If you're in search of a way to enjoy family crafts with your kids, keep in mind that there are many fun clothespin crafts to make.
The Appeal of Clothespin Crafts to Make
There are several different reasons why clothespin crafts are a good choice for making with your children.
- Crafting with clothespins is frugal. Even if you don't already have some extras lying around, you can buy a large bag of clothespins fairly inexpensively.
- Wooden clothespins are relatively sturdy, so they can stand up to curious children.
- Most ideas for clothespin crafts to make are fairly simple, which is perfect for kids with short attention spans.
- Clothespin crafts are easy to customize, which gives kids a chance to express their creativity.
Artwork Holder
Wooden clothespins can easily be turned into a clever artwork holder that proudly displays your child's creations. Or, if you're in need of a fun handmade gift idea, this holder can be decorated to display lists, notes, and other documents in the home office.
Supplies:
- Acrylic craft paint
- Foam paint brush
- Wooden paint stir stick
- Three clothespins with springs
- Glue
- Magnet strip
Instructions:
- Use acrylic craft paint and the foam brush to paint the stir stick in the desired color or colors.
- Paint the clothespins. Add stars, hearts, swirls, or other designs on the clothespins for extra interest if you'd like.
- Once the paint is dry, glue the clothespins onto the stir stick. They should be evenly spaced across the width of the stick.
- Attach the magnet strip to the back of the paint stir stick so it can be hung on a refrigerator or file cabinet.
- Clip papers to the clothespins for display.
Pretty Pinwheel Decorations
Pinwheels are a favorite craft for kids and a pinwheel attached to a clothespin can be clipped to any number of places.
Supplies:
- Double sided patterned paper
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Glue
- Map tack
- Clothespin
Instructions:
- Cut a five inch square from the paper.
- Draw diagonal lines from corner to corner.
- Cut three inches down each line.
- Fold every other point toward center, securing with a bit of glue.
- Attach to clothespin with map tack.
Clothespin Dolls
Because of their small size and durability, wooden clothespins are a great choice for making handmade dolls. You can create dolls that look like people you know, dolls that look like characters from your favorite books, or dolls that are entirely a product of your own imagination. Here are some instructions to get you started:
- eHow describes how to make a simple version of the worry dolls children in Guatemala tell their problems to at night.
- Crayola has an adorable clothespin people craft project that incorporates the company's Model Magic clay.
- This Heart of Mine suggests using embroidery floss to fashion clothes for your dolls.
- Instructables has a tutorial for making clothespin dolls with clothes fashioned from fabric scraps.
- Making Friends has instructions for a Girl Scout, an Egyptian mummy, an angel, and a Chinese woman made from clothespins.
Christmas Tree Ornaments
If you're getting ready to decorate your Christmas tree, keep in mind that clothespins make an excellent base for handmade ornaments. Here are a few projects you can try with your kids:
- Better Homes and Gardens suggests turning clothespins into rustic looking snowflakes for your Christmas tree.
- MomDot has instructions for making a cute clothespin angel ornament for your Christmas tree.
- All Free Crafts suggests turning a clothespin into a toy soldier.
- Craft Elf explains how to make a fun little clothespin reindeer.
- Free Kids Crafts has a tutorial for how to turn a wooden clothespin into an adorable Santa ornament.
