How to Make a Caterpillar Chia Pet from Recycled Panty Hose

Almost everyone has seen the Chia Pet commercials on television or seen them displayed on shelves in wholesale stores or neighborhood pharmacies. For those who have not, a Chia Pet is a little animal-shaped clay figurine, covered with Chia sprouts. A traditional Mexican ornament, these were highly popular in the 1980's, having evolved from the basic ram (the first Chia Pet), to other animals such as a kitten, puppy and frog, and even cartoon characters such as Garfield, Scooby-Doo and Shrek, just to name a few. If you are interested in owning a Chia pet, but do not want to spend the money on a kit, you can make your own with a pair of old panty hose, a little soil and some grass seeds.

Items Needed to Make a Caterpillar Chia Pet

-Panty hose
-One two-inch round piece of plastic cut from the bottom of a plastic milk jug, cottage cheese container or other plastic container (edges should be smooth)
-Scissors
-Potting soil
-Grass seeds
-Funnel
-All-purpose glue
-Googly eyes
-Heavy thread
-Pipe cleaner (black or green)
-12-inch foam meat tray (cleaned and dried)
-Old newspapers
-Bucket (optional)

Instructions to Make a Caterpillar Chia Pet

First cut off one leg of the panty hose at the knee (make sure there are no holes or runners in this section). Insert the two-inch plastic circle firmly into the toe of the panty hose. Cut five to six pieces of the heavy thread approximately six-inches long. The threads will be tied around the panty hose to make the different sections of the caterpillar. Working over a bucket or the potting soil bag, insert the funnel in the panty hose opening and fill the toe with dirt (approximately two to three inches), packing it down firmly. Put a few grass seeds on top of the soil and lay the panty hose on a flat surface covered with old newspapers. Slide one piece of heavy thread underneath, positioning it to where the soil and seeds end. Tie the thread loosely around the panty hose. Continue adding soil and then seeds and tying the sections off every three to four inches until you come to within two inches of the end. (NOTE: You can add the grass seed closer together to create a caterpillar with a thicker grass coat.) Use one piece of thread to tie the end closed, making sure no soil can spill out, and cut off excess hose.

Next, glue the googly-eyes on the head of the caterpillar (plastic circle). Cut the pipe cleaner into three sections. Two will be used for the antennae and one for the mouth. Slightly curl one end of each of two pipe cleaners and stick the other end into the caterpillar's head. Bend the last piece of pipe cleaner into a smile and glue it below the googly-eyes.

Place completed caterpillar in foam tray, water and watch the grass grow. Do not let caterpillar dry out.

You can also use oat grass and make a tasty treat for your pet cat.

Sources: Wikipedia, Personal Experience, Chia Pet