Almost-Real Spiderweb Mobile

I have always wanted to spin a spider web. They are so delicate and beautiful, but usually accompanied by a creepy little inhabitant in nature. Hot glue makes a very convincing spider web, and you can even incorporate dew drops. However, practice and a steady hand are needed for good results.

I strung three of my webs together for a unique mobile.

You will need

• a hot glue gun with glue
• silver-colored wire (that can be bent with the hands, but not too weak)
• invisible nylon thread
• wire cutters

For practice

• paper plates
• tape
• scissors

Before trying to make the mobile or another craft with a web, it is worth it do do a few practice webs.

Cut out the bottom of a paper plate. Tape 4 or 5 pieces of invisible thread around the edges so that they all intersect in the middle. Weave the web by putting a little drop on one thread, then putting another drop on the next thread, letting the glue gun leave a little string between the two. It is important that the temperature of the glue gun is not too hot, so that the glue string breaks, nor too cold, so that the glue doesn't string at all. You may need to experiment with unplugging the glue gun at intervals or adjusting the heat setting. You can create concentric circles going from the outside in, with a spiral in the center, as a spider does.

To make a mobile, bend the wire into a ring and glue the ends together. Make the ring as round as possible. You may want to wrap it around a large can or similar object to get the right shape.

Glue four or five pieces of the invisible string onto the wire, crossing in the middle. Make sure the string is not loose. To get the strings in their exact positions, you may want to tape them down before gluing, as shown.

Set the web you have so far onto a container, like a can, so that the thread is held up and not touching the surface below it. Weave the web as described in the practice section.

Make at least two more webs, and tie them together with the invisible thread. Make a hook out of wire to hang the mobile and attach with more invisible thread.

I decorated my web with star and moon shapes cut out of aluminum foil. Beads, trinkets, or tinsel may also look nice.

Please share your own webs and web ideas in the comments!