Busy Bags-Button Snake

I've decided to keep the idea of Busy Bags in mind.  Someday when my house is organized, all my laundry is washed and put away, my books are all on bookshelves...then, I might organize a Busy Bag Swap.  Until then, I'll putter with different ideas now and then.  

The first item I decided to make is a Button Snake.  It was simple, which is exactly what I was looking for.

All you need: ribbon, large button, felt, needle, thread, scissors


I got the buttons for $1.97 at Walmart in the sewing section.

Sew a button to one end of the ribbon.

Cut a slit in a piece of square felt.

Sew it to the end of ribbon opposite the newly sewn button.  You can see I thread the ribbon slightly through the slit and sewed it down.

Cut square pieces of felt.  This doesn't have to be exact.

I didn't measure, but I'd guess my squares are about 2in. x 2in.  Cut a slit in each square that's big enough for your button to fit through.

The slit can be tight as it will loosen upon using.

It's easy to make a slit by folding your square in half and making a small cut, just like you would making paper snowflakes.

Voila!  There you have it.

The entire thing took less than ten minutes.

My 18 month old son LOVES it!  He doesn't quite have the hang of it yet, but he's very close.  He liked seeing the button peeking through the felt slit.  He also likes to thread all the squares on the ribbon and just slide them back and forth from one end to the other.  This will be useful at restaurants, the grocery store shopping cart, church, car rides, etc.