Christmas Ornaments - Make Your Own with Beads and
Pipe Cleaners
By Brigitte Smith
Christmas ornaments made from ordinary pipe cleaners and inexpensive
acrylic beads are very pretty and easy to make. They look quite
impressive yet are easy enough for small children to make. This is one
Christmas craft idea to use again and again. Older people will enjoy
making this Christmas craft, too, which can be varied to make a number
of different sparkling ornaments for your Christmas tree.
To make the bead and pipe cleaner ornaments, you need common pipe
cleaners in desired colors and acrylic beads. Two types of beads are
particularly effective when strung on pipe cleaners. One type are called
sunburst beads, but are also known as paddlewheel beads, snowflake
beads, or starburst beads. These beads have six faceted paddles spaced
equally around a center that contains the hole for stringing. When
several of these sunburst beads are strung consecutively, they fit
against each other in an interlocking pattern.
The other type of bead that is also effective for this Christmas craft
is called the tri bead or propeller bead. It has three rounded bumps
arranged around the stringing hole. Like the sunburst beads, the tri
beads interlock when strung consecutively. For the most sparkly and
attractive Christmas ornaments, get tri beads and/or sunburst beads in
translucent colors of red, green, and clear. The tri beads can also be
found in metallic gold and silver which can be used in this Christmas
craft as well.
Pipe cleaners can be found in silver and gold tinsel as well as chenille
of all colors. For the Christmas craft, the best colors to use are the
metallics and Christmas colors. The beads cover the pipe cleaners, but
the ends will need to be twisted together and made into hangers, so they
show.
Anyone, even small children, can string these beads on pipe cleaners.
Bend up the end of the pipe cleaner so the beads don't fall off. The
pipe cleaner works like a needle, making a needle unnecessary. For best
results, show the children how to alternate colors when stringing, or
start a pattern of three colors. When the beads are strung on the pipe
cleaners, they can be bent into different Christmas shapes. For
instance, string red and clear beads alternately, then bend down one end
of the pipe cleaner for a candy cane shape. Or alternate red and green
beads and form a circle for a wreath. Use red pipe cleaner to form a
small bow to decorate the wreath. Form a hanger for the Christmas craft
or simply slip the circle over a branch of the tree.
If you experiment with clear beads and silver pipe cleaners, you can
make some beautiful snowflake or star ornaments. Snowflake designs can
be twisted of silver pipe cleaner only, without the beads for a simple
but pretty decoration.
Bead and pipe cleaner ornaments are a Christmas craft you will find
yourself using every year. Children and their parents will both
appreciate this simple yet pretty Christmas craft.
Find out more about Christmas ornaments, Christmas gift ideas and more
at Christmas Craft Ideas.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brigitte_Smith
|
