13' X-Mas Spider Web

by SHIFT! in Living > Holidays

6186 Views, 16 Favorites, 0 Comments

13' X-Mas Spider Web

5299337291_aafe7ed9d4.jpg
5299336011_a512f53af6.jpg
5299332793_5a71f16f8c.jpg
"On the 13th Night of Christmas, my Ghoul Love gave to me..."

Happy Howlidays Instructabrarians!

Ahem.....It's CHRISTMAS TIME!  Yes, it's that grand year again, time for everyone to get together, decks their halls with balls of holly (??), riding sleighs through snow and jingling all the way, spreading goodwill and peace towards men.

Unless, of course, you're Me.  You see, around where I come from we don't really celebrate the standard jolly Christmas.  Noo, we like to celebrate it's darker brother Scary Christmas, with more ghoulish than joyous, more sinister than silent and where Grim Grinning Ghosts Come Out To Socialize! 

And tonight I hope to share some of my love for this Twisted yet Merry Holliday: Turn your Christmas Lights into a Giant Frightening Christmas Spider Web!





Sandy Claw's Note: Just like last year, I will injecting my favorite Scarols into this project.  Music not mine.

Design/ Overview

Christmas Lights.jpg
Spider Web Christmas Light.jpg
This is a really simple project and can be done in around half a day (even less if you have a wide area to work with).   Special thanks for this project goes out to bowmaster for his Amazing Halloween Stringed Spider Web, which of utmost help.


I would also like to say this project was a present to a very dear hexapodal robo-rachnid friend of mine. 

Begin to Materialize

5299326711_7373477ea5.jpg
5299926742_68ccc13020.jpg
5299335353_dd46bfdf61.jpg
5299331829_f13827bccb.jpg
It's time to begin, there's no turning back now!

So here's what you need:   

Materials :
-Various Christmas Lights around these lengths (or as close as possible)
    -3 Strands of 13' (or as close as you can get) Christmas Lights
    - at least 2 strands of 15' Christmas Lights
-Black Yarn (for tying it together)
-4, Three Plug Extension Cords (one for each end of the X, plus the middle ring)

Oh and you'll want a giant place to work as well as a giant place to hang it (I went for my outdoors patio).

Laying the Outline

5299926934_35b93d71b5.jpg
Spider Web Light Outline.jpg
5299327321_e933488e4e.jpg
5299327515_8dd3688f06.jpg
5299327703_56a05169b9.jpg
The construction is simple: Make a Giant  X shape with 3 strands of 13 feet of Christmas lights and then stringing together longer strands of 17 feet of spider web all around the perimeter.

To begin, take your three evenly matched shorter X mas Lights (13' or as close as possible) and pull them across a large room until they form a giant Six pronged X.  Tie the middle together.  This will serve as your basic frame for your spider web. 

Editor's Note: I've also made an outline for you to follow, in case you get lost.  The E

Making the Web

5299333655_9474c1422e.jpg
5299928782_85a8c04dcd.jpg
5299928558_c0f39b2a3b.jpg
5299929314_d1da715c27.jpg
5299929668_dc446fe3de.jpg
5299930730_e821ff6d7f.jpg
5299331163_dbb6d9f303.jpg
5299931484_437f40ee76.jpg
5299331829_f13827bccb.jpg
5299932078_32d2583efc.jpg
5299332455_fd32dccd0a.jpg
5299333099_c4b6c6223d.jpg
5299933222_7e26d812b1.jpg
"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when we practice to deceive."

Now that you've got your outline finished, we can begin making the inside of the spider web or, as I call it, the Sinister Spiral of Doom [Maniacal Laugh! Maniacal Laugh!].

Using your long 17'  Christmas Light  strands + whatever length of Christmas Lights you have left, start at one end of the six pronged X and make a spiral all the way towards the middle.  Remember to tie off each end with the black yarn as you go.  

Light it up and your nearly ready to go!

Editor's Note: Also, if you're using older Christmas Lights, make sure each of the lights work before stringing them to the frame.  I had to go back and check each one after I found a burnt out strand because of one bulb- So Annoying!  If this happens, use a volt meter to check.

Hanging With Care

5299334301_98ba953791.jpg
5299336011_a512f53af6.jpg
5299934716_c186981395.jpg
5299335671_8c4c081846.jpg
5299335353_dd46bfdf61.jpg
“In the spider-web of facts, many a truth is strangled.”

Now that you've gotten your web done, it's time to showcase your artwork to your neighborhood!  Basically what you want is a large enough area close to enough power outlets where you can hang your Spider Xmas Lights with each of the frame strings being pulled taught.  I chose right underneath my upstairs patio, which was large enough to accommodate the entire thing!

Also you want to make sure that the bottom of the lighted strands have the electrical extension cords connected to each of them.  That way they help weigh down the bottom.

Wrecking the Halls

5299337291_aafe7ed9d4.jpg
Congratulations, you are now finished with the creepiest Christmas decoration ever!  Terrify your neighbors, make your carolers scream and lower the property value of all neighboring homes!

Haunted Holidays Everyone!

SHIFT!