How to Make Glass Beaded Christmas Tree Ornaments

Use glass beads to create sparkling ornaments.

Homemade Christmas ornaments appear intricate but you can create these beaded decorations simply and enlist the help of even the youngest of your family members. After picking up some supplies at the craft store, you will be able to make several ornaments in a short time. Glass beads are an ideal material to use as they will add shimmer and gleam to the Christmas tree.

Things You'll Need

• 8mm or pony glass beads
• Pipe cleaners
• Scissors
• Thread
• Tiny, glass seed beads
• Pencil
• Satin-finished ornaments
• Fabric glue

Instructions

Candy Cane Ornament

1. 

   Make a candy cane ornament out of pipe cleaner and glass beads.

   Create a candy cane ornament out of a white or red pipe cleaner and red and white glass beads. Use pony beads, 8mm spherical or hexagonal beads or any glass bead that has a hole big enough for a pipe cleaner to fit through.

2. Cut a 5-inch piece of pipe cleaner. Make a small bend on one end of the pipe cleaner piece so the beads will not slide off.

3. String the pipe cleaner with the glass beads, alternating between red and white.

4. Make a small bend on the other end of the pipe cleaner once you are finished beading. Bend the beaded pipe cleaner into the shape of a cane.

5. Cut a 3-inch piece of matching thread. Make a loop out of the thread for hanging on the tree at the top of the ornament by tying a knot onto the ornament and tying a knot at the top of the thread's loop.

Snowflake Ornament

1. Make a snowflake ornament using silver pipe cleaners and blue and white 8mm or pony glass beads.

2. Cut three equal sized pieces, approximately 4 inches long, of pipe cleaner.

3. 

   Make a snowflake base out of three pieces of pipe cleaner.

   Set up two pieces of pipe cleaners perpendicular to one another, in cross formation, so they meet in their middles. Twist them around one another once to connect them. Place the remaining piece of pipe cleaner diagonally across the cross' middle. Twist the piece to connect it to the snowflake base.

4. Bead each of the six portions of the snowflake, alternating between blue and white beads.

5. Bend each of the loose ends of pipe cleaners to hold the beads in place. Before bending the final end of pipe cleaner, thread a piece of thread through the last bead and create a loop for hanging on the tree.

Satin-Finished Ornament

1. Create a beaded design on a ball-shaped or flat satin-finished ornament, which you can find at most craft shops.

2. Draw the design you would like to create with a pencil on the ornament. Sketch a snowflake, star, gift, garland or any design you wish.

3. Trace your pencil markings with fabric glue.

4. Sprinkle glass seed beads on top of the fabric glue. Follow the directions on the glue's packaging for drying time.

5. String the ornament with a threaded loop and hang it on the tree.

References

• Tennessee Tech University: Ashanti Glass Bead Making in Daabaa, Ghana
• MakingFriends.com: Tri-Bead Ornaments
• Bead Craft Ideas: Tips and Ideas for Making Bead Christmas Ornaments
• All You: Bejeweled Satin Ornaments

Resources

• ChristmasCrafts.com: Christmas Bead Crafts