These clothespin elves bring ‘elf on a shelf’ to a whole new level! They look so festive lined up on a mantel or side table, but they’re also lots of fun for pretend play. Make this adorable Christmas craft in traditional colours, like red and green, or create a whole troupe in your favourite colours!
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Where can I find this type of wooden clothespin?
These round headed, non-spring clothespins are easiest to find online or at a craft store. They’re often used to make wooden dolls. You can find them listed as “traditional wood clothespins”, “wood doll pins” or as “wood doll peg clothespins”.
What is a doll pin stand?
A doll pin stand is the flat bottomed, circular base seen at the bottom of our clothespin elf craft. The wooden clothespin fits perfectly inside, and the base allows the clothespin dolls to stand up! You can buy doll pin stands at the craft store or online, and you can even buy a package of the clothespins and bases together.
Can I make a clothespin elf craft without the faux fur?
We love the fluffy look of the fur, but you can definitely make this craft without the fur. Try cutting a little collar and cuffs out of white felt, adding on the details with white paint, using white pipe cleaners or even just leaving them off entirely.
Where can I get faux fur?
Be sure to check the dollar store for white fur. You can buy an inexpensive Santa hat and repurpose the fur for crafts like this one! (That’s what we did).
These clothespin elf dolls are so cute and they remind me of little nutcrackers. The small felt details can be a bit finicky to work with, but I think the result makes it worth the effort — and they definitely get easier after you make 1 or 2! You can also make this clothespin elf craft into a Christmas ornament by attaching a twine loop under the back of the fur collar.
Here’s even more fun Christmas craft ideas:
Popsicle Stick Christmas Trees
Pasta Snowflake Ornaments
Reindeer Clothespin Ornaments
How to Make Pinecone Elves
Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
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