How to Make Fairy Wings for Costumes
Fairy wings often become a part of play time long after Halloween is over. Many young girls enjoy the magic of wearing wings around the house, sometimes over their regular clothes. You can make fairy wings at home with ordinary, inexpensive household supplies. Wings vary by color, size and shape. They can be simple or intricate, but keep them small enough, so your child can move easily while wearing them. Keep it simple. Look at pictures of butterfly wings for different designs.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Florist's wire
- Plastic wrap
- Glitter
- Shiny decorative craft cutouts
- Sequin strips
- Silk or velvet
- Elastic fabric
- Pipe cleaners
- Corrugated cardboard
- Scissors
- Needle and thread
Instructions
-
-
1
Use florist's wire to cut and shape your wing pieces. Think of fairy wings like four petals, with the tops larger than the bottoms. Measure roughly how large you want your child's wings to be. Cut a piece of wire slightly longer than you think you want. You can cut later if you need to.
-
2
Bend your first piece of wire into the shape you like. Squeeze the ends together to form the tip of the wing. Make the opposite wing identical by shaping the second wing over the first.
-
-
3
Make two bottom wing pieces. Use the method you used for the top halves in steps 1 and 2, estimating wire length. The shape is about the same as the top, but the wings are smaller.
-
4
Lay the four wing pieces next to each other. Wire them together at the center point with the larger halves on top. Cover the wire middle with duct tape to secure it and hide sharp edges.
-
5
Cut four pieces of plastic wrap large enough to wrap double over each wing, leaving an inch to overlap. Lay down one piece of plastic at a time, with the wing frame on top. Sprinkle glitter and sparkly craft cutouts across the plastic wrap inside the wire wing. Wrap the other end of the plastic around the wire wing, pulling it snug. Do the same for the other three wings. Cut a sequin strip long enough to hot glue along the edge to strengthen delicate wings.
-
6
Cut a cardboard oval to cover the wire joined in the center. Crease it in the center to bend it back as if it's hinged. Cut two pieces of silk or velvet large enough to cover, and sew them together over the cardboard for a finished look.
-
7
Use elastic fabric strips to keep the wings on. Measure over the shoulders for the correct length. Sew the elastic to the fabric center. Make antennae with pipe cleaners, curling them at the top. Staple pipe cleaners to the cardboard.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Instead of using plastic wrap try colored tissue paper or silky material. For the quickest version, cut wings from poster board, decorate them, tape them together, and measure and tape fabric strips to the wings to fit around the shoulders.
