This standing wooden cross can be used for so many different crafts. In this tutorial I will show you how to make this beautiful rainbow patterned cross with beads. This makes a great craft for Bible camp or Vacation Bible School over the summer and can be combined with different lessons on the cross of Christ.

Download a printable version of this activity here so you can easily follow the steps and the design!

Materials Used:

• Wood Cross 
• Glitter Glue Pens
• White Color Splash® Acrylic Paint
• Elmer’s® Washable School Glue
• Wood Beads
• Fancy Beads
• Jute String

 

 

Wooden Cross Craft – Step by Step Tutorial

Step 1: Dilute your white acrylic paint with water and paint the entire cross. This will create a very light, faded coat of white for the background of the cross.

Step 2: Choose the colors you’d like to use for the cross design. I chose to make a rainbow design for lots of color. Start at the top and squeeze a thin line of your first color in a horizontal line. Then your next color and create a thin line right below the first line. Repeat this with each glitter glue color until you get to the bottom of the cross.

Step 3: Using a toothpick or wooden dowel, start at the left end of the top of the cross and drag the toothpick over the glitter glue lines, down the entire length of the cross. Then start at the bottom and drag the toothpick over the lines and up to the top. Repeat until you have covered the whole cross with vertical lines. This creates a nice marbleized look.

Step 4: Cut a 30 inch piece of jute string. Glue the string along the outer edge of the cross as seen above.

Step 5: Decorative Beads:

• Cut a 20.5 inch piece of jute string. Bring the ends of the string together to form a loop at the other end.

• Tie the ends of the string together, leaving a few inches of string hanging for the beads.

• String the beads onto each end, and secure them with an overhand knot at the bottom.

• Loop the finished string around your cross.

Now you have a beautiful wooden cross craft to decorate your home with!

View our wide selection of christian crafts and activities here!