The Imagination Tree

Creative play and learning for kids

DIY: Clothes Peg Fairies

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For Cakie’s fairy birthday party earlier this month I made 25 little fairy dolls from wooden clothes pegs (pins.) They hung from the trees and were hidden amongst the flowers while the children played around them in the garden. Then they were popped inside the party bags as little additions to the going-home treats!
Clothes peg figures are extremely easy to make! I got a packet of plain wooden pegs from a local toy shop in the craft section. I found a huge tub of fabric flower petals left over from table decorations at our wedding years ago (did I mention I hoard bits-of-crafty-goodness?!) You could easily just cut petal shapes from scraps of fabric if you don’t have any pre-made ones. 
I also dug out a few colours of wool for the hair and some permanent markers for making the features on the faces.

 I started them off by overlapping the petals around the body of the peg, half way down and glueing using UHU adhesive. I don’t have a glue gun, sob,  (I ask every birthday and am given weird looks) but I’m pretty sure that would do the job wonderfully!
As soon as that had dried I glued about 6-8 strands of wool straight across the top of the head and slightly down at the sides. You could be really creative here and give them some fabulous hairstyles!

 Next I sprinkled some glitter across an open laminate pouch and laminated it to seal it shut. This made a pretty, plastic, translucent and sparkly material for cutting out wings from! You could also find a similar type of glittery card ready-made in the craft shop I’m sure. I cut out wing shapes and stuck them to the back with the same glue.

 And then all that was left was to draw on simple features with permanent markers. I went with the less-is-more principle, and just did dots for eyes and a tiny little red mouth! Here they are hiding out in amongst the geraniums and petunias.

And here is a slightly altered fairy, who my friend covered up “for modesty” with more petals, and gave green petal wings to! You could make dolls, pirates, cowboys, mermaids, Father Christmas or story characters.  I think we will be coming back to these in the future and C can have a go at them independently. Lots of fun!


These are great for: decorations, story telling props, toys, stocking fillers

Comments

  1. LadyD says

    I LOVE these adorable fairies!!! Thank you for sharing these beautiful photos. Sounds like a lovely party. I hope you get a glue gun someday. You are awesome and the craft is ever-so-darling!

  2. Anonymous says

    Such a fan!! I thought I would let you know that I linked up to your site after recently making a light table. SUCH FUN!!! Thanks for the great idea. Peruse at cowsgomooandducksgoquack.blogspot.com
    Gianne

  5. faemum says

    i love the wing idea ! Will try this as a less messy way to use glitter .
    i usually just glue some fabric leaves on for wings. Little plastic pieces off the fabric flowers can become caps on top of hair too.