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Tips and Ideas for Making Bead Christmas Ornaments

Hand made bead Christmas ornaments have been cherished and passed down for generations.  If you have always wanted to create your own beaded ornaments but have little experience with bead work, here are some tips that will help you create stunning and beautiful hand made beaded Christmas ornaments.

If you have never made bead Christmas ornaments before, you will first need to choose either a pattern or a kit.  There are many kits available that will include the beads, needle, thread, glue and any other required materials.  To begin making bead Christmas ornaments, you will need to assemble the proper tools.

Basic Tools for Hand Made Bead Christmas Ornaments

The number one important tool for making hand made bead Christmas ornaments is a pair of pliers.  Important pliers that are used with bead making include Flat Nose Pliers, Round Nose Pliers, Chain Nose Pliers, Crimp Nose Pliers, and Split Ring Pliers.

You will also need to invest in a pair of wire cutters.  If you are making wire bead Christmas ornaments, then wire cutters are absolutely essential.  When selecting wire cutters it is important to select the appropriate strength wire cutter for the wire that you will be using.  Wire cutters come in both lightweight and heavy-duty strengths.  Light weigh cutters are appropriate for beading wire and the heavy-duty strengths are appropriate for heavy gauge wire.

Another important tool used when making hand made Christmas Bead Ornaments include bead needles. These needles come in a variety of sizes applicable to the project you are making.

Types of Hand Made Christmas Bead Ornaments

There are many different types of hand made Christmas Bead Ornaments.  A simple bead ornament for a young child may consist of little more than stringing “pony beads” or other suitable bead onto pipe cleaners.  Children can simply place the beads on the pipe cleaners then twist them into various shapes such as bells, stars, candy canes, and Christmas trees.

Other forms of hand made Christmas Bead Ornaments include wire crafted beaded ornaments.  These ornaments are made by threading the selected beads onto wire and then, by following a pattern, sewing or weaving the wire into the desired shape.  These types of Christmas bead ornaments include angels, Christmas trees, and stars.

Here is another way that you can create sparkling and beautiful hand made Christmas bead ornaments without needing any experience, this project is suitable for beginners.  First you will need to gather your supplies.  These will include fabric paints (or other dimensional paint), small glass beads (or seed beads) satin finished ornaments, a small tray, and a small cup.  First, you will draw a simple shape on the ornament with the fabric paint.  You may use a pattern if you feel necessary but it should be fine to just draw the shape freehand.  Ideas for shapes include simple snowflakes, trees, and stars.  You can create your pattern as simple or as elaborate as you would like, you can also write Merry Christmas or something to that effect on your ornament.   After you have drawn out your design with the fabric paint on the satin ornament, hold the ornament over a small tray, and sprinkle the tiny beads over the ornament.  You can use a small cup to sprinkle the ornaments on.  This is similar to the projects created where you use glue then sprinkle glitter over the glue.  After your ornament finishes drying, you can hang it with a beautiful cord or complimentary satin ribbon.