Let your imagination fly with homemade pixie wings for Halloween

For an enchanting costume, try this how-to project for fairy wings from ThreadBanger.com. You may already have most of the materials around the house.

It helps to watch the how-to video at www.threadbanger.com/episode/HAL_20071003 before starting this project.

FAIRY WINGS

Materials:

4 identical wire hangers

2 pairs of old tights

A roll of 2 ½-inch ribbon cut into two equal pieces

Thick string

Twine

Water-based glue

Glitter or other embellishments such as feathers, plastic gems and ribbons

An old paint brush

A pair of pliers

Scissors

Instructions:

1. Firmly but carefully hold a hanger in one hand and use the other to twist the top apart. Make sure to hold them firmly when bending unless you want to be a Cyclops for Halloween.

2. Make the hanger as straight as possible. It helps to use a thick pair of pliers. There will be a little bit of curl at the ends where you took the hanger apart but on one end the curl is up higher. Try to work the curl out of the one that is higher, but it doesn't have to be perfect. The other end doesn't matter because it won't be in the wing body.

3. Now take an end in each hand, and slightly bend the hanger so that the ends cross at the bottom — about 2 ½ inches of overlap.

4. Bend the ends in so the wire catches on itself.

5. Do this to the rest of the hangers.

6. Take two segments and shape them for the top half.

7. Then take the other two segments and shape them for the bottom half. Again, the pliers are useful at this point. You can shape them any way you want.

8. Take whatever thick string you are using and tie a reinforcement knot at the joint of each segment. Bring the string through the middle of the wing segment so the string is equal on both sides and tie a knot down the middle of where the overlapping wire "V's."

9. Now take one top piece and one bottom piece and place them together. One of the overlapping wires on the bottom segment should touch the outer part of the top segment, and vice versa.

10. Use your twine to tie them together. Take your time with this and make sure they are together very securely. Wrap the twine diagonally, up around where the overlapping wire meets the outer part of each wing. Tie a knot and cut remaining string.

11. Take a pair of tights and pull one of the legs down over the bottom segment. Use a strong craft glue to fix holes. Seams should be turned to the inside.

12. Pull the tights down so that they are fairly tight. Don't worry about losing your wing shape — you will fix them in a minute. Cut the other part of the tights off around the leg. Remove the part of the tights you don't need. Pull the foot part tight again over the bottom segment and tie a knot.

13. Repeat to the top segment with the other foot of the tights.

14. Put the remaining tights aside; they should be like Capri tights now.

15. Repeat all these steps to the other top and bottom segments.

16. Position the two halves together. Use your twine to tie them together; take your time. Go round and round with the twine north, south, east, and west. Pull it really tight. Be sure to cover up the overlapping wire. Use your pliers if you need to push the wire down in position.

17. Take time to shape your wings and decide which side will show and which will be against your back.

18. Take one ribbon and pull it through the midsection of the wings so it is the same length on both sides. Tie a knot in the ribbon on the side of the wings that will be touching your back. Repeat with ribbon two. The ribbons need to long enough to tie the wings to your body.

19. Use a water-based glue and paintbrush to paint designs on your wings. Do little bits at a time and add glitter or other embellishments as you go. Decorating the edge of the wings helps disguise the wire and reinforces the edges.