How to make a nutcracker out of a box with your own hands. How to make a wooden Nutcracker with your own hands: a master class with step-by-step photos Crafts a nutcracker from a matchbox

The angular hero with kind eyes and a noble heart is remembered by everyone who has read the fairy tale about the Nutcracker, watched a cartoon or theater productions. A master class on making crafts will introduce children and adults to the classics and create a festive atmosphere.

You can make a Nutcracker with your own hands from different materials and using different techniques. If you are a master in a certain direction, then you can safely use your skills in practice to create an exclusive toy.

Can you crochet? Great. Do you work with wood? Amazing. Do you want to make paper toys? As easy as pie. The main thing is to remember all the distinctive details that characterize the character. Crocheting a Nutcracker is a little more difficult and will require some skill. We decided to make a Nutcracker out of felt.

Preparation of materials

Felt is easy to work with, and it also has a pleasant texture and exudes warmth, which is so lacking on cold winter evenings. A felt toy, made with your own hands, wherever it is placed, on the tree, under the tree, on a New Year's wreath, gives coziness to the home. It looks harmonious next to the fireplace or with candles.

For work we will need:

  • felt - more red, a little white;
  • leatherette - you can take it from an old bag or wallet;
  • satin ribbon - a narrow one will do;
  • matchboxes - 6 pcs;
  • cotton pads;
  • cocktail straws;
  • feathers;
  • skewers;
  • sequins;
  • acrylic paints;
  • glue gun;
  • a white sheet of paper—landscape or notebook paper will do.

The working process

Our character's figure will be based on matchboxes. Therefore, we advise you to immediately decide on the size. To do this, decide where the finished toy will stand or hang.


If you plan to hang a toy made by yourself on the Christmas tree, then make a loop from a lace or thick thread. Our Nutcracker is completely ready.

Other ideas

The shape of the toy is quite simple, which allows you to come up with a lot of other ways to make a Nutcracker with your own hands. For example, you can use a small wooden block as a base. You can draw all the main details on it: face, uniform, headdress. Then buttons and ribbons are glued on, and a champagne cork, cut in half lengthwise, acts as handles. The hairstyle can be made from paper rolled onto a regular pencil.

You can use paper as a material. First you need to draw and cut out the pattern of the toy, and then glue and paint everything. Crocheted or knitted, the Nutcracker will turn out to be a real soft doll that you can play with.

And another master class from Selestial hawk

The cardboard is covered with masking tape so that the paper sticks to it better.

The teeth are drawn on a separate piece of cardboard and glued, with a strip of black velvet paper between them.

The spout is made of white cardboard.

Hat and future boots)

Decorate the cocked hat.

Future boots.

Recommendations for choosing fabrics and accessories
For the costume you will need: ready-made blue shirt, corrugated cardboard box of suitable size (or corrugated cardboard sheet), blue satin ribbon, red fabric, blue elastic fabric, gold brocade (or any gold fabric), gold braid (about 3 cm wide), gold fringe, golden bias tape, ready-made black boots, 3 feathers, glue pad, PVA glue, gouache, large and small buttons on the leg, a small piece of black faux leather, white yarn or crepe paper.

Description of work
Shirt.
On a finished blue shirt, cut out the turn-down collar to create a stand-up collar. Replace stitched buttons with gold buttons on the leg. If you don’t have a ready-made shirt, you can sew it using a pattern and description from a fashion magazine.

Cardboard camisole.

1st option.
Draw lines on the cardboard box according to the b/w sketch. Cut a rectangle in the lid for the head, on the sides for the arms. Need a fitting! Next is the decoration. Paint the “mouth” with gouache. Next, cover the box with fabric according to the sketch. The epaulettes are made of golden brocade, the camisole is made of red fabric, and the edging along the lower edge is made of blue satin ribbon. Using an awl, mark the holes for the buttons, insert the legs of the buttons into the holes, and secure them from the inside with wire.

2nd option.
It is carried out similarly to the first one, but the box is not pasted over, but painted with gouache. This option is faster, however, the appearance will be much poorer.

Trousers.
Sew tight trousers with straps from blue or, as in the original, white elastic fabric. Find the pattern in a fashion magazine. Decorate the side seams with wide golden braid. You can use ready-made trousers (sports tights work well).

Boots.
Sew faux leather cuffs to the finished black boots to create over the knee boots.

Headdress.
A three-cornered hat can be sewn (a difficult option), or it can be folded from paper.

1st option.
Sew a hat from 6 wedges (see pattern and description). No band needed. Measure the circumference of the resulting “yarmulke”. Prepare a pattern of paper fields (see diagram):

Cut out 2 pieces of fabric and reinforce with adhesive padding. Fold the wrong sides inward, stitch along the contour, cut off the seam allowances close to the stitching. Edge with golden bias tape. Break through a small block. Sew the brim to the cap, turn it up, and secure it. Insert 3 feathers (pigeon or made of paper) into the block.

2nd option.
You will need ceiling wallpaper (thin, wide, white). Fold the cocked hat according to the pattern, after practicing on a newspaper. Paint the hat with gouache and attach feathers.

