10 Unique Free Homemade Thanksgiving Centerpiece Tutorials
One way to add an extra touch to the Thanksgiving meal is to have a homemade Thanksgiving centerpiece on the table. If cooking isn't your forte but you enjoy crafty ventures, consider offering to make the centerpiece this year (though the cook is welcome to make one, too!). Even if your table is too full of food to hold a large centerpiece, it can be admired all day in the living room while people are hanging out. Many Thanksgiving centerpieces make wonderful decoration any time during the fall or can be easily converted for other holidays or seasons. Happy crafting!
Thanksgiving Centerpiece: Cornucopia Tutorial
This tutorial takes you through making one of the most classic Thanksgiving centerpieces: a cornucopia. If you're looking for something different, this isn't for you, but there's nothing wrong with going with one of the classics. The author includes a wide variety of pine cones, berries, foxtails, gourds, hydrangea, and feathers in her centerpiece. You can customize this as you like. Using a wide mix of items and colors will give your cornucopia a more natural look.
Edible Thanksgiving Centerpiece Tutorial
This is such a cute idea for a centerpiece. The author used a pumpkin as a base although you could use any sort of container. The same goes for the dip holder, although using at least one pumpkin or gourd in the project adds a nice touch. You can customize this option with any vegetables that your group enjoys. Have fun cutting them into creative and unique shapes. This is a great option for pre-dinner appetizers or raw Thanksgiving dinner vegetables.
Tutorial: Thanksgiving Kid's Table Ship Centerpiece
Whether you have a separate kids' table for Thanksgiving or are just looking for a simpler centerpiece tutorial that kids can help you create, this is a fun option. If kids will be around for most of Thanksgiving day, this could be a perfect pre-dinner activity. The author provides a printable set of materials, which makes the assembly process very straight forward. Most of the pieces are designed in color, but you can add custom details any way that you like. Once you get going, you'll want to create a whole fleet of ships.
Harvest Wooden Block Candle Holder Tutorial
I love this centerpiece because it is a perfect piece of fall décor for the entire season. If you have an extra 4x4 piece of wood, this is a great use for it. I know that this project is intended to promote the Mini Bowdabra, but if you don't own one, it is easy enough to tie your own bows or buy pre-made bows. This project can be easily converted for just about any holiday, season, or occasion by changing the wording and color scheme.
Halloween and Beyond Centerpiece
This elegant centerpiece is perfect for any time during the fall reason and will fit right in with the Thanksgiving décor. You can customize this any way you like with different sizes and types of pumpkins and gourds. If you don't have a covered dish like the one pictured, you can easily use a different type of server or bowl. A clear bowl will give a similar aesthetic. You can purchase fake leaf garlands at any big box craft store such as Michael's and in seasonal sections of big box stores such as Target.
Harvest Candle Rings
This blog post contains a plethora of great Thanksgiving centerpieces so please check out the link for more great ideas with beautiful photos. This is one of my favorites and one of the most original ideas from the post. While you may not want lit candles on the table while you are passing food, it is easy enough to light them afterward during coffee and pie. You can see an example of grapevine rings (and purchase them) here. Most craft stores sell wire for flower/garland projects. Look in the section with the fake flowers.
Fall Tealight Holder
This beautiful centerpiece is small enough that you could easily make one at home and bring it as a gift for the people who are hosting Thanksgiving this year. I love how you can customize the details any way that you like. Any number of Thanksgiving scrapbook papers and fall colored ribbons will work perfectly. You can also customize this for any number of other occasions. Even as a Thanksgiving themed centerpiece, it works well as a regular fall decoration, too.
Rose Maple Leaves Centerpiece
This tutorial gives step by step photos for creating roses out of real or fake maple leaves to create a beautiful centerpiece. Although this tutorial does not give written directions or a supply list, most of the steps and supplies are pretty self explanatory. You can customize the rest of the centerpiece with real or fake leaves of your choosing in varying colors to accent the roses.
How to make a Rose out of a Maple Leaves - Autumn Leaf Crafts | IdunnGoddess
Mod "Table Tree" Centerpiece
I have seen people display simple ball ornaments in a silver or gold bowl as a centerpiece or table decoration before, but I had never seen someone use them in a craft project like this. It's such a creative idea. Although this centerpiece is a little tall for dinner conversation, it's easy to move it out of the way for a while when it's time to eat. With the ball ornaments, it would be very easy to convert this to a Christmas decoration, too. I love the unique orange and green color combination here, but again, you can change it up as you like.
"Give Thanks" Centerpiece
I always admire simple decorations like this "give thanks" centerpiece. As someone who enjoys all kinds of crafty projects, my tendency is almost always to include lots of color and detail. I have a hard time keeping it simple like this. A simple centerpiece can be just as beautiful as a multicolored, detailed one. I especially love the 3D letters here that are standing up in the planter. As this is a smaller decoration, artificial gourds or pumpkins and leave will make it very easy to store away until next Thanksgiving.
How to Make a Thanksgiving Centerpiece Using Fresh Flowers
Thanksgiving Craft Resources
More Thanksgiving resources from the author.
- 10 Pumpkin Recipes for Thanksgiving
This article details 10 pumpkin recipes that are perfect for Thanksgiving. Each one includes a photo and a link. There are additional recipe links, too. - How to Make Corn Husk Dolls and Other Corn Husk Craft Ideas
What do you do with dried corn husks? There are a variety of easy arts and crafts ideas to make, including corn husk dolls. - Thanksgiving Math for Kids: Turkey Math Problems, Worksheets, Games, and Printables
Are you looking for free games, math problems, printables, and worksheets for your students or your own children this Thanksgiving? Think about using turkey math!
© 2011 Rose Clearfield