Make with me: Spun cotton chickens 🐓 | how to create an antique-style hen from cotton | art tutorial

#antiquestyle #chickenlady #spuncottoncraft #diyornaments
Sculpting ornaments and figurines from cotton fibers is a centuries-old tradition and it's a craft that we can still enjoy practicing today. Using very simple materials like cotton balls from the drugstore, leftover tissue paper or tin foil, masking tape, and school glue, you can create heirloom-style ornaments that friends and family will treasure for generations. In this relaxed-pace video I invite you to join me with a cup of your favorite hot drink as I take you step by step through my personal process of sculpting cotton and show you how to create your own hen ornament or figurine. Once you get started, I bet you'll make a whole flock! 😁🐔🐔🐔 Happy making to you!
My art Instagram: / rosannadellart
To see the rescued hens we keep, follow Sweet Haven Farm & Sanctuary on Insta: / sweethavensanctuary
sweethavensanctuary.org
the mica flakes I used from D.Blumchen & Company on Etsy: www.etsy.com/listing/55527673...

[@MelanieWesley]

I absolutely loved everything about this tutorial...especially your sense of humor and the poetry tangent!! I'm feeling so inspired to make my own flock of chickens (and coop) to go along with my dollhouse! I might write a poem about it too...Thank you!

[@rosannadell2613]

Oh gosh, thank you!! That's so sweet to hear and I hope your flocks of cotton hens does inspire a poem - I'm sure it would be funny and wonderful.

[@patvalenzuela5105]

They turned out great folk art chickens. I love them!

[@katherinestobbe5556]

❤ These are SO beautifully made! You are totally amazing in what you make!

[@Rosannamakes]

@katherinestobbe5556 oh thank you 🥰

[@releasingendorphins232]

I lost my moms 2 years ago. She raised Arabian Horses, Hogs, Chickens... She has a beautiful white chicken I took a wonderful picture of, framed and hung in my kitchen. I named her Heaney Penney. Watching you create has brought mom to me once again. She would have lived your videos. I will attempt to make a chick called Heaney Penney. Wish me luck. Barb in Oklahoma.

[@Rosannamakes]

I wish you LOTS of luck ❤️❤️❤️

[@lisalange4922]

OMG...I came across this video by accident and just love these little birds...and I am now looking at all your tiny animals! so so cute! we are moving soon, so I will have months without my full craft studio set up until we find a new house, so this project will be so perfect to do with just scraps and so much free time! Plus, we had to rehome all our chickens and rabbits, so I will try and shape/color them to look like my girls and boys...I miss them already. Lisa from Everton, AR and soon to be Lisa from Olsztyn, Poland LOL

[@lauralayton3996]

These are beautiful in such a primitive style. You are such a sweet spirit, and the Lord knows how valuable you are in today's world. You have an amazing teaching method that works for rich or poor families to include and encourage doing it with inexpensive & alternative mediums that all work. I rather enjoyed you getting off on a tangent. I would rather learn & listen when you continue working so we can see how it's done. Rather that, then to act silly just to fill up time. VERY ENJOYABLE!! ps I loved that you have a personal relationship with each and every hen...even if you do have favorites. My first time here, so I hope you are still doing your crafts.

[@mx.heavenly4767]

Thank you so much for making this tutorial! I want to make some little dogs but i think i can figure it out from watching this video ✌️

[@laraarcadia]

You’re brilliant, lovely and very generous in teaching us these beautiful pieces of art! Thank you so much❤❤❤

[@SBIsis]

I love how you think out of the box, using what you have. That is what I call creative. Thank you for sharing this.👌💯

[@pattykelly6621]

