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Fifty Ways to Craft a Turkey

MerryM by MerryM
Last updated: 11/17/2011

Thanksgiving Craft-a-Palooza!

As a crafter, I love decorating my home with hand-made holiday goodness. And what could be more Thanksgiving than turkey? If you can't decide what craft to use to create your turkey masterpiece, read on. You'll find fifty different ways to craft fun, funky, or elegant gobblers. Whether you're into yarn, paper, polymer clay, or baking sweet treats, you're sure to find something to suit your crafty awesomeness.

Looking for kid crafts? These lists are chocked full of things like construction paper, craft foam, and googly eyes!

(photo by patti haskins / CC BY-SA 2.0)

Cupcakes

(photo by Sugar Daze / CC BY-ND 2.0)

Turkey Cupcakes - KitchenDaily
This video shows you the tricks to using cookes and icing to create a handsome turkey cupcake.
Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcakes
Softened caramel is the perfect medium for crafting a roast turkey dinner in miniature. On a cupcake, of course.
Cheerful Turkey Cupcakes
Peanut butter cookies and fruit leather make this craft kid-friendly...and cheerfully bright!
Sweet Tom Turkeys
Candy corn plumes and shortbread wings turn cupcakes into irresistible turkey sweets for Thanksgiving.
Betty Crocker's Turkey Cupcakes
Here's another awesome use of candy corn, this time with a how-to viedo.

Yarn

(photo by Me-Liss-A / CC BY-ND 2.0)

Knitted Bliss: Gobble Gobble! Finger Puppet
This cute-as-can-be knitted finger puppet would make a great gift for all the cute-as-can-be kiddie table diners.
Crochet Turkey Talk Afghan
Snuggle up Thanksgiving style with this crochet turkey afghan.
Fall Turkey Wreath
Greet your guests with this super simple yarn wreath. The little crochet turkey and candy corn details are sure to put all your guests in a gobble good mood. :)
Amigurumi Knitted Turkey
Cute. Round. Knitted. Turkey. 'Nuff said.
Amigumi Crochet Turkey
Cute. Round. Crochet. Turkey. 'Nuff said. Again.
One Crafty Mama: Turkey Day Dishcloth
Don't let your stove have all the fun! Get your kitchen sink in the Thanksgiving groove with this knitted washcloth. Or: got a guest staying overnight? Slip this cutie in your guest bathroom for a holiday welcome.
Loom Knit Baby Turkey Hat
Quick! Dress the baby up like a pilgrimed-themed turkey before she's old enough to realize what's going on!
Mummble-Jummble2: Felted Thanksgiving Turkey Pattern
The knitted-then-felted turkey looks so dashing in his black hat an bow tie. He's be great for a centerpiece or as a cute addition to your mantle this Thanksgiving.
Yarn Pixie: Gobble Coaster - Free Crochet Pattern
After the big meal, let this little turkey protect your coffee table from unsightly water rings. Because who needs to worry about ruining the finish on your furniture when there's all the football (or puppies) to watch?
Down Cloverlaine: Gobble! Knitted Bib
Got baby all dressed up for Thanksgiving? Living in fear of her first interaction with cranberry sauce? Fear no longer! This little turkey will keep at least some of the splatter off your cutie.

Fiber Arts Refresher

Need a reminder of what to do with all that yarn? Check out a couple of my other lenses for a refresher.
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Flower Pots

(photo found here)

Clay Pot Turkey
This country-cute turkey uses raffia and a little button to add a decorative touch to your Thanksgiving table.
Turkey Candy or Nut Holder Place Card
With the feathers and head being simple ovals cut from craft foam, this makes a perfect craft project for the little ones.
Air Freshener Claypot Turkey
This little guy hides an air freshener inside his clay pot. Cute and practical. What more can you ask for?
Make a Turkey from Felt and a Clay Pot
Get your pilgrim turkey fix with this adorable felt and clay pot guy.
Thanksgiving Clay Pot Village
Need more than just a turkey? Make an entire village out of little clay pots!

Paper

(photo by michperu / CC BY-ND 2.0)

