Introduction: 13' X-Mas Spider Web
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!
Step 1: Design/ Overview
I would also like to say this project was a present to a very dear hexapodal robo-rachnid friend of mine.
Step 2: Begin to Materialize
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).
Step 3: Laying the Outline
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
Step 4: Making the Web
"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.
Step 5: Hanging With Care
“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.
Step 6: Wrecking the Halls
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!

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11 Comments
9 years ago
Nightmare before Christmas was all i can think about when I saw this instructable!
11 years ago on Introduction
awesome. i made a similar spiderweb for halloween, but with ropelights instead of string lights. spanned about 10-12 feet from my house to a tree, then another spider web off the other side of the tree into the yard spanned around 10 feet.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Awesome! Would love to see a Hi-Def image of your build- how does it perform against small children?
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
http://thealeks.pcriot.com/DSCN0143.JPG
theres an hd pic of it
we kept everyone off it, so no small kids tested its performance : )
the red lights on the ground were a sort of border to keep people from walking on the yard, the grave stones(hard to see in that pic) also deterred people
and not only was it a cool looking display, it also served as a sort of barrier to keep people from crossing the yard(from where the yard extends off the right side of the picture). you'd be surprised how many people walk right through my yard when coming around the corner
also i think some sort of spider in the middle of yours that would drop down on people would have been awesome. next year then : )
11 years ago on Introduction
I like it and voted for it, but it needs a giant elf-eating spider to go in a corner of the web.
11 years ago on Introduction
Very cool. I'm sorry I missed this yesterday. Thanks for the Advent Calendar entry!
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Thanks very much canucksgirl! Your snowflake soda can project is absolutely stunning as well.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Why thank you! I appreciate it.
11 years ago on Introduction
You have outdone yourself again! Thanks for sharing shift!
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Thanks Sunshiine! This was a really fun project to make and came out pretty well, if I do say so myself :)
11 years ago on Introduction
Awesome!