Ribbon Angel How-To

I am trying to find a pattern for an angel, using the ribbon with wire along both sides. The ribbons were not hanging freely, but folded in a way that made the gown/body and arms/wings. Can you please help me?

Martha

=============================================

Hi Martha,

OMGosh, could you be talking about the angels in my Ribbon Angel Tutorial?

If so, I would be extremely flattered. If not, I’ll see if I can help more. Please provide further details. What is different about the angels you are seeking?

Regards,
Eileen

=============================================

I really can't elaborate on the angels, they appeared to be shaped by "pinching" the wire-sided ribbon. I am assuming that they were glued to hold them together. I was able to determine that taking a length of ribbon, attaching it to the waist area, then shaping it, formed the gown.

At least, thank you for replying to inquiry. I make and send ornaments to my grandson, who lives in Kansas (I live in PA) every Christmas. Being 73 years old, I know that my days of crocheting the ornaments are running out, and I am trying to locate new and different patterns to use.

Martha

=============================================

Hi Martha,

Sorry my ribbon angels aren’t quite what you had in mind. Perhaps one of my other readers can help.

In the meantime, see if any of these would work.

• Fringe Angel
• Wired "Ribbon Candy" Ornament
• Wired Ribbon Poinsettia Ornament
• Iridescent Bead-Filled Ornament
• Hand Painted Ornaments
• Tassel Christmas Ornament
• Snowflake Christmas Ornament

Eileen

Tags: Christmas crafts, Christmas angels, ribbon angels, craft ideas, holiday crafts, Christmas ornaments, ribbon crafts, craft tutorial

Artsy Bloggers Roundup

Holiday Décor Crafts
The Artful Crafter
A bead spinner is not required, but certainly recommended, to make a beautiful seed bead Christmas tree like this one created by Shaaron.

The Impatient Crafter
Madge is feeling Retrofabulous this holiday season! Check out this vintage inspired mixed media jewelry project idea.

Craftside - A Behind-the-Scenes Peek at a Crafty World
The 19 Days of Holiday Goodness Giveaways is in full swing. While you're there check out how to make a ribbon-wrapped mirror wreath.

Farm Girl Roots, City Girl Style
Linda built a house--a gingerbread house, that is! Check out photos and learn more about this party concept that's taking Chicago by storm.

Holiday Paper Crafts
About Family Crafts
Check out these creative gift wrapping ideas. You simply cannot give someone a fabulous homemade gift using ordinary, store-bought wrapping paper. You can easily and quickly personalize the wrap as well as the gift.

Aileen's Musings
Looking for Christmas card ideas? Aileen shares her idea using a Starbucks coffee sleeve and challenges you ...

Fabric Crafts
Mixed Media Artist
One of Cyndi's readers shared a fabulous craft idea using her own custom-printed fabric. Learn how you can design and print your own original fabric too.

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Stefanie shows how to make a reindeer antler headband from recycled sweaters. Yes, antler singular, as in Max from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

Craft Business
Crafty Princess Diaries
A light tent can make all the difference when photographing your crafts.

Tags: art blogs, craft blogs, Christmas craft ideas, craft business tips, beading projects, craft tutorials, fabric crafts, holiday decor, craft ideas, holiday paper crafts

Saturday Craft Link Love Swap

::: Craft ::: Link ::: Love :::

On Saturdays, a group of my crafting friends and I are gathering up our best links to share with each other. The idea is to send our readers to other crafters and artists whose work we admire.

So join in the fun and make the rounds. And if you see something you like, please leave some love (comments) behind – especially on links which don’t have much yet. We all could use a little love :-D

::: Craft ::: Link ::: Love :::

Arts & Crafts Examiner
Do you need some holiday gift ideas for your favorite crafty kid?

Creative Dreamer
Ramblings on patience, car repair, and some cute holiday house ornaments.

Gadabout Media DIY
Use glass beads and wire to make a charming little snowman charm bracelet or pendant.

