How to Make a Set of Chess Pieces

I have seen many hand-crafted chess sets. There are many different methods and materials one could use. The important thing is that you have to have uniformity in all the rooks, kings, etc, and have one dark set and one lighter set that are easily distinguishable from one another. Other than that, your only limits are your imagination. From a very basic set made from recyclable items to an ornately carved wooden set, you can play with them all!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Various items that can be stacked or combined to form chess pieces. Wood, clay, beads, lids from bottles and jars, medicine bottles, glass pieces, tile pieces, macaroni noodles, etc.....
• Glue---tacky and /or a glue gun.
• Paint to make one light and one dark set. Spray paint is easiest, but any kind would do.

1. You want to think in terms of stacking objects to form chess pieces. Some of the most impressive sets I have seen were very abstract sets, not looking exactly like a horse or knight, etc..

2. Think of macaroni pieces you could stack on a bottle lid and glue together to form each piece.....Maybe a big rigatoni for the king, small macaronis glued to a piece of ziti for another.....praying hands for the bishop out of macaroni, etc. In all of these incidences you need a bottle cap or something to provide a uniform and moveable bottom to the piece. Then a light coat of paint transforms them! You might want to glue felt to the bottom.

3. Beads can be combined to make chess pieces. Jewelry findings and pieces can be used also. Just remember that if you don't intend to paint the beads, you need to have one dark color scheme and one light, but the shapes are all uniform for the four pieces (or two pieces where the royals are concerned!)

4. A very stunning set can be made with wood, either rustically with bark left on or very modern with abstract shapes, sanded smooth. You use basic geometric shapes combined in a contemporary format to distinguish the pieces.
   I saw a very unique set at a gift shop made this way, using very large pieces and bark left on.

5. If you are just passing a rainy day with some kids, you could form chess pieces out of household bottle lids, etc and other recyclables that would have been thrown away otherwise. Just remember you need the uniformity of each pawn looking alike, each rook, etc...
   You could make a very easy set with toilet paper rolls. Using crayons, markers, glue-ons, you could pass a rainy day and learn a little more about chess as a game and what each piece can do on the board, as you do it.

6. Or you could spend the day finding seashells or beautiful stones to assemble pieces. Uniformity becomes a little challenge, but not insurmountable.

Tips & Warnings

• You have several by-products here. The kids get to learn more about the chess game and its pieces. You spend time together!

[fitzcents]

on 8/18/2009 Great article. These would make a great gift if you start now! 5*

[joni04]

on 6/18/2009 Great ideas! I love the idea of using pasta to distinguish the chess pieces.