Leaf Paper Turkey Craft
Let your kids bring the outside in with this easy-to-make fall leaf turkey.
Paper Bag Turkey Crafts
Here are EIGHT ways to turn a paper bag into a turkey. My fave? The hat. Because who doesn't want a turkey on their head for Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving Turkey Free Paper Model
Print. Cut. Assemble. Optional: Print. Color. Cut. Assemble.
Construction Paper Crafts: Turkey for Thanksgiving
It's a turkey made out of construction paper and toilet paper rolls! I love it!
Papercraft Turkey Dinner
Looking for something a little more realistic? Check out this papercraft roast turkey. Can't you just see the looks on your in-laws' faces when you bring this out of the kitchen instead of the real thing? (Warning: the pattern's labelled in Japanese.)
Papercraft Macula Turkey
Here's another print, cut, assemble turkey. His boxy shape and look of mild surprise makes him a cute addition to your T-Day decorations.
Paper Plate of Gratitude Turkey
This paper plate turkey lets you write what you're thankful for on its feathers.
Tissue Paper Turkey
Proud as he may appear, this gobbler is simply folded paper held together with pipe cleaners and makes a festival Thanksgiving centerpiece.
Colorful Collage Turkey Basket
The best part of this Thanksgiving craft is that everyone in the family can lend a hand crafting the colorful collage-style tail feathers.
Paper Turkey Pins
These artful gobblers are simply circles cut from cereal boxes.

Clay

(photo found here)

TLC Family "Turkey Day Decoration"
Got some modelling clay, q-tips, construction paper, and some paint? You got yourself a turkey!
An easy to make clay turkey - Norfolk Children's Crafts
Roll out your clay and cut it with a cookie cutter to make holiday-appropriate magnets, pins, or place markers.
Clay Turkey Pinch Bowl
Create a cute and functional decoration. Just pinch clay into the shape of a bowl-shaped turkey!
Clay Turkey Craft
Real feathers give this little clay turkey some Thanksgiving flair.
Polymer Clay Turkey
This adorable polymer clay turkey can be turned into a Thanksgiving day pin, earrings, a magnet, place card holder, napkin rings...whatever you want! Besides, when I look at him, I think of Wallace and Grommit. And that's kind of awesome.

Pumpkins

(photo found p>

Preschool Thanksgivine Turkey Craft
Print out the pattern, then trace on construction paper for the dapper pilgrim turkey.
Pumpkin Turkey Centerpiece
This turkey has a 3D construction paper head that fits right over the stem of the pumpkin, Use patterned scrapbook paper to add a little whimsy to the feathers.
Turkey Pumpkin Inspired by Pottery Barn
Based on a metal decorating kit, this turkey uses cereal box cardboard for a more cost-effective and green alternative.
Corn Husk Turkey
Does your family serve tamales for Thanksgiving? Grab some of those corn husks and paint them up for this all-natural center piece.
Dora's Pumpkin Turkey
To make this turkey, all you'll need is a small pumpkin, scissors, double-sided tape or pushpins, and a few minutes with your kids.

Pine Cones

(photo found here)

Tiny Toms
This easy-to-make Thanksgiving turkey craft uses pipe cleaners for the tail feathers and little pom-poms for the head. Because what holiday is complete without pom-poms?
Pinecone Turkey
Pre-cut foam leaves for feathers, and "bump" pipe cleaners for head and wings make this little turkey a breeze to make.
Pine Cone Turkey Figure
This fella is mounted on a tree branch slice to give him some stability. That way he can hang out on the table without falling in the gravy.
Pinecone Turkey Craft
Tissue paper tail feathers makes this turkey bright and cheerful.
Pinecone Turkey Thanksgiving Centerpiece Craft
This Tom's tail is loaded with twenty two real feathers. The picture features some great colors: red, yellow, orange, and purple. (Purple!)
Easy Turkey Pinecone and Orange Craft for Kids
For an original twist to the pinecone turkey, delegate a tiny pinecone as the head, and make the body an orange! Fall leaves and acorn caps round out the natural autumn theme.
Pine Cone Turkey
This is a variation on the traditional pine cone turkey craft using pumpkin seeds to form the head, and a red balloon for the waddle.
Fun Thanksgiving Crafts
Here's a bunch of turkey-related crafts (including a pinecone one) along with some turkey-related facts from a hunting and conservation website.
Martha Stewert Pinecone Turkey
Martha does it again. Her simple, elegant pincecone turkey makes a lovely place card holder for the grown-up table.
Pine Cone Turkeys at StorkNet's Crafts for Kids
This nifty turkey has a felt head that is stuffed with fiberfill for a more-realistic-than-a-pipe-cleaner look.

Fabric Hand Turkey

I bet you thought I had forgotten the classic trace-your-hand turkey. Fear not! Here's a fabric-based update that will let you save your child's hand print much longer than the paper version.
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Kits

Ready to get crafting, but don't want to run all over town buying supplies? Check out these kits for one-stop-craft-shopping.
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Thanks for stopping by!

I have so much to be grateful for...including you! Thank you for reading my lens. I hope you had a fun time, and got all inspired to create your own Thanksgiving turkey. Feel free to leave a comment on your favorite link here, or drop a line about what you're grateful for this year!

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This Thanksgiving Magazine page written by

MerryM

Hiya, I'm Merry. I've been walking a green path these past few years, educating myself in natural building and community living. I'm also an avid (or... more »

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