In the wet and cold winter months I use a homemade drying oven. I take a cardboard shipping box (like something from Amazon). Cut off the flaps on the top of the box. You need a cooling rack ( like you would use for baking) that is slightly larger than the box. Turn the box with the open top down sitting on the cooling rack. Cut a hole from the closed end of the box that is just large enough for your blow dryer. I set the items I want to dry - spun cooptton, air dry clay, etc. - on the rack, set the box over the items and put your blow dryer in the hole and turn it on to high. The cooling rack holds your items up off the table and allows the hot air to calculate around and under the items you are drying. Works really well. I always flip my air dry clay items over several times to keep them flat

[@eloisewalker352]

I absolutely love these little chickens❤I have enjoyed watching this tutorial and your voice is so sweet. I am so excited to learn a new craft. Thank you🥰

[@rozanidesignsmasquerade7050]

Such delightful hens❣️ Your personality shone through each step of the way. Very nicely demonstrated. 👍🙂

[@trinafincher9661]

What a sweet tutorial ❤ Thanks for sharing the how -to. I can't wait to try. (The cat purr was the cherry on top)

[@Rosannamakes]

Oh you're welcome 😊 I hope you have lots of fun ❤️

[@calvinsmyth]

A well-done, informative, and inspiring video. I appreciated you thinking out loud through the creative process when you brought up poetry. A creative mind sees things from a variety of perspectives and the more mediums you use the more you see cross-overs to use with other mediums. What a sweetheart Pumpkin is. Keep up your good work of creating and sharing. ❤️

[@Rosannamakes]

Oh thank you so much for your kind comment. So glad you didn't mind my rambling 😊 Pumpkin is my best boy. 🤗

[@Rosannamakes]

Hi Calvin, I just wanted to tell you that I read your very kind comment on my latest make along and I intended to reply but later the comment was gone... I have looked into why this might have happened and tried to change the default settings for how KZbin might filter comments... so I'm sorry I can't see your comment any longer and I do appreciate the time you took to send it. Thank you for your helpful feedback. 😊

[@shilohndrah]

Rosanna, your hen collection is AMAZING! Just love each one! Viewing 3 years later - haha

[@juliapounds1391]

I so enjoyed watching your process and love the way all of your hens turned out. So cute. Thank you!

[@Rosannamakes]

Aw thank you 🥰

[@candyclemens4432]

I just started watching you make mice!❤ Now the chickens popped up and I am more inspired to try making some. Felted a bit, made a hat. Sew a bit. Beadwork and journals. So love crafting!❤ My daughter has chickens, etc. AND she's a beautician with her own salon called "The Coop"!❤😂 she has it all themed out with pics of her chickens and more. It looks amazing 👏 So....I am thinking of making her a little chicken flock ! 🎉 You are very talented. Hope I can do justice in my attempt to make a few of these cuties for her. Thanks for inspiring me 😅😊

[@baabaamoo]

Thank you so much for your generous sharing....these chickens are so wonderful, and I am excited about making some. We all need something to look forward to these days. xxoo

[@Rosannamakes]

Oh you're welcome! Thanks for watching and taking time to comment - I agree, making is a welcome way to escape these days... xx

[@gailketch8644]

So cute!!!

[@theresazelazny7445]

I love the way you are using materials you have on hand. It is so refreshing! I Love that you are experimenting, there are always so many to approach a project and you never have to succumb to a "right way." I like that you are letting us in on your creative process.

[@Rosannamakes]

Thank you so much, what a kind and supportive comment! That makes my day! ❤️❤️

[@nancyhagemeier3335]

Thanks! You’ve inspired me to try some hens.

[@Rosannamakes]

Oh I'm so glad! I hope you enjoy ❤🐔❤

[@zoyaflomenman1992]

Very lovely’s 🐓!

[@Rosannamakes]

Thank you so much ❤

[@mindym.1166]

I was looking at pictures from another maker of spun cotton figurines (Halloween) on Insta and I got curious as to how it’s done and came across you and your charming little chickens. 🐓 I liked your video and voiceover very much! Thank you for sharing!

[@Rosannamakes]

Thank you very much! I'm hoping to post a tiny pumpkin make-along soon.

