Got some mittens missing their mates? Craft these cute gifts with spare knitwear.

Materials

• Scissors
• Orphaned gloves
• Nontoxic glue
• Buttons, beads, yarn, felt, and other sewing and crafting scraps
• Toothpick
• Nontoxic paint

Instructions

1. To make your puppet’s face: Cut off the tip of a glove’s finger, about 1 ½ to 2 inches long. For eyes, glue on buttons or beads, or use a toothpick dipped in paint to draw them on. Buttons and beads also make great noses, and felt pieces can work for ears and mouths. Rickrack gives our girl puppet pigtails, but you can use ribbon or twine instead.

2. To give your puppet personality: Get creative with what you have! It’s okay if eyes are two different colors or your puppet looks like a creature from outer space. Once you and your kids start giving each one a voice and coming up with a story, all your mismatched decorations will make perfect sense!