Over the weekend we were busy making some new Halloween decorations. I try not to get my kids too excited about Halloween until it is at least October. That usually means we don’t do any Halloween related projects until October either. My two older kids (ages 6 and 7) loved making their own spider and web out of yarn. When they were finished we hung them off of the mantle of the fireplace. We are hoping to make some more to hang nearby for a really scary spider effect. I think they would also be fun hanging in the corners of a doorway.

Supplies:

• Black Yarn
• White Yarn
• Black Pipe Cleaners
• Wire Cutter
• Googly Eyes
• Scissors

How To:

SPIDER WEB using finger knitting.

1. To create the web we used a finger knitting technique that is great for kids. I tried to take detailed photos. You can follow along below.
2. To start cut one 6 yard piece of white yarn. (Pictures below will enlarge when clicked on.)

3. 

   Tie a loop in the end of the yarn.

4. 

   Put loop over pointer finger.

5. 

   Hold knot/loop in place. Wrap yarn around finger.

6. 

   Wrap yarn all the way around finger.

7. 

   Pull the back loop over the front string. The front string is now the loop that stays on your finger. Repeat above steps.

8. 

   Your knitting will start to chain off your finger as you go and will look like this.

9. When you are done knitting, tie end in a knot to keep it from unraveling.
10. Now you have your spider web. Set it aside.

SPIDER from pom-pom ball.

1. To create your spider you first need to make your own pom-pom ball from yarn.
2. Cut one 6 yard piece of black yarn. Also, cut one 8 inch piece of white yarn.

3. 

   Start wrapping yarn around 3 fingers.

4. 

   Finish wrapping yarn around fingers. Tuck in loose string end between fingers.

5. 

   Slip the ends of the white yarn through your fingers so you can wrap it all the way around the black yarn.

6. 

   Tie the white yarn all the way around the black yarn. Tie it in a knot as tightly as you can.

7. 

   Carefully slip the black yarn off your fingers. Use a sharp scissors and cut open the loops on both sides. Fluff the yarn to make it form a ball shape.

8. 

   Use a wire cutter and cut two black pipe cleaners in half to make four leg pieces.

9. 

   On the bottom of your spider, (knotted side and loose strings are on top), push each leg under the white yarn.

10. 

    Bend pipe cleaner legs to resemble spider legs.

11. Use glue to add googly eyes and let dry.
12. Use loose white strings to tie spider to knitted web.
13. Hang in doorway!

The post How To | Yarn Spider and Web appeared first on Alanna George | The Craft Nest.

This cute ghost couple is actually a set of recycled orange juice containers. We will be using these to collect our candy on Halloween night. These trick-or-treat buckets were really easy to make and can also be used as decorations on your mantel or table until Halloween night. The handle on the orange juice container makes these treat buckets easy for little hands to hold.

How To | Recycled Trick-or-Treat Bucket

Supplies:

• Recycled orange juice container
• White sheet of fabric (I used a piece from an old sheet)
• Duct tape
• Scissors
• Craft glue
• 20mm googly eyes
• Pink ribbon or bow
• Black felt for mustache

How To:

1. Clean out your orange juice container and cut a big hole in the top of the recycled container. (Pic. 1)
2. (I covered the printing on the sides of my containers with white paper, but after covering the container with the sheet I think it was unnecessary.)
3. Cut your white piece of fabric about 3 inches longer than the height of your container. Determine the appropriate width of your fabric by wrapping the piece of fabric around your container. I made the fabric for the man ghost a lot wider (fuller) than for my woman ghost.
4. Cut strips of duct tape and stick them, evenly spaced, along the top edge of the white fabric. Go back and roll the duct tape down. (Pic. 2)
5. Stick the end of the sheet under the lip of the jug by the handle. Continue to work your way around the top inside lip of the jug as you tape the sheet to the inside. You should not be able to see the tape. (Pic. 3)
6. Use craft glue to add googly eyes and a bow or mustache cut from black felt.
7. Set out finished ghosts as decorations until Halloween. Use to collect candy on Halloween night!

Click the thumbnails below to see them larger.

The post How To | Recycled Ghost Trick-or-Treat Bucket appeared first on Alanna George | The Craft Nest.

I had an idea to use cheap craft felt to create this Halloween monster mash-up felt face activity for the kids. The activity is played on a 9×12 piece of felt, which is actually one side of the felt pocket where all the pieces are stored. This activity has inspired lots of giggles at our house in the past week as they made Dracula have hair bows, Frankenstein have a pumpkin mouth and the Witch girl have a mustache. (Below you can download the template for all the felt shapes.)

How To | Monster Mash-up Felt Face Activity

Supplies:

• 9×12 sheet of green felt
• 9×12 sheet of bright green felt
• 9×12 sheet of orange felt
• 9×12 sheet of black felt
• 9×12 sheet of yellow felt
• 9×12 sheet of purple felt
• 9×12 sheet of white felt
• 9×12 sheet of red felt
• Googly eyes
• Scissors
• Sewing machine or needle and thread

How To:

1. Place whole sheet of green felt back-to-back with orange felt, wrong sides together. Use a sewing machine and sew around three sides to create a large pocket. (If you don’t have a sewing machine use embroidery floss and sew a blanket stitch (how to here) around three sides.)
2. Download monster face templates and cut out felt pieces in matching colors.
3. Add a couple googly eyes into the mix of felt pieces.
4. Play activity and store pieces inside pocket when finished.

FREE MONSTER FELT FACE TEMPLATES: Click Here – Monster Face Templates

 

The post How To | Monster Mash-up Felt Face Activity appeared first on Alanna George | The Craft Nest.