BEAR CLAW NECKLACE


An Indian was very lucky if he survived a fight with a grizzly bear and lived to wear its claws as a necklace!
You can make your own bear claws out of plastic bottles or homemade clay to wear on a necklace of your very own.



* * * MATERIALS * * *

  • Yarn or cord
  • Macaroni or drinking straws
  • Fake fur, fabric, or cotton balls
  • Scissors
  • Glue
xxxxFor Plastic Claws

  • White plastic bottle
  • Hole Punch
  • Brown marker
xxxxFor Salt Dough Claws

  • 4 cups flour & 1 cup salt.
  • 1 1/2 cups of water
  • Nail & brown paint
  • (Optional) Acrylic finish,
    acrylic floor wax, or clear nail polish.

To Make Plastic Bear Claws:

Cut claw shapes from a white plastic bottle, using the curving sides to get a curved shape like real claws. Punch holes in the tops. Color them brown.

To Make Salt Dough Bear Claws:

Mix the flour, water, and salt together and knead it about 5 minutes until the dough is soft and pliable. Shape it into claws. Poke the nail through the ends to make holes for stringing. Bake at 250 º F until they are hard. Let them cool, and then paint them brown. To make them shiny, coat with acrylic finish, acrylic floor wax, or clear nail polish.

To Make The Bear Claw Necklace:

String your claws onto a piece of yarn or cord, spacing them apart with 3 pieces of macaroni between each or if you prefer, you can use short pieces cut from drinking straws.

Small rectangles of fake fur can be strung between the claws. Cut shapes from fake fur, fabric, or gently stretch cotton balls. Fold the pieces in half, and glue together over the necklace. When you finish, knot the ends together.