14 Adorable Pipe Cleaner Crafts That Prove This Cheap Supply Can Make Anything

Pipe cleaner crafts are having a big moment, and it is easy to see why. A whole pack of fuzzy, bendy stems costs about as much as a cup of coffee, yet it can become a tulip bouquet that never wilts, a tiny teddy bear for your keys or a cozy ornament for the tree. People are searching for pipe cleaner animals, flowers and Christmas crafts more than ever, and one little fuzzy bear keychain on Instagram collected more than 235 thousand likes. You do not need glue guns, sewing skills or special tools, just your hands and maybe a pair of scissors. These projects are perfect for a rainy afternoon with kids, a calm evening on your own or a sweet handmade gift. Grab a pack in your favorite colors and let’s start twisting..

Pipe Cleaner Crafts Start With a Tiny Teddy Bear Keychain

This little peach bear is the craft everyone is copying right now. A fuzzy wire bear keychain shared on Instagram pulled in more than 235 thousand likes, and you can make one in about twenty minutes. You simply coil pipe cleaners into a round head and body, add two tiny loops for ears and attach a keyring. It is one of those pipe cleaner crafts that looks store bought but costs pennies. Make one for your keys, your backpack and your best friend..

You will need: Peach or tan pipe cleaners, a brown pipe cleaner for details, a small keyring, scissors, tiny black beads (optional).

How to make it: 1. Coil one pipe cleaner tightly into a flat spiral for the head. 2. Coil a second, larger spiral for the body and twist them together. 3. Make two tiny loops for ears and twist them onto the head. 4. Add bead eyes and twist the leftover end around a keyring.

Coil a Cute Panda Keychain

Once you master the bear, the panda is the natural next step. White pipe cleaners make the round body and head, and black ones turn into ears, arms and those famous eye patches. Kids love clipping these to school bags, and they make great party favors too. Since the wire ends can be sharp, tuck every end inside the coils. This is a great project for older kids who want to make something cool to trade with friends. Will your panda hold a tiny bamboo stick?

You will need: White and black pipe cleaners, a keyring, small black beads or a black marker, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Coil a white pipe cleaner into a ball for the head and a larger one for the body. 2. Twist the two together. 3. Make small black loops for ears and coil tiny black circles for eye patches. 4. Twist on black arms and legs and attach a keyring.

Twist a Tulip Bouquet That Never Wilts

Pipe cleaner flowers are one of the fastest growing searches this season, and tulips are the easiest place to begin. Each petal is just a loop, and three or four loops twisted together make a bloom. Add a green stem and a long leaf and you have a flower that will stay bright all year. A small bunch in a vase looks wonderful on a windowsill or a desk. These pipe cleaner crafts also make a sweet gift for teachers and grandparents. Which colors would you put in your bouquet?

You will need: Pipe cleaners in flower colors, green pipe cleaners for stems and leaves, a small vase or ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Bend a pipe cleaner into three or four oval loops for petals. 2. Pinch the loops together at the base. 3. Twist a green pipe cleaner onto the base for the stem. 4. Fold another green piece into a long leaf and twist it onto the stem.

Hang a Rainbow Butterfly Garland

A string of colorful butterflies dancing across a window can brighten any kid’s bedroom. Each butterfly takes just one or two pipe cleaners, folded into wings and twisted in the middle. Add short antennae, then tie them along a piece of twine. Kids can choose a rainbow of colors or match them to their room. It is a lovely project for spring, birthday parties or anytime the house needs a little cheer. How many butterflies will fly across your window?

You will need: Pipe cleaners in bright colors, twine or string, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Fold a pipe cleaner into a figure eight for the wings. 2. Make a smaller figure eight and lay it under the first. 3. Twist a short piece around the middle for the body and bend the tips into antennae. 4. Tie each butterfly onto the twine.

Pipe Cleaner Crafts for Flower Lovers: Roses and Lilies

Fuzzy roses and lilies are the showstoppers of the pipe cleaner world. Roses are made by wrapping a pipe cleaner around and around in a tight spiral, while lilies use long pointed petals. Bundle a mix together, wrap the stems in tissue paper and you have a bouquet that lasts forever. Fuzzy flower bouquets like this are a hit for birthdays, graduations and anniversaries. Among all pipe cleaner crafts, these get the biggest smiles. Who would you surprise with a forever bouquet?

You will need: Pipe cleaners in pink, red, white and green, tissue paper, ribbon, scissors.

How to make it: 1. For a rose, coil a pipe cleaner loosely around your finger in a spiral. 2. Fluff and pinch the petals into shape. 3. For a lily, fold long pointed loops and twist six together. 4. Add green stems, bundle them and wrap with tissue and ribbon.

Make a Fluffy Pipe Cleaner Bunny

A soft white bunny with a pom pom tail is almost too cute to handle. Coil white pipe cleaners for the body and head, add two long ears and a pink bead nose. Kids love setting them on felt grass or hiding them around the house for a spring hunt. They also look sweet on top of a gift. Adults should help trim the wire ends and keep little parts away from babies and toddlers. What will you name your bunny?

You will need: White pipe cleaners, a pink pipe cleaner or bead, a small white pom pom, glue, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Coil one white pipe cleaner into a ball for the body. 2. Coil a smaller one for the head and twist it on. 3. Fold two long loops for ears and attach them. 4. Glue on a pom pom tail and a pink nose.

Bend a Curious Pipe Cleaner Cat

Cat lovers will enjoy shaping a little pipe cleaner kitty with pointed ears and a curly tail. Wrap a few stems together for a sturdy body, then bend legs and a head and twist on triangle ears. You can make one that looks like your own pet by picking matching colors. These pipe cleaner crafts are perfect for kids who love animals, and they can play with them for hours. Try making a whole family of cats in different poses. Will yours be sitting, stretching or sleeping?

