Pipe-cleaner People…

This project is a life-skill. Everyone should know how to make Pipe-cleaner people, if you teach anyone or baby sit or wait in waiting rooms or anywhere that there are idle little hands – then this is the project for you. I love no-sew fabric crafts and this is one of them.

I know if I leave the materials for these out on the counter they will be morphed into a family before I blink!!! I am all for projects that cover all ages and that kids can do on their own without too much intervention – read the mother person wants to make her own little people!!!

Its a great non-messy party craft. And they make fabulous gifts, either attached to the packaging as decorations or as little kits ready to make up.

A couple of years ago my daughter had a fairy party and I surfed around for an easy enough fairy project: Well I found one at Family Fun.

We have used them for countless projects: Romans, Egyptians, Israelites, Fairies, Vikings, and basically any people you can think of – you can make using this method.

You can make them as big as you like but we always make them tiny – there is something quite magical about little tiny people.

So here are the Players:

  • A bunch of chopped up pipe-cleaners
  • A selection of beads, with fat enough openings to thread the pipe-cleaners through.
  • Some embroidery thread, for exotic hair-do’s.
  • As the project grew we had to gather some tiny fabric scraps for clothes as well.
  • For fairy’s you will need fake flowers, taken apart – they come with a little hole in the center – perfect for threading.

Play the Game:

Everyone chose a bit of pipe-cleaner and folded it in half.

Next they chose a hair color and threaded it loosely round their fingers.

And then placed the threaded hair in the V of the pipe-cleaner.

They chose beads and threaded the pipe-cleaner onto them…

Just until you can’t see the pipe-cleaner but all the hair is still peeping through.

Trim the hair-do as you wish.

Lay your person across another piece of pipe-cleaner.

Then wrap the arms around the body.

And you have a little person. From now you are free to add embellishments… galore!!!

If you make a fairy, thread your person through the flower petals and add some wings.

Otherwise, wrap tiny bits of fabric round the little limbs for cloaks and trousers and so on.

And here is today’s family.

And you may have a need for a family home: decorate an old shoe box and you are done!

We couldn’t resist the pink tv-arial and the left over petals made a pretty and magical roof.

Have Fun!!!

2 Replies to “Pipe-cleaner People…”

  1. OK, my daughter would go crazy for these! When we make them, I’ll be sure to write about them on the 30 minute day so you can swing by and admire them. All credit to you though! 😉

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