Turn each of 3 pairs of men's microfiber black dress socks inside out. Tuck each ankle by 1 inch and safety-pin to make finished legs have sharper angles. Turn socks right side out; stuff with polyester-fiber stuffing. If safety pins show, blacken with permanent marker. Use shaded part of our template to cut out body from cardboard; punch holes as indicated. To attach legs, thread 24-gauge wire through holes, place sock on cardboard, and twist wire to secure.
To make harness, cut 2 pieces of 5/8-inch-wide black grosgrain ribbon 4 inches longer than baby's waist; stick self-adhesive Velcro on ends. Lay ribbons across spider, between legs; hot-glue onto cardboard. Using template, including unshaded part, cut body from black fake fur. Put some polyester-fiber stuffing on top of cardboard, place fur body over it, and hot-glue fur flaps to underside of cardboard. Place spider on baby's back, and attach at belly with Velcro-ribbon ties.
For the spiderweb skirt, you can use a long black skirt with white yarn or a long white skirt with black yarn -- both look great. Wear a matching top. You may want to add a crinoline petticoat under the skirt for extra puff.
The knotting and pinning of the yarn is easier if done when the skirt is on a dress form or a person. Cut 8 pieces of yarn, each the length of the skirt plus 4 inches; these will become the vertical spokes of the web. Tie a small loop at both ends of each length of yarn. With small safety pins, attach loops of yarn to the inside of the waistband and the underside of the hem, sliding pins through loops to secure, and evenly spacing yarn around skirt.
For the horizontal lines of the web, cut 5 or more pieces of yarn, each of them measured to be at least twice as long as the circumference of the skirt at the point where you will place it; the yarn you fasten at the waist will be shorter than the yarn at the hem.
Starting from the waistband, tie each yarn to the spokes, letting it sag slightly between them. Dab white craft glue on the knots so they won't slip down the spokes. Space the horizontal yarns farther apart toward the bottom of the skirt, and add more sag.
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