Some Hanukkah Craft Ideas

I have not yet written any posts yet about what we are doing this year in our chug (class), but I hope to start posting about that next week. In the meantime I wanted to post a few ideas for Chanukkah/Hanukkah craft ideas that can be found here, around the web or are simple enough not to need a tutorial.

Feltboard menorah with candles:

Basically choose a menorah shape you like from your own imagination or using a clipart shape you can find. Cut out the menorah shape from any color felt you like. Cut out nine rectangles (I did white but given the variety of colors for Chanukkah candles one could use whatever colors you can think of)  and 9 “eye” shapes from yellow/orange felt. Use a rectangle shaped piece of felt as a backboard and you’ve got a Chanukkah felt board. Candles and flames could be reused for Shabbat candles.

Draidels/Sevivon/Tops

3D paper draidel
crocheted draidel
The Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Textiles once did a project where draidel softies were sewn and then donated to hospital children. I believe the pattern still exists in their archives and can be purchased for a nominal fee.

Dreidel Science Experiments

Felt/Fabric foods

Felt latkes
Felt donuts:
I made one out of an old t-shirt and a pom pom for my daughter but other tutorials for donuts can be found at skiptomylou and craftster. Note these links take you to the tutorial links. You can see our other donuts made of felt here.

Decorations

Stained glass Hanukkah shapes- The old standby of putting tissue paper on waxed paper to create a stained glass window draidel or menorah shape

Hanukkah Clay Shapes- Creative Jewish Mom has a tutorial on how to make Hannukah shapes out of baker’s clay. (Thank you Sara Rivka for permission to include a photo in this post!)

I have not included any Hanukkah lamp ideas. Anyone have any suggestions?

You can use pretty much any technique. Many years ago i visited the MAK in Vienna and they actually have a glass bead menorah which is a kind of neat thing to do. In Morocco, Uzbekistan and elsewhere people would make hanukkah lamps out of tin, sometimes recycled. The Israel Museum has a tin hanukkah lamp made out of sardine cans. If I remember correctly, the maker used to make them as wedding gifts. Not many of these are around because they are not long lasting when used with flame.

There used to be a tutorial on the HGTV website for a cement Hanukkah lamp, but it has gone missing. There’s always the egg carton and wood and bolts type that have been popular with kindergarten teachers for years.

For more ideas see:Some More fun things for Hanukkah, Hanukkah is coming related artwork,  Felt Food Latke tutorial Hanukkah lights and a few more projects, and Draidels Menorah’s and More. You may also want to check out the Jewish informal education pinterest group.