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Pinecone turkey made from pattern scrapbook paper, a pinecone and googly eyes on a wooden pedestal against a yellow background.
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How to Make a Pinecone Turkey for Thanksgiving

A Pinecone Turkey for Thanksgiving is a classic craft for kids (free pattern)! All ages will love adding a fanned tail to their turkey pinecones.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Craft, Nature craft/activity, Thanksgiving craft
Cuisine: Craft
Keyword: making pine cone turkeys, pine cone crafts for Thanksgiving, pine cone turkey with feathers, pinecone turkey, pinecone turkey craft, pinecone turkey craft with feathers, turkey craft pinecone, turkey pinecones
Servings: 1 pinecone turkey craft
Author: Shelly
Cost: $1

Equipment

  • Hot glue gun and glue

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cut out each of the pieces from the free hand drawn pattern . Use scrapbooking paper to cut out about eight of each of the tail feathers sizes.
    Trace and cut out one of the head, waddle, beak, and base of the Turkey.
  • Set down a piece of scrap paper on your work surface so the glue does not drip.
    Using a hot glue gun, put a large amount of hot glue on the base paper. Lay the pinecone on it's side and place it on that glue with the small end towards the feet.
  • Hot glue the waddle onto the head with the top part of the waddle being the flat edge. Place that flat edge about halfway down the rounded head section of the paper.
    Fold the beak in half. Place a small amount of hot glue on one of the triangle sections of the beak and glue it on top of the waddle. The beak will stay open and be 3D.
    Glue on two googly eyes to finish the turkey's face.
    Break off one top point of the pinecone so that you can glue the head piece on. 
    Place hot glue on the front end of the pinecone where it looks as if it can make contact with the flat paper head section. Carefully press the head onto this hot glue area. Let it cool for a moment and then look to see that it adhered well. Place a couple small spots of glue on the back to make better contact with the pinecone if necessary.
  • Start making the fanned tail by adding the largest feathers first. Place a small amount of hot glue on both sides of the bottom of the feather (the straight edge). Stick the feather down between the pinecone scales of the pine cone at the far back of the turkey.
    Continue to add the large Turkey feathers to make a full fan shape. See the picture. 
    Then take the medium feathers and make a second row of these feathers in front of the larger feather fan of the pinecone. Use the same gluing technique.
    Repeat this process with the smaller feathers.

Video

Notes

A tacky glue could work for younger children but takes longer to dry and there is more dripping.