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Clarenville kids get crafty with ugly Christmas sweaters

It's not hard to find an ugly Christmas sweater on store shelves this year, but a crafty bunch of kids at the YouthTube Centre in Clarenville got creative and made their own.

The YouthTube Centre in Clarenville does DIY ugly Christmas sweater night

Natalie McGrath shows off her DIY ugly Christmas sweater, made at the YouthTube Centre in Clarenville this December. (Melissa Tobin/CBC)

It's not hard to find an ugly Christmas sweater on store shelves this year.

But the kids at the YouthTube Centre in Clarenville don't need to buy off the rack — they have creativity.

With patience, and a little help for YouthTube Centre workers, the kids at the youth centre in Clarenville make snowmen and Christmas trees to add to their garments. (Melissa Tobin/CBC)

Supplied with felt, pompoms, scissors and lots of hot glue, the kids got their hands messy this season to make their own ugly Christmas sweaters.

Natalie McGrath, 11, plans her design with YouthTube Centre worker Hilary Knee. (Melissa Tobin/CBC)

Roxanna Green, executive director for the YouthTube centre, along with her co-worker Hilary Knee, provided sweaters and lots of ideas for the girls to decorate.

"They are asked to wear the ugly Christmas sweaters in school, so I thought maybe we can help them to do that," said Green.

Handle with care 

Natalie McGrath, 11, took an old black-and-white pullover and turned it into Christmas morning scene, with a cotton-ball snowman, a felt tree and pipe-cleaner candy canes.

For her ugly Christmas sweater, Tegan Kuehl used buttons, felt and foam to create a winter scene on a checkered sweater. Kuehl also decorated her toque to match. (Melissa Tobin/CBC)

She plans to wear her sweater at Christmas parties this year. As for washing the latest addition to her seasonal wardrobe, McGrath said that's much harder to figure out.

"That I don't know. Just make sure mom don't wash the thing," said McGrath.

Risky crafting

This isn't the first time nine-year-old Tegan Kuehl has decorated her own wardrobe.

Tegan Kuehl decorated the front and the back of her sweater, wishing all a Merry Christmas. (Melissa Tobin/CBC)

For her ugly Christmas sweater, Kuehl reimagined buttons as snowflakes to create a snowman scene on her red-and-black checkered pullover.

But being crafty isn't without risks.

"I'm very messy with hot glue," said Kuel.

With files from The Central Morning Show