial glue to the top of the clip. The top is the side that has the alligator teeth. Try not to get any glue in the inside of the clip, or you will not be able to open it when the glue has dried.
4. Carefully stick the glue side of the clip onto the bottom of the eyeball...where you decided the eyeball will sit on your hair. Make sure there is enough glue between the clip and the eyeball, so the clip is completely attached. Since it's still wet at this stage, you can remove the clip and apply a little more glue if needed.
5. Carefully sit the eyeball, clip side up into the drying container. Let it dry from 12-24 hours before wearing. The longer it sits, the more sturdy/cured it will be.

You can use this same technique with other body parts...like fingers, small ears, noses, etc. You can buy larger size clips on Etsy, just do a search for "Alligator Clips" in the Supplies section of Etsy. You will want the kind with teeth, so they stay secure in hair.

Fabric

I love making pencil skirts out of cotton fabric with unusual prints. The other day, I was at Hancock Fabrics and bought a yard of eyeball print cotton fabric. I have a vintage pencil skirt pattern that only requires 1 yard, so it's perfect for inexpensive and pretty skirt making. It uses 1 piece for the main part of the skirt, which is nice because your print is only interrupted in the back. This is great if you need to line up stripes. It also saves on thread. There are darts to round the hips and define the waist. The waist band is a separate piece, but it doesn't take much fabric If you look on Ebay and Etsy, you should be able to find a comparable vintage one. I couldn't find any modern ones that were just 1 piece of fabric. I followed the pattern, but made sure the darts fit before adding lining (solid cotton fabric, using the same skirt pattern) and the waist band.

Yarn

While looking for Pumpkin crafts (more on that in a different post), I came upon this crocheted eyeball pattern. I am one of those creepy people who would try to figure out how to alter this pattern by enlarging it and making it into a purse or hat. It's just that cute.

This Eyeball with Nerve Endings by Monster Crochet is super creepy with the nerve endings, blood shot veins and variegation of the iris. Another idea for using this is a kitty toy. Just stick a bell and some cat nip inside.

I don't know how to knit, but since some of you do, I thought I would include a knitted eyeball too.

Fiber

I'm allergic to animal fibers, including wool, so I can't felt, but for those of you who are not allergic, get your felt on. These Felted Eyeballs can be grouped together for a necklace, paired for earrings, used on monster toys, strung together for a bracelet, attached to a purse for a unusual look, attached to clips and barrettes for hair accessories (like above)...etc. It's up to your imagination to find a use for these. If you want a bloodshot look, you could felt in red pieces.

These Flat eyeballs from Monster Crochet would make great coasters, funky ornaments, a purse, a hat...etc. Again, it's up to you for how you use them.

These were my favorite finds. I'm sure if you do some searches, you might be able to find more too. If you are not crafty, Target, Iron Fist and Too Fast have eyeball inspired items too.