Wig.
The wig can be made from yarn, or it can be made from corrugated paper.

1st option.
Knit 4 tubes from yarn (like open fingers for gloves), connect two to each other, attach to the hat. Attach (glue) the front part (bangs) and the back part to the hat, which is then braided into a loose braid and trimmed.

2nd option.
Cut 4 strips from white corrugated paper and curl the curls with scissors. Bangs - 2 triangles. The back is a three stripe braid.

Mask.
Make a mask from a thick sheet of paper, cut a triangle under the nose and holes for the eyes, and make a nose pad. Attach the hat elastic.

A more convenient solution than a mask is makeup. Using makeup paints, you need to apply a similar pattern to your face. The lips are painted over in the same tone as the base (face).

Many children and adults like the extraordinary Christmas tale “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.” Its author, T. Hoffman, tells about an incredible story with the Nutcracker, which was dreamed by a seven-year-old girl, Maria. We admire the actions of the noble Nutcracker, the courage and resourcefulness of Marie and, of course, condemn the evil mouse king.
I propose to do it in honor of my favorite fairy-tale characters under the title: “Heroes of the Nutcracker.” And while you work, you can listen to the audio fairy tale The Nutcracker.

Materials you will need:

  • felt sheets in red, pink, grey, brown, white and green
  • paint in red, black, blue, gold and silver
  • scissors
  • pen-pencil
  • hook or white thread for hanging the product.

Children can participate in the entire manufacturing process: drawing, cutting, gluing and painting. All stages are harmless, easy and fun.

Craft Nutcracker

To begin, use scissors to cut out blanks from felt: squares measuring 7.5 cm x 7.5 cm. All figures will be approximately the same size, so there should be several shapes and different colors.
Cut out a round shape from beige felt. First, I recommend drawing a circle on the fabric, tracing any small round object.

Cut out three shapes from white felt: round for the face, zigzag for hair and beard (chin).

I recommend using red felt for a hat. Cut out a trapezoidal shape, but on the figure you will place it upside down: the bottom side is shorter than the top.
Glue the cut out shapes together, forming shapes like in the picture. To do this, use glue and a glue brush.

Use paint to create face shapes. I recommend practicing on a napkin first. Once the paint is applied, be sure to give it time to dry completely.

Mouse King

Let's create a second craft. To do this, cut out a gray circle. Tip: first trace a 250 gram jar with a pencil, leaving a mark for easy cutting.
Also cut out two small circles to create the Mouse King's ears.
Cut 2 small circles, 1-1.2 cm in diameter, to create the inside of the ears.
Cut out a crown from yellow felt.

Glue the pieces together to make a mouse's head. To work, use brushes and glue.
Paint the mouse's face with paints: eyes, nose, cheeks, teeth and decorate the crown.
Be sure to wait for the paint to dry.

Create the figure of the girl Marie.

Cut out a triangle from pink felt. Cut out two small ovals to create pink felt ballet shoes.
Cut out a small beige circle, 2.5 cm in diameter. Also cut out two thin small rectangles to create the legs. Create a small crown using gray felt. Glue all the shapes together to form a girl figure.
Draw Marie's face with paints: eyes, mouth, cheeks, hair, and also decorate her dress.
After the paint has dried, glue a hook or sew thread to the back of each piece to form a loop.


DIY New Year's crafts "Heroes of the Nutcracker" are ready!


The angular hero with kind eyes and a noble heart is remembered by everyone who has read the fairy tale about the Nutcracker, watched a cartoon or theater productions. A master class on making crafts will introduce children and adults to the classics and create a festive atmosphere.

You can make a Nutcracker with your own hands from different materials and using different techniques. If you are a master in a certain direction, then you can safely use your skills in practice to create an exclusive toy.

Can you crochet? Great. Do you work with wood? Amazing. Do you want to make paper toys? As easy as pie. The main thing is to remember all the distinctive details that characterize the character. Crocheting a Nutcracker is a little more difficult and will require some skill. We decided to make a Nutcracker out of felt.

Preparation of materials

Felt is easy to work with, and it also has a pleasant texture and exudes warmth, which is so lacking on cold winter evenings. A felt toy, made with your own hands, wherever it is placed, on the tree, under the tree, on a New Year's wreath, gives coziness to the home. It looks harmonious next to the fireplace or with candles.

For work we will need:

  • felt - more red, a little white;
  • leatherette - you can take it from an old bag or wallet;
  • satin ribbon - narrow will do;
  • matchboxes - 6 pcs;
  • cotton pads;
  • cocktail straws;
  • feathers;
  • skewers;
  • sequins;
  • acrylic paints;
  • glue gun;
  • a white sheet of paper - landscape and notebook paper will do.

The working process

Our character's figure will be based on matchboxes. Therefore, we advise you to immediately decide on the size. To do this, decide where the finished toy will stand or hang.

  1. We take six matchboxes and connect them together. The result is a rectangle. This is the body of the Nutcracker.

  2. We cover the boxes with paper. The base is ready. Let's start decorating it.
  3. You need to make a nose from a small triangle and glue it.
  4. For the face, select the third part of our rectangle. Paint it with beige paint. Acrylic is better.
  5. We cut out clothes from red felt and dress the character. The material is also attached with glue.

