Ming Trees Craft

Ming trees are often made to resemble bonsai trees.

Ming trees are artificial trees often crafted to resemble bonsai trees. Ming trees are also called wire trees or beaded trees. The term "ming tree" comes from a small evergreen of the same name. The origin of the name is uncertain, but it may refer to the Chinese Ming dynasty. Today, making ming trees is a popular and inexpensive craft activity.

Description

A ming tree is usually about a foot tall and constructed primarily of colored beads strung on wire and arranged to form a branching pattern resembling the branches of a tree. Depending on your taste, a ming tree can be fashioned to closely resemble a natural tree with green beads or a combination of red, orange and yellow to simulate fall colors. Your creation might be more fanciful, with almost any combination of colors. The basic techniques used to make ming trees are also used to create bead and wire flowers and other plants.

Materials

To make a ming tree, you need a spool of 22 or 24 gauge copper wire of the desired color and about one pound of beads. For tools, you need wire cutters, needle-nosed pliers for twisting wire and a staple gun, staples and white glue. Floral tape and floral wire are also necessary and are used to help form the tree trunk base. Depending on your project, you need a wooden base or a pot to “plant” your tree.

Making Branches

To make a ming tree branch, first cut a suitable length of wire. There’s no exact length, since branches will vary in size. About 15 to 24 inches is about right. String about eight beads onto the wire and move them to the center. Bend the wire into a loop containing the beads and twist to secure the beads in place. Continue twisting to form a 1/2-inch long stem. The wire now has two “tails” extending from your bead loop. Using one tail, form additional loops with more beads in the same manner as above. The other tail will be used to connect branches together and to form the trunk of the tree. Once you have made this initial branch, make additional branches until you have enough to construct the ming tree. The number you require depends on how thick you want the tree’s “foliage” to be.

Creating the Tree

Putting your ming tree together starts with arranging the prepared branches in a branching pattern like that of a real tree. Twist the tails of the branches together to link them. Once you’re done, the tails should come together at the center and bottom of your ming tree so that you can gather them into a trunk. Bundle the wires together using floral tape. Wrap the trunk in flora wire of the desired color (brown, for example). Leave a short length of each tail wire protruding from the bottom of the trunk. If you're using a wooden base, spread these wires out and staple them to the base to secure the tree. If you're panting the tree, coil the wires and glue them to the bottom of the pot. Finally, you might want to add dried moss or other finishing touches.

References

• Free Marian-Webster Dictionary: Ming Tree
• Armorama.com: Making Trees with Wire
• Kimberly Chapman: Beaded Tree Tutorial