Total Time Needed: 2-3 Hours
Spiders are a valuable presence in any garden, keeping harmful insects at bay. Welcome eight-legged friends with this bead-adorned tribute, which will catch the sun (and your eye!) when hung from an eave or a low-hanging branch.
Materials
- 3 (12-inch) bamboo skewers
- Ruler
- 24-gauge jewelry wire (available at craft stores)
- Glass beads
Instructions
For the web: Use the wire cutters to snip off the skewers' points, then cut a 12-inch length of wire. Hold the skewers together and tightly wrap the wire around the middle of the bundle, as shown. Separate the skewers evenly to create an asterisk shape. Wrap the rest of the wire all around the asterisk's center.
Cut a 16-inch length of wire. Wrap one end twice around any skewer, an inch from the asterisk's center. String on a bead or beads, then pull the wire to the next skewer and wrap it around twice. Continue in this way until you reach the first skewer. Wrap the wire around the skewer twice and trim any excess.
Use the same method to add the remaining rings with a 24-inch length of wire, a 30-inch length, and a 36-inch length.
For the spider: To make the legs, cut a 32-inch length of wire. Measure four inches from one end and fold the 4-inch section over a skewer or pencil to make a doubled, 2-inch section. Pinch the end of the section and spin the skewer to twist the wire. Remove the skewer.
Working down the wire in 4-inch increments, use the same method to make seven more legs. When you are finished, bend the spider legs into shape.
To make the head and body, cut a 12-inch length of wire and wrap one end twice around the center of the eight-leg wire figure. Slide a small bead and a larger bead onto the wire tail, as shown, then wrap the tail under the spider's body and push it back through both beads. Bend the end of the wire into a curl, then hang the spider from the web.
Crafts
