Hi, everyone. I'm back today with a fun retro Halloween craft. Who remembers friendship pins? When I was a little girl, we decorated the laces of our tennis shoes with tiny, bead-covered safety pins. We were so cool! I'm putting a little spin on that idea with Halloween friendship pins.
Halloween Friendship Pins Craft
RELATED: Halloween Finger Puppets Craft, Printable Halloween Bingo Game, Cool Halloween Spider Hair
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These pins are a little different than the pins we created as kids. I've added charms and come up with a simple solution to keep the beads from falling off the pin every time you open it up to move, share or trade it. (That drove me crazy when I was younger. Every time I moved my pins, the beads fell off, and I had to remake them. Grrr! So frustrating.) I also made the pins extra large so that they fit on purses, backpacks, keychains, and zipper binders. You could even hang them on a chain and make a necklace.
These Halloween friendship pins are super easy to make. Check out the video below or continue reading for the simple instructions.
You will need:
- Safety pins -- mine are 1 ½" long.
- Multicolored seed beads (large, small, or both). Below are my favorite picks from Amazon.
- Small Halloween charms I found mine at Joann's for pretty cheap, but if you like to shop online, my favorite charms can be found at Oriental Trading. They're the cutest!
- Jewelry tool kit (only necessary if your charms do not have jump rings attached)
- Jump rings 4mm (only necessary if your charms do not have jump rings attached) There are expensive and cheap jump rings. You don't need to break the bank on these. The cheaper version is fine.
- Rubber earring backings -- Optional
Instructions:
- Gather your materials
- If necessary, add jump rings to your charms. Insert round nose pliers (I call them spreaders in the video) into the jump ring, and gently pull the pliers slightly apart to open the ring. Slide the charm onto the ring, and use needle nosed pliers to close the jump ring.
- Select your beads. Choose large or small seed beads and create a pattern of Halloween colors.
- Slide the beads onto the pin in the order of your pattern. When you are halfway across the distance of the pin shaft (when the pin is closed), add a charm. Add the remainder of the beads and close the pin.
- Optional -- In order to keep the beads from sliding off of the pin when the pin is open, try this: Using a side cutter (jewelry tool), razor blade or x-acto knife, cut a rubber earring backing in half. Slide one of the pieces onto the end of the pin before you close it. Presto! The beads will no longer slide off. (Do this step for your children.)
- Have fun creating unique designs. These are fun with and without charms. You can even mix bead sizes.
Have fun, and check out more ideas below. Thanks for stopping by today. The images below are linked to posts, so click on them to pay a visit.
Amber Myers
How cool! My daughter would love to make these and pass them out to her friends. We are so ready for Halloween.
stacey
All these crafts are very cute. Makes me think of all the arts and crafts projects I made with my mom and sister.
Monidipa Dutta
Retro Halloween is a cute name for these lovely pins however I would love to make them too.
Tara Pittman
I remember my kids making these pins into flags. This is a craft that they enjoyed doing.
Jessica Joachim
Those Hallowen pins are too cute! I think they would be so much fun to make with my daughter as I remember doing stuff like this when I was a kid.
Devyani Ray
Spider halloween hair is the cutest! I am trying this for halloween this year.
Natalie
I love these pins, such a cool DIY. I feel like I missed out as a kid as I never knew about these, only had friendship bracelets and necklaces!
Scott Gombar
This looks like a fun project to do with the kids. Thanks for sharing
Evelyn Hernandez
I really love the friendship pins, Halloween is so much fun, and it is the best time for DIY projects.
Kat
I didn't know people still made friendship pins! I love the idea of making them Halloween themed.
Paulette
Such cute Halloween pins. They would be fun a fun activity with the kids.
Sundeep
I really like the friendship pins, specially the spider one. Thanks for sharing this
Brittany Vantrease
These pins are so cute! When I was in school, we made friendship bracelets and traded Beanie Babies. My daughter would love this!
MiamiGirlFoodie
I loved these ideas. I'm going to have to do them with the kids I see for work.
blair villanueva
wow this is so cute idea! I always have extra safety pins in all my bags for emergency purposes.
London Mumma
Ho cute are these halloween pins, such fun and great to make with kids.
Stephanie | Adventures in Aussieland
I don't think I ever made friendship pins when I was younger. But this seems like a super cute and easy craft for kids to do. Love the Halloween touches as well!
Becca WilsonBecca Wilson
I can not believe how close Halloween really is when you think about it. All of these crafts are so very cute!
Sauumye
That is an amazing idea for Halloween and it is so easy to make. I'm sure that this would be a great gift.
DH Bravo
I loved these ideas. I’m going to have to do them with the kids I see for work.
showbox
Amazing retro Halloween craft!
imgrum
I love this idea! Thank you for sharing! What a fun craft to make with the kids.
Toughcookiemommy
I love the pins, it is such an adorable idea. I think my son would love to give these out to his friends at school.