Make a Christmas spider ornament and surprise your guests with a crafty piece of folklore. It’s simple, fun, and perfect for your holiday decor.
Ever heard of a Christmas spider ornament?
There’s a whole folktale behind it (which I’ll get to), but basically, it’s a handmade spider that’s meant to hang on your Christmas tree.
This DIY adds a handmade, meaningful touch to your holiday decor, and it’s a fun way to incorporate a bit of folklore into your tree decorating.
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Working Time: 45 minutes
Skill Level: Beginner - Intermediate
Supply List
- 1 - 3" Head Pin
- 4 - 14mm Bead Caps
- 1 - 18mm Pearl Bead
- 1 - 16mm Pearl Bead
- 11/0 Crystal Seed Beads
- 11/0 White Seed Beads
- #3 Twisted Bugle Silver Beads
- 26-Gauge Jewelry Wire
- Jewelry Wire Cutters
- Round Nose Jewelry Pliers
- Ornament Hanger
- Felt Sheet (optional)
I used all silver jewelry findings, but you can easily swap them for gold, according to your preference.
Prep
When beading, I like to start with all of my supplies in front of me on a felt sheet.
The felt holds all of the small beads so they don't roll around and get lost on my table.
Use the jewelry wire cutters and cut four 6" lengths.
Body
Thread the head pin through a bead cap, a smaller pearl bead, and another bead cap.
Bead caps should curve around the bead.
Thread the second larger pearl bead the same as the smaller, with the two bead caps curved around the bead.
Create a loop as close to the bead as you can using the round-nose pliers, and cut off the excess.
For a more complete tutorial on how to loop a headpin, visit this tutorial.
Legs
Group the four pieces of wire together and find the middle by bending them in half.
Place the center of the wire between the two beads on the headpin and wrap once around, leaving 4 wire legs on each side of the body.
For each leg, thread beads in the following pattern: 3 clear seed beads, 2 longer bugle beads, 1 clear seed, 1 white seed, 1 clear seed, 2 bugle beads, 1 clear seed, 1 white seed, 1 clear seed, and then 2 more bugle beads.
Push beads down the wire so they are tight against the body.
At the end of the beads, curl the end of the wire around a pair of round-nose jewelry pliers and clip off any remaining excess.
Repeat this pattern for the remaining 7 legs.
Shape the legs by gently bending the wire.
The spider can stand on its legs if bent at the joints (like seed beads) or be curved outward along its sides.
To hang the beaded spider, thread the hanger through the loop from the head pin at the end of the spider's body.
The Legend of the Christmas Spider
A long time ago, there was a young mother who had been through a lot—she was widowed and raising her kids on her own. But even with everything going on, she wanted Christmas to feel magical for her little ones. So she spent hours scrubbing and sweeping, getting every corner of the house ready for Father Christmas. Not even the spiders were safe from her broom—out they went, all the way up to the attic to hide from her whirlwind of cleaning.
When Christmas Eve finally arrived, the house was sparkling, and the tree was trimmed just so, waiting for the kids to come marvel at it. Meanwhile, those poor little spiders were sitting in the attic feeling left out, knowing they’d miss the visit from Father Christmas. One of the older, wiser spiders had an idea—what if they snuck down and took a peek from the tree itself?
So quiet as can be, the spiders crept out of the attic, scurried down the stairs, and made their way over to the glowing Christmas tree. They climbed up and down every single branch, wanting to see every shiny bauble and bit of ribbon. By the time they were done exploring, the entire tree was wrapped in a blanket of gray webs.
When Father Christmas arrived and saw what had happened, he actually smiled. He knew the mother wouldn’t be too thrilled to find her freshly cleaned tree all tangled up in cobwebs, so he reached out and gently touched the strands. Instantly, the webs turned into strands of silver and gold, glistening in the glow of the Christmas lights.
And that, according to Ukrainian legend, is why we hang tinsel on our trees—and why it's tradition to tuck a little decorative spider into the branches of a decorated Christmas tree.
It's a reminder that even the unexpected can add a little sparkle to the season.
Final Thoughts
I love these cute little spider ornaments. They really are cute and creepy all at the same time. 😆
I made them for my family ornament exchange, and they received a lot of compliments!
If you like this ornament, but want to make a larger beaded spider, I have a tutorial for that, too!
More Christmas Ornament Tutorials
Making Christmas ornaments is my very favorite holiday tradition. Here are a few more ornaments you could make!
Hi, I'm Katie!
I'm so glad you're here. Want to make something fabulous? I'm here to help!
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