Discover a charming DIY bat garland perfect for Halloween. This easy-to-follow tutorial will guide you step-by-step to create a spooky yet stylish decoration. From mantels to doorways, let these flying beauties adorn your space this season.
Begin by rolling out your oven-bake clay to about ¼ of an inch.
Use your cookie cutter to cut out bats. (If desired, use the cutter on both sides to achieve bats facing different directions.)
Place the bats on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Repeat with remaining clay. The clay can be reformed into a ball and rerolled as much as needed.
Use a toothpick to create a hanging hole in the cutout on each side of the wing. You’ll want the hole to be about an ⅛ inch from the edge. (You can use the toothpick to create a hole that is large enough for your jump ring or just make a small hole with the toothpick and then use a hand drill to make the hole larger once the cutout is baked.)
Bake at 275 degrees F for about 15 minutes. (This is the time suggested for 1/4-inch thick ornaments. If your thickness varies, adjust the baking time according to the package directions.) Pay attention to the clay as it bakes because it can burn.
Remove from the oven and place on a baking rack to cool.
Use your drill and a small drill bit to increase the size of the hanging holes.
Next, create 6-inch long pieces of your gold link chain. To do this, use your pliers to open a link, detach the desired section, and then close the link.
To connect the bats together, start by opening a jump ring with your pliers. Slide the open jump ring through the hole on your bat, and then add the end of one of your 6-inch chain pieces to the same ring. Close the jump ring securely.
At the opposite end of the chain, attach another open jump ring and slide it through a second bat's hole. Close the ring.
Continue this process until you've connected all the bats to create the complete garland.
Once all your bats are strung together, you’re ready to hang the garland wherever you’d like!