Sometimes I surprise myself, especially when it comes to crafting. This little Halloween project started as an idea in my head and I questioned its success during the execution, but it turned out so great, I just had to share.
I attempted a similar bowl with yarn and wire last year but it was a total #craftfail. I approached it again with a different attitude turning to the tried and true glue plus water plus string formula that others have used in the past. Great news, the method worked and as a result I constructed a clever yet creepy Halloween treat bowl inspired by one of our favorite Halloween motifs: the spiderweb.
Remember all those DIY string ball pendant fixtures we were so wild about a few years ago? The ones that required you mix glue and water and dip your string and wrap it around a large plastic ball and then insert a pendant kit inside? This is basically the same idea. Without the lightbulb. Want to create one of these spiderweb bowls? It’s pretty cheap and remarkably easy.
I didn’t photograph the beginning steps because it involved the whole twine dipped in glue thing and I didn’t feel like pausing and rinsing and grabbing my Nikon just to snap an in process photo. But I think you’ll get the idea.
What you’ll need to recreate: large bowl, plastic wrap; painter’s tape; cheap vinyl tablecloth; craft glue; roll of jute twine (not too thin); spray adhesive; scissors, and spray paint.
This was the closest I got to an in process shot. Yes that is a vinyl tablecloth stretched over my kitchen island and some watered down tacky glue and also the twine around a bowl. Warning: this step is messy.
To start, wrap your large bowl in plastic wrap and secure it on the inside of the bowl with painter’s tape. Water down the glue by a 1:1 ratio and then dip the twine in it. (I squeezed most of the liquidish glue mixture off the twine before I wrapped it tightly around the bowl).
Start your end at the base of the bowl and wrap the vertical pattern in a spiral around the bowl leaving about an inch between each rotation and dipping the twine as you go. Take the bowl outside, turn it upside down (bottom of bowl facing up) and spray the entire bowl with spray adhesive. Allow to dry for 4 hours.
Next, repeat the same steps wrapping the twine in a circular pattern around the sides of the bowl to form the horizontal pattern. Coat with spray adhesive and allow to dry another 4 hours.
This is how it looks when it’s all dry with both layers of twine. This may be the moment where you question whether this is ever going to work. Oh yee of little faith!
Carefully clip out the center twine spokes with scissors and remove the painter’s tape inside (just cut it away). Slowly remove the bowl away from the twine bowl shape, then peel away the plastic wrap.
At this point you can let out a little squeal because OMG you made a twine bowl that could hold stuff like all your other rolls of twine. Or yarn. Or bungee jump cord.
You could trim the upper edges of twine down but since this is for Halloween I left them alone and spikey and then spray painted the entire thing black (two coats) which I’d like to think makes it stronger because everyone knows spray paint has magic powers.
And then I added orange spiders because black spiders are just … predictable. Actually I was shopping for little black spiders at CVS but they only had black rats and black rats don’t work with spiderweb bowls, but they did have orange spiders, so that’s what you get. In hindsight, the contrast is nice. Why I’m sharing that, I have no idea.
Random poll: what candy in what percentages makes the most perfect Halloween treat bowl? I’d argue Twix 25% M&Ms 25% Milk Duds15% Skittles15% (sadly missing) and then you’ve got to have about 10% of Almond Joy and 10% Snickers. I could do without the Whoppers (not a malt girl) and I say always go heavy on the chocolate in ratio to fruit flavor. Discuss.
If you’re a lollipop person, you might want to create a tighter web just so the little suckers don’t fall out.
The bowl makes a practical yet creepy prop for a stash of candy or snacks at a party.
Also perfect for zombie cheerleaders who are more than happy to hand out treats to visitors at the front door as long as they get to steal a few when you’re not looking.
Did you know there are only two weeks to Halloween ? Eeek!
Related Halloween Projects:
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This is SO much fun! Halloween is becoming a bigger and bigger deal every year here in the UK and it’s great to see how much inspiration there is online to make the event personal!
Very cute!! And also, way to be super brave and trust yourself with that much candy prior to halloween. I have to buy my candy the day of, or I will eat all of it immediately. haha
Love this idea! I always like having a festive bowl for the trick-or-treaters. Also, I think your candy ratio looks great. ;) Love the Milk Duds, they’re something that I only ever have at Halloween.
I’ve been lurking on your blog for a long time and used a lot of your tips on various projects, but this (I think?) is the first time I feel compelled to comment, because the way you wrote this is so freaking cute!
I was grinning throughout most of it ^_^
And spray paint does have magic powers, it’s all true! ^_^
Such a great idea. Makes the perfect bowl to hold my favorite…I’m a Twix girl all the way!!
you have me cracking up over here with the black rats! great project, i’m happy to see something like this really works!
Cute idea. Is it sturdy enough to hold one of those $9 bags of candy bars from Walmart? And I love the orange spiders. Maybe next year you can invite their purple cousins. :)
Ha, not sure about those big ol’ bags from Walmart Christine but it’s held together great being 2/3 full with the other treats I added. I had to tuck it away in the top of a cabinet away from the little ones (and frankly away from ME!)
Kate
Fun project, it’s *nice* spooky. Must say, I loved your funny comments (“the little suckers”) in this post. Oh and simply swap the 15% Milk Duds with another 15% of Skittles and you do have the perfect candy bowl. Happy Howl-o-ween!
This is really fun and different. Thanks for sharing
Wow! That looks TOO easy. Love that you made it so large. I’m gonna have to do this :)
This is awesome! I also love the way you styled it! Way to not give up ;)
I want to try this. I have black yarn, I wonder if it will be strong enough. Hope to give it a try!
I did hanging balls like this for my wedding LOVE!
What an awesome idea! I want to make one just to have on my table for deocration
Love the post! Can’t wait to do this with my girls this weekend!
Love following your blog!
Have a great weekend!
Love, Jamie Herzlinger
This bowl is fantastic! I love creating things and this bowl is now on my to make list. What a fun home decor idea!
What a great idea Kate!. I might try my hand at this. My sister and I used to make Easter eggs using balloons this way and fill them with treats for the kids. Spray paint truly is magical!
Very neat idea! Halloween is creeping up so quickly this year… Definitely have to go with chocolate over fruit-flavored candy for Halloween but Skittles, Smarties, and Dum Dums are always appreciated :)
Feel free to check it out. ‘Hope you like.
Thanks GK!