Coffee Filter Dancers

Coffee filter dancers are a great craft for any age and are customizable to any occasion! Make your favorite characters such as Odile from Swan Lake, Cinderella, and Aurora from The Sleeping Beauty! No tape or glue required.

Estimated time:

• 10-15 min

Materials:

• 2 Coffee Filters per dancer (Don't have coffee filters? Use NAPKINS!) *the more you use, the bigger the tutu will be

• Scissors

• 1 pipe cleaner for just arms, 2 for arms and legs

• A short piece to tie around the waist (can be a pipe cleaner, string, paper, or ribbon)

• Watercolors

Step 1:

Stack the two coffee filters upside down.

Step 2:

Using watercolors, paint your desired design on the top coffee filter. Pro tip: the center of the coffee filter will be scrunched to make the bodice, so any intricate designs may not be visible.

Step 3:

Separate the coffee filters and allow them to dry for 1-2 minutes. Do not let them dry all the way as they are easier to mold when slightly damp.

Step 4:

Take your pipe cleaner and poke it through the bottom of the second coffee filter. Repeat with the other coffee filter. Make sure to poke it through the center of the coffee filter.

Step 5:

Shape the head of the dancer with the top of the pipe cleaner and twist to secure.

Step 6:

Scrunch the bottom coffee filter in order to shape the tutu and pinch the middle to indicate where the bodice will stop. Do not flatten the coffee filter. Repeat this step with the top coffee filter as you overlay it on the bottom one.

Step 7:

Cut off the part of the pipe cleaner that is visible under the tutu. Set it aside as this will be used for the arms.

Step 8:

Poke the pipe cleaner through from the outside and poke it again through the inside on the opposite side of the top coffee filter in order to create a bar shape for the arms.

Step 9:

Reshape the tutu. Tie a piece of pipe cleaner, string, paper, or ribbon around the bottom of the bodice in order to secure the shape.

Step 10:

Shape the arms.

Step 11 (Optional):

To add legs, take your second pipe cleaner and cut it in half. Attach each half to the piece of pipe cleaner inside of the tutu that serves as a base for the head by twisting. Shape the feet.