[@neweyes5958]

I love your videos. They are calm and creative. Your creations are adorable and so sweet. You make me want to try to make whatever you're making at the time. I know you say the camera makes you nervous, but you don't seem like it. You are doing great! Just keep doing what you're doing, it is all fun to watch, calming after a stressful day, inspirational, and you make me feel I can achieve it too. Your simple supplies, I think it's wonderful that you try to use everything, especially your chocolate foil wrappers. A girl after my own heart, chocolate makes everything better🩵. You are doing a great job and I think you'll find it gets easier to talk to the camera as the time goes on and you realize that you're talking to people that like you and like what you're sharing. If someone is not interested they can move on, so the only people left watching are those of us that want to spend time with you. So think of your viewers as friends and that may help. I'm very happy I found you. I'll be watching and looking forward to seeing your next video. 👍💚

[@Rosannamakes]

I'm sorry I didn't see this wonderful comment until now ❤️ thank you for you kind encouragement and very good advice! 🥰

[@melbabowen4389]

Such a beautiful project. Very good tutorial! Thank you so much. I’m definitely going to make some animals and maybe some people! ❤️❤️❤️

[@Rosannamakes]

Wonderful! I hope you enjoy ❤

[@baluytiara1]

This chickens are so beautiful 😍, I love them! Thank you for teaching

[@sis9622]

Awesome I love this!

[@louisegolder3276]

really beautifully made and your attention to detail and the individual character you manage to get into each hen makes them little works of art ❤

[@maryjolowe631]

So cute!

[@juliereilly6308]

Thank you Rosanna - beautiful hens xxx

[@Rosannamakes]

Thanks so much for watching and commenting 🥰❤️🐔❤️

[@user-iv8vf2vp1v]

❤❤❤

[@luciaking7395]

Thanks for sharing, I can’t wait to make some. By the way, I love the purring kitty. Pumpkin sounded very content.

[@Rosannamakes]

Thank you! I hope you do - happy making!! ❤

[@pascaledaniel4863]

J'adore ❤️

[@asheericksson2729]

They are beautiful. I love yout tutorial

[@MacaronsAndCupcakes]

Beautiful ⚜️

[@shondajudy171]

Love watching and listening to you. Your voice is calming😉 ready for you to make more!

[@Rosannamakes]

Oh thank you! That is so sweet of you to say - I appreciate it very much. 💕💕

[@aleesiauh]

omgosh the animal with the wings is precious 😭😍

[@Rosannamakes]

Thank you, that's a little donkey 🥰

[@Wishingwell688]

Yes, I’d love a tutorial on it!!!❤

[@stevensavin124]

Wonderful

[@dianaramirez8998]

Very beautiful! Thank you!!

[@Rosannamakes]

Oh thank you! ❤🐔❤

[@traceyhilder6640]

Love that your sharing your talent such beautiful work so cute

[@annalinneajohansson]

Thank you *so* *so* *so* much for uploading these videos, they have inspired me so much! ❤😻

[@Rosannamakes]

Oh I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks for your sweet comment 🥰🩷🩷

[@montsegonzalez4023]

Precioso!!

[@Rosannamakes]

Thank you!

[@barbarademers4509]

This is fabulous, such a great tutorial. Thank you 😊

[@cvetkova111]

Какие чудесные работы у вас!😊

[@rifugioilparadisodipuck9839]

Grazie x i tuoi video! Ed il relax che trasmetti!

[@user-fi4ry9kz3e]

Спасибо вам за идею

[@mstaylor9018]

Thank you so much! I enjoyed this very much. I am going to try making these, could end up in a hot mess but you are very inspiring! ❤

[@Rosannamakes]

Oh good! I hope you have fun ❤️

[@paohaus]

❤

[@ellenrose2533]

Fabulous tutorial, you are very generous in sharing your expertise and a joy to watch❤️

[@Rosannamakes]

Oh I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you.

