Don't think these are exactly what you are looking for but
check them out anyways.
http://familycrafts.about.com/library/projects/blxspidorn.htm
http://home.att.net/~ljwow/howto.html

I've made them. Take two different size bells and pipcleaners broken in half and inserted into the to bells and twist and then form legs from the two or three pipe cleaners forming a z shape and then add bow in the center of bells also. Hope this helps, if not feel free to Email me.

Thank you ladies. The beaded one is a different one. Might try them both. Lana

Is there a Poem to go with the spider? Thanks.
Sapphires

I don't know of any poems, just the legend.

The Legend of the Christmas Spider

Long ago in Germany, a mother prepared for Christmas Eve. She
cleaned and scrubbed her home, chasing the spiders from the living room
with her broom. The spiders fled to the attic and listened to the
excitement below as the Christmas tree was put up and decorated. When
all was quiet again, the little spiders crept back downstairs to see the
beautiful tree. They were filled with happiness as they crawled along
every branch, admiring the glittering beauty of each ornament. But
alas, by the time they had finished climbing through the tree, it was
completely draped with their dusty, gray cobwebs.

When the Christ child came, He smiled as He looked upon the happy
little spiders, however, He knew the mother would be heartbroken when
she saw the shrouded tree. So He reached out and touched the webs and,
blessing them, turned them into silver and gold. Now the Christmas tree
sparkled and shimmered and was even more beautiful than before.
Thus the custom to have tinsel of silver and gold and a spider
ornament amongst the other decorations on the Christmas tree was born.

Here some fun "stuff".

Here is a link that might be useful: Christmas Spiders +

Taunia had a post of ornaments to make and the spider info was in the site.
Hope this isn't a re-run........

Here is a link that might be useful: ornaments + spider story

Lana, I have a cute xmas spider I can send you the picture and poem . If you would like to see it let me know.......jan

I have never heard of this before. How cute.
thanks for sharing,
Cindy

I received a christmas spider ornament in 1968 made from beads, balls, garland, and pipe cleaner, it had a poem attached by a thread. The poem follows

The Christmas Spider

A warm silken web
A child to enfold,
Was spun by a spider
In a stable so cold
In thanks for the warmth
For her shivering Babe,
Between Mary and the spider
A promise was made:
"Good fortune will follow
All those who can see
------A Spider----------
On the eve before Christmas
On their Christmas tree."

I like that poem Bet - I often hear at my craft shows that there just isn't enough out there that reminds us of the "Jesus connection" to Christmas - that poem would be a great addition.
Suzan J

I was given at birth a wood and wire-spring spider by an elderly woman who brought the ornament when she came to the USA from Germany around 1900. We used the ornament for over 50 years before it just fell apart from use.

I found the following legend, made spiders from wires, tiny black seed and 2 large glass beads. These I gave to my children with the legend. Now, a few more years later, I am making the spiders for my grandchildren.

The Spider in Your Christmas Tree

Spiders seem to figure a great deal in legends. Perhaps it's not surprising then, that one of the most beautiful legends surrounding the Christmas story tells of a spider who saved the life of the infant Jesus.

This very lovely children's tale tells how the Holy Family stumbled wearily into a dark, damp cave on their way to Egypt. It was a cold, freezing night - so cold that the ground was carpeted with a white hoar-frost.

Tired as they were, Mary and Joseph busied themselves trying to make the cave as warm as they could for their new-born child. But it was all to no avail. It was impossible to light a fire as the wind blew mercilessly into the cave. Soon the baby began to cry and awoke a sleeping spider.

The spider was moved when he saw Jesus and decided that somehow he must do something to help Mary and Joseph. So, patiently, he began to spin a web across the entrance of the cave to make a kind of curtain which would shield them from the searing wind.

It was hard work and the spider was near to exhaustion when it was finished. He had only just completed his work however, when a detachment of Herod's soldiers approached the cave. Blood was on their swords and hate in their hearts. Their mission was to kill the infant Jesus.

The spider trembled with fear as he heard them stop outside the cave and prepare to burst in and search it. He looked at the now sleeping Jesus and prayed with all his might for a miracle.

He was not disappointed. The soldiers were just about to enter the cave when the captain noticed the slender web, covered with white hoar-frost, stretched across the entrance. He laughed hideously and cursed his men for their ignorance. "Can't you see the spider's web, you idiots?" he cried. "It's completely unbroken. There can't possibly be anyone in the cave, otherwise they would have certainly torn the web."

And so the soldiers went on their way and the infant Jesus slept peacefully that night because the little spider had given up his night's sleep to spin his web.

Any gift given to Jesus is never forgotten. And that, so they say, is why each year we cover our Christmas trees with tinsel: so that the shiny streamers will remind us of the unknown spider whose frost-covered web saved the life of the infant King.

Here's a cute tutorial for a beaded spider.

Here is a link that might be useful: Beaded spider

Been a lurker here for a long time but just had to comment on the spider.
I have made one already....I may turn blind before I'm done with another but it is soooo worth it.
Many years ago I started making small presents to give to the people in my life who I wouldn't normally go out and buy a present for but would like to give them a little something personal (I also give these homemade goodies along with a gift to people like my mom and my aunts etc).
After making my clay pot nativity sets a few years ago I have people asking me each year (starting in about August) what I am making for Christmas...I try to make things no one has heard of or seen before.....I set the bar wayyyyyyyyy too high with the nativity and have a challenging time finding just the right thing to make each year.
Thanks a ton for the spider info, no one in my circle of friends or family have heard of this (I would have heard of it if they did because it is just too wonderful to keep a secret) so it is going to be the perfect craft for me.
Thank you.

Welcome out of lurkdom, mrswhatacop. Glad you found an idea on here that you can use. I admire those of you who can do beaded things, always seems complicated to me! That pattern Snolady found is a really nice one. Hope it works for you. Please don't just lurk, join right in, we love to hear everyone's commments and ideas here, and you KNOW we love to see pics! ;o)

Luvs