How to Make Beaded Bug Plant Stakes
Some feel a garden is just not complete without plant stakes. They can help you remember what you have planted or they can just decorate your flowerpots. Whatever the reason you choose for making plant stakes, a beaded dragonfly can make anyone who spies it in your flowers smile. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 12-gauge wire
- 6mm seed beads
- Wire cutter
- 8-gauge wire
- Large bugle focal bead
- ¼-inch diameter wooden dowel
- Large round focal bead
Instructions
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1
Make four large loops with the 12-gauge wire, and string on the 6mm beads. These will be the wings for the dragonfly. Typically, you would make these in a teardrop shape, as dragonfly wings are longer and narrower than butterfly wings. It is possible to make these from one continuous piece of wire. You should be able to bend these with your hands, since they are large loops.
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2
Wrap the 8-gauge wire around the large bugle bead, just enough to keep the bead contained within the wire.
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3
Wrap the wire from the bugle bead down around the dowel in large spirals. To attach the head of the dragonfly, wrap back up the dowel and then at the top, wrap around the round bead to secure. Cut the wire.
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4
Attach the wings. If you used one continuous piece of wire, wrap the 12-gauge wire once around the wing you just made to secure the beads, then again around the body to secure each wing to the body. If you chose to bead each individual wing separately, you would attach each wing, after securing the beads, by wrapping the wire around the body a few times.
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5
Bend the wings as you see fit. Install your beaded bug plant stake in your flower bed.
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Tips & Warnings
Copper wire works well for this project. You can paint or stain the dowel if you wish.
Use caution when cutting the wire, and make sure the cut ends are not exposed.