[@Goido34]

😍😍😍❤❤❤

[@susanna2490]

I just found you and love seeing your hens. I have animals too as well as chickens and I love them. Thank you for sharing your process. I am going to make some. Subscribed and love it from New Zealand

[@Rosannamakes]

Oh thank you for watching and subscribing AND for taking the time to comment! I appreciate hearing from a fellow chicken-lady 😊 they are wonderful creatures. Hope you enjoy making a little cotton flock!! ❤❤❤

[@tinchapeltextiles]

I would be happy to pay for an online tutorial, I love these free ones, but do understand that you need to live. Have you thought about using ruzuku or similar. I would love one on making spun cotton donkies. I only found you last week and I think you are amazing and bring so much joy. Thank you xxx

[@pattyjacoby6749]

Wow I think you are very smart and very talented. I’m def going to try this , I think for me making the form will be the challenge. I’ll try tho. Thank you for such a great tutorial! How do you get the wire for the hangers to stick in the little hole?

[@Rosannamakes]

I think you'll be surprised what you can make.. and I love very simple, primitive forms so don't stress over it. I usually just put a bit of hot glue or super glue on the end of the wire to attach the hanger.

[@shelleydavis3211]

I really enjoyed your tutorial. You are so warm. Thank you. I learned a lot. I wanted to tell you that I have a cheap hair dryer that gets too hot for my hair but is perfect for drying spun cotton. :)

[@Rosannamakes]

Thank you very much! I have a friend who is a brilliant spun cotton artist and she also uses a hair dryer so that's a pro tip 😉🥰 I haven't tried it yet but a hair dryer will be another wonderful addition to the mess on my counter 😅

[@robertawenzel8178]

Painting for 45 years would love to send you some art supples.

[@Rosannamakes]

Oh my goodness! That is so incredibly generous to offer 🥰 thank you so much - if you want to, you can email me - [e-mail]

[@robertawenzel8178]

@@Rosannamakes Hey did you get your paint ??

[@Rosannamakes]

@@robertawenzel8178 no not yet! I'll let you know 😊

[@cherylschumaker1366]

​@@Rosannamakes😅😅i8

[@toad1960]

Hi. Great tutorial. I love the chickens. I have made a couple. Did you also make the flying Donkey at the start?

[@Rosannamakes]

Thank you so much, I'm so glad you made some!! ❤🐔🐔❤ yes, I made the donkey... we had a baby here at the sanctuary that only lived a few days 💔 I make a lot of things that are inspired by our animals. 🥰

[@toad1960]

Really wonderful. So inspiring.

[@ahgh749]

Thank you for this great tutorial. I'm obsessed with these little hens! As a needle felter myself, I would love to know what you used to make. Something magical?

[@Rosannamakes]

thank you very much! I just use cotton fibers!

[@nathalieleger4906]

I love those and I have 3 in the make at the moment ! Where did you get your mica flakes ? Such a wonderful touch !

[@Rosannamakes]

Thank you! I'm so happy you're making some 😊 the link to the mica flakes I used is in the description of the video, a shop on Etsy. Dblumchen is the name i think, but the link will take you there.

[@kerrylane1846]

Could you do this with wool roving as well as cotton? I have a huge supply of that

[@Rosannamakes]

I really don't know - but I think there is a chance it would work - you could always give it a try with something small and simple, like a strawberry shape and see. :)

[@pamgrat5126]

Near the end of this I heard a cat purring but sounded like mine was close and I started looking around … then it came to me, Pumpkin!

[@Rosannamakes]

Yes he sits next to me when I record voice over 😅🥰

[@pamgrat5126]

@@Rosannamakes the best way to let you know he loves you.

