Total Time Needed: 1 Hour
If being cooped up inside on a rainy day bugs you, try chasing away the blues with a collection of these little insects. The dragonflies, caterpillars, and beetles are a snap to make and great for sparking your kids' creativity.
Materials
- Wire (20 gauge)
- Ruler
- Wire cutters
- Multifaceted plastic beads (with diameters of 12 mm, 8 mm, 6 mm, and 4 mm)
- Needle-nose pliers
Instructions
- Start by creating a long straight body. Bend an 18-inch length of wire in half. Use the pliers to curl up a 3/4-inch section near the bend to create the tip of the tail. From the other end, slide nine 6 mm beads onto the doubled wire. Next, add two 8 mm beads followed by one 12 mm bead.
- Make the wings by threading eighty 6 mm beads onto a 20-inch length of wire. Bend the tips to keep the beads from sliding off. Shape the upper two thirds of the strand into a figure 8 for the top set of wings; then shape the lower third into a smaller set of wings.
- Set the body on top of the wings and attach the two by wrapping the trailing wire ends of the wings around the body wire between the 8 mm beads.