Hankering for Yarn
One of Noreen's fave Christmas traditions is to make little comfort bears for the women's shelter or other charities. This year, she designed little bears to be made on the vintage Mattel knitter (or other crank machines).

Hankering for Yarn Part 2
And, here is the link to the second half of the Amigurumi Teddy Bear tutorial.

Jewelry & Beading
Cyndi is sharing a series of Gift Guides for handmade jewelry lovers!

The Artful Crafter
Whatever the holiday, make cute pop-up place cards to organize the dinner table and delight guests of all ages.

Tags: art blogs, craft blogs, craft ideas, craft inspiration, patterns, craft tutorials, fiber crafts, weaving, craft ideas, craft magazine

Seed Beaded Christmas Tree: Decorating the Tree

[You’ll find the list of supplies and photo of the completed seed bead Christmas tree in Monday’s post.]

Glue a star or angel on the top of the tree.

While the tree is still sitting in a vase start to decorate the tree. Add the ornaments where desired and then close each hook you created with round nose pliers. Add the garland in the same manner placing the hooks you created where needed and then going back and completely closing each one so the garland will always stay in place.

Insert the tree trunk through the hole in the skirt and then down into the lid of the box. Run more glue around the tree trunk under the tree skirt. Gather the thread in the center of the skirt until it just fits around the trunk. Run the needle through the fabric, knot and cut off. Push the skirt down and secure in the glue around the trunk. The skirt will now have a ruffled look to it.

Add whatever you would like under the tree. Tiny toys, boxes and gift bags found in the doll house section of any craft store or make some items with clay and then paint them

Tags: tabletop Christmas tree, seed bead Christmas tree, spinning seed beads, handmade Christmas tree, seed bead spinner, beading, craft ideas, Christmas craft project

Seed Beaded Christmas Tree: Assembling the Tree

[You’ll find the list of supplies and photo of the completed seed bead Christmas tree in Monday’s post.]

Wrap each 11” piece of wire with the floral tape stretching it and over lapping the tape as you go down the wire. Then group all three wires together and tightly wrap them all together. This is now the trunk of the tree.

Starting at the top of the trunk, place the first branch for Layer 1 and wrap twice with floral tape to hold it in place. Continue adding branches around, wrapping as you go.

Leave a ¼-inch space between Layers 1, 2, 3 and 4. Leave ⅜ inch between layers 4 and 5; and ½ inch between all remaining layers.

To create fullness and a natural look at the base of the tree, the final layers alternate. That is, attach the first 10A branch of 15 loops, then the first 10B branch of 17 loops. Continue with the second 10A and second 10B branches; then the third and fourth. Follow the same pattern with layers 11A and 11B.

Rest the seed beaded tree upright in a heavy glass or flower vase. Perhaps you need a rest now too, before proceeding to make the mini ornaments ;-).

Instructions for the Tree Decorations

To make the ornaments, place a larger bead or two on a head pin. Cut the pin leaving approximately ⅝ inch for the hook. Make a small hook with round nose pliers. Leave it open enough to place on the tree later. Make up as many ornaments as you wish and set aside.

To make the garland, use a fine needle and thread; knot one end and string on approximately 200 seed beads. Run a stitch up through the last bead twice and knot off. Place a drop of Fray Check on each knot at both ends.

To make hangers for the garland, place one head pin through the bottom of the last bead on each end. Form an open loop in both. Measure out the garland and use eye pins to form intermediate hangers. Slightly open each eye loop and hook that end onto the string between the beads spacing them out along the garland. Close the eye loops.

Leave approximately ⅝ inch of wire for the hooks as you did for the ornaments. Make a hook in each tail, leaving it slightly open for attaching.

Tomorrow: decorating the tree.

Tags: tabletop Christmas tree, seed bead Christmas tree, spinning seed beads, handmade Christmas tree, seed bead spinner, beading, craft ideas, Christmas craft project

Seed Beaded Christmas Tree: Beading the Tree

[You’ll find the list of supplies and photo of the completed seed bead Christmas tree in Monday’s post.]