[@rebeccarails5162]

I really enjoy watching you create. I’ve been dabbling in spun cotton making for 3 days now. I’m perplexed on how finish the work. What is the process for giving the finished work a light wash of color . I’m not having any luck. Hoping you might address this. Again enjoy your work. R

[@Rosannamakes]

Hi Rebecca, if you're using acrylic paint, I would water it down, maybe half paint, half water ratio, or use a very watery brush when you dip it in the paint. You could also try watercolor, but people have mixed results with that. It depends on how open the fibers of your cotton are and how much glue you've used. You might watch the last ten minutes of my latest video, making a chick, I talk about painting a bit more...and show how to use watercolor over wet acrylic paint. hope this might help! 😊

[@rebeccarails5162]

Rosanna. Thank for your reply. I will keep working at it until I reach a pleasing effect. Out of curiosity have you ever created a snowman tutorial? I like that you use repurposed fiber and other material. Your pieces especially the tiny hens are so sweet thank you again for being an inspiring gentle force. Your sculptures are fabulous. R

[@Rosannamakes]

@@rebeccarails5162 I haven't made a snowperson tutorial, I have made snowpeople from cotton and do plan to make a video of that sometime... probably not until it's winter here again, though! 😊

[@kerrylane1846]

What kind of Mica Flakes do you use? There are so many different kinds. Do you remember the brand?

[@Rosannamakes]

I have them listed with a link in the video description, not sure if I can put a link here... will try. www.etsy.com/listing/555276737/mica-flakes-glitter-vintage-icy-frost?ref=shop_home_active_1&crt=1

[@co22uwu23]

Is it possible to use wool like needle felting wool to create this wonderful sculptures?

[@Rosannamakes]

I don't think so but I haven't tried it. I think the glue won't bind the wool fibers the way it does cotton but there's no harm trying!

[@GrandmaSezSo]

This looks like an affordable craft. When you poke holes in chickens for hangers, is the project dry? Do you glue wire in? Maybe I missed this.

[@Rosannamakes]

Yes, it would be best to do this when it's dry. If it's wet, the fibers pull and make a crater instead of a clean hole. Then you can use either school glue or hot glue to put in the hanger. Or you can form the shape around the wire in the beginning if you're sure where you want it. 😊

[@GrandmaSezSo]

@@Rosannamakes Thanks. I made a cardinal bird with your tutorial. It is much harder than you make it look. For me, anyway. I only had blue masking tape and it didn't stick well to the tin foil at all. I tried tissue paper too. I used cotton batting. I put a red food coloring in my glue mix. I ended up using my hands instead of the paintbrush and wore red fingers for a day. It came out pretty awesome looking despite my lack of talent.

[@Rosannamakes]

@@GrandmaSezSo sounds like it was challenging but I'm so glad to hear it turned our looking awesome! Food coloring in the glue is a really good idea. ❤

[@sislertx]

So.wjere do u get sheets of.cotton . Cotton.balls ive seen Not that im gonna.make them with my age and eye sight Just.curious for others

[@daschaverevkina6345]

🦊

[@lindaorth9341]

I wish that I could see the small things you're making a little closer. Other wise you videos are very informative ☺️

[@tinakercher8768]

Do you have a website or Etsy shop?

[@Rosannamakes]

My website is sweethavensanctuary.org but I rarely have things for sale there... if I sell anything I usually let folks know on Instagram, my account is rosannasrabbittrail there. 🤗

[@suebrown7882]

I found your chicks video recently - tried some - and they came out better than expected! Only thing I would like is if you could improve the lighting and show some close-ups of details for us please. Thanks for sharing your skills!

[@tyshawncolton7454]

Very nice 😍💋 💝💖♥️❤️

[@Rosannamakes]

Thank you! ❤

[@yasnabehmanesh6124]

It was sooooo boaring and long video with slow progress.

[@Rosannamakes]

I guess my format isn't for you, thanks for the feedback.

[@yasnabehmanesh6124]

@@Rosannamakes you did well, I saw the comments. Most of them liked it. Maybe this tutorial was not to my taste and I'm not very patient🌷