4. How to make a Pipecleaner Octopus

Way back when I was in Girl Guides, (or was it brownies?) I recall making an octopus using pipecleaners. So I thought I would try to remember how we did it and show you how to do it too.You might enjoy making them with your kids.

To begin, you will need the following items

• 32 (thickish) pipecleaners, 16 of each colour
• A 150mm polystyrene ball
• 2 rubber bands
• googly eyes
• glue
• crochet hook

The number of pipecleaners is going to vary a bit, depending on their thickness, but you need your quantity to be a multiple of 8. If you can get really nice, plush pipecleaners, you may get away with using only 16.



Gather together your pipecleaners, and secure them together near one end with a rubber band.



Now splay them all out, in pairs of alternating colours so they can be arranged around the head in a stripey fashion.



Place the styrofoam ball in the middle of your splayed out pipecleaners and wrap them around, securing with a rubber band at the base of the ball. I actually found it useful to ease the rubber band in place with a crochet hook.



Take two pipecleaners of each colour and wind the four pipecleaners together to form a leg.



Bend the ends over so that there aren't any scratchy-pokey bits.



Repeat for all of the pipe-cleaners / legs. There. It's starting to look like an octopus now.



Bend the pipecleaners at the top over to conceal the rubber band and so the top of the head isn't all scratchy.



Wind each leg around the crochet hook to make them spirally.



Using some good craft glue, add some googly eyes.



Your octopus is finished! Now go make him a friend :)



Now, go see some more Creative Spaces.