Making Figures: Reindeer


Reindeer How-To
1. Start with the head. Make a cloverleaf of loops at one end of a standard pipe cleaner (6 inches). Bend that stick at the 3 1/2-inch point to make a neck; the other half will be the back.

2. Join another stick to the back with a twist. Position head over juncture of two sticks. Fold two 6-inch sticks in half, and twist around the torso for legs; tightly wind the remaining loose stick end up the neck. Curl another stick around a pencil, then wind the coil onto the body.

3. For antlers, twist a 2 1/2-inch stick onto neck behind the ears; add smaller pieces to make points. Turn up the tail, bend up the feet, and play with the knees until he can stand. Glue on a red-bead nose.

See the third row of figures below for reference.


-from: Martha Stewart.com

Making Figures: Santa Claus


Santa Claus How-To
1. & 2. Fold a 4-inch stick of puffy red chenille inside a 7-inch one. Tuck in a 1 1/2-inch piece of wooden stick for a face. About a third of the way down, twist a 4-inch chenille stick once around to make arms; wrap torso with a 10-inch stick.

3. For the feet, loosely wrap narrow black chenille stick around a pair of needle-nose pliers, then shape coil into boots. Use bits of white pipe cleaner and white craft glue to add the details to his suit. A cotton ball supplies his beard and hat.

See the second row of figures below for reference.


-From: MarthaStewart.com

Making Figures: Snowman


Snowman How-To
1. Fold a standard pipe cleaner in half. Slide a wooden bead over the fold for a head, leaving a loop at the top. For the arms, twist a 3-inch pipe cleaner once under the bead; then wind a full pipe cleaner around the torso, below the arms.

2. Shape the hat from a 6-inch strip of narrow black chenille that has been wrapped around a pencil.

3. Use hot glue to attach wire-tinsel skates; crimp up the feet for the best bond. Draw in a face with a felt-tip pen. Add a cane and a striped chenille scarf, and off he glides.

See the first row of figures below for reference.


MarthaStewart.com

Candy Cane Ornaments


By Donna Young • November 14, 2007 http://www.donnayoung.org/blog/author/admin/

Pipe-Cleaner Candy Cane Ornaments from Pipe Cleaners


I have one precious pipe cleaner candy cane mixed in with all of my other old Christmas ornaments. My son, when he was six, made one. It is not quite like the one pictured here, it is made from two cut, instead of folded, pipe cleaners. It is pink and green and covered with glitter.

Supplies:
-Pipe cleaners in red, green, and white
-(optional) Something to hang the candy canes on a tree (a ribbon or a wire hanger or just hang them on the tree as is.)

How To Make Them:


Fold the pipe cleaners in half. Loop together a white one and a colored one. Pull on them to set them. Bring them together (not all the way together, the two pieces should be held in a wide V) and start twisting them. Try to twist them evenly.

When you get to the end, try not to prick your finger and it might be a good idea to finish the bottom part for the children.

Shape the arch of the ‘candy cane’ with your fingers or hook it around something that is round and approximately 5/8ths inch in diameter. Either hang them on the tree ‘as is’ or attach a ribbon or a hook to the candy cane.

-From: http://www.donnayoung.org/blog/2007/11/14/candy-cane-ornaments/

Pipe Cleaner Decorations: Christmas Tree


With its pipe-cleaner candles, this small fir recalls a time when Christmas trees were brightened with flame. Five "snowflakes" encircle a 12-inch spine of wrapped floral wire.

The tree is made of five snowflakes in graduated sizes and a cross for the top. With a wire cutter or old scissors, cut two 1-inch sticks and three 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-inch sticks.

Christmas Tree and Snowflake How-To
1. Twist each group of three sticks together at midpoint for six-pointed stars. Twist smallest two sticks into a cross.


2. Add branches to largest star: Starting at center of each spoke, twist on two 2 1/2-inch sticks; tighten by clamping down on twist point with round-nose pliers. Follow with a 2-inch stick, then a 1 1/2-inch stick. Keep spacing even.


3. Finish other snowflakes as shown. For 5-inch snowflake, use six 21/2-inch sticks, six 2-inch sticks, and six 1 1/2-inch sticks. For 4-inch snowflake, use six 2-inch sticks and six 1 1/2-inch sticks. For 3-inch snowflake, use six 1 1/2-inch sticks. For 2-inch snowflake, use six 1-inch sticks. You now have five snowflakes and a top cross. Twist three 12-inch stems of same green chenille around an equal length of 16-gauge floral wire, working from bottom up for about 3 inches. (A wooden spool makes a good tree stand.)


4. Slip biggest snowflake onto "tree trunk"; the three sticks fit between spokes of snowflakes. Twist three trunk sticks tightly, for another inch before sliding on next snowflake. Continue in this way to top, leaving a 1-inch trunk above. Trim excess wire.


To decorate tree drape lengths of silver tinsel as a garland. Make candles (dab tips of white pipe cleaners with red pen); wrap tinsel around base of each. With hot glue, affix candles to ends of branches. To make candy canes, use permanent red marker to draw stripes spiraling around white pipe cleaners. Cut 1-inch sticks; hook ends. Slide a pretty bead onto top of tree.

MarthaStewart.com

Pipe Cleaner Christmas Tree Craft


What you will need:
Green pipe cleaners
Red beads
star button
wire

What to do:
String red beads on a pipe cleaner about one inch apart.
When all the beads are in place bend the pipe cleaner in the form of a tree as pictured.
String a star button on to the top and bend the pipe cleaner end down to secure it.
Use a short piece of wire to hang the three.
Secure the wire by bending it around the button back.
If you don't want to use buttons, glue star gems to the top.

-from: http://www.daniellesplace.com/HTML/christmas.html