A branch consists of a length of wire with seed beads formed into a series of loops. Below is the approximate length of wire needed for each branch and the inches of beads needed to complete that branch. The tree is assembled in layers of branches. In the list below you will see the number of branches needed for each layer.

Note: I found it easier to make a tiny, tight loop at the far end of each length of wire and string the required inches of beads needed for each branch using a Darice Bead Spinner but you can place the beads in a bowl and just scoop the beads onto the wire. Count out to the open end of wire the required number of beads to make the first loop. Then count out the number of beads needed between each loop and then make the next loop.

After you’ve done a couple of branches, it goes much faster.

Instructions for Each Branch:

For each branch, a loop consists of 16 beads with 6 beads between every loop. After you have loaded on enough beads to complete each branch, count out 16 beads leaving a 2-inch tail of wire for the stem. Form the first loop. Count out 6 beads and then another 16 and make the next loop leaving the 6 beads between the loops. Do this until you have made the correct number of loops and spaces needed for each branch. Leave another 2-inch tail at the end and cut the initial tight loop off the end.

Twist the two stems together to form one.

Holding the very top loop on each branch and holding the stem in the other hand, twist the branch until all the spaces are wrapped around each other forming a tight branch. Arrange the loops to resemble a tree branch.

Wrap each stem with the floral tape starting as close to the beads as possible. Bend each stem at a right angle to each branch for attaching to the trunk of the tree later.

When the first layer of branches is done, place its branches in a baggie and mark the layer number on the bag.

Continue in this manner until all the layers of branches are done.

Tomorrow: assembling the tree.

Tags: tabletop Christmas tree, seed bead Christmas tree, spinning seed beads, handmade Christmas tree, seed bead spinner, beading, craft ideas, Christmas craft project

Seed Beaded Christmas Tree: the Tree’s Box Base

[You’ll find the list of supplies and photo of the completed seed bead Christmas tree in yesterday’s post.]

Instructions for the Box:

Seal the outside of the box and lid with the All Purpose Sealer.

Paint two coat of white paint on the outside of the box and two coats of red on the outside of the lid.

Tear out, don’t cut, the angel images to be decoupaged to the box sides. Decoupage the images around the sides of the box. I added some clouds in blue and white around the angels. When dry, add another layer of Mod Podge all around the box.

Using the stylus or a toothpick, make small white dots along the side edges of the lid. When this is completely dry, add two coats of Mod Podge to the lid.

Make a hole in the very center of the lid with an awl or Phillips head screwdriver. The hole should only be about 4mm in size.

Cut out a circle of white felt by tracing around the bottom of the box onto the felt. Glue the circle to the bottom of the box.

Cut out another circle of white felt in the same manner but this time cut random scallops around the outer edges. Fold in half and then into quarters to find the center. Cut a small hole where the trunk will be inserted. Glue scalloped felt circle onto the lid of the box, making sure to center it.

Cut the clay block to fit inside the box.

You may need to add some additional clay to the top; so use what you have cut off to glue more on top as shown with the E6000 glue. The clay should now be slightly higher than the top of the box so the lid will not go completely down but just enough to cover the side rim.

Add some glue to the inside edges of the lid and around the hole inside the lid. Set the lid on top and add a book on top to keep it in place while the glue dries.

Note: By keeping the lid a little higher, it will give more depth for the tree trunk making it more secure.

Set aside to dry over night.

Cut a circle out of the Christmas-design fabric in the same manner as above. Run a small amount of Fray Check around the cut edge. Hand stitch or glue the trim around the outer edge of the skirt. Find the middle of the circle and cut a 1-inch hole. Apply Fray Check around the cut edge of the hole. Use double thread and a needle, to sew a running stitch around the hole about ¼-inch from the cut edge. Leave the thread and needle in place until time to place around the trunk and tie off.

Tomorrow: beading the tree.

Tags: tabletop Christmas tree, seed bead Christmas tree, spinning seed beads, handmade Christmas tree, seed bead spinner, beading, craft ideas, Christmas craft project