DIY Spiders – From Saxophone Keypads

Oh the lovely keypads! This time, they’ve become little spiders, which can be turned into decorations, accessories, & maybe other things. Try using them as manipulatives on a cookie sheet or other magnetic surface with pages from this Fischarper Halloween music packet (see the IGTV video to see it demonstrated) & read to the end for some other ideas!

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Try checking with your local music repair store to see if they have any. I believe the ones I used in this project are from Ferree’s by way of Cadence Music (Thank you Cadence!). You could also make these with upcycled buttons!

Variation 1

Supplies

• keypad with hole in the middle
• cord
• scissors
• glue (I used Fabri-Tac, but another glue might work better)
• 2 googly eyes
• optional: ruler
• optional: craft tweezers

Steps

1. Cut 4 equal lengths of the cord. You can measure or just eyeball, but each piece should be about twice as long as you want the distance from the hole in the center of the keypad to the end of the leg.
2. Thread each/all of the cords through the center hole.
3. Secure the strings by tying them to make “legs.”
4. Glue on the googly eyes. If you have craft tweezers, this might make it a little easier.

Variation 2

Supplies

• keypad with hole in the middle
• thin wire
• jewelry pliers & wire cutters
• glue (I used Fabri-Tac, but another glue might work better)
• 2 googly eyes
• optional: ruler
• optional: craft tweezers

Steps

1. Cut 4 equal lengths of the wire (I used thin upcycled wire from a discarded electronic…tv, computer, something like that). You can measure or just eyeball, but each piece should be about twice as long as you want the distance from the hole in the center of the keypad to the end of the leg/foot.
2. Fold each wire in half.
3. Thread the wires through the center hole of the keypad.
4. Bring one loop over & thread the 2 corresponding “tails” through it. Adjust as needed, & repeat with the other 3 wires. Two should end up on one side & 2 on the other to make 8 legs.
5. Use the pliers to bend “knees” & “ankles” in the legs.
6. Separate the wires to make each leg distinct from the others.
7. Glue on the googly eyes. If you have craft tweezers, this might make it easier.

How To Use Them

So how can you use these little dudes? Here are some ideas:

• Glue a pin to the back to accessorize an outfit.
• Add a magnet to decorate a metal surface.
• Use a spider with a magnet along with a cookie sheet or other magnetic surface to use with some of these activities (practice finger numbers, right hand/left hand, line & space notes, notes recognition, maybe make a bunch & do a composition activity!). Watch the video to see a little bit of it in action!
• Add some extra hardware & make a pair of earrings.

How would you use these spiders? Be sure to share you activities with me on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter!

-Barbara