Dear Reindeer {project 3}

Dear Reindeer {project 3}

These are super sweet deer and pretty effortless to make. I think they'd be cute tied upon a gift or sitting sweetly upon the mantle.
I spied these here last winter while tooling around on Martha’s website in search of something but came across these, got distracted, and had to try making one right away. It should be noted that lately, for some reason, I have a problem following "Martha instructions" whether it be online or in her magazine so I ended up sort of improvising my own method…which explains why when you click on the link mine aren’t quite like hers, but I think they're still pretty cute anyway.

.......

{gather}
~pipe cleaners

(I used skinny chenille pipe cleaners)
~seed beads
~craft glue
~pliers
~scissors

{make}
Visit the link above to Martha’s site to follow the original directions or see my version below: (I’m not sure if mine are any better!)

Note: You will need two 12” pipe cleaners of the same color plus one 6” piece of a different color pipe cleaner to make 1 reindeer.

For the head:
Bend in cloverleaf shape at one end of one 12” pipe cleaner, starting first with an ear, then the face, then another ear…about ½” of pipe cleaner for face and ¼” for each ear. Then, leaving about 1 ½” length of pipe cleaner for the neck and the body, make a loop for the tail after this length of pipe cleaner, about ¼” high. Wrap pipe cleaner around in front of tail and over body once or twice and cut pipe cleaner off.

For the legs:
Cut the remaining pipe cleaner in half for front legs and back legs. This will leave you with about 2 ½” per set of legs. For each set of legs, bend up wire just a bit on each end (about ¼”) to form the hooves, twisting with pliers to form. Using pliers, pinch both legs on over the body, one where the neck meets the back and the other just before the tail.

For the body:
Using the second pipe cleaner, coil around pencil first or wrap directly around the body of the reindeer, starting at the tail and working up to the neck. (This will help secure the legs better by wrapping over and under them.) Note: At this point I also add a little loop of pipe cleaner to the face, wrapping it on top of and below the cloverleaf loop to make the face a bit fuller, squeezing with pliers to secure.

For the antlers:
Using a different colored pipe cleaner, cut about a 5 to 6” long piece, twist antler shapes at each end, in cloverleaf-style again. Then twist this piece around the neck to join.

Finally...
Glue on a seed bead for a nose. Finish up by bending the legs and hooves as necessary so that it can stand up on its own.