Wild, Wacky Woggles

by Susan Muehlherr woggle is a device to fas- A Simple Plastic Woggle Plastic Bottle Woggle ten the scarf worn by This is a really simple design suit- You will need: a bottle cap from a 2 litre Scouts throughout the able as a base for many other cre- plastic bottle, an empty, clean small ations. It is made from electrical con- plastic bottle, brochures, magazine ads Aworld. The name woggle is used duit (the plastic pipe they use to run or picture, glue, sharp scissors. in many countries, but they are electrical cables through). Twenty- also called neckerchief slides five mm orange conduit, which has Cut out the logo or picture off the in the United States. a 20mm hole through the middle, is brochure and glue to the top of the just the right size for a woggle. large plastic bottle top. Cut the spout The basic principle behind most A friendly electrician may give off the smaller bottle. Make sure its woggles is a hole you can stuff your you some off-cuts, and you only small enough to fit inside the bottle scarf through. Now the size of the need small pieces to make woggles. cap. Glue it inside the cap to act as hole is pretty important. If it is too A full length from the hardware the neckerchief holder (Figure 3). small, then you can’t get the scarf store could make up to 200 woggles! through, but if it is too big, it falls off The woggles are made by just cut- Crazy Critters and gets lost. To complicate things ting pieces off the pipe. Make two These easy to make woggles are further, scarves come in different angle cuts with a hacksaw at about based on any of the basic woggles that thicknesses, and what’s too tight for 30° (Figure 1). Keep the cuts nice have enough front face for the critter. one, is too loose for another! Through and straight. The angled cuts make a experience, a hole about 20 mm is nice shape. It is also easier to thread You will need: wool or fur, some wig- about right for the average scarf. your scarf through. The shape also gly eyes, felt and glue. You don’t want anything too heavy, makes the base less obvious when or with sharp edges. The hole should used for other designs. Make features out of the felt, then be clean, but not too smooth. A surface After cutting off your length, assemble your face on the woggle that gives a bit of friction holds the clean the edges with some sandpa- base. Nestle the eyes into the wool scarf better than a really smooth one. per, or very carefully with a pocket or fur for a really crazy look. You can But don’t make it too rough or sharp knife. The plastic base woggle is use either the plastic base or a carved, because it will damage your scarf. then complete (Figure 2). wooden, hole-in-a-stick woggle.

WildWild andand WackyWacky WoWoggleggle DesignsDesigns Plastic Bottle Woggle Knot Board Woggle (Figure 3) A Simple Plastic Woggle (Figure 1) (Figure 2)

Crazy Woggle Web Sites Critters ruce Ward from Orange, Australia has an Bamazing woggle web site with lots of great Stressed Out Woggle ideas. Bruce granted The Leader permission to use some of his material. Check it out at: http://myweb.ix.net.au/wardb/ideas/woggle.htm

For more complicated woggles, Woggle First Aid World, home of Boy Scouts of America necker- chief slides, has interesting designs. Slide on Woggle over to: http://members.tripod.com/~cubclub/.

12 THE LEADER, February 2007 Knot Board Woggle tain ring to the back side of the canis- wrapping each wire around the pencil This woggle will have you in knots! ter for the neckerchief to slide (keep the loops tight and close togeth- Simply cut a piece of 1/8" bass wood, through. Fill the canister with useful er) into little corkscrews. Repeat this about 6.35cm x 8.90cm. Sand and first aid items: adhesive bandages, for each end of wire. You will create round the edges. Stain to complete. Tylenol™ wrapped in foil, antiseptic a “springy” neckerchief slide whose Now the tricky part. Using thin ointment, alcohol wipe, safety pins, corkscrews can be adjusted to match string or thin strands of rope, tie coins for telephone call, and emer- your level of stress! each of the basic Scout knots in min- gency phone numbers. – Susan Muehlherr is the Editor of the iature. Use a 1/8" dowel cut into short Leader Magazine. She gets lots of her 1.25cm pieces for tying the Clove Stressed Out Woggle ideas for articles from you, the leaders. Hitch, Timber Hitch, Half-hitch, and These Stressed Out woggles could Send them to: [email protected]. Tautline. The Bowline, Sheet Bend, be more appropriate for leaders, but and the Square Knot can all be tied are fun for the youth to make too. without dowels. Trim ends for more presentable looking knots. You will need: telephone wire, wire Using wood glue, dab each knot cutters, pencils. Each woggle uses with glue and hold in position until about a 60cm length of wire. it sets up, then set aside and let dry. Whittle a wood loop, attach a leather Remove the conduit and any cover- strip, or glue a slide ring to the back ing exposing the many colored wires. of your board. You can also drill two Select 3 or 5 of these wires and align small holes on each side and use the them into one bunch so the ends are same knot material to form a loop in even. Bend this mass of wires around the back. After all knots are affixed to your index finger (so the ends are the board, varnish the entire woggle. even) and make a couple tight twists (i.e. like twisting a twist-tie around the First Aid Woggle bread wrapper). The ‘hole’ formed is Paint the film canister white with a the part your neckerchief ends will red cross on the front. Hot glue a cur- slide through. Using a pencil, start Meet the Writer: Neckerchief Points Susan Muehlherr ave you ever noticed that in old pictures of Scouts, some of them have the two tips of s Editor of the Leader Magazine, Htheir neckerchief tied in a knot? If a Scout tied a knot in his scarf, that signified that he ASusan shares her love of the out- had done his “good deed” for the day. Wouldn’t it be great if all our scarves could be tied doors, camping and writing with the lead- in a knot? [Editor’s note – we can’t verify this fact, but think it makes for neat trivia.] ers in this great Movement. Mother to two – Donna Lenner, Registrar, Central Ontario Council. girls and one step-son, she lives on a large acreage where she skis, hikes and enjoys Is there a pattern to make neckerchiefs? Groups are welcome to make their own necker- nature to its fullest. Her husband shares chiefs. Your Scout Shop carries two sizes, large and small. There is no “official” size. Make her passion for canoeing, camping and “wise use of your resources” and cut the material efficiently to get the most number of neck- exploring Canada. Reading, gardening erchiefs. Be sure to extend a large round of thanks to those parents and group committee and fixing up their hundred year old members who take the time to create neckerchiefs for your group. It’s a huge job. farmhouse keeps her happy and busy.

THE LEADER, February 2007 13