Craft: Put a New Spin on Hanukkah with a Handmade Dreidel Wall Hanging
Create your own silkscreen-style decoration in 10 easy, sewing machine-free steps
The dreidel, a four-sided spinning top and one of the most recognised symbols of Hanukkah, lends itself to a graphic wall hanging that playfully represents the eight days of the holiday. Make the decoration in just a few hours using a custom-designed pattern and some basic supplies. Personalise it with your favourite colours, beads, sequins or even little toys dangling from the bottom. Let’s get started…
Materials and tools
- Pattern (you will need a computer for this)
- Masking tape
- Freezer paper
- Marker
- Scissors
- 0.5m heavyweight denim or water-resistant outdoor fabric
- Ruler or tape measure
- Iron
- Pencil
- Dust sheet
- Spray-on fabric paint
- Hot-glue gun and glue sticks
- Flat skewers
- 0.5cm diameter rod for hanging (several fine skewers or sticks will work, too)
- Yarn and a sharp yarn needle
- Wooden beads
- Polystyrene balls wrapped in yarn or pompoms or felt balls (about the size of table tennis balls)
- Large tassel
1 Download the pattern, which will enable you to make the number stencils and provide a full-size paper template to use as a guide.
The file includes a scaled-down pattern showing dimensions and number placement, three pages of numbers in actual size and nine pages that can be joined together to make an actual-size template.
The file includes a scaled-down pattern showing dimensions and number placement, three pages of numbers in actual size and nine pages that can be joined together to make an actual-size template.
2 Make the stencils using one of the following options:
To use your computer screen as a light box, open the file at full size (100%). Lightly tape a piece of freezer paper, shiny side down, over the screen and carefully trace each number onto the paper with a marker.
Another option is to print the pattern and tape the printout to a bright window. Then tape freezer paper, shiny side down, over the pattern and trace the numbers.
You can also try printing directly onto the freezer paper. Cut the freezer paper to 21.6 x 27.9cm and tape it, shiny side down, to the top edge of a piece of laser paper. Feed the taped edge into the printer first. This may not work for every printer, but it’s worth a try.
To use your computer screen as a light box, open the file at full size (100%). Lightly tape a piece of freezer paper, shiny side down, over the screen and carefully trace each number onto the paper with a marker.
Another option is to print the pattern and tape the printout to a bright window. Then tape freezer paper, shiny side down, over the pattern and trace the numbers.
You can also try printing directly onto the freezer paper. Cut the freezer paper to 21.6 x 27.9cm and tape it, shiny side down, to the top edge of a piece of laser paper. Feed the taped edge into the printer first. This may not work for every printer, but it’s worth a try.
3 Carefully cut out the numbers with scissors. Cut a piece of denim roughly 40 x 60cm, which includes a hem allowance of 6cm all round.
4 Position the numbers on the denim using the scaled-down or full-size pattern as a guide, making sure the numbers are straight.
With a hot iron on a dry setting, carefully press the numbers onto the right side of the fabric until you’re sure they’re well attached.
5 Form the dreidel shape by folding the side and bottom edges under and pressing them firmly in place. If using a full-size template, you can lightly mark the shape with a pencil to indicate the folding lines before folding.
Note The fabric is easier to work with before you add paint, so folding and ironing the edges at this point allows you to correct any mistakes without them showing.
4 Position the numbers on the denim using the scaled-down or full-size pattern as a guide, making sure the numbers are straight.
With a hot iron on a dry setting, carefully press the numbers onto the right side of the fabric until you’re sure they’re well attached.
5 Form the dreidel shape by folding the side and bottom edges under and pressing them firmly in place. If using a full-size template, you can lightly mark the shape with a pencil to indicate the folding lines before folding.
Note The fabric is easier to work with before you add paint, so folding and ironing the edges at this point allows you to correct any mistakes without them showing.
6 Unfold the edges of the fabric to guarantee the paint will cover the dreidel shape completely. Place a large dust sheet on your floor or work surface to protect it, then set the fabric right side up on top of that. Spray on paint to add colour to your dreidel.
If you’re happy with a single colour, simply spray around the numbers. If you prefer a multi-coloured look, test to see how much paint you’ll need to use to define the numbers and achieve the desired result. I used two shades of blue, hoping for a speckled effect, but they bled into the fabric and into each other, creating a somewhat solid result. Experiment with water-resistant outdoor fabric that won’t absorb the colour rather than denim if you’d like to achieve a paint-spattered look.
Set your dreidel aside to dry according to the paint manufacturer’s instructions (mine took about an hour in the sun).
If you’re happy with a single colour, simply spray around the numbers. If you prefer a multi-coloured look, test to see how much paint you’ll need to use to define the numbers and achieve the desired result. I used two shades of blue, hoping for a speckled effect, but they bled into the fabric and into each other, creating a somewhat solid result. Experiment with water-resistant outdoor fabric that won’t absorb the colour rather than denim if you’d like to achieve a paint-spattered look.
Set your dreidel aside to dry according to the paint manufacturer’s instructions (mine took about an hour in the sun).
7 Peel off the paper numbers to reveal the design. Refold the side and bottom edges and press again. Take care when folding since any mistakes will show.
8 To form the top, use the guides seen in the photograph. Dotted lines indicate folding lines; solid lines indicate cutting lines.
9 Turn over the wall hanging and, using a hot-glue gun, affix the skewers to the neck of the dreidel so it won’t flop over. Then insert the rod or thin skewers as shown. Use hot glue or fabric glue to attach all the folded hem allowances to the base.
Using yarn and a sharp yarn needle, attach beads, yarn-wrapped balls and the tassel to the bottom edge for a decorative touch. I went with a complementary orange colour. Feel free to hang other colourful accents, such as small wrapped gifts.
Using yarn and a sharp yarn needle, attach beads, yarn-wrapped balls and the tassel to the bottom edge for a decorative touch. I went with a complementary orange colour. Feel free to hang other colourful accents, such as small wrapped gifts.
10 You can let the ends of the rod extend beyond the fabric and attach a long piece of yarn to them for hanging. Or cut off the ends and hang the dreidel from the middle of the rod.
Either way, your project is now ready to display on a wall.
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I styled my finished dreidel wall hanging by placing it between colourful yarn-wrapped branches and stars made from paper towel rolls and yarn-wrapped polystyrene balls.
See 9 creative ideas for upcycling household items
TELL US…Will you be making any of your own decorations this year – or have you made some in the past? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
See 9 creative ideas for upcycling household items
TELL US…Will you be making any of your own decorations this year – or have you made some in the past? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.