Step by Step Project - making a peg fairy

making a peg fairy

Maddy made did this lovely little project for last years challenge - so I thought I would make it into a web page, so that you can get busy making a fairy for your Christmas tree.  Check out her blog, for more great ideas and inspiration.

You will need

  • Wooden round peg
  • Paint or felt tipped pens - you decide
  • Pipe cleaners - preferably flesh coloured for her arms
  • Material and net  
  • Needle and thread
  • Round screw eyelet/or ribbon 
  • Sandpaper 
  • Ribbon

    • First select your peg, choose one that has the best wood for the face/head as this will show.  Sandpaper any rough pieces.  If you want to put a screw eyelet on the top of her head - I would do this now, in case you spoil the peg.  Note the way the eyelet has to face from the above photo.

    Now you need to prepare the wings - fold a small square piece of material in half, and lie at the side of your peg.  Use the peg to get the right size of wing, too big and it will flop.  Now draw half a butterfly shape on the material and cut out.

    Paste PVA glue on both sides of the wings and let dry over the edge of a cup or tub and leave to dry.


    making a peg fairy making a peg fairy

    making a peg fairy

    If you are using felt pens and haven't got a flesh colour leave the body and face natural wood.

    Paint the body and head flesh coloured make sure you also paint up inbetween the peg legs inside. leave to dry . Then using a paint that matches your material paint the two end legs for shoes.

    TAKE NOTE OF THE OF WHICH WAY YOUR FAIRY IS FACING

    Using the same colour, paint the body, leave a V shape for the collar.

    In the photo there's the flesh painted peg, middle peg shows the shoes and body.  The one on the right is the using whisper pens, you may need a second coat with this method. 


    Making sure your fairy is facing the right way, paint on the hair.  Use a pen or whispers to draw on eyes and mouth - you may want to paint little pink cheeks on too.

    making a peg fairy

    making a peg fairy
    Cut a piece of fabric 23cm long, and either 3cm (for a tutu look) or 4cm for a longer look.  If you have pinking shears you can use those for the edge of the skirt.  Cut also 23cm in length a piece of netting make this 1/2 cm wider than your material.

    Using a running stitch and sew along the top edge of both pieces of fabric, but don't tie off the end.  In the photo I have used white cotton so it will show up - however you can use a coloured cotton so its hidden on the skirt.  Then gently pull the cotton so that it gathers up the edge, do not tie off yet.


    Once all of the components of your fairy has dried, place the skirt around the fairy (just above the top of the legs), tighten the gathering and sew both ends of material together.  Now you can knot and cut off.  Dab a little glue under the skirt to hold it in place.

    Now bend your pipe cleaner around the back of the fairy and bend in the hands.  Glue the pipe cleaner on using pva or for a quicker and stronger bond use UHU. 

    Cut off any frayed edges on your wings and glue to the back of the fairy.

    If you have a white pen, dot the eyes and add buttons and a collar onto the body.

    Use your imagination for some extras - ie gems for buttons ! Or fibre for hair !

    making a peg fairy
    This one Carolyn made - but unfortunately she didn't spot the line on the 'face' until after she was constructed :(

     © Crafts by Carolyn November 2009