Paper Bead Wreath Ornament

Designed By Julie A. Bolduc

This wreath ornament is made with paper beads and other beads strung on one long wire, twisted together, and formed into a wreath. Then it's topped with a pretty red velvet Christmas bow.

Materials Needed For 1 Wreath
• 24 - 1/4" or 6-8mm green roundish paper beads made with copy paper, printed or solid color
• 9 - 1/4" or 6-8mm red roundish paper beads made with copy paper, printed or solid color
• Bead Glazing Materials
• 24 - 6mm glass, stone or crystal round beads of desired colors, you can use various shades of green
• 24 - 4mm or size 6/0 seed beads or E-Beads
• 24 gauge silver or gold craft wire about 30 inches
• 1 red Christmas bow, 2.5" x 3"
• Ornament Hanger of Choice

Tools Needed
• Size 5/64" paper bead roller
• Bead Glazing Tools
• 4 Bead Stoppers or small strong clamps of some sort, you can use pieces of painters tape or even transparent tape as well.
• Wire Cutters
• Needle Nose Pliers

Finished Size: 2" diameter
Skill Level: Intermediate

Instructions
Step 1: Use a 5/64" paper bead roller to make your paper beads. To make your paper beads, you can use colored copy paper or recycled paper. You can also use Christmas green copy paper. My red paper beads were made with red copy paper cut into 11" long strips that are 1/4" at the wide end and 1/16" at the narrow end.

Step 2: Glaze your paper beads however you normally do it. I actually strung them on 50lb fishing line and dipped them 2 times into PC-Petrifier and 2 times into Liquid Laminate.

Step 3: Cut your piece of wire so you have about 30 inches.

AssemblyPlace a bead stopper at one end about 5" from one end. Start putting your beads on the wire. You are going to make 3 identical sections that are separated by the bead stoppers, clamp or tape pieces. Place the beads on the wire in the following order. The bead stopper needs to give you about a half inch of space between the sections for twisting into loops later.

1. 4mm or size 6/0 seed bead
2. 6mm round green bead
3. 6mm-8mm Green paper bead
4. 4mm or size 6/0 seed bead
5. 6mm round green bead
6. 6mm-8mm Green paper bead
7. 6mm-8mm Red Paper Bead
8. Repeat 1-7 two times more.
9. Then repeat 1,2,3,4,5,6 one more time.
10. Place a Stopper on the wire
11. Repeat 1 - 10 two times more.

Step 4: Now you are going to turn this wired strand of beads into a wreath. Start by removing one of the inside bead stoppers. Using your needle nose pliers, grab a hold of the center between the beads and fold it and twist 3 times to make a loop. Repeat for the other inside space where the other inside bead stopper is. Remove one of the end stoppers and bend the wire at a 90degree angle. Repeat for the other end. Do not let the beads fall off.

Step 5: Fold the 3 sections onto each other so the loops and the wire ends are at each end of your work. String each end into the loop at each end to lock the loops in place.

Step 6: Bring the 2 ends together to form a loop of beads. Twist the 2 ends of wire together so you have one long twisted wire.

Step 7: Make a wrapped loop with your needle nose pliers and the twisted wire. Trim close to wrapped section.

Step 8: Attach bow to top center where the wire loop is.

Step 9: Attach ornament hanger of choice.

Note about my paper beads: The paper beads I made, were cut so the wide end was 1/4" wide but since I cut them with a rotary cutter and cutting mat, they were not all exactly the same. By the time they were glazed, they actually ended up being about 8mm in diameter. I cut the green strips from the wrappers of Duck Brand Bubble Mailer Envelopes 6x9inch and 4x6inch size. The wrappers have perforations in them so they can be a challenge to roll but it can be done.

Design written on Friday, October 16, 2015. Copyright ©2015 By Julie A. Bolduc f201006

Paper Bead Crafts
This free paper beaded pattern is for personal use only and is not to be resold.