Hand Crafts

Thanksgiving is a busy time of year and you can keep small hands and active minds occupied with this pipe cleaner turkey craft. Kids can assemble these quickly and they make great place settings.

What you'll need:

• Wire cutters
• 1 red bumpy pipe cleaner (chenille stem)
• 1 orange bumpy pipe cleaner
• 1 brown bumpy pipe cleaner
• 1 yellow bumpy pipe cleaner
• 2 tan pipe cleaners (bumpy would look cute)
• Glue
• 2 (5-6 mm) wiggle eyes
• 2 ounce paint bottle (any color)

How to make it:

Note: Any pipe cleaner "bumps" leftover after cutting can be used in future projects.

1. Cut the brown bumpy pipe cleaner into two pieces, so that both pieces have two bumps each.
2. Cut the pipe cleaner stem into two pieces, so that one piece has just one bump and the second piece has two bumps.
3. Cut the pipe cleaner stem into two bumps.
4. Cut the yellow pipe cleaner into one bump.
5. Twist the end of one tan pipe cleaner together with the end of the second tan chenille stem.
6. Wrap the long tan pipe cleaner around the outside of a paint bottle.
7. Slip one, 2-bump brown pipe cleaner under all the layers of the tan pipe cleaner. Twist once to hold all the tan pipe cleaners together. (The brown pipe cleaner will make the turkey's head.)
8. On the opposite side of the paint bottle slide the following 2 bump pipe cleaners under all the layers of the tan pipe cleaner in one area: one each of red, brown, and orange. Position the tan pipe cleaner close together on top of the narrow part of the colored, bumpy pipe cleaner.
9. Bend the colored pipe cleaners in half and twist once to hold the tan pipe cleaners in place. (see photo)
10. Slide the turkey body off of the paint bottle.
11. Bend the head (brown) up and over slightly.
12. Bend the one-bump, red pipe cleaner in half and twist it around the neck of the turkey.
13. Place the one-bump yellow pipe cleaner at the bottom of the tan pipe cleaner and twist it around the tan pipe cleaner. Bend the middle of the pipe cleaner in towards the turkey to resemble feet.
14. Separate and fan  the tan turkey body out to give it a more rounded shape.
15. Glue a wiggle eye on each side of the turkey's head.
16. Fan out the red, brown, and orange tail feathers. (See photo)

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