Tutorial: How to create borb feets from wire

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Tip 1: Feets supplies

First of all, please know that at Meadow Reveries all borbs have FEETS, not feet. To create the feets, you'll need some crafting or beading wire, a wire cutter, and possibly small crafting pliers. I do not use pliers because my fingers and nails are strong enough to bend the beading wire, but pliers might make this easier for you.

On the left image, a partially obscured left hand holds black jewelry wire between thumb and forefinger. The wire is curled below the hand. On the right, a mostly obscured left hand holds wire borb feets between thumb and forefinger, and small jewelry wire cutters are placed on the borb feets. In both images, a needle felted black-capped chickadee sits in the background on a foam felting block.

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Tip 2: Bend a tiny hook

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On the end of the crafting wire, bend the tip down into a small hook of about 1 centimeter or slightly less. This makes one toe of the feets.

The image is divided into quadrants labelled 1 through 4. Top left is 1, top right is 2, bottom left is 3, bottom right is 4. These show the steps of bending a tiny hook at the end of beading wire. In each image, a needle felted black-capped chickadee sits in the background on a foam felting block. In image 1, a mostly obscured left hand holds black beading wire while a mostly obscured right hand pinches the tip of the wire between thumb and forefinger. In 2, the wire is shown as bent 90 degrees at the top. In 3, the same hands bend the tip more. In 4, finally a mostly obscured left hand shows black beading wire bent with a hook of about 3/4 centimeter.

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Tip 3: Bend an S shape

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Next, bend the wire back against the hook you just made, on the same plane. In order words, create a bend that's parallel (or as close to parallel as you can manage) with the tip of the wire you bent down. It will look like an S with a long tail.

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Tip 4: Bend it back into a V

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Bend the tail of the S back again at the point that matches with the first hook you made. In other words, bend it back again so you now have a V of two toes.

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Tip 5: Optionally widen the V

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Optionally, adjust the V you just made to be wider or narrower to your preference. I put them at approximately a 45 degree angle.

On the left image, two mostly obscured hands bend an obscured piece of black jewelry wire between thumbs and forefingers. In the right image, the left hand displays a single mostly completed borb feets, which is two toe hooks bent at 45 degrees from each other with a length of wire attached. In both images, a needle felted black-capped chickadee sits in the background on a foam felting block.

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Tip 6: Cut the wire carefully

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Carefully cut the feets about a centimeter or more above the V. This will create some so-called leg for inserting into the borb. Be careful with the wire cutters - the piece might fly away after you cut it, like in the video. Holding it from the end when you cut it will prevent this. After cutting, I also bend the so-called leg wire so the feets sit at 90 degrees to the leg.

In the left image, a mostly obscured left hand holds wire borb feets between thumb and forefinger, and small jewelry wire cutters are placed on the borb feets. In the right image, the borb feets are visible flying away at a high speed. In both images, a needle felted black-capped chickadee sits in the background on a foam felting block.

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Tip 7: Repeat for feets number 2

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Repeat 2-6 for a second feets. Borbs have two feets, after all!

In the background, several needle felted borbs sit upturned revealing their bases and black wire feets. In front, a needle felted black-capped chickadee sits on a foam felting pad next to two wire borb feets.

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Tip 8: Poke holes into the bottom of the borb

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Using your felting needle, poke holes deeply into the base of the borb where you want to place the feet. Place the feet evenly spaced. Place them towards the front of the borb if you want them to be visible when it's sitting. Optionally, you can use a wooden dowel or toothpick to widen the holes.

In the left image, a mostly obscured left hand holds a needle felted black-capped chickadee turned upright revealing its flat base. A mostly obscured right hand pokes a felting needle into the base. In the right image, the same hands poke a wooden dowel into the same hole.

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Tip 9: Prepare the feets for insertion

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Bend the tip of the leg just a little bit before you insert the feets into the hole you just made. Optionally, you can add a smidge of crafting or fabric glue to the leg as well before you insert the feets to secure the feets inside the borb.

With an upturned black-capped chickadee lying on a foam felting pad in the background, a partially obscured left hand holds a borb feets with the so-called leg tip bent slightly.

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Tip 10: Insert each feets

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Insert each feets into the holes you poked on the base of the borb. You may need to press the feets in with your thumb in order to secure them. The borbs will bounce back if you pinch them when pressing.

The image is divided into quadrants labelled 1 through 4. Top left is 1, top right is 2, bottom left is 3, bottom right is 4. These show the steps of inserting borb feets. In 1, mostly obscured pinched thumb and forefinger into a borb feets into a hole in the base of a needle felted black-capped chickadee. In 2, thumb and forefinger adjust the inserted feets. In 3, thumb and forefinger insert the second feets in a hole on the left. In 4, both feets are shown inserted in the base of the borb.

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Basic Tutorial: How to create borb feets from wire

Tip 1: Feets supplies

Tip 2: Bend a tiny hook

Tip 3: Bend an S shape

Tip 4: Bend it back into a V

Tip 5: Optionally widen the V

Tip 6: Cut the wire carefully

Tip 7: Repeat for feets number 2

Tip 8: Poke holes into the bottom of the borb

Tip 9: Prepare the feets for insertion

Tip 10: Insert each feets