Twirlers - Windspinners - Whirlygigs

fun to make - fun to watch

I love twirlers to hang in my garden. 
They are fascinating and relaxing to watch.
They are made with 7 count coloured plastic canvas, various size beads,
plastic lacing, fishing line and wire from an old coat hanger.

When the wind is blowing, Hang out this whirligig. Then watch it spin around and dance a little jig! © shirleyt@craftsayings.com The pinwheel twirler directions are here on my blog. The red and white twirler pdf file is available to download. Conch Shell twirler ~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 Cut your PC five holes wide and 70 holes long.  You need 27 strips.  Twist a loop in the end of the wire and thread three beads on. Alternate beads and PC 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.  Shell Twirler - smaller version for pot pouri  This pattern makes a small shell twirler using 7 count plastic canvas.   It can be used to hold pot pouri to hang in a closet, laundry room, bathroom, entrance hall etc.The shell will be about 16 cm. (6.5 in) in length.  It is made on a 30 cm. (12 in) pipe cleaner.  You also need 6 small beads that will fit onto the pipe cleaner.  You need 23 strips of plastic canvas.  Each strip is 43 holes long and 3 holes wide. Please note that I am counting holes and not threads.  It looks best in two contrasting colours.  Cut 11 strips in one colour and 12 strips in another colour. At the bottom of the pipe cleaner put 2 beads.  Thread on the 23 strips starting and ending with the same colour.  Add 1 bead.  This helps to hold the strips in place. Starting with the first strip that you put on, begin threading the strips back onto the top part of the pipe cleaner until done.  Finish off with 2 more beads.  The remaining part of the pipe cleaner can be used to hook around your closet rail.  Tuck a sachet of pot pouri inside the shell and your air freshener shell is complete.  A Mini Conch shell You need 7 count plastic canvas cut into 16 strips - 1 hole x 12 holes.  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.  Garden Twirler  This garden twirler is made from piping and the corner connectors.   This one is made from the plastic piping as it is lighter, but the twirler could be made from copper piping.  You need 12 pieces of 6 inch piping and 12 right angle bends.   Glue together to make the above shape.  In the top section screw in a eye loop, add a swivel and a loop of fishing line.   Fasten a clothes pin to the loop and hang from a tree branch.  It is fascinating to watch as you can see different shapes as it twirls around.   You can see rectangles, triangels, squares and a star as it twirls peacefully in the breeze. Here is a pdf file for the blue and white twirler.  This was a free pattern that I picked up in a craft store so I don't think I'm breaking any copyright laws by posting it here. The pattern says to cut 57 pieces of plastic canvas in strips 5 holes wide, but it doesn't clarify the length of the pieces.  Look at the directions and you will see that you need pieces ranging from 5 holes long to 61 holes long.  You will two of each length. craftygardener.ca Please sign or view the guestbook.