Conch Shell Twirler

Twirlers or whirlygigs are so much fun to have in the garden. Even the gentle breeze will make them twirl. I make them from plastic canvas, wire, beads and a fishing swivel.

A conch shell twirler/wind spinner/whirlygig is a good one to start with.

conch shell twirler from craftygardener.ca

Materials:

wire from a coathanger that is about 16 inches long
fishing swivel
fishing line
clothes peg
interlocking craft beads
plastic canvas in your choice of colours, use 2 or 3 colours and alternate the strips

Directions:

Cut your plastic canvas five holes wide and 70 holes long. You will need 27 strips.
Twist a loop in the end of the wire and thread three beads on.
Put one strip of pc onto the wire. Alternate beads and plastic canvas until all 27 strips are on the wire.
Take the free end of your first PC strip, and thread it on the wire.
Add a bead and move on to the next PC strip.
Continue until all strips are used.
End with 3 beads.
Bend a hook in the wire, add the swivel, and close.
Fasten a length of fishing line fastened to a clothes peg.
It should look something like a conch shell

This mini conch shell is perfect for a keychain or make several to create a mobile. This was a little craft we made when I was a Girl Guide leader. Lots of other Guiding crafts are here.

Materials and Instructions:

You need 14 count plastic canvas cut into 16 strips – 1 hole x 12 holes.
This is the perfect project to use up the odd bits of plastic canvas that you just hate to throw away.
Twist one end of half a pipe cleaner to form bump.
Thread the end holes on a pipe cleaner.
When all 16 are threaded, take the bottom strip and loop the very first hole (opposite end that is on pipe cleaner) onto the pipe cleaner.
Continue with the remaining strips.
The shell will form as you get all 16 threaded onto the pipe cleaner.
Twist the other end when finished.

This is the perfect size to hang from a keyring or you could make several and hang from a base to make a mobile.