How to Make Spiders Out of Pipe Cleaners

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: January 20, 2024 Tested

If you're decorating on a budget or just want a kid-friendly project for Halloween, pick up a package of cheap pipe cleaners. With a few quick twists, you can shape them into creepy crawlies that are sure to shock or surprise. Add googly eyes, pompoms, or beads to put your own finishing touches on them.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Basic Pipe Cleaner Spider

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You can use pipe cleaners of any length, but make sure all 4 are the same size. Don't have black pipe cleaners? It's totally fine to make your spiders any color you want. ^{[1]
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Hold the pipe cleaners together vertically and tap the bottom ends against a table so all of the ends line up. Then, pinch the pipe cleaners in the middle so they don't shift around. ^{[2]
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Keep pinching the middle of the pipe cleaners and grab the top ends of the pipe cleaners. Slowly bend the ends down so they line up with the bottom ends. ^{[3]
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4
Pinch the middle of the pipe cleaners and twist the long ends 2 or 3 times. To make the spider's head, leave your index finger between the folded pipe cleaners and use your other hand to twist the pipe cleaners around your finger at least 2 or 3 times. Then, slide your index finger away so you can see the spider's head. ^{[4]
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- It's important to twist it around a few times so the pipe cleaners don't come undone or fall apart later.
5
Spread the ends apart on each side to make legs on the body. Your pipe cleaners don't look like a spider yet, but a few simple movements make the legs easier to see. Since you folded the pipe cleaners, you'll have 8 short pipe cleaners sticking out from the head. Pull 4 of the pipe cleaners apart on 1 side of the body. Then, do this on the other side, but a few inches of space the sets of legs. ^{[5]
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- If you want to display your spider on a vertical surface, you could put a piece of double-sided tape under the head and stick the spider in place now.
6
Bend each leg into an upside-down V so the spider can stand up on its own. Make your spider 3-dimensional! Take a leg and bend it up, then down in down in the middle so it's shaped like an upside-down V. Do this for each leg so your spider stands up. ^{[6]
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- To make a creepier spider, push the head down low so the points of the bent legs are higher.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Decoration Variations

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1
Twist a pipe cleaner and attach it to the middle of the spider to make an abdomen. To make a more realistic looking spider, take an extra black pipe cleaner and wrap it around your finger to make a tight corkscrew shape. Then, stick it behind the head of your spider so it looks like an abdomen. ^{[7]
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- If you're having trouble twisting the pipe cleaner around your finger, wrap it around a pen or pencil instead.
- To make a spider that's also a sweet treat, slide a tootsie pop or sucker stem through the twisted pipe cleaner. The tootsie pop or sucker will look like an abdomen.
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2
Glue googly eyes onto the spider's head to give it a fun personality. Looking for cute spiders? Turn your creepy crawly pipe cleaner spiders into silly ones by squeezing a drop of craft glue onto the back of 2 googly eyes. Then, press them onto the spider's head and let them dry completely. ^{[8]
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- Add as many googly eyes to your spiders as you like. Most spiders have 8 eyes, while some have up to 12!
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3
Slide small beads onto the legs to add color or texture to your spider. This is a great project for kids! Set out beads in a variety of colors and sizes. Then, twist the pipe cleaners to form the spider's body and separate the legs. Slide as many beads as you want onto each leg to make a cool design. ^{[9]
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- For classic Halloween colors, use black, or orange beads.
- Check that the beads aren't too big for the pipe cleaners or they might slide off.
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4
Glue a large black pompom onto the center of the spider to give it a fluffy body. Shape your pipe cleaners into a spider and bend the center of the pipe cleaners down so they lie flat. Then, squeeze craft glue onto a big black pompom and stick it onto the center of the spider. Hold it in place for a few seconds and let it dry. ^{[10]
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- Want to make your spider colorful? Use any color pompom you like.
- Give your spider a cute personality by gluing googly eyes and a mouth-shaped scrap of felt onto the pompom.
5
Attach a clear wire to the abdomen if you want to hang the spider. It's easy to twist and secure the spiders onto things like railings or webs, but you can also suspend the spider from the ceiling or a web. Just tie a length of clear wire or a black piece of yarn around the center of the pipe cleaners when you twist the spider. Then, hang it wherever you like. ^{[11]
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- This effect looks really cool when you hang lots of spiders.

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Question

Can I make my spider have eyes?

Katrina Im

Community Answer

Yes, of course! Be creative with how you decorate your spider and make it your own!

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Tips

Want a fun sensory project for a little kid? Give your child a bit of playdough and have them roll it into a ball to make the body of the spider. Then, cut 4 pipe cleaners in half and have them stick the legs into the playdough. ^{[12]
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To make a really thick spider, like a tarantula, twist 2 pipe cleaners together for each leg. You'll need a total of 8 pipe cleaners, but the legs will be twice as thick.

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Things You'll Need

4 to 5 black pipe cleaners
Beads, optional
Big pom poms, optional
Googly eyes, optional
Craft glue, optional
Clear string or black yarn, optional

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How to Make Spiders Out of Pipe Cleaners

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Basic Pipe Cleaner Spider

Decoration Variations

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