Craft a Beautiful Clothespin Cross in Just Four Steps

Learn how to make a clothespin cross in four easy steps! It’s a simple home decor craft, even if you’ve never made anything before.

Skills Required: None. Even if you’ve never crafted in your life, you’ll be able to make a cross out of clothespins. You’ll be pulling clothespins apart, staining them, and then gluing back together. I promise it’s easy!

Do you ever craft with clothespins? I feel like I don’t do it enough, and there are so many cool projects to make! I’ve done a clothespin wreath and then some chip clips, but it was time to expand my horizons.

When you buy a bag of clothespins, they usually come in 50 – meaning that you’re going to have a lot left over to make some other stuff. For example, a bag of 50 makes three of this project.

Having some clothespins left over, I knew it was time to try something a little different, so I decided to go for a cross next.

There are a few variations, but I decided to try a very simple method to make mine. I’m going to show you what I did!

What kind of paint can I use on this cross?

Any type of paint works, just make sure it’s acrylic based if you are going to seal it like I did. You can use chalk paint, craft paint, stain, milk paint, or something along those lines.

What kind of Mod Podge should I use to seal?

You can use any type of Mod Podge (check out the formula guide), but you’ll probably want to choose Gloss, Matte, or Satin depending on the finish you desire.

Gather These Supplies

• Clothespins – 16
• Mod Podge Gloss
• Acrylic paint or stain
• Paintbrush
• Craft glue
• Small nail
• Hammer

For your reference, I’ve put together a diagram below so that you can see where all the pins go. Lay your cross out in this formation below:

The finished piece is very lightweight! And you can’t see the nail when it’s hanging.

Get the printable how to below:

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4.88 from 8 votes

Clothespin Cross

This cross made from clothespins is such a simple and budget friendly home decor project!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Active Time2 hours hrs

Dry Time1 hour hr

Total Time3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Yield: 1 cross

Cost: $3

Equipment

• Paintbrush(es)
• Silicone craft mat
• Hammer

Materials

• 16 Wood clothespins
• Mod Podge
• Acrylic paint dilluted, or stain
• Nail small, for hanging

Instructions

• Pull apart 16 Wood clothespins. Twist out the top piece, and the bottom piece and clip will be left behind. Remove the metal clips and discard.
  
• Use craft glue to attach the clothespins together and let dry. You can see that I'm placing glue in three areas, and then sandwiching the clip together. You'll essentially re-assemble the pin, but without the metal clip.
  
• Assemble the clothespins in a cross formation (refer to the diagram if necessary) and glue. Let dry.
  
• Use acrylic paint diluted with a little bit of water to stain the cross. Let dry, turn over, and repeat on the other side. Use a smaller paintbrush to access smaller areas.
  
• Once the paint is dry, give the cross a coat of Mod Podge to seal. Let dry and repeat on the other side. Let dry completely, then hang with the nail.
  

Video

Did you enjoy this project? Let me know in the comments! I’d love for you to check out these other ideas:

Clothespin Dragonflies • Clothespin Magnets • Decorate a Memory Box • Decorate a Mirror • DIY Cork Boards • DIY Photo Mat • DIY Photo Pillows • DIY Pressed Flowers • DIY Recipe Holder • DIY Tile Coasters • DIY Wall Decor • Doorbell Box Cover • Ice Cream Stick Wall Hanging • Magazine Collage • Paper Mache Bowls • Wood Welcome Sign