You will need: Pipe cleaners in your cat’s colors, small beads for eyes, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Twist three pipe cleaners together for a strong body. 2. Bend the front into a head and the back into a long tail. 3. Fold four legs from another pipe cleaner and twist them under the body. 4. Add triangle ears and bead eyes.

Build Beaded Pipe Cleaner Bugs

Bugs made from pipe cleaners and beads are a classic at nature centers and summer camps, and kids adore them. Thread colorful beads onto a pipe cleaner for the body, then twist on legs and antennae. Make a caterpillar, a scorpion, a ladybug or invent a bug of your own. It is a sneaky way to talk about real insects while having fun. Some beads even change color in the sun for extra wow. Supervise little ones closely, since beads are a choking risk. Which creepy crawly will you build?

You will need: Pipe cleaners, pony beads, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Fold the end of a pipe cleaner so beads cannot slide off. 2. Thread on beads to make the body. 3. Twist shorter pipe cleaner pieces on for legs. 4. Bend the top end into two antennae.

Pipe Cleaner Crafts for the Tree: Mini Wreaths and Candy Canes

Christmas pipe cleaner crafts are one of the top searches this season, and these two ornaments show why. Twist green pipe cleaners into a little circle, add red bead berries and a tiny bow for a mini wreath. For a candy cane, twist one red and one white pipe cleaner together and bend the top into a hook. Kids can make a whole set in one afternoon. They are light, unbreakable and perfect for little hands to hang. How many will your tree hold?

You will need: Green, red and white pipe cleaners, small red beads, scissors.

How to make it: 1. For a wreath, twist two green pipe cleaners together and bend them into a circle. 2. Thread on red beads and add a small red bow. 3. For a candy cane, twist a red and a white pipe cleaner tightly together. 4. Bend the top into a hook and hang them on the tree.

Pipe Cleaner Crafts for a Calm Corner: Lavender Sprigs

Lavender made from pipe cleaners looks surprisingly real, and it never drops petals on the floor. Twist small purple loops all along a green stem until it looks like a full sprig. Tie a bunch with twine and pop it into a little glass bottle for the bathroom, a bedside table or a desk. These pipe cleaner crafts are calm and relaxing to make on a quiet evening. A small bundle also makes a thoughtful get well or thank you gift. Where would your lavender sit?

You will need: Purple pipe cleaners, green pipe cleaners, twine, a small glass bottle.

How to make it: 1. Cut purple pipe cleaners into short pieces. 2. Bend each piece into a tiny loop. 3. Twist the loops along the top half of a green stem, close together. 4. Bundle several sprigs and tie with twine.

Grow a Pot of Sunny Sunflowers

Sunflowers bring instant happiness, and these fuzzy ones will bloom on your table all year long. Loop yellow pipe cleaners around a brown pom pom center, then add a green stem and leaves. Stand them in a small pot filled with rice or floral foam. Kids can make a whole field for a classroom or a fall table. They also make a cheerful gift for someone who needs a smile. Want to plant a few on your kitchen table?

You will need: Yellow and green pipe cleaners, brown pom poms, glue, a small pot, rice or floral foam.

How to make it: 1. Fold a yellow pipe cleaner into eight petal loops around a circle. 2. Glue a brown pom pom in the center. 3. Twist a green pipe cleaner on as a stem and add a leaf. 4. Stand the flowers in a pot filled with rice.

Coil Sweet Strawberry Charms

Tiny strawberry charms are a fun way to add a pop of color to a phone, backpack or zipper. Coil a red pipe cleaner into a cone, add a green leafy top and dot it with little yellow beads for seeds. They take just a few minutes each and look so sweet in a row. If you love tiny food that looks real, you will also enjoy these realistic clay crafts. Keep charms away from babies, since small parts can be swallowed. Who would you make a strawberry for?

You will need: Red and green pipe cleaners, tiny yellow beads, glue, a phone charm cord or keyring.

How to make it: 1. Coil a red pipe cleaner into a small cone shape. 2. Glue on tiny yellow beads as seeds. 3. Twist a green pipe cleaner into a leafy star on top. 4. Attach a charm cord or keyring.

Make a Fox Bookmark Buddy

Bookmark buddies make reading time extra fun for kids. Shape a little fox, cat or bunny head from pipe cleaners and leave a long tail that slides down into the pages. The head peeks over the top so you always find your place. Add googly eyes for a silly touch. These pipe cleaner crafts are great for book clubs, classroom rewards and stocking stuffers. Kids who are slow to read sometimes get excited just to use their new buddy. Which animal would you choose?

You will need: Orange, white and black pipe cleaners, small googly eyes, glue, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Bend an orange pipe cleaner into a triangle fox face with two pointy ears. 2. Twist a little white in for the cheeks. 3. Glue on googly eyes and a black nose. 4. Leave a long straight end to slide into the book.

Pipe Cleaner Crafts for Little Fingers: Daisy Rings

Daisy rings are the perfect last project because even young kids can make them with a little help. Wrap a pipe cleaner around a finger for the band, then twist a small white flower with a yellow center on top. They are fun for tea parties, birthday favors and playdates. Make a whole rainbow of bands so everyone gets their favorite color. These easy pipe cleaner crafts are a lovely way to end an afternoon of making. Who will wear the first daisy ring?

You will need: Pipe cleaners in bright colors for bands, white and yellow pipe cleaners for flowers, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Wrap a colored pipe cleaner around a finger twice and twist the ends. 2. Fold a white pipe cleaner into five small petal loops. 3. Coil a small yellow piece for the center. 4. Twist the flower onto the band and tuck in sharp ends.