  6. We make bangs from cotton pads and form four curls on each side.

  7. We glue an improvised white felt tail to the back of the head and tie it with a black cord.
  8. We put on the headdress and attach the feather using a hugger, which can be taken from the accessories department. This will be replaced by a regular piece of colored paper covering the tip of the pen.

  9. From straws we cut out handles along the entire length of the body and legs.

  10. We cover the parts with red felt.
  11. Draw a big mouth on paper and glue it onto the red uniform.

  12. A golden-colored satin ribbon can be tied on the body or glued again.
  13. This is our character's belt. The smallest buttons or sequins act as buttons.
    Attach the arms and legs.
  14. We sew shoes from black leatherette.
  15. Finishing touches: draw a face, decorate the costume with sparkles and insert a skewer into the satin belt.

If you plan to hang a toy made by yourself on the Christmas tree, then make a loop from a lace or thick thread. Our Nutcracker is completely ready.

Other ideas

The shape of the toy is quite simple, which allows you to come up with a lot of other ways to make a Nutcracker with your own hands. For example, you can use a small wooden block as a base. You can draw all the main details on it: face, uniform, headdress. Then buttons and ribbons are glued on, and a champagne cork, cut in half lengthwise, acts as handles. The hairstyle can be made from paper rolled onto a regular pencil.

You can use paper as a material. First you need to draw and cut out the pattern of the toy, and then glue and paint everything. Crocheted or knitted, the Nutcracker will turn out to be a real soft doll that you can play with.

Since the New Year is the time to decorate your home, you need to have several options for independently assembling various kinds of toys. Thus, in this article you can learn a lot of new things, for example, how to easily and effortlessly assemble a small product. In addition, it is worth understanding what nuances should be taken into account during manufacturing.

Preparing materials for creating a “Nutcracker” toy for the Christmas tree

Since felt is considered the most comfortable, it can be used to create details; wood is also often used. When choosing a shade, it is recommended to give preference to the red color, because it creates a New Year's mood. In addition, it is advisable to dilute the entire decor with white.

This combination is not very striking, however, it attracts the attention of people around. This is explained by the fact that the named product is pleasant to the touch, so it is most suitable for use. So, among other things, the following list of components will be useful. It includes:

  • Six packs of matchboxes;
  • Several pieces of cotton pads;
  • Feathers;
  • Special glue gun;
  • Satin ribbon (you can choose any size);
  • Paints made from acrylic;
  • An ordinary blank sheet of white paper;
  • Sequins.

Drawing a diagram for “The Nutcracker”

Of course, it is recommended to first determine the size. This will depend on the final location of the product. If you prefer your toy to hang on glue, then, of course, the dimensions should not be large. This is allowed only in cases where the product will stand, for example, under a Christmas tree or somewhere on the floor.

That is why it is so important to take into account the size at the initial stage. Once this aspect has been precisely determined, you can begin preparation. To do this, you should arm yourself with a pencil and a sheet of paper. And with the help of them create the sketch that you want to see as a result.

This is necessary in order to correctly navigate throughout the entire work process. For example, if you have forgotten the parameters of one part, then you can refer to the sketch. In addition, in the figure you can determine the color of each component. Again, it is advisable to do this to prevent possible incidents.

How to assemble correctly

Since the entire structure is based on the use of a matchbox, the foundation will depend on this item. In order to carry out all manipulations with maximum accuracy, it is recommended to adhere to the algorithm described below, and precisely in the sequence in which it is presented.

  1. So, in order to prepare a neat base for a DIY “Nutcracker” toy for the Christmas tree, you should connect all the available packs together. This is done with glue. This should create one large rectangle, which represents the body of the Nutcracker. However, such an invention cannot be left without further processing. That is why it is worth arming yourself with paper and sticking it over the part. And only after that you can start decorating.
  2. To start, you can grab the face of the toy. That is, one third of the part should be left to represent the eyes and nose. Thus, you need to take paints (it is better if they are acrylic) and paint over the selected side. Next, make a nose from a small piece of paper, first folding the part into a triangular shape and fixing it on the surface. As for the eyes, it’s a matter of your imagination. Here you can use a pen to draw any variety you want.
  3. Moving on to the stage of creating clothes, you should take red felt and glue it to the rest of the invention. This is also done thanks to glue.
  4. Now all that remains is to make a hairstyle for the Nutcracker. It’s not for nothing that you armed yourself with cotton pads. They should be twisted and fixed on the toy’s head. At this step, you can also experiment, creating different options.
  5. Using white felt, a tail is made on the back side of the part. To make it neater, you can tie a small rope in the same place. It will serve as a hair tie.
  6. From the fabric that was left in the end, you need to make handles. To do this, twist it and glue it to the body. The same must be done with the legs.

Various options for decorating the finished product

So, decor is important. The basis is the creation of a mouth from black paper on which the teeth are drawn. All this is fixed just below the nose.

In addition, you can attach a small feather to a pre-made hat. Also, do not forget about the buttons that can be placed on the sides of the suit. And in the lower part make a small belt, which can contain a sword of the same size.


Top